searching for my morning drink

I’ve always loved the idea of coffee — how a drink can become both a source of comfort and a vehicle for socializing. I picture the show Friends and their daily reunions at the coffee house, I see Lorelai and Rory Gilmore bonding over their obsession with having several cups a day, and I think of the past, when I would go to restaurants with my family, and it was almost mandatory for each person to have a small coffee after their meal.

I desperately wanted to love and enjoy it, but despite being beloved by those around me, I’m simply unable to stomach it. I had no choice but to become a tea person — I began by drinking iced black tea with lemon, and slowly moved towards a daily cup of green tea until I was ready for something richer. I would be attracted to the vibrant color and body of matcha, yet once I tried it, I was horrified by its soup-like taste.

I was determined to see the beauty of it: I used almond milk. Macadamia milk. Honey. Vanilla Extract. Oat milk. Hazelnut Syrup. I bought my powder through Amazon, Chamberlain Coffee, and Ippodo — I tried it all as I sought the morning drink that would bring me that early-rising happiness everyone had except for me; and before I knew it, matcha had become that source of comfort that I longed for. But, despite the joy and relief it brought, I began wondering what would have happened if I put this amount of effort into liking coffee. Did I genuinely love matcha or did I successfully train my body to desire it?