Did you see Consumer Reports in the headlines the other day? They did an investiga
tion to see which brand of Columbian coffee was The Best. They tested nineteen brands - everything from Folgers and Maxwell House to Starbucks and Gloria Jean's - and the winner... Eight O'Clock Coffee!
The judges - who tasted all the coffees black - called the coffee a "complex blend of earthy and fruity, with a bright, pleasing sourness."
tion to see which brand of Columbian coffee was The Best. They tested nineteen brands - everything from Folgers and Maxwell House to Starbucks and Gloria Jean's - and the winner... Eight O'Clock Coffee!The judges - who tasted all the coffees black - called the coffee a "complex blend of earthy and fruity, with a bright, pleasing sourness."
I guess there's a reason it's been around for 150 years. Eight O'Clock Coffee was once the house brand of the old A&P. They finally gave the brand a name in 1919, after learning from a survey that the two most popular times of day for drinking coffee were 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. By the 1930s, 25% of all coffee consumed in the United States was Eight O'Clock. It was the #1 brand through the 1950s.
Eight O'Clock s
ells for about $6 per pound. From what I can understand, you can still buy the coffee in whole bean variety, but it's also been available as grounds since 2003.
ells for about $6 per pound. From what I can understand, you can still buy the coffee in whole bean variety, but it's also been available as grounds since 2003.Isn't it great that a popular 1940s breakfast item is still wowing people today? A coworker told me that her parents used to drink nothing but Eight O'Clock Coffee. It was their house blend, so to speak. I'm going to pick up a bag of Eight O'Clock next time I need some coffee and taste test it for myself. It would make my vintage breakfast table complete.
17 comments:
That is so cool! Hubbs and I are sitting here thinking, "Who drinks coffee at 8pm?" but he brought up that they drank it after dessert as well! Ah, the little joys we forget about. BTW, I love the little coffee cups in that picture!
That is so great, I am going to be buying this brand from now on. The packaging looks EXACTLY the same and I can get it whole bean or ground at my store. Oh, and Emer, I drink coffee at 8 or there around as after dinner (usually 7) we have coffee and whatever dessert I have going, what's the point of nice coffee cups and saucers If I can't use them Twice a day, right? Of course, I live in 1955 so what else would you expect.
Thanks again, jitterbug, for introducing me to the americas housekeeping book, I scanned and listed some of the pages on spots in my blog today, I hope you don't mind.
That makes me wish I drank more coffee (and that the electric percolator I just saw at the Goodwill had the cord with it.)
So home coffee grinders must have been common then? Perhaps the hand-crank variety?
I can remember seeing Eight O'Clock Coffee at the A&P when I was little. I can't recall if it's available at the grocery stores in my area, so I'll have to check. I LOVE the photos on this post!
Emer, I'm looking ahead at the dinner menus in my 1945 cookbook, and they almost always mention coffee. Could it have been regular? I wonder if people used to drink decaf in the evening...
50sgal, do whatever you please with the manual. I'm glad it's coming in handy for you!
Teru, the ads of the time for Eight O'Clock always mention "ground to order" so I think most A&Ps had grinding machines somewhere behind the counter where they would take care of that for you.
Christine, I'm glad you liked the pictures! I love the plaid tablecloth in the table scene. The wife is wearing a dressing gown, so it must be breakfast time.
I think that decaf coffee was pretty popular as I was listening to a 1949 episode of "My Favorite Husband" and they had a Sanka commercial talking about decaf if regular coffee "makes you feel jittery and mad". :)
I found this little tidbit very interesting. My husband owns a coffee company and has developed all the blends himself.
I've only just found a way to drink coffee ~ with sugar and cream. Otherwise I find it far too bitter & prefer a cup of tea. The only times I've ever had coffee it's been more like 11am LOL.
I'm going to pick up a bag of 8 o'clock coffee the next time I'm at the market. Anything that's been around for 150 years has to have something going for it.
BMA, can't have those late-night jitters! "My Favorite Husband" is such a fun show. I love the episode where Elizabeth has to give dancing lessons to her husband's boss' gawky son. The sacrifices a wife has to make...
Tracy, cream and sugar certainly dress up a nice cup o' joe. I take mine with 1% milk and sugar.
hip chick, 150 years sounds so impressive! I'm eager to try this brand out myself. I hope it doesn't sell out at my supermarket now that the word is on the street.
When I first moved "north" 11 years ago, there was an A&P in town. We had them a long time ago in Tampa, FL, too.
It was like seeing an old friend.
I can get 8:00 coffee at all the grocery stores here.
Roxanne
stale coffee can give you nerves...
http://www.lileks.com/institute/adarchive/oldads/40s/4.html
see also "Mr Coffee Nerves" for decaf
http://www.lileks.com/comics/coffnerv/coff1/index.html
Thanks for those links weenie_elise ! LOL
My gosh I love 8 O'Clock coffee! Whole bean of course.
W-E, that "Mr. Coffee Nerves" series is hilarious! With the added commentary, of course. Have any of you ever tasted Postum yourselves? I'd love to know if it's actually as vile as I imagine. I tend to just skip evening coffee myself. Unless I go out for dinner, and then it's decaf all the way.
I have a little 8 o'clock coffee tin/bank above my cupboards with some old spice jars of my Grandmothers. Didn't now it was even still around. I'll have to look for it-esp. know that I'm grinding all my coffee in my antique coffee grinder...It's a lovely hand crank model. I've been using my electric pot bc I think it grinds too fine for my percolator. They weren't adjustable then.
Kimberly, you're really earning your cup of coffee!
So many readers wonder what happened to you, Jitterbug--are you well?
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