297945 Wed Jul 28 14:06:05 -0700 2004 2 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1645974 The thread below has got me curious. I often drink half a cup of coffee and nuke the remainder. When I was in an apartment without a microwave, I'd balance the mister coffee pot on the stove and reheat (boil) what was left, often dumping in my unfinished cup, cream and all. I can stretch a whole week or two on one pot. I'm not picky about it being "fresh", "day old", etc. - I could never tell the difference, and was drinking instant until a year ago. However, a few people have pointed out that reheating the CREAM might be problematic. Usually I'm using that powdered fake stuff; if I run out, I might splash in some milk. Skim, usually, simply because that's what I have kicking around. I've never noticed any ill-effects, but am I poisoning myself? I figure whatever dangers week-old cream or creamer might pose are offset by all that nuking. Coffee afficianados need not reply - I'd like to hear from people who can get past my using instant and reheating it for a week or more in the first place! It's just the CREAM I'm asking about. Thanks! Wed Jul 28 14:06:05 -0700 2004 0 JillHerndon 1 1646038 Do you keep the coffee refrigerated? If so, I wouldn't worry. If not, well, what doesn't kill you... One of those unintentional experiments in college - coffee can eventually grow mold, maybe just from airborne contaminants dropping in, I don't know, but I have witnessed mold on coffee after 2 to 3 weeks at room temperature. Wed Jul 28 19:49:04 -0700 2004 1645974 0 babette feasts 2 1646261 Yes, I keep it refrigerated once I've "soiled" it with cream(er). I misspoke above - it is the very nuking which people object to. Not so much with the creamer, but on those occasions when I have "cream" (milk). Forget the whole drawn-out-week-thing, people around me say they wouldn't even reheat a cup once it has cream in it. Molecular change, instant curdling...yadda yadda, poison. Like the mold you mention (yes, I know of it), I have noticed certain times when the old cream-in-the-pot does indeed curdle. Cannot recall if these are the nuked-cups-returned-to-pot (apt with micro) or the reboiled on stove pots. In any case, people object to the whole thought of boiling milk, among other things. Again, I'm not picky about taste. But I too sense that week-old-thrice-boiled-milk might not be the healthiest thing in the world. Sat Jul 31 10:33:02 -0700 2004 1646038 0 JillHerndon