"D" is for Dunkin' Disaster.

photo from livbit.com

I love my coffee. I have a Keurig one cup coffee maker, and every morning I throw in a little k-cup of Rain Forest Nut, or Hazelnut, or, if I'm really feeling frisky, Pumpkin Spice, and presto, I have my own perfect cup of coffee. Throw in a little stevia and a dash of milk, and I'm in coffee heaven.

Except, of course, on the days that someone forgets to leave me a swallow of milk for the coffee. Now, everyone knows the rule. Mom needs her coffee. Do not finish it. Ever. The Mommy Monster might just rear her ugly head.

So, today, when I searched the fridge for any type of milk-like substitute, I tried not to panic. In the past, I have used ice cream (any flavor--even strawberry), cool whip, soy milk, and almond milk. The first two work well, the last two, yuck. I mean, I'll put soy milk and almond milk on my cereal, but for some reason, they just make my coffee taste un-coffee-like. Coming up empty handed this morning, and running late to a swim lesson for my daughter, I decided I'd do the Dunkin'.

An hour later, feeling decidedly zombie-ish, I scoured the Dunkin' Donuts menu. I'd had bad luck in the past, and wanted to drink something yummy. I do like their coffee coolattas, but didn't feel like dessert so early in the morning. So I thought I would try the mocha swirl latte. Chocolate, foamed milk, and coffee? What could go wrong?

I took one sip and considered turning on my heals to exchange it. It tasted like it had been burned over a camp fire, while my son dumped in charred, chalky dirt. Had time permitted, I would have not suffered through the deluge of disgustingness. Luckily it was small and I finished it in a few sips.

Now I wait for the caffeine to kick in.

So, please tell me, what do you order when you order coffee at DD? What is good? What tastes the least like they swirled charcoal dust in? I'm horrible at ordering at Starbucks too--I freeze like a deer in headlights.

And, it made me think of how books are really personal preference, and that agent rejection shouldn't be taken personally. I'm sure that the girl in the pigtails and skimpy pleated shirt and platform boots behind me would have loved my coffee. One person's charcoal swirled burned disaster is another person's yum. :)