One of my greatest fears is that at some point in my life, I'll get a disease or have some sort of physical problem and I'll hear a doctor say, "you need to stop drinking coffee." It will be a long conversation about whether it's worth it or not.
Showing posts with label Coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coffee. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
Tim Horton's Donut History
Since I spend way too much time at Timmie's I thought I would share this link that my friend Katie found for me. It's not the history of Tim Horton's....it's the history of their donuts.
ENJOY
ENJOY
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Perfect Iced Coffee
I did it. I figured out how to make perfect Iced Coffee at home. It is a project, but after a couple different runs through it, it's definitely right. I'm gonna share the secret with you.
To start you need good coffee. You're going to be using a lot, and so I know you can be tempted to get cheaper coffee because of that. Don't. Your mouth won't forgive you. I admittedly like a Dark Roast coffee. This whole process goes darker than normal anyway....so if you don't like it dark at all...consider medium coffee. If you go light...don't bother. I chose this Starbucks Italian Roast because it had a Vespa on it. HA
Ok down to the directions. My bag of coffee was 12 oz. I chose to use 4 oz. to start with just to see how it would go. As it turns out, that was a good idea as that is a good deal of coffee. So I measured out 4 oz of coffee into my trusty kitchen scale. This is a mountain of perfection.
Even for 4 oz. you're going to need a rather large container. Marjorie had a giant jar with stickers all over. The stickers added nothing to the taste, but are very distracting to the pictures. It was a challenge getting the coffee in the small hole of the jar....I made my own paper funnel. Perfection.
OK so for every 4oz, you're going to use 2 quarts of water. So for 8 oz. you need a gallon of water. Which (if you're doing the math along with me at home) means if you use a full pound bag of coffee (note that these days most bags of coffee are 12 or 14 oz, not a pound) you need 2 gallons of water. That's a lot. Which is another reason I chose to only do 4 oz per brew.
So what we're doing is called cold brewing. You're going to dump that water directly into the jar with the grounds. You'll also want to use a spoon, or butter knife, or spatula to stir that in a way that lets all the grounds touch the water. You'll need to probably scrap the side above the water level as ground will splash up a bit too. You want all the coffee goodness to have it's full impact here! So here's a picture of the nastiness that is created (sorry for the dark...it was night in my kitchen). You're going to let this awesome sauce sit for 8-12 hours. I make mine at night and then go to bed. It works nicely.
Here's the fun part. You get to pour your big jug into the cheese cloth and strainer. This could take awhile if you use a full pound of coffee and 2 gallons of water. I recommend you use a cute little Ethiopian boy to help hold your strainer. Not that you need the strainer held, if it has the little lip to hook onto your bowl, but it's more fun with cute Ethiopian boys! You might need to pat down the coffee in the strainer with a spoon or spatula. If it backs up be patient and let it strain through. I needed a second jar to pour a couple times because my measuring bowl was a little too small.
So here's what you're looking at. On the left is the grounds that have gone into the strainer. The middle jar is the nasty residue jug from the cold brew and the right is perfection.
This is what you're going to end up with. It's thick and dark. That's OK. Even if you use medium roast, it's gonna look darker than you'd normally drink coffee....that's what you want and I'll show you why in a second. I don't drink this right away. I find that the whole thing works much better if I put this in the refrigerator for awhile so that it's COLD. Remember you're making iced coffee, so it can't hurt to keep it cold.
A final few notes:
1. If you keep your cold brew in the refrigerator, and are using cold milk....I've found you can pretty much forgo the ice all together. The ice almost gets in the way...and it's cold enough even on a warm day.
2. There is a way to make Thai and Vietnamese iced coffee from this same cold brew. I haven't gone this route yet, but that is coming in the next week or two and I'll report back.
3. I just cold brewed some decaf as well. I was realizing I normally want a cold beverage in late afternoon/early evening. But because of how strong the coffee was I was still going full tilt at midnight. Decaf works just the same.
Ok down to the directions. My bag of coffee was 12 oz. I chose to use 4 oz. to start with just to see how it would go. As it turns out, that was a good idea as that is a good deal of coffee. So I measured out 4 oz of coffee into my trusty kitchen scale. This is a mountain of perfection.
OK so for every 4oz, you're going to use 2 quarts of water. So for 8 oz. you need a gallon of water. Which (if you're doing the math along with me at home) means if you use a full pound bag of coffee (note that these days most bags of coffee are 12 or 14 oz, not a pound) you need 2 gallons of water. That's a lot. Which is another reason I chose to only do 4 oz per brew.
