Expectations. Hope. Coffee.

Expectations come with hope.

You expect you've been good for the year, so you hope Santa brings you a puppy for Christmas. 

Those were the years. 

 

CBS News

Now, I am older. As of February, I am one year shy of thirty.
Until this year I didn't really pay much attention to politics. 

I expected the officials who got elected to do their job. 

I hoped a deal would be struck before the budget was sequestered. 

Now, the only government office to not have their budget be affected by their inability to do their job is their own salaries.

I probably wouldn't give this any thought, except it affects my sister who was an officer in the Navy until last year and her husband who is an active officer in the Marines. They have both been serving their country since Sept 11, 2001.

But that's not the rest of the story, it affects my household too. 

This sequestered budget forces my husband to be furloughed. 

We will lose a significant portion of his salary. 

Since I am a stay-at-home mom, his salary is our only source of income.

Today, he told me this might not be the worst to come.

If March 27 passes with congress not meeting the budget deadline, it could be much worse.

And not just for us. I know there are many people who will be affected by all of this inaction.

To cope with these current events, I did the only thing I could think to do. 

I made coffee.

With a manual grinder, I ground Blue Mountain Jamaica roast.

I have been dying to try this coffee!

I did not buy green beans and roast them.
I could never afford them! Five pounds of green beans cost $240!

Already roasted bean were given to me as a gift from my in-laws when they got back from a vacation in Jamaica. 

It was like Christmas to me!

Expectations that this was going to be the best cup of coffee ever in order to assuage the pain of our current situation were high.

I brewed it with the manual press, poured it into two mugs and sat with my husband on the sofa. 

Top Gear (U.K) was on Netflix and our son was napping.

The heat from the cups warmed my perpetual cold hands. Raising to my lips, I sipped.

I don't know what flavors I was expecting, but they didn't come.

Thinking of how coffee changes flavor with different temperatures, I waited for it to cool and took another sip.

This was repeated until the coffee was gone. 

Looking at my hubby, my face showed my question and opinion. 

"I agree," was all he said in reply.

It had been an incredibly smooth cup of coffee. 

It had nothing repugnant about it.

It also had nothing remarkable either.

No flavor.

I was less disappointed on every Christmas morning growing up when all the gifts from Santa had been opened to discover he didn't give me the one thing I had really hoped for. A puppy.

I still hold out hope that Congress won't crush my expectations for them to do the job they have been elected to do. Their lives are not being affected, but my family's, my sister's family and many peoples family's will be affected. 

I would drink that unremarkable coffee every day, because it holds the promise of something better when I finish drinking all the beans. That the replacement beans will be better.

The same holds for our elected officials.

I will, my family will, make it through this crisis with hope because of the promise of being an American. There will be another election in 2014 where the officials who have not done their jobs can be replaced, just like my coffee.

How to Make Store Bought Coffee Better.

Snow has fallen, giving me the pleasure of shoveling the driveway. My son is too little to push a shovel, so he gets to use a dustpan.  

The concept of shoveling off the driveway is lost on him.

He scoops a pan full of snow off the side of the driveway I had just cleared and dumped it back on. Once he gets bored with that game, I am repeatedly pelted with snowballs. Mind you, the entire time I can see the faces of my neighbors through their windows watching and laughing as snow went down my back through the crack at the collar my scarf didn't cover.

With rosy cheeks and frozen feet, we head in. Hot chocolate was swiftly made for my son and then I checked for coffee options. Since the snow on the back deck was deeper than the driveway I had just shoveled, I knew replenishing my fresh roasted coffee stash isn't going to be a viable option until the groundhog's prediction of an early spring comes true.  

Only stale store bought coffee remains my option! *Gasp*

Have you found yourself in this situation?
Don't dismay!

With a manual grinder, manual drip device and a teakettle you have the power to turn bad coffee into decent coffee; decent coffee into good coffee; and good coffee into an outstanding cup.

Step One: Take the pre-ground store bought coffee and grind it again until it is fine, almost powder like.

Note: An automatic grinder will work, but the motor will emit heat which will roast the coffee further destroying the flavors and coffee potency of the blend.

