I awoke last Saturday morning, after my first day at the all-inclusive Royal Decameron resort in Montego Bay, really, really, really needing a strong cup of coffee.  I had gotten my money's worth on day one at the all-you-can-drink bars scattered throughout the resort.  Unfortunately, the resort restaurant was "out of coffee" when we arrived at about 9 AM.  How can that be?  Well, I think it was a matter of simple economics.  Coffee was likely the most expensive thing served at the resort.  Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee fetches more than $30 US per pound on the world market—it's among the most expensive coffees on the planet.  Jamaicans don't drink much coffee.  They can't afford it.  And, apparently, nor can the all-inclusive resorts at the lower end of the price scale, like the one we were staying at.  So they "run out" periodically throughout breakfast service.  We were told that coffee would "soon come, mon."  But none had arrived by the time we finished eating, so my friends gave up on it and left the restaurant.  I, however, was determined to get a cup of coffee.  I needed a cup of coffee.  I'm addicted to coffee . . . I get a screaming headache by noon if I don't drink coffee in the morning.  So I pulled out a book and waited.

The coffee did finally arrive.  The drip machines were in plain view in the dining room, so I watched the staff put a pot on to drip and then disappear.  When the pot was full, the staff had still not returned . . . so I helped myself to a cup.  Mid-pour, however, some staff caught me in the act and scolded me.  I soon found out why.  I returned to my seat with a delicious cup of the world's finest and watched the staff divide the pot of coffee into two and cut it with water.  My initiative paid off . . . my second cup of watered-down cup wasn't nearly as good as the first.  I knew I had to find an alternative to the resort's coffee service.  Luckily, there was a café that looked promising a short stroll down the street. 



And the café didn't disappoint.  The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee was full-strength and delicious . . . so good that I shelled out $28 for the 12 oz. bag pictured above.  I haven't opened it yet, but I'm looking forward to trying it this weekend.  I may have to do hold my only little cupping with the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee and the Counter Culture La Golondrina coffee that's sitting in my cupboard.  I hope the Jamaican black gold tastes as good in DC as it did in Montego Bay!