Perfection in a Plastic Cup

I have done it.

I have discovered the perfect summer refreshment.

And by "discovered," I may or may not mean it in the same sense as those who say Christopher Columbus "discovered" America.

Let me tell you the story of my long journey towards this current state of Enlightenment.

A few weeks ago, I caved to marketing ploys and bought a copy of Skinny Bitch. I decided it was worth seeing what a former model and an ex-modeling agent turned health nuts had to say.

What they had to say, along with vilifying all animal products and extolling the virtues of Veganism, was that coffee and all caffeine-containing beverages are just as demonic as beef and dairy. I am not sure every item on their laundry list contributed to my deciding to cut down on my caffeine intake, but their words did provide an impetus for me to finally take the measures I've been meaning to take to kick what I know is really just an excessive (and expensive) habit.

Sometime during high school, I fell in love with both coffee and caffeine, and I fear that there has rarely been a day I've gone without it. Whether in the form of my morning cup o' joe (black), Diet Coke to quench my oral fixation throughout the day, or what has recently become a daily large latte habit, I always managed to get myself artificially fired up.

And now that I, who was always a little energizer bunny, find myself feeling groggy, grumpy and headachey until I've had a coffee, suffering energy drops throughout the day, and unable to fall asleep at night, I've decided that something had to change.

So get ready . . . I have not had one cup of coffee, not one drop, all week. Nor have I had Diet Coke, or any artificially-sweetened substance, as I also realized such products are slowly giving me cancer.

I switched first to chai lattes, and then, to green tea. And today, I made my masterpiece. Which is to say, I ordered the barista at Coffee Obsession in Falmouth to make one for me.

An iced Moroccan Mint green tea with soy milk.

It is summery, thirst-quenching, heavenly, zesty zinginess. The mint, on top of the ice, sends tingles all throughout your body, and tastes like those Evian water commercials look. Pure refreshment, made creamy with soy milk.

I highly, highly recommend. Plus, green tea has anti-oxidents and speeds up your metabolism. Allegedly.