Step Two: Boil water. Electric kettle, stove top or over a fire north woods style, it doesn't matter how you choose to do this step.

Note: Actually, remove the water from the heat before it reaches boiling temperature (212F). Ideally, coffee should be brewed with water around 190F and not above 200F.

Step Three: Set up a manual drip brewing device according to model specifications. Once the filter is in place, pour the re-ground coffee in.

Step Four: Slowly pour water over the grounds.

Note: Moisten the coffee thoroughly with a small amount of water at first, then brew as much coffee as the pot can hold.

Step Five: This is the most important step, Enjoy!

Whether or not the taste is improved by this five step method is up for debate.

Perhaps it is the "Ikea effect" that makes me believe I have made a better cup of coffee.

"Ikea effect" defined: You buy a piece of furniture, put it together, it wobbles and you still love it because of all the work you put into making it. Versus going to a furniture store and picking out a table, where if one wobbles you don't buy it based on the poor craftsmanship.

Is it possible using a manual grinder and drip machine to improve store bought pre-ground coffee actually makes a better cup of coffee, yes. Then again it is completely believable that the extra work does absolutely nothing to improve the cup.

But, even if that is true, I am enjoying the cup of coffee more than if I use the easiest way possible becuase I worked for it. 

In the words of Porky Pig, "That's all folks", five steps to improve the taste of store bought coffee when you find yourself unable to roast your own. Even if it is just the "Ikea effect" for coffee, I am happy and for me that is all the proof I need to know this method works.

As always Happy Roasting and Brewing!

Espresso Drink Alternative

Holidays are here.
Time for peppermint mocha and eggnog latte, for cookies and fudge.
Normally this would make me as excited as my three year old, but events have occurred that make me sad.

Tennyson wrote, 'Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.

I cannot agree. 
The treats which help to define the holiday, that I have enjoyed and loved since I was a little girl, are not an option for me anymore.

With newly developed soy, dairy and wheat (which means I am now gluten free) allergies, The world of Christmas delectables is not longer at my disposal.

Then add a paper cut on top of that flesh wound.
Making my own espresso based drinks at home has been put on hold.

My grinder has ground it's last bean. I cannot justify roasting coffee if I cannot grind it to brew it. Nor do I feel I can go purchase a new one right now being as everyone who has asked for gift ideas knows my love of coffee and loss of this appliance.

Now, I know there are people in actual need. The soliders away from thier families while the serve overseas for example. But for me, despair during this festive season was selfishly immanent.

Then I found happiness in an unlikely place.

For anyone with allergies like me or is just on a tight budget but wanting to indulge,
I have found the answer.
Starbucks VIA.

It isn't just instant coffee.
Pumkin Spice and Peppermint Mocha are available.

After following the directions, I disregarded them.
By adding only milk, the coffee flavor was weak.

Holiday Cheer in a Cup
First, pour half a cup of strong coffee.
French press or automatic drip. 
Then, fill the rest of the cup with milk.
Almond milk is better than regular moo, coconut or soy.
Microwave until hot.
Normally I frown on microwaving coffee, but the VIA dissolves best in a hot beverage.
Pour the selected VIA into your cup and stir.

I hope this allergy friendly and budget conscious option helps others to regain the happiness this holiday season brings. I know it has for me!

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!

Coffee Shops: Logic vs. Emotions

First loves are hard to forget and so are second ones.
What if you could have both on the same night?

photographer unknown

My first love was my first boyfriend who gave me my first kiss. I married that man, so it is hard to forget my first love.

My second love is coffee.

It was a winter's night in Minnesota during college when I went into my first cafe. My husband, then boyfriend, and I were waiting for a bus to take us back to campus but it didn't come.

To say that night was a cold winter's night would be redundant. Winters in Minnesota would stop New Englanders from calling their  winters bitterly cold.

The warm glow from a cafe promised to fog up my glasses the instant I walk through. I couldn't see, but I can still remember the smell. Nothing had ever been so delightfully aromatic.

