My Days Making Coffee in Santa Ana
I must have made thousands of these drinks. Mall rats would come in on their lunch hours and rich Santa Ana denizens would swipe their card for 20 dollars or more to get these bewitching concoctions. The way they are made is now a part of my permanent psyche!
First, you put a cup of ice into the blender. Then milk, chocolate powder and the patented coffee syrup. Run the blender a bit and then “voila” you have it! 
There were also the signature coffee drinks: the red eye (my drink of choice) mild coffee with a shot of espresso. These were great when my eyelids were heavy from studying.
I learned a lot about OC people working at the Coffee Bean. They love shopping and they are very particular about things like coffee drinks. The clientele I had in Santa Ana were mostly middle upper class so they weren’t millionaires for the most part. Since they probably had no control to order a maid around, it was as if getting their drinks just so was their method of feeling powerful. What did we care as long as they tipped? Usually they did.
Another thing I learned I have mentioned in my ongoing “Coffee Vocabulary” series started a few months back but I will say it again because it is such valuable information:
No OC event or workday is complete without a coffee drink in hand. These can be hot or ice blended, but the fixture in hand is a curious OC must.
This whole expensive coffee thing always kind of amazed me. I love coffee. I drink it all the time, but I prefer it brewed in my own coffee pot at home. I do sneak off for the occassional Dunkin’ Donuts brew…I think that is the best coffee ever!! But Starbucks and all these other places? Nope. Starbucks tastes oily and burned to me. I’m also not a fan of flavors or whipped cream or anything else they put in those frappamochachinos or whatever they are! Just give me straight black Folger’s from my own coffee pot and I am happy as a clam!
Jessica
The only problem with Dunkin Donuts and its ilk is that science has shown the medicinal properties of coffee are highest if consumed within 20 minutes of brewing. After that the electrolytes or whatever they’ve found helpful in the concoction fade. You never know how long the coffee sits in places that don’t understand this concept. Places like Starbucks brew every half hour. The place I worked did too.
But as for home, I am with you sister!. I don’t even use Yuban or Folgers . . . I proudly display the huge econo generic coffee can :) The huge one is only $4.99 and lasts for what seems like 1,000’s of cups!
I haven’t found coffee I like at home. I usually drink an Americano, sometimes an espresso yes, at Starbucks, and yes, Jessica, sometimes it does taste burned. I found a coffee house in a little town with much better coffee - and they went out of business.
Still forget to ask for Turkish coffee after reading your post, Damien.
Marcia: If you like chewing your coffee, Turkish is the way to go ;) As you will recall from my other post! So are you in job hunt mode yet?
“…they go on their merry caffeinated way.” ROFL! It can’t be overlooked that you were enrolled in the school of life working here and the other establishments you’ve mentioned.
Rosemarie: That "school of life" has some hard knocks but you never forget what learn in those classes huh? It’s especially nice when you maintain an "eternal perspective" so the lessons are for a more longgggggg term purpose. Thanks for that super cool comment.