A digital commonplace for a Regular Guy called Charlie Pharis
I’ve given a couple of copies of Every Moment Holy as gifts, but never got around to getting one for myself until one came bundled with a new Bible. This collection of liturgies creates a new perspective on the everyday occurrences of life.
I’m especially grateful for the one about coffee. Ned Bustard‘s illustration of the phoenix in the coffee cup is the perfect accompaniment to Douglas McKelvey’s text: the resurrecting power of a new day and the ritual of coffee that makes it so.
Hello, Thursday! And hello to all of my devoted readers out there—all both of you!
Somebody said today is National Coffee Day. Now that’s one of those made up holidays I can get behind! Oh, and the International celebration is only two days away. What a coincidence for your humble writer! But, alas…I digress. A day set aside to honor coffee and those who love it is like a day set aside to honor…well…breathing! Might as well go ahead and call it Thursday. For the record, I’m starting the celebration off with a large mug of locally-roasted, locally-purchased Organic Whirling Dervish from Dancing Goats Coffee.
But, now, on to why you came today…
Thanks for stopping by today. Here’s hoping your Thursday is filled up with good books, good work, good coffee, and good friends. See you tomorrow!
I tried roasting the first batch of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans on Monday. As I reported, I’m almost certain my popcorn popper never got hot enough for a good roast. Also, after a little more research, it seems the poppers with the screens in the bottom of the chamber (like my first one) are not as suitable as those with solid chambers with vent holes around the sides. So, I’m in the process of procuring another popper.
Anyway, I kept that first batch, although I wasn’t satisfied with the roast. I just ground that batch and did a pourover with my little Bee House ceramic dripper. Ground the beans at medium with my burr grinder. Water at precisely 204º F. Used 26 grams of ground beans. Four minutes brew time. 400 grams of water. The ground beans assumed a mushy consistency in the dripper, and I didn’t get a steady drip and flow as I poured the water into the filter. This may be due to the inconsistent roast.
The resulting cup of coffee is kind of dark amber-brown in color. The taste is not terrible, not great. I’m not sure at this point whether that is a function of the bean or the roast, but I’m leaning toward the inconsistent roast for this as well.
Bottom line for Batch #1: It’s not the satisfying cup I’d imagined when I first started playing around with the idea. I’m hoping the next popper will make a better showing of the roast.
Remember, friends: Life Axiom #4: Life is too short to drink bad coffee.
Hey, loyal readers…both of you! I’m unwinding tonight in Starbucks in Woodstock, Georgia. This is becoming a weekly ritual after long days. I’ve got the old iTunes kicked up , and I’m listening to a Genius mix based on Hillsong United’s great From the Inside Out.
Some things on my mind and in my heart tonight…
Make it a great evening!
Welcome back, Sunday Night Unwind! Where have you been? This is the first Sunday Night Unwind of 2009. Not that there hasn’t been any Sunday Night Unwinding going on, but just not a lot of posting. So, anyway, without further ado, here we go!
I hope you have a great Sunday evening, whatever’s left of it. Make your week count! It’s the only second full week of February you’re going to get this year! Peace!
I’m enjoying a new twist on two old friends tonight…Community Coffee’s New Orleans Blend, made in my little Bodum French Press! We learned to love chicory coffee way back before coffee was hot. Well, the coffee itself was pretty hot, but it wasn’t cool…pre-nationwide Starbucks days.
Our apartment in New Orleans was in close proximity to the industrial canal, and the Luzianne plant was right there. Most mornings when it was hot and muggy, the aroma of that coffee and chicory being made hung thick in the air as I made my way to class!
Of course, we made the almost-every-weekend pilgrimage to Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter. The cafe au lait and the powdered sugar from the beignets were highlights!
Later, when we knew what it means to miss New Orleans, we discovered we could mail-order the good stuff from Community. Now, it’s our morning go-juice of choice.
My nighttime working brew is usually some kind of Starbucks, but tonight I’m out, and just don’t feel like making the trip to my local mega-mart for more, so I grabbed the Community bag. Good stuff!
NOTE: WOW! I just noticed – and you will, too – the Google maps link to our old address in New Orleans shows the Seminary campus post-Katrina. And our apartment building – along with all the other “States” buildings are no more!
Got one of those “not-really-an-actual-album” compilation things going for tonight’s Unwind…a thrown-together selection of Christmas music by Alabama and Ronnie Milsap. Pretty good country Christmas stuff…especially Ronnie Milsap’s spectacular rendition of O Holy Night. And of course, there’s Joseph and Mary’s Boy, Santa Claus, I Still Believe in You, and the great classic (at least in my family!) Christmas in Dixie!
Some other thoughts that dropped out tonight…
New gadgets are good. Real good. But this morning, I’m reminded of how the old stuff – old gadgets – ain’t too shabby either. Case in point: I’m continually amazed and grateful for something as simple as my Liquid Solutions Bullet Bottle (see above).
Yeah, yeah…it’s a Thermos, so what?
But it’s simple and elegant in design. And best of all..it works! I’m drinking hot! Sumatra from last night this morning…and it’ll be hot! Sumatra all day long, thanks to my bullet bottle.
Sometimes only the latest and greatest gadgets will do. But sometimes, the old, the simple, the tried-and-true are absolutely perfect for the task at hand.
