Reproducing Favorite Roasts.

Having favorites is risky.

When it comes to parental favorites with siblings there is the uncertainty of not living up to expectations.
Even if parents say there isn't a favorite, kids don't stop envisioning it exists.

When it comes to material items, replacements might not be obtainable.
I had a pair of fish embroidered Sketchers. So comfy and cute. One day my husband threw them away because he said they smelled like the aquatic organism on it. No pair of sporty slip-ons has ever been as good as the idealized standard those shoes set.

When it comes to coffee, the a favorite roast might be discontinued or the last of the roasted batch consumed.
I roasted Bali Blue Moon and nearly swooned over my cup. Suddenly I was torn between sharing this heavenly roast with my husband or keeping all the precious beans for myself. Then a horrifying thought hit me...

What if I can't reproduce the same roast again?

Here the risky cycle of choosing favorites can stop.
Through the use of roasting notes form, you can record the basic information and observations needed to reproduce a roast.

Free to print. Click image for PDF.

Date
Recording the date you roasted is not only a good organization technique, but a simple way to have recorded the season.
The more time I roast, the more I notice how ambient temperature, for example, effects roasting reproduction. Loving the way I had roasted Lagniappe Decaf one month in the summer, I went back to reproduce it in the winter. The temperature difference effect the length of time roasting required to reach the Espresso roast I needed.
(Refer to Basic Roasting Guide)

Green Bean(s) Type 
This is self explanatory as obvious information needed to reproduce the same roast.

Ounces
It is important to note, if not by ounce another standardized measurement, the amount of beans you roasted.
If less or more is used at a later date, the roast time will need to be adjusted. Less time for fewer beans and more time for more beans. Refer to manufacture's instructions as the maximum amount of beans while roasting varies by machine.

Settings
Settings vary by machine, but the essentials are to record the temperature used, the fan speed and the time of roast.

Apperance
Record the green bean before and the roasted bean after.
Experience gained through experimentation has lead me to conclude the darker the color of the green bean before the roasting, the longer it will take to achieve a crack. By recording the color of a bean before roasting it, it allows with crop comparison as experience expands and develops your taste buds.

Audible
Recording the audible signals of roasting is an invaluable way to adjust the time of roast in order to achieve the preferred roast level.

Taste
Spicy, chocolaty, nutty, buttery, fruity, flowery, winey, earthy are the comment adjectives I use when I reopen the notes and record how it tastes.

Additional Notes
Once again, self explanatory. However, I would recommend commenting about the weather, aroma and brewing method used to obtain the flavors.

So, for me as a parent there is no threat of playing favorites since I only have one.
Although, I must confess some days the dog is preferable company to a four year old! 

The Shoemaker's elves have not magically left me a new pair of exceedingly comfy fishy slip-ons.
If I really like a pair of shoes now, I wear socks. Always!

And favorite roasts can be reproduced!
The only glitch is the possibility of crop shortages for a particular green bean.

Feel free to print out the Roast Notes form for use, but please don't sell it for profit. 
Punch it with a three holes for a binder and keep a record of your roasts. Even the bad ones!
Through out history we have learned from our mistakes. Experiment with roasting. Record your results.

What is your favorite roast?
Share with me either in the comments box or by emailing me directly at sarahjorichards@gmail.com.
Enjoy and as always... 
Happy Roasting and Brewing!

Useful. Washable. Accessories.

Christmas is upon us!
Time for warming ourselves from the inside out with hot chocolate, tea and coffee. Oh My!

But, what if the cup is too hot to hold or it cools faster than you can drink it?

I am offering two solutions my friends and family love. Crochet patterns for a Coffee Cup Cabled Cozy and a Cabled Coffee Sleeve for your cups to keep your drinks warm and your hands unburnt.

Depending on the yarn used, the cozy and the sleeve are not only reusable, but machine washable.

