the little stone

What do pulled pork and instant coffee have in common? They’re both made delicious by the addition of brown sugar!

While you might be hesitant to use instant coffee, the addition of dark brown sugar, which has a strong molasses flavor, adds so much depth to the instant coffee. It really rounds out the taste. The result is not surface level sweetness, which I’ve found is the case when adding white sugar.

This coffee has become my new favorite for its flavor, convenience, and cost.

I’ve recently had to adjust my budget and made the decision that I would rather have some extra pocket money than spend that moolah at Starbucks on a grande cafe mocha with an extra shot of espresso ($5.25 each and 35g of sugar) a few times a week.

Getting my coffee fix by using the ingredients I have in my kitchen has encouraged me to be more resourceful and less wasteful. I actually use the instant coffee that just sits on the shelf and all of the milk before it spoils. I’ve also been using the ingredient (dark brown sugar) I bought for just one dish (pulled pork sandwiches) that I probably wouldn’t have used until a year later, at the earliest.

How I make the coffee:

I use a heaping spoonful of instant coffee and add it to approximately a cup of water. I then add about 1 tablespoon (12.5 grams) of dark brown sugar. Lastly, I pour in milk until the color of the drink is that of a brown paper bag. The result is a quick, cheap, and enjoyable cup of instant coffee.

I use Nescafé Classico and pay around $11 for a 7 oz jar, which makes up to 100 cups. A 16 oz. pack (~453 grams) of Domino’s dark brown sugar is around $1. Coffee and sugar alone, I’m paying about 13 cents per cup. The only thing that will have to be replaced frequently is milk. But even with that expense, I’m paying less than 50 cents for my cup of coffee.

I hope you find this tidbit helpful and that it encourages you to experiment with the stuff you already have in your kitchen! If you choose to try this coffee, let me know what you think.

I also hope that in addition to saving you some money, this modification gives you a little time to spare in your busy morning, leaving you with an opportunity for a a couple of stretches, a few more minutes in the shower, a quick prayer, or one more time to hit “Snooze.”

Given the subject of trying to enjoy indulgences while keeping afloat financially, today’s song is “Keep It There” by The Weepies. Thanks for reading!