Morning Coffee & Afternoon Tea

Bodum Thermal French Press

Bodum makes the coolest stuff! This is a purely wonderful idea, definitely going on MY Christmas wish list. I really must stop adding to my own list, I'm supposed to be shopping for other people. Oh well.

I have a little french press that makes good coffee, but I've often wanted to make more than 2 cups at a time, either for guests, or just to save me from having to get my butt out of my chair.  The problem is keeping it hot.  I could make a bunch of cups in my french press, I guess, and pour them into the drip coffee carafe, or a thermos, but what a pain!  This cool item from Bodum solves the problem.  It does double-duty as both a french press, and a thermal pot.  It claims to keep the coffee hot for 2 hours, which is more than enough time for me to decimate the contents. 

This would be the perfect gift for me anybody who works in an office and wants to have good quality coffee at their desk.  In fact, I found this via Cubicle Coffee, a cute little website dedicated to better office coffee.

And it comes in different sizes, 3-cup, 8-cup and 12-cup.  The 8-cup size would be perfect for me any small gathering, or me just making it through a morning's work without having to get up to refill.

Ti Kuan Yin

I haven't explored the oolong world very much.  Truth to tell, I've enjoyed many different teas for years and years without knowing very much about them.  I didn't really care where they came from or how they were prepared, I just followed my nose and my tastebuds.

But I was enjoying this truly wonderful tea called Ti Kuan Yin, and found in my little guide to tea the legend of Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy and compassion, and how she gifted a poor farmer with this little bush, telling him "The key for your future is just outside this temple.  Nourish it with tenderness; it will support you and yours for generations to come."  The farmer took care of the bush so that it flourished, and he experimented with the leaves until he found the right way to dry them and produce a drink that was "ambrosial and fragrant".

Well, I don't know about ambrosial.  But it is very tasty.  And the story added a touch of whimsy to my afternoon cuppa.

The leaves are very dark, almost black, and the steeped tea is light in color and in taste.  The first time I made this, I used too many leaves, and I didn't care for the taste.  But I decided to try again, and this time I used a scant teaspoon of the leaves.  MUCH better. 

The thing I like best about this tea is the backbite.  I'm sure there's some high-falootin' tea-tastin' jargon that I should be using here, but ....  oh well.  The backbite, for lack of the right term, is what I call the scent/flavor of the tea after you swallow, as you take your next breath.  The aroma rises up the back of your throat and smell and taste - in this case, the "blessings of the goddess" - waft around in your mouth for a while.  Keep your mouth closed and for a few breaths you get this wonderful taste/flavor that is really light and ... well, ok ... ambrosial. 

I'm drinking Adagio's Ti Kuan Yin, but I'm going to have to try some other brands now so I have something to compare to.  Cindy posted a while back, comparing some Kuan Yins, and she describes some as having a buttery taste.  Yum.

For more on the legend of Ti Kuan Yin

Killed by Caffeine

Good for a morning chortle, this from Energy Fiend: Death by Caffeine.  Pick your poison, and this little doodad will calculate how much of your favorite substance it will take to kill you. 

I've got about 100 shots of espresso to go before I kick it. 

Found via Tea Guy Speaks

Carnival of the Recipes #66

The Carnival is up at Rocket Jones' place.  I guess I should have had another swig of coffee before attempting to read this week's posting, because I got totally lost, dazed and confused.  I'm not too bad at the start of a day (well, after I've had my first dose of rocket fuel), but at the end, I'm most definitely linguistically challenged.  Even with my own native tongue!  Then I finally went back to the beginning and read the destructions, and saw the reason: Babelfish!  Ohhhh, ok, says I, it's like being in Wonderland, it's not supposed to make sense!  Whew.  I really thought early senility had hit.  Have a visit.  Lots of Thanksgiving recipes to be found, plus a lottalotta main dish recipes to tuck away and try.

Next week's Carnival will be all hot and spicy! 

Make Your Own Coffee Liqueur

I always wondered what went into coffee liqueurs.  I went in search of ingredients and info, and found a couple of easy-sounding recipes for do-it-yerself coffee liqueur!  How cool is this? 

Coffee Liqueur
(from http://www.recipelink.com/mf/0/1099)
2 cups water
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup dry instant coffee (fresh jar)
1/2 vanilla bean,chopped (or 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract)
1-1/2 cups alcohol*
   *NOTE: Vodka will give you Kahlua, Rum will give you Tia Maria, and Brandy will give you another version of Kahlua. Grain Alcohol will give you a Kahlua like liqueur as well.
Caramel coloring if desired.

