For us hardcore coffee lovers, there is nothing more insulting than serving us with a cup right off the supermarket racks. I can’t take anything less than freshly grounded whole coffee beans.

But if you can’t get the freshest coffee beans in your place, try the few pointers that the Atlantic Food Channel gave recently for selecting the freshest coffee beans from your local store.

If coffee is properly packaged in a valve bag (those with small internal buttons and slits), it will probably taste better than bulk beans. Smell the coffee beans through the valve and evaluate whether it smells like fresh ground or whole beans.

If you supermarket, however, is the kind who roast their own coffee beans then that’s also good as a fresh cup of blended coffee from high-end restaurants. But still, evaluate the roasting and blending the baristas do with your coffee. Roasting requires special skills, technique and experience.

I’m kind of in a rut here. If I don’t have the luxury of buying freshly roasted coffee then, I might try some of these pointers and buy something off the grocery racks. But I’d still rather prefer the aroma of well-blended coffee. Pair it with a biscotti or two then you’re in pure heaven.

However, if you don’t have a choice, better try out those helpful tips above and see how far supermarket coffee can take you in your needed caffeine fix.