Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Of Coffee Machines and Other Things...

A few weeks ago, Hubby and I went to our bi-monthly Bible study at our friends' house.  After a yummy meal of pasta and an incredible chicken with vegetable/tomato gravy* we were asked the question that makes my heart skip a beat and my pulse slowly increase: "Who wants coffee?"

Note:  If you don't know, it's the true Italian way to call tomato sauce 'gravy'.  I pride myself on the whopping 25 percent of Italian that flows in my blood.  I will occasionally try to let that Italian truth show through in my language.  However, I have a hard time doing it.  It feels so forced.  My excuse?  I wasn't brought up using words like gravy for red sauce.  Thanks a lot, mom and dad.

There are two usual methods that coffee is served in house these days.  First, there is the classic 12-cup coffee pot.  Nothing special, but a classic nonetheless.  Then, there is the new age technology of the Keurig, Tassimo, or other similar machine trying to pass off as one of these.  I admit, I retired my 12-cup coffee pot as soon as the Keurig machine craze hit.  It just made more sense.  I was the only one who regularly drank coffee in our house of two.  Making a pot of coffee was just a waste of time and...well, coffee.  (And going through the whole process to make just two cups seemed ridiculous).

It made sense to get a Keurig.  In fact, it was the right thing to do.

After a few years, I bought an espresso machine to feed my latte addiction and to make myself feel better for never brewing anything other than disposable K-cups.

Aside from these options, the only other method I knew of to brew coffee was a French press.  I hadn't yet been convinced that I needed one in my life.

Then I met this beast:


I've tried to find this exact product online and can't seem to match it.

I'm starting to think it's illegal.  Which makes me love it even more.

I'm assuming it is a sort of drip brewer, yet it still doesn't match picture perfect to what I've found.

The flame underneath was an added bonus to my excitement.


Though I asked continuous questions, I clearly was absorbing more entertainment factor from this experience than knowledge.  Therefore, my description of what is going on will be in layman's terms at best.

Tyler (pictured above...and below) is a bit of a coffee expert.  His father began roasting beans a few years ago and selling his coffees here: http://numucoffee.com/  What is especially awesome is that every 'batch' will have its own unique flavor since he roasts them completely on his own.

This little piece of hardware comes from China.  From what I understand, he started by heating water up in the bottom 'flask' (for lack of a better word).  When the water was heated to the proper temperature, it began to fill up into the upper glass chamber.  On its own.  Crazy, right?


Once the water had completely moved, he added the scoops of coffee.  We had the Harrar roast (made of beans from Ethiopia) that his dad had recently sent him.  Recently sent = fresh coffee.  Yes, hallelujah, amen.


He used the little wooden rod (off to the left) to stir the coffee grounds in.  The coffee water then began to drip drop back into the flask.


The flask then was able to be unattached to use to pour the coffee.

I sat with my jaw at my chest, in awe and silent excitement the entire time.

Of course, I also managed to sneak in these pictures that Tyler was completely oblivious to.


The fun wasn't over yet.  First, Tyler asked us if we knew why the surface of our coffee had an oily appearance.  Hubby and I both assumed it was a bad thing, but we learned that when coffee has that oily surface it means that it is fresh.

Nice to know.

Before we could ruin our coffee with the pleasures of this world named sugar and cream, Tyler made us try our coffee without anything in it.  I had expected it to be overpoweringly strong, but it wasn't.  It was smooth and mild without sacrificing any of its delicious flavors.  This is one of the few coffees I have met so far that I could probably enjoy completely black.

He also made coffee for us in his French press.  I left his house interested in the Chinese coffee contraption, and adding a French press to my Christmas list.

Yes, I've already started it...


Sunday, September 8, 2013

Eggs and Strawberries

Recipe: Omelet with Strrawberries
Source: Giada De Laurentis
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/omelet-with-strawberries-recipe/index.html
Time: 30 minutes
Ease: 3
Taste: 7
Leftover Value: No leftovers
Down the Drain or Keep in the Strainer: Keep it in the Strainer--with some modifications.

Omelets have never been my thing.  I love eggs; I love meats and cheeses and veggies.  But eggs as the base for my meal has never peaked my interest.

Watching Giada cook this unusual omelet made me excited for eggs.

Perhaps this is because something new or out of sorts with normality is often up my alley.  Wendy's is serving pretzel burgers now?  I want one.  Mars Chocolate released a pumpkin spice flavored M&M? I need it!  Let's face it, a new treat could come out titled, "Candy Flavored Rocks" and I would want to try it.  At least once.

Thank goodness that in this recipe the only unusual thing was to add strawberries to eggs.


I cut everything in half, so I was constantly having to do complicated math in my head.

Okay, not so complicated.  But for a summer brain, very complicated.

Take a few strawberries, chop them up, and toss them with sugar and vinegar.  They are delicious this way, I promise!

The strawberry mixture needs to stand for 15 minutes.  While it sits mix together your eggs with....dare I say it...a little sugar and heavy cream.

You won't be sorry.  This creates the most delicious egg I have ever eaten.

Then stir in a little mint.  I was fortunate that my friend, Anita, gave me a mint plant at the beginning of summer.  I love being able to walk into my backyard and pick off a few fresh herbs for a meal.

It certainly beats scrambling around my spice containers looking to see if I have something somewhat similar to the recipe's listed ingredient.


Heat butter and oil in a skillet (and since I didn't take any pictures of the last dozen steps you have to go to your special place and picture it with me), then pour the egg mixture in.

The recipe doesn't say to do this, but when I watched this cooked on her show Giada had her mom on with her.  Her mother told her the eggs should be covered with a lid.  It definitely helps the eggs cook faster and more through.


This is after only a few minutes.  It's almost ready for the best part!


To prepare your strawberries for omelet assembly, strain the liquid.

When the eggs are almost completely cooked and there is very little liquid left on top, spoon the strawberries down the center of the omelet.  Fold the edges over the strawberries so that the omelet looks like an omelet.

Cook for a few more minutes, until the mixture has completely set.


I made this about a month ago and now I'm wishing I could have it right now.

The eggs were unlike any eggs I have ever eaten.  They gave off more of a pancake taste than an egg taste, which is never a bad thing.  The strawberries added a perfect edge of sugary sweetness.  The only thing I would have adjusted is to have lessened the amount of mint and to have chopped it up even finer.  It was a little too overpowering.


Don't be like me and wait until your omelet is finished cooking to decide that yes, you do want to have some fresh whipped cream to go on the side.

Thank goodness for my Kitchen Aide mixer.  Toss in a quarter cup of heavy cream, a little powdered sugar, a little vanilla, throw the mixer on and minutes later: whipped cream!  I love it.


And I love this too.