Coffee
My “go juice” during the work week is brewed in a drip machine from a prepacked filter pod of standard issue name brand coffee. Those who capture a cup with the last drops dripping from the coffeemaker may get a decent cup, but the odds aren’t good. More likely, java drinkers will find a half-full pot of coffee scorching on a burner burning a little too hot.
After five days of “work coffee,” the weekend brings with it a special treat. Each Saturday and Sunday morning begins with three cups of steaming black coffee rich with aroma and natural oils. My weekend coffee is as much of a treat as a candy bar or milkshake. The recipes are so similar, hot water and ground coffee, yet the results are so different.
Here’s a look at the differences as I see them.
Office Coffee: Preparation
Rip the metallic bag open and place one pod of coffee in the basket. You don’t need a filter; each serving is conveniently wrapped in its own paper filter. Place a glass carafe underneath, turn on the burner, and pour water into the top of the machine. Wait five to 10 minutes and pour a cup of hot coffee.
Office Coffee: Observerations
Looks like hot black water. The taste reminds you of coffee and the metallic smell reminds you the weekend is never more than five days away.
Weekend Coffee: Preparation
Pour filtered water into a kettle and bring to a boil on the stove. While you wait, place coffee beans in the grinder, but don’t grind them yet! The kettle’s whistle is your cue to grind. Slowly pour the hot water over the ground coffee you placed in the glass carafe of your French press. Give it a quick stir, put the lid on, and wait four minutes. Gently press the grounds to the bottom and pour a steaming cup of coffee.
Weekend Coffee: Observations
An irridescent sheen glimmers on tanned bubbles across the surface in your cup. The rich aroma enhances the flavor to help you relish two precious days out of the office.
My weekend coffee
Cook like a caveman
In my culinary experience, the more old-fashioned the better. Cooking in a microwave is quick, but food has a better taste when cooked in the oven or on the stove. The best flavor comes when you are able to cook over an open flame. The closer you come to cooking like a caveman, the better your meals taste. Maybe that’s why the paleo diet appeals to me so much.