In the event that you ever find yourself road tripping in Northern Ontario, the more eagle-eyed among you might start noticing a sign posted in the windows of diners and Chinese restaurants in cities, towns, and hamlets from Sudbury to Moosonee, from Kirkland Lake to Sault Ste. Marie.
Log Cabin Coffee is distributed by Cochrane’s own Fortier Beverages, distributor of water, coffee, tea, and related equipment and supplies all over the region.1Disclaimer: I don’t actually know how far and wide they distribute, but I can confirm the existence of this coffee over quite a large swath of this area. I do not know the history of Log Cabin Coffee. I don’t know how long it has existed, who started it, if Fortier bought it at some point, or if it is their own house brand. It is a mystery to me. There is no wikipedia page, or information of any substance on Fortier’s website. For all I know this brand of coffee sprang up from the depths of hell and simply appeared in a warehouse one day, bewitched to curse the world.
Because friends, I am here to tell you… this is the worst coffee I have ever had in my life. I can’t even describe what it tastes like. It is recognizably coffee, but doesn’t taste like any other coffee I’ve ever had. I’ve had some very bad coffee over the years, some made by yours truly, but nothing can compare to this stuff. I drink my coffee black 98% of the time, and the only way I can drink Log Cabin is to load it up with a ton of cream.
Now, you would think all of that would lead to me recommending that you steer clear of it. Au contraire, mes amis. If you spot that sign, you stop whatever you are doing, go into whatever restaurant’s window is darkened by it, and you order yourself a cup of Northern Ontario’s finest. Because it is so unique and distinctive, it must be experienced.
Log Cabin does have its fans. I have, on occasion, heard people waxing poetic about it. I, obviously, am not one of those fans. But maybe you are. Maybe you’ll taste what people who are not me enjoy in it. And I hope you’re one of those people. Because otherwise you’re just in for a bad cup of coffee.
Have fun, stay safe, and post like nobody’s reading.