Not only are they great for personal use, but placed on a new mug and paired with a pound of your favorite coffee, box of tea or tin of hot chocolate, these make excellent gifts for co-workers, friends and family.

Coffee Cup Cabled Cozy
Materials

Worsted weight yarn

G hook

Abbreviations
ch: chain
st: stitch
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
ss: slip stitch
sk: skip
fptr: front post treble crochet: yo twice, insert hoof from front to back around post of st indicated, yo and pull up a loop, (yo and draw through 2 loops on hook) 3 times. sk st behind fptr.

Base worked in continuous rounds – place marker at beginning of each round
R1: Ch 2, 6 sc in second ch from hook (6sc)
R2: 2 sc in each sc around (12sc)
R3: *2sc in next st, sc* 6 times around (18sc)
R4: *2sc in next st, 2sc* 6 times around (24sc)
R5: *2sc in next st, 3sc* 6 times around (30sc)
R6: *2sc in next st, 4sc* 6 times around (36sc)
R7: *2sc in next st, 5sc* 6 times around (42sc)

Sides worked in rows back and forth
R8: ch 1 (does not count as stitch), in back loop only hdc in each st around. ss to first hdc. ch 1, turn. (42hdc)
R9: Working in both loops, hdc in each st around. ss to first hdc. ch 1, turn. (42hdc)
R10: Repeat round 9.

R11: (hdc, sk next 2 st, work fptr around st one row below next 2 hdc, working in front of fptr just made work fptr around st one row below each skipped hdc, hdc) 7 times. Do not join to first stitch of this round. ch 1, turn.

R12: hdc in each st around. ch 1, turn.
R13: (hdc, work fptr around next 4 fptr, hdc) 7 times. ch 1, turn.

R14: Repeat round 12,

R15-18: Repeat round 11-14
R19: Repeat round 11.
R20: Repeat round 12. Do not ch 1 and turn. Instead, ch 30 and finish off (tie made).
Join with ss to first st of round 20. ch 30 and finish off (second tie made).
Weave in ends.

Cabled Coffee Sleeve

Materials

Worsted weight yarn

Button

G hook

Abbreviations: same as above.

Worked in rows back and forth
Begin with a slip knot, but leave a long tail.
Ch. 11
R1-3: Working in both loops, hdc in each st across (10 hdc). ch 1, turn.
R4: hdc in next 2 hdc, sk next 3 st, work fptr around st one row below next 3 hdc, working in front of fptr just made work fptr around st one row below each skipped hdc, hdc in last 2 hdc. ch 1, turn.
R5: hdc in each st around. ch 1, turn. (10 hdc)
R6: hdc in next 2 hdc, work fptr around next 4 fptr, hdc in last 2 hdc. ch 1, turn.
R7: hdc in each st around. ch 1, turn. (10 hdc)
R8-11: repeat rows 4-7
R12-15: repeat rows 8-11
R16-19: repeat rows 12-15
R20-23: repeat rows 16-19
R24-27: repeat rows 20-23
R28-31: repeat rows 24-27
R32-35: repeat rows28-31
R36-37: hdc across (10 hdc). ch 1, turn
R38: sc in next 4 hdc, ch 2, sk 2 hdc, sc in last 4 hdc. ch 1 turn.
R39: sc across. (10 sc).
Bind off. Weave in tail.
Weave the long tail from the beginning into the center of the end without the button hole. Use it to sew on a button. Secure with a knot and weave the rest of the end in.

If there are any questions concerning the patterns, feel free to ask in the comments box or email me (sarahjorichards@gmail.com) and I will try to clarify.

With a cup of coffee in hand, these mug accessories are a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit!

Coffee Roast Guide

Whether you're a roaster or a consumer of coffee, the options on what to drink are staggering.

At first, walking down the coffee aisle at the grocery store made me giddy with the possibilities.
Then realization of my ignorance made a decision nearly impossible.

After an hour or so, I started to recognize similarities to some of the labels. Going home empty handed, I pulled out a few books and cruised the internet.