So what we're doing is called cold brewing. You're going to dump that water directly into the jar with the grounds. You'll also want to use a spoon, or butter knife, or spatula to stir that in a way that lets all the grounds touch the water. You'll need to probably scrap the side above the water level as ground will splash up a bit too. You want all the coffee goodness to have it's full impact here! So here's a picture of the nastiness that is created (sorry for the dark...it was night in my kitchen). You're going to let this awesome sauce sit for 8-12 hours. I make mine at night and then go to bed. It works nicely.
When the time has passed, you'll see no change, except maybe a little darker. You'll need to get some cheese cloth. I found mine at the local grocery store (which means if I can find it in Warren you can find it where you are). You obviously have to strain your coffee, but a strainer by itself is not going to cut it. I double layered my cheese cloth inside my strainer and it worked perfectly.
Here's the fun part. You get to pour your big jug into the cheese cloth and strainer. This could take awhile if you use a full pound of coffee and 2 gallons of water. I recommend you use a cute little Ethiopian boy to help hold your strainer. Not that you need the strainer held, if it has the little lip to hook onto your bowl, but it's more fun with cute Ethiopian boys! You might need to pat down the coffee in the strainer with a spoon or spatula. If it backs up be patient and let it strain through. I needed a second jar to pour a couple times because my measuring bowl was a little too small.
So here's what you're looking at. On the left is the grounds that have gone into the strainer. The middle jar is the nasty residue jug from the cold brew and the right is perfection.
This is what you're going to end up with. It's thick and dark. That's OK. Even if you use medium roast, it's gonna look darker than you'd normally drink coffee....that's what you want and I'll show you why in a second. I don't drink this right away. I find that the whole thing works much better if I put this in the refrigerator for awhile so that it's COLD. Remember you're making iced coffee, so it can't hurt to keep it cold.
So after some time in the fridge, you're going to pour your thick coffee into a cup. You only want a little more than half full. TRUST ME. I like cream and sugar in my coffee so I add that now. You can get some cool effects of the cream (or milk) if you pour it on slowly. I add my ice last since you're going to need to stir it up and the ice just seems to get in the way. Other people have the ice in first, then pour over it.
A final few notes:
1. If you keep your cold brew in the refrigerator, and are using cold milk....I've found you can pretty much forgo the ice all together. The ice almost gets in the way...and it's cold enough even on a warm day.
2. There is a way to make Thai and Vietnamese iced coffee from this same cold brew. I haven't gone this route yet, but that is coming in the next week or two and I'll report back.
3. I just cold brewed some decaf as well. I was realizing I normally want a cold beverage in late afternoon/early evening. But because of how strong the coffee was I was still going full tilt at midnight. Decaf works just the same.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Making Morning Easier
Maybe you've seen this. It's been featured in a couple outlets. This would be so fun. Total waste of money? Sure. Sweetest thing ever...possibly.
With a touch of a button....or touch of your iPhone, instant coffee, or cappuccino, or mocha, or whatever. Perfect every time. Yes please. Here's their facebook page. No word on US pricing that I could see.
With a touch of a button....or touch of your iPhone, instant coffee, or cappuccino, or mocha, or whatever. Perfect every time. Yes please. Here's their facebook page. No word on US pricing that I could see.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Reasons to Drink Coffee
cLike I need more reasons? 
I was just bumping through this internet thing they have going on now and found a coffee blog. As I scrolled through it, I found this article...5 Health Reasons to Drink coffee. I'm down with that!
For those not willing to follow the link I've provided and rely on spoon feeding...here is the Readers Digest Version
1. Protects Your Heart
2. Diverts Diabetes
3. Your Liver loves it
4. It boosts your brain power (I believe they screwed this one up because I drink a lot of coffee...and look where it's got me)
5. It helps with headaches.
Now quit wasting time and go get some coffee brewing.
I was just bumping through this internet thing they have going on now and found a coffee blog. As I scrolled through it, I found this article...5 Health Reasons to Drink coffee. I'm down with that!
For those not willing to follow the link I've provided and rely on spoon feeding...here is the Readers Digest Version
1. Protects Your Heart
2. Diverts Diabetes
3. Your Liver loves it
4. It boosts your brain power (I believe they screwed this one up because I drink a lot of coffee...and look where it's got me)
5. It helps with headaches.
Now quit wasting time and go get some coffee brewing.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Drink More Coffee!