Boil the water and sugar until dissolved. Turn off the heat. slowly add dry instant coffee and continue stirring. Add the vanilla to the alcohol, then combine the cooled sugar syrup and coffee mixture to the alcohol mixture. Cover tightly and shake vigorously each day for 3 weeks. Strain and filter (only if you have used vanilla bean)

Yikes.  Three weeks???  I better get started now if I'm going to have something drinkable by Christmas.  I'm thinking, for Christine's Home Blend, a splash of almond and cherry flavorings are in order.  You know how I love almond flavoring.  And cream cheese.  But I guess adding cream cheese would be out of the question.  Heh. 

Coffee Blips In the News

From the Bizarre News File:

* Coffee cause's people to forget what to say - Coffee inhibits people's ability to switch gears in the middle of a thought?  Weird.  So apparently, coffee helps keep you alert, but only on one track at a time.

* Coffee and Cream - this guy was bringing his own ... errr, stir stick?  Ok, ok, sorry ... potty humor.  Heh, but can you imagine if he'd gotten over rambumctious and spilled the coffee?  Talk about a hot weenie.  Sorry, more potty humor.

* Thief foiled by coffee - saved by the cuppa!

And, just for a chuckle, read these: Penguin Stops Train, Stoopid Sports Fan Severs Testicles

Chocolate Friday: Cocoa Apple Cake

Criminy, I almost missed Chocolate Friday.  Again.  I've been so busy with work and trying to get ready for Thanksgiving, I haven't had much time to think.  Here's a recipe I'm going to try this next week for my guests.  A friend brought this cake to a party many years ago, and after I nagged her for months, she finally shared the recipe with me.  I don't have pics yet, will add after T-Day.

Update: Pictures added, and ... ummm... cake mostly eaten, must make another for T-Day guests.  (sheepish grin)

Cocoa Apple Cake

A. Cream together until fluffy
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 sticks margarine

B. Sift together, then add to creamed mixture
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice

C. Fold into other ingredients
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cupt semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups grated apples (about 4 med size)
1 tbsp vanilla

Spoon mixture into greased, floured cake pan or bundt pan. 

Bake 60-70 minutes at 325° (or until toothpick pulls out dry and clean).  Serves 12.

A Guide to Tea

This little book came with my Adagio package but I didn't really look at it until yesterday.  I needed some light reading to take with me into the "little room down the hall" and it was handy. 

Lo and behold, I really like it!  It's a great bathroom book, for one thing.  It's not an in-depth book, nothing heavy or lengthy.  Just a little smattering of interesting tea stuff.  And I've really enjoyed the little tidbits and tea stories.  The photos are beautiful, and it's got quite a lot of basic information about tea: types, preparation, history, caffeine, and more.   

It's written by Chris Cason, "Tea Maestro" of Adagio and regular contributor to Tea Muse.  Chris has a light, humorous writing style that makes this a good read.  It's on my recommended list. 

Immersion Heater Recalled

If you're a traveler, you might have one of these.  My mom had one some years back, and she loved it.  She said it sure made staying in cheap hotels (or at my brother's house) a lot easier.  Just plop the heater into the cup of water, plug it in and bwalla, ready for tea.  Unfortunately, it's been recalled.  The reason: "Moisture in the heating element could cause corrosion over time, presenting a shock hazard".  Bummer.  If you've got one, return it and get yer money back!

For more info, check the news release here.

The Tea Server

I really want one of these.  The perfect blend of high-tech, tea culture, and the slightly weird: The Karakuri: Tea Server, a modern novelty originally designed almost four centuries ago by those clever Japanese:

This Kabuki-styled doll approaches surprised guests with a full teacup on a tray; it stops walking when the teacup is taken, waits quietly, bows, then slowly turns around, smoothly scooting away with the empty teacup on its tray.

Originally designed as a luxury toy of feudal lords and successful merchants in the Edo Period between 1603 and 1867. It was often used more as a social ploy to break the ice and get the conversation going between businessmen rather than to actually serve tea.

Comes in a kit you can assemble yourself for $89.95, or fully assembled for $169.95.  I actually might be able to talk the hubs into getting the kit.  He's very into robotics.  Unfortunately he's not much into completion.  We had a full-size R2D2 in our kitchen for about 5 years, complete with wheels, remote control movement and noises and all, but it never got past 80% completion.  But this seems like a very small project.  I want one!  Whaddya think hun?

Found via Engadget