I ordered my first peppermint mocha. It warmed my body from the inside, filled me with holiday cheer and gave me the energy to keep warm by jumping until the bus finally came.

Seasonal drinks like a pumpkin spiced latte or a peppermint mocha might be what draws us through the doors of some cafes,but what is it that keeps us going back to coffee shops?

It is...cheaper at home.
A medium espresso based drink cost about $4. If you get one four times a week it equals $16/week and adds up to $832/year. The cost of an mid grade espresso machine with a steamer will pay for itself in less than 2 months. Saving you $700/year.

It is...healthier to do it yourself.
At home you can make espresso based drinks and flavor them with syrups just like a barista in a cafe does. Being able to control the amount of cream, sugar and syrups that go into you drink makes a home cafe a healthier option.  (Espresso Based Drink Guide)

It is...Eco friendly.
In the morning it is difficult to take a coffee mug on the road. A drive through cafes offer an alternative, paper cups with plastic lids and a cardboard sleeve. These three things, can be purchased in grocery stores, Target and other retailers, but so can travel mugs and reusable sleeves.

If consumers take the time to recycle these disposable coffee cups and utilize reusable sleeve options instead of using travel mugs, this becomes an Eco friendly addition to your home cafe.

The budget, health and need for environmental responsibilities are not in favor of coffee shops.
Logically, a home cafe makes perfect sense, but the strong emotions of a first or second love leave little room for logic. 

So, what is it that keeps driving  us out of our kitchens and back into coffee shops?

It is the atmosphere.

Coffee shops are a place to meet up with friends and family. A place for business meetings. A place of inspiration for the artistic. They are a  place to be with others.

Life is not meant to be lived alone.

People gather in bars and clubs as well, and it isn't always for the alcohol. Personally, I do not like bars or clubs. The light is to hectic or dim. Music is always too loud and the drinks are expensive for the bad taste. The atmosphere isn't as good as a cafe.

I never feel comfortable, because wasn't in the company of like minded people held together through a commonality, coffee.

I love solitude. I revel in a calming atmosphere where I can hold more than one thought in my head. Sometime though, I feel the need to surrounded by people sharing a common interest.

This is the is why we spend up to $10 for a drink we could have made ourselves at home for a fraction of the price, because we take away more than just coffee or seasonal drinks.

We gain a sense of community,  a sense of belonging.

In my first love, I didn't marry a perfect person, nor did I with my second love, coffee. With emotions driving logic off the road, the important thing is to see the imperfect perfectly.

What makes you go to coffee shops? I would love to hear you answers. Use the comments box below or email me directly at sarahjorichards@gmail.com.

Best Coffee I've Ever Had!

New Orleans has drive thru daiquiris. New York has their bagels.
Minnesota has their unofficial state bird, the mosquito.

Seattle has coffee. 

Photograph by Joe Kurian.

The best coffee in the country, perhaps even the world can be sampled in Seattle. 

I know it is all subjective to personal tastes etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But I cannot agree to the rule of individual tastes when it comes to Seattle’s coffee.

It is the best.

Geographical Breakdown of Coffee

According to my own personal, in location, taste tests.

Midwest 

My husband spent his whole life (until college) in the Red River Valley. He knows the Midwest well and can attest that it is mostly farmers or descendants of farmers who like their coffee strong, black and cheap.

Mass roasted blends like Folgers and Maxwell House are very popular here.

South
Any time you drink your coffee with a doughnut is great. In New Orleans they drink their coffee with beignets. There inhabitants prefer a chicory style coffee. Chicory is the root of the endive plant. It is a type of lettuce. It is said to take the bitter edge off dark French roasts.

It is not a taste I have acquired. I prefer my coffee vegetable free.

East Coast

My husband and I lived near Boston for about four years. To drink your coffee black is unheard of there. The typical coffee drink, usually from Dunkin’ Donuts, has more milk and sugar than it has coffee.

My father in law (Midwest agronomist) visited us and was excited to try Dunkin’ Donuts. I had never seen him not finish a cup of coffee, let alone throw one away. After three sips of East Coast coffee as we waited for the subway he did just that.

