Coffee Buzz. This is a French Press.

Fancy French Press

My French Press (with hippo)

Yep. This is a French Press. It is eco-friendly. It makes coffee, without using electricity. I don’t use one. I use a coffee pot.

OK. Having said that, I do have to tell you that I like having one around. They are perfect for making a great cup of coffee when the power goes out! Or, if you like to camp. (As long as your beans are already ground off course.) If you’ve never used one, they are pretty easy to use, and most coffee afficianados like the rich, dark flavor you get from a press. Personally I think they are a whole lot of trouble for not much coffee. Most press pots only hold 1-3 cups, and I’ll tell you that most of my mornings require at LEAST 4 good cups of coffee! And, I need those cups pronto, without much fuss. And… my little press only makes 1 cup. Maybe I should upgrade.

In the meantime, however, I’ve been guiltily eyeing my paper coffee filters. So, as a concession to the fact that I do use electricity to make my coffee, I decided to purchase a permanent coffee filter for my fancy grind and brew coffee pot. At least I wouldn’t be using all that paper! Jackpot! While I was expecting this to be a really messy affair, I’ve found that I LOVE not using paper coffee filters. I think my coffee actually tastes better when its not being filtered through the paper. And, remember, the small things matter. So, there is some small satisfaction that I feel each morning as I rinse out my little coffee filter; which is very easy to do. Just a note… I had to buy two. The first one didn’t fit. But,they are supposed to last 5 years and at about $4.00 each, I figure I’m still way ahead on the cost of filtering my coffee. I’ll just give the other one to a friend, we can pass it around.. it’s sure to fit a coffee pot somewhere!

By the way, I found these stylish and colorful French Press mugs at GoneShopping. Very pretty!

Colorful French Press

Leave a Comment August 6, 2009

I say tomato, you say…

… so you grew tomatoes? Big deal! Well, for me it was. Surrounded by infidels and disbelievers, I nevertheless planted a garden and it actually grew. My biggest joy was when my daughters went to the garden and cried, “Oh, my gosh, is that squash? There’s actually food out here!”  The garden became a community project between friends, family and neighbors. So, it was with a little sadness that I prepared my very last green pepper last night for dinner. (However, my refrigerator is still well stocked with tomatoes, even though I have given away a trillion tomatoes and eaten tomato sandwiches everyday for the past two weeks!)

So, I am living proof. If you think you don’t have a green thumb, you do, or YOU COULD! And, even a small garden can bring goodness together in very unexpected ways! Still don’t think you can do it? That’s OK, your local farmer’s market will still have tons of goodies, and hey, it’s WAY more convenient. Plus, you’ll be supporting those who grow locally! To find a market near you visit LocalHarvest and type in your zip code! Easy! Or if you want an even more authentic garden experience, try a pick-your-own farm. Find one near you at PickYourOwn.org. Mmm, fresh veggies… truly the feel, the smell, the taste… the very essence of summer!

Summer decoration…tomatoes resting on my window sill

1 Comment July 26, 2009