Finding a simple, easy to understand guide to roast selection was unobtainable. So instead, I have created a roast selection guide.

Characteristics to note in the roasts:

• The lighter the roast, the higher the acidity with less body or mouth feel. Some people describe the lighter roasts as being almost tea like in their qualities.
• The darker the roast, the lower the acidity. The payoff for less acidity is a full bodied cup of coffee.

Save it, print it and take it with you for reference the next time you need to roast or buy coffee.
 
Feel free to share this roast guide, but please don't sell it for profit.

Let me know what you think of the guide by using the comments box or emailing me directly at sarahjorichards@gmail.com.

Happy Roasting and Brewing!

Improve Work Efficency.

 Work and coffee go together like...

Peanut Butter and Jelly
Cake and Ice Cream
Beer and Football

The problem with combining coffee and work is the inevitable spills.

Reports are highlighted brown.
Computers are shorting out.
Replacement shirt and tie are pulled out of the file cabinet.

The solution is to print out a designated sheet to contain the
coffee stains. Click for a PDF to print.


This design can be shared and used, but please don't plagiarize or sell for profit.

déjà vu

 I entered Round 8 of NPR's Three-Minute Fiction contest. The requirements for entry were to create an original work of short fiction, no more than 600 words. And it had to begin with this sentence: "She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door."

This is the first time I have ever submitted anything I've written. As a trained designer, I am no stranger to the fear of rejection. My writing process is very similar to that of my design process and philosophies. Design/Write for yourself. The audience needs to be considered, but create something you are proud to put your name to. Pursue all ideas, bad ones especially. Sometimes you just have to get the bad ideas out of your head to make room for more inspiration to jitter as you drink coffee, but very often I have found that those turn out to be some of the best in the end.

So with a beverage in hand, I invite you to read and encourage opinions. Just like in design, one never improves without being able to take in criticism, constructive and destructive.

déjà vu

She closed the book, placed it on the table, and finally, decided to walk through the door. With her hand fixed on the silver knob of the front door, she looked over her shoulder for one last glance at her other option, the back door; its brass knob glowed with a yellow intensity. In the instant her confidence in her decision solidified, déjà vu shattered her known life into pieces like a porcelain vase falling from the mantle. 

“I’ve been here before.” The words came out in an exhale of realization of what she had thought impossible. 

The white walls of the room became a blank canvas for her life seventy one years earlier.  The bouncing ponytail of her former twenty three year old self bounded across the quad for the last of her college finals, the post-exam celebration and then the images flickered to a reality she had believed to have only been a dream. The bright head lights, the hum of an engine, the squealing of brakes echoed in the room. 

“But that was only a dream I had. I remember it because it was so…” Her voice trailed off; the words ‘life like’ were caught in her throat before they tumbled out.

Her eyes widened as all the walls returned to their original sterile state.  Instead, the back door flickered. A hand appeared on the brass knob, unwrinkled and unblemished, but it had the same nail bitten fingers. With wide eyes, she locked stares with herself making the choice she had made all those years ago. Instead of selecting the front door, she had chosen the back. Opening the door and stepping through seemed to push a rewind button. The events that she had just watched reversed until she was waking up the morning of her last finals with the strange feeling that she had already experienced that exact same morning only to dismiss it as déjà vu.

“I’ve died before.” In that moment she knew the power behind déjà vu and the choice that was before her. “I went back because I wasn’t ready to give up my life. There was so much I wanted to do, that I wanted to be.” 

With a deep inhale, she knew she was ready this time. The dream or once reality she had experienced, and the facts of her life chronicled in the book she had left on the table were all a part of her life. This temporary place between the known and unknown was a gift of reflection upon life in the simplest way. A choice had been given to her in the past and was being given again. 

Twisting the silver knob, the front door swung open. She smiled as she set off into the unknown, knowing that the book of her life she had left behind on the table had ended but the next was just beginning.