Our Coffee House

While out running errands today, I stopped by a local Arabica to buy my favorite new drink. A medium frozen Mocha. (You can say "medium" at an Arabica without being fined.) I've only had two. One last Saturday and one today. They are so good. I'm hooked.

As the barista was making my chocolatey ice creamy frozen awesomeness coffee, I spotted a basket full of plastic coffee scoops on the counter. We need one of those, I thought to myself. Our really beautiful, pewter, ornate scoop I bought in Pittsburgh about 15 years ago disappeared a couple of months ago.

How does a coffee scoop just...disappear?

Don't ask me. I have no idea.

That's why I'm asking you.

As the barista was ringing me up, I told her about the Case of the Missing Really Beautiful, Pewter, Ornate Coffee Scoop from Pittsburgh.

"It's gone. I have no idea where it went. I knew that coffee scoop. I knew how much coffee to put in to make it the way we like it. One more scoop for the amount of coffee you're making. Want eight cups? Five scoops. 10 cups? Six scoops. I had it all figured out. Now, it's just a wing and a prayer. I've used teaspoons ... tablespoons. I've tried just shaking the coffee straight from the bag into the filter, trying to remember the right amount for the cups we want. Sometimes it's too weak and sometimes it's too strong. It's been a disaster, really."

"I know how that is! It's like, you know what you're doing and then all of a sudden you don't! It's like life threw you a curve ball. Well, this scoop is a good one. You'll get to know it and I'm sure you'll love it for years to come!"

I left the Arabica happy with my frozen Mocha but a little unhappy with the scoop. Out of all the colors I had to choose from, I chose bright yellow. I have no idea why. But, I will regret that forever. It's too bright.

When I came home The Skimmer said, "Do you want the good news or the bad news?"

"What?"

"Do you want the good news or the bad news?"

I hate that question. I only ever want good news. But, since I am strong and brave and want to head problems off at the pass, I always choose the bad news first.

"Bad. Lay it on me."

"I broke the coffee maker."

"How?"

"I broke the...thing. The carafe part. I was scrubbing it out, trying to get that shag chocolate coffee out of it that you made this morning, and I dropped it in the sink and it broke."

My mind raced. What can we do? What can we do? We're having people over for brunch in the morning! We need to be able to make coffee. And even if we weren't, we need coffee. I just bought a bright yellow plastic scoop, for crying out loud!

"I know! Don't we have another carafe thingy in the basement from the coffee maker we had when we had our office in Cleveland?"

"That's the good news! I found that one! The whole coffee maker's in its original box. I got it out and I think we should test it."

"Good save! And while you're testing it, try the new coffee scoop I bought today."

"Oh, great! We really needed one! Wait. Why did you get this one? It's so yellow."

"I know! Look at that bright thing. It'll glow in the dark! Why'd I get it?"

"Don't ask me. I have no idea. That's why I'm asking you."

"It'll be easier to find when we lose it?"

Comments

[Larry Jones]

Whadda you guys, Burns and Allen?

[Jennifer]

Grizzled is always breaking our carafe. What is it with men thinking the carafe needs to be sanitized?

In a pinch, I've made coffee using hot water poured through coffee I've put in a collender (using a spread out filter of course). Those are the days I regret having gotten rid of my Chemex pot. I should get a press pot just in case. Grizzled would probably break that as well.

As for your yellow scoop, I think that's an excellent choice. It'll wake you up enough to make the coffee that is supposed to wake you up. :)

[Dan Leo]

These are the days of our lives.

[Kathleen M.]

If it's a good shock-yellow maybe it won't get lost.

[Snag]

Sure, drink out of a filthy carafe. Just don't blame us when you get rubella or rickets or something.

[coffee maker]

Roasted beans come in many flavors. Cinnamon or light beans refer to the color only. They are very acidic and very high in caffeine. American roast or medium is fractionally darker and used by Folger and Yuban, but not the best quality. City roast or dark is a specialty item with less caffeine and the taste is acidic, but the final cup is not so bitter. It is an average type espresso. French roast is very dark and oily in appearance, but not burnt. They give a full-bodied flavor. Italian roast is used for the best espresso drinks. It is the darkest colour, a strong aroma, the least amount of acid, has the lowest caffeine and is much sweeter. This sweetness results from the carmelization of the beans' sugars during roasting. The lower caffeine levels result from being burned away during roasting. The result is a mellow cup of coffee.