Like I needed another excuse......Harvard researchers have just written a study that drinking coffee actually helps reduce the risk of prostate cancer! You heard me right.
Not only that. Based on this article 1-3 cups reduces risk by 30% but 6 cups reduces risk by up to 60%. That calls for another cup of coffee. Don't mind if I do!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Coffee and Yamakas
So when Corban was little he would help me make coffee every morning. He thought it was fun. He doesn't anymore. While we were making coffee he would always ask me to put the filter on his head like a hat. I would oblige, but it always fell off quickly. He would want me to try. I would oblige and it would quickly fall off.
The other morning, Tobiah was hanging around while I was making coffee. For whatever reason I decided to put the filter on his head.
To be fair, Tobiah has a oddly shaped head. It's much nicer looking now than when he first came home. So the filter sits perfectly on the back of his head. Like he can shake his head around and it won't move. It's ON THERE! So he walks around the house with a coffee filter on his head. So I'm not sure if it's his way of being OK with me drinking coffee or his attempt to be Jewish....which would bring something new into the house.
We have a Canadian, two Ethiopians, and an American. We are members of one denomination but attend a church that belongs to two other denominations. Corban goes to the Catholic pre-school. So.....a little Jewish faith would just add to our diversity I think.
The other morning, Tobiah was hanging around while I was making coffee. For whatever reason I decided to put the filter on his head.
To be fair, Tobiah has a oddly shaped head. It's much nicer looking now than when he first came home. So the filter sits perfectly on the back of his head. Like he can shake his head around and it won't move. It's ON THERE! So he walks around the house with a coffee filter on his head. So I'm not sure if it's his way of being OK with me drinking coffee or his attempt to be Jewish....which would bring something new into the house.
We have a Canadian, two Ethiopians, and an American. We are members of one denomination but attend a church that belongs to two other denominations. Corban goes to the Catholic pre-school. So.....a little Jewish faith would just add to our diversity I think.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Review: Saints Coffee
Back in December I introduced some of you to Tom Davis and his 
Red Letters Campaign. I have since followed that up by getting his book and reviewing that for you here as well. In the process of reading his book I elaborated on some of his thoughts a bit too.
During my first post I mentioned that he also has a Fair Trade coffee company called Saints Coffee. The general idea is this. Buy coffee. Feed kids. For every pound of coffee you buy, you also feed a child child. So a little while ago, we bought two pounds from Saints. Here's my review.
(For the record: While writing this I am partaking of a cup of Saints coffee.)
Ok let's start with the Fair Trade part. Saints buys their coffee from countries in the developing world. They ALWAYS pay a fair market price for the coffee so you know you're not ripping anyone off (Starbucks cough cough).
The deal with feeding kids is this. Buy a pound of coffee feed a child for a month. Saints partners with Tom's other organizations (5 for Fifty and Children's Hope Chest) to feed orphans around the world. So now you're doubly helping out.
Cost. Ok let's be honest here. There's no way that they can do this and still keep the cost at 7.50 or whatever it is that Starbucks sells a pound of coffee at the supermarket. The cost of a pound of coffee is $11.00 (12 for decaf blends). So that's a little pricey. Honestly I wouldn't be buying it regularly because of cost. ALSO....that's just the coffee not shipping. Shipping to Warren was another 10 for the first pound, but only another dollar for a second pound. So for two pounds of coffee we paid around 33 dollars. AGAIN, I would say that I probably won't be doing this regularly from a cost standpoint.
The Coffee: We received the coffee on a Wed. or Thurs. and both had been roasted that Monday. I liked that. To be honest, at my last church our pastor liked coffee dark, and because I worked there 7 years, I grew to like darker roast coffee too. We ordered a pound of Ethiopian blend (because we had to obviously) and a pound of Saint's signature blend which is called St. George the Dragonslayer.
It should be noted that normally drink coffee for flavor and a warm beverage in the AM rather than for a caffeine fix......though some mornings I need a little boost.
The Ethiopian blend is a medium roast. Great flavor. Since it's not a dark roast, I find it a little lacking....because....it isn't suppose to be strong. It would be very complimentary to desert or something. Great flavor....oh yeah I said that.
The St. George the Dragonslayer is a dark roast. I really like this. Really good flavor. Good kick to it. I'm a big fan of this coffee.
