How a Childhood Aversion Turned Into a Lifelong Coffee Love Story

You don’t need to love coffee the first time you try it. In fact, many people don’t. This story isn’t about the perfect first sip—it’s about how a rocky start with coffee turned into a decades-long relationship, built on ritual, resilience, and a surprising moment of self-hazing in a Parisian café.

By age 17, the author went from hating coffee’s taste to drinking it daily—after forcing down an entire bowl of café au lait in Paris. That single act of coffee 'self-hazing' flipped their relationship with coffee forever.

The First Taste: Coffee Ice Cream at Age 5

The trouble started early. At just five years old, the author was given a scoop of coffee ice cream—and hated it. The combination of sweet ice cream with bitter coffee was confusing and unpleasant. Rather than sparking curiosity, it created a mental block: how could anyone ruin ice cream with coffee?

Early Rituals: Making Coffee for Parents at Age 10

By age 10, while still not enjoying the taste, the author had developed an appreciation for the ritual of making coffee. Every morning, they’d help their parents by brewing coffee—even if their early attempts with brewing technology were imperfect. Their parents valued the gesture enough to overlook the technical mishaps.

Rebellion Against Coffee: Hiking Over Coffee Trips at Age 10+

Years later, the author was equally unimpressed when their parents announced a summer hiking trip instead of something more exciting. Coffee still wasn’t a priority—but neither was appreciating the outdoors. Coffee remained a divisive topic.

The Turning Point: Café Au Lait in Paris at Age 17

Everything changed at 17 during a family trip to Paris. Arriving by train early in the morning, the author reluctantly ordered a large café au lait at a small local café—and forced themselves to drink the entire bowl. That act of intentional coffee consumption acted as a form of self-hazing. It worked. From that day forward, the author enjoyed coffee almost daily.

Internship Culture: Surviving the Evaporating Coffee Pot at 21

At 21, working as an intern at a magazine, the author encountered another extreme coffee situation. Every morning around 9 a.m., the art director and the author brewed a huge pot of coffee to power through the day. Left to simmer on the machine, the coffee intensified unnaturally by lunch, becoming extremely strong. By evening, the remnants had turned into a black, tar-like liquid with a sharp, acrid smell. Despite the brutal taste, they drank it without complaint.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age did the author first try coffee?

The author first tried coffee at age 5, but not as a drink—rather, as coffee ice cream, which they disliked intensely. This early experience created a negative impression of coffee that lasted for years.

When did the author start making coffee for others?

By age 10, the author was making coffee for their parents every morning, despite still disliking the taste. They enjoyed the ritual of brewing, and their parents appreciated the effort enough to ignore the technical issues.

What changed the author’s opinion of coffee?

At age 17, during a trip to Paris, the author ordered a large café au lait and forced themselves to drink the whole bowl. This act of 'self-hazing' helped them overcome their dislike, and they began enjoying coffee regularly from that point on.

What was the coffee like in the internship office?

At age 21, during an internship, the office coffee was brewed in a large pot that sat on the machine all day. By lunch, it became extremely strong due to evaporation, and by evening, it turned into a tar-like, foul-tasting liquid. The author and colleagues drank it anyway without flinching.

Did the author always like the taste of coffee?

No. The author actively disliked coffee’s taste until age 17. Prior to that, they associated it with unpleasant experiences, including coffee ice cream and being forced to hike instead of having more exciting experiences.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee Rituals

For readers exploring their own coffee journeys, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for bright floral and citrus notes, a great entry point for those rediscovering coffee. The Classic Blend offers balanced chocolate and nuttiness, ideal for daily drinking like in the story’s Paris café moment. For something richer, the Black Cocoa Blend brings deep cocoa and a lingering finish—perfect for powering through long workdays like those magazine internships. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.