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March 06, 2005
Regarding coffee
Thanks to careful instruction from Walter, I know how to make good coffee. You get a little electric grinder from K-Mart. You purchase organic coffee beans. (Maybe Sandra will get on here & provide the URL for the place where she gets hers.) I get them from a good health food store. The Newman's organic beans that you can get at a grocery store are okay, but only just. If you want to truly enjoy your coffee, get something fresher and richer.
Then you make your coffee through a drip cone; do not use an electric coffeemaker. One of the things that destroys coffee is heat; you're better off drinking it cold than drinking it ruined. So you use the little drip cone that drips right into your cup (or in my case, into a b-i-g mug). You pour boiling water over the coffee grounds in the cone. Start by just wetting those grounds and letting them sit and steep for a couple of minutes. Then begin pouring the boiling water through the cone to make your coffee.
Don't be afraid to make it strong. Strong is good. Strong is your friend. In order to enjoy really strong coffee without getting a heinous caffeine addiction, I do transgress in a way that Walter would no doubt consider sacrilege (acolytes always disappoint their mentors): I buy ready-ground Starbucks decaf and mix it half & half with the good stuff. And it still makes a terrific cup of coffee.
On a wintry spring Sunday morning, as the snow drifts down and tells you that you might not get that bike ride today, after all, it's a pleasure to listen to Bessie Smith and Joe Strummer; sip really fine coffee; and appreciate wise friends like Walter.
Posted by senioritis at March 6, 2005 10:40 AM
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Comments
I'm in love with coffee! I've been drinkng it since I was about eight years old, thanks to my father's mother. My very first cup was instant, but once I had drip, I've never wanted instant again. I haven't tried a flavor I didn't like. Oh, except once I went to Cariboo Coffee in Naperville, Il. I decided to try a "turtle". It was caramel flavored with bits of pecans, and a smidgen of whip cream on top. Some of the pecans got caught in my bad tonsil (the one on the left), and made me sick.
I should try your suggestion. I have an electric coffee maker, and just when I'm ready for that second cup, I end up throwing it out because it's over cooked.
Also, the best way to keep the coffe fresh is to keep it in the fridge.
mmmmmmm...coffee
Posted by: aj at March 6, 2005 01:00 PM
Your description of the coffee making process elicits such a "tender-loving-care" visual for me. (The minimalist tech writer in me bristles at the declarative information, but the coffee junkie in me salivates). I don't know if I could work that hard just to make a cup of coffee. Yes, it is the nectar of the gods, but does it have to be a labor of love?
Posted by: mike at March 7, 2005 08:27 AM
I've thought about your question for several minutes (whilst watching Minnesota pull into the lead in the Big 10 finals), and my conclusive answer is "yes." Really great coffee takes a bit of effort, and the result is one of life's finest pleasures. Let your inner coffee junkie run amok!
Posted by: senioritis at March 7, 2005 08:28 PM
Good coffee IS worth a bit more work--especially if you can get someone else to do that work (I actually prefer espresso, but Walter's drip is pretty damn good). So it took a while, but here's that URL:
They have great decaf for folks who like the smell and taste of coffee but miss the whole point aside from that . . .
For those who care (and we all should) Kalani coffee is certified organic and sustainably shade grown. It is run by two women (Karen Gorder and Constance Neely) out in Bellingham, WA, and seems in every way a business to support -- in addition to producing the MOST WONDERFUL coffee (and organic tea). The only possible criticism is that although they seem to follow solid fair trade practices, they are not fair trade certified. About six months ago I emailed them and asked why not, but got no reply. Walter, on the other hand, has developed the kind of consumer relationship were he can send a desparate email about how we are almost out of coffee becauses he forgot to order it, which could signal the end of his domestic bliss, and they will FedEx an order overnight. Show me the money . . .
Posted by: sandra at March 10, 2005 11:01 AM