Remember Mike Myers' sketch from SNL? My family used to love it because he and his guests sounded just like my grandma Ruth and her friends, with their strong New York City accent.
My coffee drinking began when I was a university undergrad, but didn't become a habit until grad school. Then I went of caffeine for a while when I was really struggling with insomnia, and building our family. After Little A was born, caffeine slowly crept back into my life, and all of a sudden I went from the occasional coffee drinker to a junkie all over again.
This is one habit, though, that is healthy. Are there some people who should avoid coffee or limit consumption? Sure. Anyone sensitive to caffeine (and then you can sub decaf), pregnant, or who finds it irritates their stomach or bladder. But coffee is actually the greatest source of antioxidants in the North American diet, and studies show that coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of Type II diabetes, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease. Of course, you can easily negate the benefits of coffee by adding high fat dairy and sugar, but in and of itself, coffee is a good thing.
I mentioned a week or so ago that President's Choice has stopped making their organic, fair trade dark roast that I love. But I recently discovered that it has come back in whole bean form (weird they didn't think to mention that when I contacted them). So my choices are to either go out and buy another coffee grinder, since mine is being used as a spice grinder, or just dump the beans in the grinder at Loblaws after I purchase the bag.
In the meantime, however, I've been sampling various brands.
While in New York, I bought Eight O'Clock French roast and loved it. Unfortunately, it's not available in Canada, nor is it organic or fair trade.
I tried Van Houtte's French Roast, simply because it was on sale at Loblaws and I wondered if it compared to the Eight o'Clock product. It doesn't.
The only thing I found that I DO like is the coffee from Reunion Island - a Canadian company, which is available at Fiesta Farms, and other retailers, as well as direct from the company online (http://www.reunionislandcoffee.com/default.asp).
All of their roasts are organic and fair trade and they have a lot of varieties. I made my own blend, using about 4 different kinds and it turned out great. It is also very reasonably priced. If you can't find it in stores, they have free shipping for their coffee and other products on orders of $49 or more.
Yay, problem solved. I now have more than one option and can go back to fully enjoying my morning cuppa. If only I didn't hate my coffeemaker.
Believe it or not, what you make your coffee IN is just as important as the coffee you use to produce a great tasting product.
A few months ago, my beloved President's Choice coffee maker kicked the bucket. it was about 5 years old and even though it was really not an expensive machine, it produced a great cup of coffee. It was a Sunday afternoon and in a panic to get another machine before stores closed, I raced out - without doing any research - and purchased a Kitchenaid for $100. I figured it was a pretty reliable brand and a safe bet. Sheesh, was I wrong!
First, I broke the glass carafe the first DAY because I pulled the top off entirely so I could put it in the dishwasher. Apparently the top is NOT supposed to come off. I've never had a carafe with a top that doesn't come off. It makes it impossible to put in the dishwasher AND difficult to even clean by hand.
In addition, I have NEVER been able to get the programmer to work and it is a slow machine so if I don't remember to turn the damn thing on at the right time, I have to wait a while.
Worse yet, until I figured out how to use the "bold" setting, it produced a repulsively watery brew. The machine also pours out coffee after you pull out the carafe when it says it is done brewing.
I called the company to request a new carafe and they offered me a stainless steel one (for $15) as an alternative to another glass one. I jumped at the chance since it wouldn't be at risk of breaking, and, I was hoping, would be easier to clean. Yep, top comes off and it's easier to clean, only instead of doing a BETTER job of keeping the coffee hot, like it is supposed to, it seems to suck the heat right out and I have been drinking luke-warm coffee for the past few weeks.
So I have my eye on this Cuisinart with a built in grinder, which one of my friends recommended.
I think I'm gonna ask Adam for it as a birthday gift, but since my birthday isn't until September, I might need it a wee bit early. Okay sweetie?
Speaking of birthdays, Adam has decided that I should now be referred to as his "Almost 40" wife and is on a campaign to get the girls to refer to me as such. He thinks he's so funny and can get away with this because he is 2 years younger than I. Given that I am ONLY turning 38 this year, I am not appreciating this!
But the reality is we are all getting older, and as anyone wise knows, isn't the only alternative worse?
The girls had their annual physicals last Friday and Big A is still 90th percentile for height and weight, and Little A, who appears so delicate, is actually 75th percentile for height and weight! Still cracks me up that we have such large children given how small Adam and I are. I hope this means the girls will crack my peak height of 5'2!!
The pediatrician declared them healthy and doing great. Of course they are still such characters. Little A continues to insist on playing with the bully at daycare, regardless of how often the teachers try and intervene, or we talk to her about trying to find other friends. She also continues to have this weird sock fetish she's had since infancy. Even in 33 degree, 100% humidity that was yesterday's weather, she insisted on wearing socks with her sandals, while the rest of us bared as much skin as possible to try and stay cool.
