Most journalists need coffee like a drug.

In my case, I buy cold brew or iced Americano from the most prominent coffeehouse chain on my way to the office.

However, two weeks ago, I stopped the practice and decided to just buy my own coffee for two reasons.

First, I realized capturing the bitter taste of iced coffee is a hit-or-miss thing — depending on how much ice the barista dumps on it. Though I always request for "less ice and more coffee, please," many times it ends up tasting like iced water.

Second, it dawned on me that I've been spending more or less P5,000 a month drinking bland, diluted coffee.

That's quite a sum, considering the effect of inflation on my overall expenses, including the grocery, eating in restaurants and Grab fare — all of which added up to: Magastos!

So, heading to Robinsons Supermarket in Galleria, I randomly picked an unknown (at least to me), "freeze-dried instant coffee" brand, Moccona, for less than P400.

Its label said: "Espresso style," "10," "bold and intense." Trying it for the first time, piping hot, the familiar, bitter taste of black coffee settled on my tongue.

"Ok naman ang instant coffee," the gentleman writer Constantino Tejero once told me.

What's the difference anyway between the regular brewed kind and what the masses have known as instant coffee from the garapon — or rather in 3-in-1 sachets?

First, I didn't know there are two kinds of instant coffee: spray dried and freeze dried.

The website gratefulearthcoffee.com says "spray-dried coffee is made by spraying coffee extract solution into a chamber that has very hot air. The droplets are exposed to the hot air, the water instantly evaporates and the coffee powder falls to the bottom of the chamber."

"But the coffee loses most of its flavor through the spray-drying method, and the texture of the powder is very fine."

To make freeze-dried coffee, "the extract solution is frozen until it's completely solid."It is then broken into smaller granules. The smaller frozen granules are dried in a mid-temperature vacuum. As the frozen coffee granules warm up, the frozen water rapidly expands into gas in a process called sublimation, the end result of which are dried coffee granules.

It is said that top-quality freeze-dried instant coffee tastes like regular brewed coffee, is more convenient to prepare since all you need is hot water and has a longer shelf life.

And here's the good news, as the website claims: "Instant coffee contains less caffeine but has more phenols and flavonoids — antioxidants that help with managing blood pressure and blood sugar… Some research has shown that instant coffee may help reduce blood sugar."

Photo contest

The effects of inflation sometimes depress me. Thank God for the power of music that can set me off on a good mood any time of the day.

Lately I've been listening to Spotify through the JBL Clip 4 Ultra-portable Waterproof Speaker, which, surprisingly, has a big sound with a well-defined bass. It runs on Bluetooth and has 10 hours' battery life.

Through this compact audio gear, named Clip coz you can clip it on your backpack while outdoors or anywhere there's a hook to attach it to, the quiet tunes of Bill Evans, as well as the intense songs of Joe Jackson, both come alive. Wonder how Led Zeppelin will sound here.

The JBL Clip 4 is one of many electronic devices available at the appliance store Automatic Centre, which has been around for the past 70 years and is running a promotional campaign, "Automatic Centre Noon, Hanggang Ngayon" photo contest.

Post a photo of your family's oldest home appliance purchased at Automatic Centre (proof of purchase necessary) and answer the question in the caption, "Ano ang kwentong Automatic mo?" Tag @AutomaticCentre1948 and use the following hashtags #AutomtaticCentre #AutomaticYan #AutomaticContest.

Post entries until 30 November by submitting your entry in the registration form on the link posted on the Automatic Centre Facebook announcement.

The winner gets a Samsung 75-inch LED UHD TV worth P96,999.

For doctors

This one's for doctors. Metro Pacific Investments Corporation's health consult app, mWell, introduces mWellMD, an Electronic Medical Record and clinic management system with features and services for medical practitioners to manage patients online and in their clinics. It includes tools for managing patient records, consults, billings and professional fees.

"The doctor experience is a key aspect of mWell's operations — we make sure to listen to them and respond to their needs to deliver a seamless end-to-end journey," said MPIC chief finance, risk and sustainability officer Chaye Cabal-Revilla.

MPIC president, chairman and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan added: "We salute all the doctors who are part of our mission to bring healthcare closer to more Filipinos. We gladly welcome partner-doctors to our future-proof platform, mWellMD. With their support and expertise, mWell's fully integrated digital healthcare ecosystem shall continue to provide our countrymen better access to quality healthcare."

Log on to: https://www.mwell.com.ph/.