"Don't worry, I've got you covered," I assured my best friend Alyssa after she spilled her dating dilemma. Her blue eyes were wide with panic, hands wringing the strap of her purse.
"But Becca is like...a coffee snob or something," she despaired. "She asked me out to this super hip cafe downtown for our third date. What if she quizzes me about roast profiles and extraction times and I have no clue what she's talking about?"
I waved off her concerns with a smile. "Trust me. We'll come up with something to help you hold your own." I gestured for her to follow me to our neighborhood coffee shop.
Alyssa had never touched coffee in her life until recently, instead fueling daily early morning swim practices with gigantic Canal Street smoothies. But ever since meeting triathlete Becca, she was determined to embrace anything coffee-related to impress her new crush. Even if it meant forcing down the occasional latte.
We wandered up to the cafe counter, the rich aroma of freshly ground beans enveloping us. "Okay, lesson one," I began, pointing to the rows of bags on display behind the register. "Knowing a little about origin and flavor notes is helpful."
I gave her a quick overview of terms like single origin versus blends, fair trade certifications, the flavor variation between Ethiopian, Colombian, and Indonesian beans. I could see the tension in Alyssa's shoulders easing slightly as understanding dawned.
"Got it. Now, time to taste." We sat at a table by the window as the barista brought over two cappuccinos. I coached Alyssa through detecting notes like chocolate, citrus, and caramel against the espresso's bitterness. Her nose crinkled at first but after a few cautious sips, I spotted a subtle look of surprise andᅳdare I sayᅳdelight?
"Not bad, right?" I winked.
"Yeah, okay...I guess coffee isn't pure evil," she conceded, scraping the last of the froth from her cup.
We covered basics like cold brew versus iced coffee and different milk options. By the end, Alyssa could name the components that go into a flat white and cortado like a pro. Her phone chirped the one hour warning for swim practice and we hurried to bus our table.
"I know that was a firehose of information," I said, giving her shoulder a proud squeeze as we exited onto the sidewalk. "But don't stress about memorizing all of it. Just go enjoy spending time with Becca. You guys clearly have a connection that has nothing to do with coffee knowledge."
Alyssa smiled, gratitude shining through a dusting of latte foam still clinging to her upper lip. "You're the best, you know that? Wish me luck!" With an excited wave, she took off down the street.
I didn't hear from Alyssa again until the next morning when my phone lit up with a video call notification.
"Soooo...how was the date?" I asked. Based on the giddiness in Alyssa's expression, I guessed it had gone extremely well.
"It was perfect!" she gushed. "The cafe was adorable and we talked for hours. And yes, we did eventually land on coffee and I totally kept up! Becca even said she was impressed by my 'refined palate'." We dissolved into laughter before Alyssa's smile turned sentimental.
"But honestly...even if I'd hated the taste of everything she ordered, it wouldn't have mattered. I really like this girl. And I think she likes me too. All thanks to the best dating coach ever." She held up her coffee mug in smiling tribute.
I beamed back at her, thrilled to see my friend so happy. Who knows? Maybe with a little more coaching, I'd even make a coffee lover out of her yet.
Image generated on Canva via Imagen