West Coast 

In Washington state coffee is truly an art form. 

The best coffee I have ever experienced. No competition.

The only regret I have about my recent vacation to Seattle is that it was too short. There were so many cafes I wanted to sample and just not enough time. Even in a heightened state of caffeine, I simply couldn’t get to them all. 

Almond milk latte in upper left cup.
Macchiato with 2% milk bottom right cup.

Caffe Fiore was my first stop. Dogs were tied to the bike racks out side the patio. Silver bowls had been laid out for them telling me they are daily visitors. The plastic jar of dog treats with a sign telling owners to take one out to their dog while they waited for their drinks was on the counter. 

I love dogs as much as I adore coffee.
 More so, I love places that cater to them as a part of the family, a best friend of the owner rather than as a mangy mutt.

The coffee was amazing.
The foam clung to the sides of the cup as I drank. It didn’t deflate into a white skuzz on the top of the espresso. 

The first sip was a bit bitter, but by the time I was halfway through the cup I didn't notice it and could pick out a cherry flavor instead. I originally thought the drink was a bit nutty, but I am not sure if it was the espresso or the almond milk I had added to my latte. 

Rice milk latte.

Seattle Coffee Works steamed their milk in the same manner. This time I got rice milk, which doesn’t foam up like almond, soy or moo juice. The little layer of foam that was coaxed out of the rice milk stayed. Its residue coated the sides of my cup as I drank. 

The creamy espresso with its nutty tastes wasn’t confused with almonds this time. There were spicy and dark chocolate hints to the after taste. 

Both cafe’s produced delicious, well-crafted espresso, creamy and incredible smooth. 

Quality over Quantity.

Drinks didn’t come in 20 ounce options. They don’t need to. One to one shots of espresso and steamed milk is all you need to be completely satisfied. 

A new standard has been introduced to me. 

I am curious to know where you have found the best coffee you’ve ever had. 
You can tell me by using the comments box, or you can email me directly at sarahjorichards@gmail.com.

Coffee & Beer Temperatures

There are no small coffee cups in my house!

"You’re getting warmer. You’re hot! Just kidding, you’re ice cold." 

Every kid knows that game. The rules are simple and the concept stays the same whether you are three years old and playing or twenty eight. (No judging. I was bored.)

Hot, cold or warm? The same about temperature applies to coffee and beer. So for all you readers who don’t like coffee, this may still pertain to you. I went in search of the best temperature for coffee after being inspired by beer.

My husband and I were watching the Olympics, swimming to be exact and commercials came on. One for Coors light, the color changing cans with the screw cap that indicate the correct temperature to drink the brew, made my husband scoffed next to me. 

“Ice cold is the only way you can drink that beer. Awful stuff,” he said.

Having never drank Coors before I had to ask, “Why?”

Here’s something you should know to give my husband’s opinion a little credit. He is a home brewer. I support his hobby as he supports mine. After all, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a decent British beer without his brewing knowledge as I have a gluten free diet. 

Night time consumption: his home brews. Morning after: my coffee roasts.

Being an avid home brewer and an engineer, I knew he would have an answer that would be thorough. Since swimming was over and the announcers were a bit over dramatic about woman’s gymnastics, I didn’t mind listening. I even learned something.

The cold temperature needed to drink Coors was so that your taste buds would be numbed and unable to taste the lack of flavor the beer actually has. So what temperature should beer be served at?

“Best temperature for drinking beer would be at about 50ish degrees,” was my husband’s response, then the raised eyebrows I shot him made him put it in Sarah terms. “Beer should be drunk at fridge temperature or in your case with only a little carbon dioxide and at room temperature.”

I am one of those people who like drink their soda warm and flat. It’s the bubbles that distract from the taste by dancing around the tongue like pop rocks. 

This got me thinking about the overly hot cups of coffee you get from retailers like McDonald’s, Dunken’ Donuts and any gas station. Why brew so hot? 

Follow the beer knowledge share by my expert and apply it to coffee: with a burnt mouth you won’t taste the cheap beans and poor roasting. 

