Teeccino Herbal Coffee

I tried this over the weekend, actually on Friday. I don't know how I heard of it, but it popped into my head when I was debating on getting a cup of coffee or throwing a bag of Lipton tea into some hot water.  I really like lattes' and mocha's (soy versions), and coffee with Coffeemate and sugar, but have to be in the right mood for straight, black coffee.  Coffee has such a high acidic level that I'd like to do away with it (I only like one cup a day so its not like I throw down a pot every morning).  I took a chance and picked up a box of Teeccino.  It was around $5 for a box of 10 bags so at 50 cents a cup it was worth a try.  They also sell in it 11 oz bags for about $10 that you can brew like regular coffee, but I thought "If this stuff sucks I'll be out ten bucks instead of five."  Plus, I could keep tea-style bags at work or make just one cup at a time really quick.   It says it 'herbal coffee', but contains no actual coffee.  Sort of like 'herbal tea' -- there's no actual tea in that so....same difference.

Well, I have to admit that I actually like the taste of straight Teeccino better than straight coffee. I can say that seriously when compared Folgers from the tin/plastic jug which really can't be considered coffee since they have to let it go stale so it has the same/uniform taste (see the small print at the end of this post). Seriously, when comparing Teeccino and coffee, there's none of that bitterish, coffee-ish after-taste with the Teeccino.  It smells like coffee, tastes similar, but is smoother with a mildly nutty finish.  We usually buy whole bean Caribou or Starbucks so this is a little more costly than that, but for a healthier version of a morning cup of hot java, it may be worth it.  Not sure I am going to be hooked though--its caffeine free so it can't really hook you like that--but I'm going to keep drinking it till its gone and see what I think.

(Yes, Folgers and other cheap coffee that you get at a grocery store is staled out before it is packaged. Don't believe me, buy some good coffee from a coffee shop, have it ground, drink a cup. Then take some out, enough for a pot, put it in a container and let it sit for a couple months. Drink the fresh stuff till its gone and go about your business. In a couple months, brew the stuff you set aside.  It will taste like off the shelf Folgers.)