As for the instant, Ryan and I found that we don’t drink as much coffee in the morning as we used to. We still grind beans aboout half the time. For the other half of the time, we followed some online recommendations and did some experimenting with high-end European-import instant coffees. Our go-to is Jacobs Kronung (the wonderful smell of which made our jar of Maxwell House instant smell like cat pee in comparison!)

But I on my own have become very partial to Nescafe Classico, one or another version of which is found in Mexico, Israel, and across Europe. It’s really sad–even when a fresh pot of whole-bean coffee is sitting ready to drink, sometimes I opt for the Nescafe Classico. I previously read accounts of expats and former expats who said the same thing, and now I get it. It really grows on you!