Summary: Will I buy from Saint's again? Yes. Will it be next month? No. First of all I still have plenty from each pound (wanna come over and try some?). The cost is a little high for us to regularly be buying it. I really like the coffee. I'm going to buy coffee anyway, so I like that the money is going toward something that I feel strongly about. I would recommend to you Saint's Coffee. If you have a budget that can afford regular purchase....go for it.
Red Letters Campaign. I have since followed that up by getting his book and reviewing that for you here as well. In the process of reading his book I elaborated on some of his thoughts a bit too.During my first post I mentioned that he also has a Fair Trade coffee company called Saints Coffee. The general idea is this. Buy coffee. Feed kids. For every pound of coffee you buy, you also feed a child child. So a little while ago, we bought two pounds from Saints. Here's my review.
(For the record: While writing this I am partaking of a cup of Saints coffee.)
Ok let's start with the Fair Trade part. Saints buys their coffee from countries in the developing world. They ALWAYS pay a fair market price for the coffee so you know you're not ripping anyone off (Starbucks cough cough).
The deal with feeding kids is this. Buy a pound of coffee feed a child for a month. Saints partners with Tom's other organizations (5 for Fifty and Children's Hope Chest) to feed orphans around the world. So now you're doubly helping out.
Cost. Ok let's be honest here. There's no way that they can do this and still keep the cost at 7.50 or whatever it is that Starbucks sells a pound of coffee at the supermarket. The cost of a pound of coffee is $11.00 (12 for decaf blends). So that's a little pricey. Honestly I wouldn't be buying it regularly because of cost. ALSO....that's just the coffee not shipping. Shipping to Warren was another 10 for the first pound, but only another dollar for a second pound. So for two pounds of coffee we paid around 33 dollars. AGAIN, I would say that I probably won't be doing this regularly from a cost standpoint.
The Coffee: We received the coffee on a Wed. or Thurs. and both had been roasted that Monday. I liked that. To be honest, at my last church our pastor liked coffee dark, and because I worked there 7 years, I grew to like darker roast coffee too. We ordered a pound of Ethiopian blend (because we had to obviously) and a pound of Saint's signature blend which is called St. George the Dragonslayer.
It should be noted that normally drink coffee for flavor and a warm beverage in the AM rather than for a caffeine fix......though some mornings I need a little boost.
The Ethiopian blend is a medium roast. Great flavor. Since it's not a dark roast, I find it a little lacking....because....it isn't suppose to be strong. It would be very complimentary to desert or something. Great flavor....oh yeah I said that.
The St. George the Dragonslayer is a dark roast. I really like this. Really good flavor. Good kick to it. I'm a big fan of this coffee.
Summary: Will I buy from Saint's again? Yes. Will it be next month? No. First of all I still have plenty from each pound (wanna come over and try some?). The cost is a little high for us to regularly be buying it. I really like the coffee. I'm going to buy coffee anyway, so I like that the money is going toward something that I feel strongly about. I would recommend to you Saint's Coffee. If you have a budget that can afford regular purchase....go for it.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
I'm a Latte.
So we're headed back from Pittsburgh and the whole hospital deal last week.....There's a Starbucks at the Wexford exit that I stop at pretty regularly on our way home from my parents. I allows me a caffeine kick to get me home.....honestly it's just a reason to stop for coffee.
So I walk in as usual and order the same thing I always order. Grande Caffe Latte. No flavor. Whole milk. The guy in front of me: Venti Carmel Mochiatto Skim. Lady after me: Tall non-fat cinnamon dolce latte with whip...or something like that.
So my order is up. The guy hands it to me and yells out "Grande Latte...plain...nothing fancy".
For some reason this thing went off in my head.....he could have switched the words Grande Latte for Aaron. I mean aside from a long goatee that is visually startling (or scary depending on who you are and your age), there's nothing special about me. Plain. Nothing Fancy.
Now don't take this as me degrading myself. It's not intended as such. In actuality I was kind of pleased with that revelation. Throughout my life I have had major periods where I've though WAY too highly of myself. The result of those times is usually a good humbling. I'd like to say that as I've gotten older I catch myself before I reach those puffed up self patting on the back moments.....sometimes I do...but not all the time.
I guess I realized through buying a coffee that I'm not super-human.....but God still has purpose for me. He chose Gideon who was the wimpiest of the wimpy. David's own father didn't think highly enough of him to call him in from the sheep when Samuel was coming to anoint the next king. So I'm pretty Ok with being a Grande Latte....plain....nothing fancy.
PS...while looking for my skull and crossbones picture I found these YouTube clips....there's lots more but these will suffice.
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