The Experiment:

I brewed in my drip machine a store bought blend; Papa Nicholas Hawaiian Island Blend. 

"Hawaiian Islands Blend combines the medium body of choice beans grown on the garden isle of Kauai with the full body of Colombian Supremo." (Taken from website).

I used the pre-ground option; something I don’t usually do because the longer a roasted bean has been in contact with the air, the more the flavors erode. When it has been ground and packaged, there are more surfaces of the bean that have been exposed to the air and will remain exposed after the vacuum seal is cut.

I poured the finished product into three identical cups. I drank one while it was still steamy, careful to avoid damaging my taste buds. I waited twenty minutes before I drank the second, so it would be at room temperature. The third I drank after an hour. It was cold. The differences in taste were incredible.

Results:

When the coffee was steamy, I couldn’t really determine any flavors. All I tasted was hot coffee. Smooth coffee, but hot. The second cup at room temperature surprised me. I don’t usually like light roasts because of the fruity almost tea like qualities that are enhanced. This blend didn’t have that. It was light, earthy (full bodied) and very smooth. The cup I allowed to get cold on the counter had subdued full body tastes while a natural sweetness I hadn’t picked up before surfaced. What a delightful surprise.

Papa Nicholas is the best store bought coffee I have purchased. The freshness and smoothness this brand is able to consistently achieve in their roasts is second only to home roasting. I have tried the Italian Espresso, French Roast, Hawaiian Island Blend and the Mocha Java Blend. I would buy them all again over buying the beans from the plastic bins like I did from WholeFoods earlier this summer.

I would suggest drink your coffee warm not hot for the best flavors. If it continues to be a hot summer, let your cup of coffee naturally cool down, without ice. Place it in the fridge or freezer if you want faster results. 

A perfect summer drink: cold coffee without ice to thin the flavors. Delicious.

But don’t take my word for it. Try an experiment of your own. Brew some coffee and try it at different temperatures to find out what you like. Let me know what your favorite blends are and what temperature brings out the best flavors. Use the comments box below or email me directly at sarahjorichards@gmail.com.

In House Coffee Shortage

from The Weather Channel

With a heat index near 110 degrees, it is too hot to home roast. Which left me questioning, “Is it too hot for coffee?”

No. Definitely not.

The day I do not have coffee in the house is a sure sign of the apocalypse. When I scraped the bottom of the coffee canister I first checked the counter for a brown lunch bag of coffee that might have gotten pushed behind the speakers. Nothing. I checked the cupboard where we keep the less desirable, but in case of extreme emergency stash. All I found was a chocolate chip and an almond. Finally, I checked the calendar, 2012. Was this the end? 

No. I am always a bit dramatic before I have been properly caffeinated. What to do? Yes, I know roasting in the house is a simple answer, but that last time I tried that was with less than safe results. (A Cautionary Tale) Instead I took a field trip to whole foods; to air conditioning and coffee I hadn’t sampled before.

While the heat persists, I intend to conduct extensive research on how retailers roast their beans. And since it is too hot to go outside, what else is one to do but eat. So I will share recipes or meals that pair well with the roast/blend. 

Mexican Grapos brew notes:

It is advertised by Allegro coffee as being a light roast having flavors of dark chocolate and sweet spices with a hint of orange zest. I was intrigued by this combination. I coarsely ground about 2.5 ounces and brewed them in a French press.

While my husband and I both got a definitive taste of dark chocolate flavors, neither of us detected any orange zest. Either that can only be tasted by a more sophisticated pallet, or it was added by a marketing team to sell the beans. 

The chocolate flavors were accented and enhanced by a spice quality. As my tongue tingled with the spicy after taste (not in the crushed red pepper sense, but more like cinnamon), I was knew I was addicted to this roast. 

Mexican Grapos has made my short list of roasts I need to home roast. This might be my new favorite bean to drink. 

As I said before, no orange zest was detected in the brew. However, this cup was complimented to perfection by an orange chocolate chip cookie. I suggest you whip up a batch, and brew this roast.

Click for  FREE Sample!