I rarely drink wine and when I do, I care not for whence it came. However, when it comes to beer and coffee I am particular. I care about the freshness of the coffee beans. I care about the temperature of the water for the pour. I care about which method was used to make the coffee and about the proper coffee-to-water ratio. I care how long the coffee was brewed. I make coffee for myself each morning and I care about these things. Some people think this makes me a coffee connoisseur. Some would say a snob. The two words do not mean the same thing.
con·nois·seur :noun
a person who knows a lot about something (such as art, wine, food, etc.)
I am far from an expert in the art of brewing coffee but I would argue that I know more about it than the average person. I spend a lot of time reading about coffee beans and coffee brewing. But apparently offering one's opinion on the quality of the espresso drink at a popular restaurant makes me a snob.
snob :noun
one who has an offensive air of superiority in matters of knowledge or taste
Perhaps it was my attitude about what we were drinking that was the issue. I did not mean to seem superior but perhaps my tone and facial expressions said something that my words did not. The latte wasn't terrible. In my opinion, it wasn't made with a similar amount of care as the meal. It was disappointing. It reminded me of something I could get at a Starbucks. And I don't like Starbucks coffee.
Maybe the lesson learned is, "it's not what you say, it's how you say it".
