This is topic My Induction to Canadian Culture in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by ReikoDemosthenes (Member # 6218) on :
 
So, after many years of shocking people that I had not tried it, I had Tim Horton's coffee the other day. So many people have told me how great it is and how horrible it is that I hadn't tried it. So when my boss asked me if I like coffee and I said yes, he bought me some. I must say, I'm rather disappointed. It is highly over-rated. So for all you Americans out there, if anyone ever says that you simply must try Tim Horton's coffee, just say no. However, do buy a doughnut instead, because they are good and worth it.
 

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Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
 
I hate coffee. I always order a doughnut and hot chocolate when I go to Tim Horton's.
 

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Posted by Uhleeuh (Member # 6803) on :
 
Mind if I keep this as evidence for later, Rei? I believe a certain someone I know has been saying how not-special Tim Horton's is for about a year now.
 

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Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
I really like Tim Horton's sandwiches: nourishing, not fried/greasy, satisfying.

The coffee? Eh, well, I'm a tea woman.

[ February 20, 2005, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: ClaudiaTherese ]
 

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Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
 
I'm a tea woman too.

And I've been forbidden to drink coffee by a former voice teacher, so I guess that settles it.
 

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Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
 
I started drinking coffee occasionally last winter. There was, unsettling as it may be, something quintessentially Canadian about walking through a blizzard in the a.m. hours, clutching your coffee and trying to ignore the world by blasting your brain with stimulants. It's a weird thing, coffee; somehow drinking it connects us to those who have had it before. Some sort of transliminal coffee intertexuality... indeed I could go for some snooty imported coffee, black turtleneck and a beret right now.

Anywho, Tim's is loved because it has somehow engrained itself into our cultural consciousness. As corny as it sounds, for many people there is something about drinking it that bonds you with everyone else in the country that does it, though I bet they wouldn’t describe it as such themselves. Sure there's lots of caffeine, and delicious wax on the cup, but there's also a certain je ne sais quoi. Plus, y'know, it's cheap and everywhere.

[ February 20, 2005, 04:19 PM: Message edited by: Bob the Lawyer ]
 

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Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
 
I've never heard anyone praise Tim's Coffee. It's okay, I guess, but it's standard coffee from a standard fast food place!

That makes me sad.

All of what Bob said is true, especially:

quote:

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There was, unsettling as it may be, something quintessentially Canadian about walking through a blizzard in the a.m. hours, clutching your coffee and trying to ignore the world by blasting your brain with stimulants.

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quote:

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Mind if I keep this as evidence for later, Rei? I believe a certain someone I know has been saying how not-special Tim Horton's is for about a year now. [Razz]

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yes I do mind...especially as that same person thought that Tim Horton's was famous for their bagels...heaven knows how she got that impression when it's obviously their doughnuts (which I adore over even Krispy Kreme)
 

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Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
 
I don't drink coffee. Or tea, most of the time.

But I LOVE Tim Hortons' chili in a bread bowl. I could live on that stuff.
 

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Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
 
Am I the only person here who's never heard of Tim Horton?
 

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Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
 
I never had 'til I came to hatrack. It's been mentioned here a couple of times before.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
What ElJay said.
 

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Posted by ReikoDemosthenes (Member # 6218) on :
 
ah you poor souls...I'd mail you all some doughnuts, but somehow I think they'll be a little less than up to snuff after travelling by post for a couple days...
 

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Posted by Fitz (Member # 4803) on :
 
I don't like their coffee, but I don't like coffee in general. They make a pretty good english toffee capuccino, though. As for the food, it's alright, but not great.
 

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Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
 
Tim Hortons is just standard fare, not bad, but not great- it gets by on its "Canadian-ness". It's cheap food and universal in Canada (and apparantly American border cities), so you know what you're getting.


 

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Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
I'm not a coffee drinker, so I have no comments on their coffee. I do miss their doughnuts and timbits, but I just miss doughnuts and timbits in general - there aren't any in this country that I know of!

My sister and her family are in the Maldives right now, 400 miles west of here, and have been since Septeber/October, and she has gone on and on about missing Tim. I doubt it's the quality of the coffee necessarily as much as it's just coffee. This is a tea area, and coffee is difficult to find. The grocery store will have 20 or 30 brands of tea with their many varieties, but one or two types of instant coffee. Sanka being the most common.

I think she's been having caffeine withdrawal. It's kinda funny to watch.
 

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