Big A is fully ensconced in tween world. Her latest thing is to refer to everything - from suggested activities, to clothing, to food options we present her with - as BORING! I suspect eye rolling is not far off in the horizon. Before I know it, she'll probably be drinking coffee with me! I just hope we share the same taste in java.
My coffee drinking began when I was a university undergrad, but didn't become a habit until grad school. Then I went of caffeine for a while when I was really struggling with insomnia, and building our family. After Little A was born, caffeine slowly crept back into my life, and all of a sudden I went from the occasional coffee drinker to a junkie all over again.
This is one habit, though, that is healthy. Are there some people who should avoid coffee or limit consumption? Sure. Anyone sensitive to caffeine (and then you can sub decaf), pregnant, or who finds it irritates their stomach or bladder. But coffee is actually the greatest source of antioxidants in the North American diet, and studies show that coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of Type II diabetes, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease. Of course, you can easily negate the benefits of coffee by adding high fat dairy and sugar, but in and of itself, coffee is a good thing.
I mentioned a week or so ago that President's Choice has stopped making their organic, fair trade dark roast that I love. But I recently discovered that it has come back in whole bean form (weird they didn't think to mention that when I contacted them). So my choices are to either go out and buy another coffee grinder, since mine is being used as a spice grinder, or just dump the beans in the grinder at Loblaws after I purchase the bag.
In the meantime, however, I've been sampling various brands.
While in New York, I bought Eight O'Clock French roast and loved it. Unfortunately, it's not available in Canada, nor is it organic or fair trade.
I tried Van Houtte's French Roast, simply because it was on sale at Loblaws and I wondered if it compared to the Eight o'Clock product. It doesn't.
The only thing I found that I DO like is the coffee from Reunion Island - a Canadian company, which is available at Fiesta Farms, and other retailers, as well as direct from the company online (http://www.reunionislandcoffee.com/default.asp).
All of their roasts are organic and fair trade and they have a lot of varieties. I made my own blend, using about 4 different kinds and it turned out great. It is also very reasonably priced. If you can't find it in stores, they have free shipping for their coffee and other products on orders of $49 or more.
Yay, problem solved. I now have more than one option and can go back to fully enjoying my morning cuppa. If only I didn't hate my coffeemaker.
Believe it or not, what you make your coffee IN is just as important as the coffee you use to produce a great tasting product.
A few months ago, my beloved President's Choice coffee maker kicked the bucket. it was about 5 years old and even though it was really not an expensive machine, it produced a great cup of coffee. It was a Sunday afternoon and in a panic to get another machine before stores closed, I raced out - without doing any research - and purchased a Kitchenaid for $100. I figured it was a pretty reliable brand and a safe bet. Sheesh, was I wrong!
First, I broke the glass carafe the first DAY because I pulled the top off entirely so I could put it in the dishwasher. Apparently the top is NOT supposed to come off. I've never had a carafe with a top that doesn't come off. It makes it impossible to put in the dishwasher AND difficult to even clean by hand.
In addition, I have NEVER been able to get the programmer to work and it is a slow machine so if I don't remember to turn the damn thing on at the right time, I have to wait a while.
Worse yet, until I figured out how to use the "bold" setting, it produced a repulsively watery brew. The machine also pours out coffee after you pull out the carafe when it says it is done brewing.
I called the company to request a new carafe and they offered me a stainless steel one (for $15) as an alternative to another glass one. I jumped at the chance since it wouldn't be at risk of breaking, and, I was hoping, would be easier to clean. Yep, top comes off and it's easier to clean, only instead of doing a BETTER job of keeping the coffee hot, like it is supposed to, it seems to suck the heat right out and I have been drinking luke-warm coffee for the past few weeks.
So I have my eye on this Cuisinart with a built in grinder, which one of my friends recommended.
I think I'm gonna ask Adam for it as a birthday gift, but since my birthday isn't until September, I might need it a wee bit early. Okay sweetie?
Speaking of birthdays, Adam has decided that I should now be referred to as his "Almost 40" wife and is on a campaign to get the girls to refer to me as such. He thinks he's so funny and can get away with this because he is 2 years younger than I. Given that I am ONLY turning 38 this year, I am not appreciating this!
But the reality is we are all getting older, and as anyone wise knows, isn't the only alternative worse?
The girls had their annual physicals last Friday and Big A is still 90th percentile for height and weight, and Little A, who appears so delicate, is actually 75th percentile for height and weight! Still cracks me up that we have such large children given how small Adam and I are. I hope this means the girls will crack my peak height of 5'2!!
The pediatrician declared them healthy and doing great. Of course they are still such characters. Little A continues to insist on playing with the bully at daycare, regardless of how often the teachers try and intervene, or we talk to her about trying to find other friends. She also continues to have this weird sock fetish she's had since infancy. Even in 33 degree, 100% humidity that was yesterday's weather, she insisted on wearing socks with her sandals, while the rest of us bared as much skin as possible to try and stay cool.
Big A is fully ensconced in tween world. Her latest thing is to refer to everything - from suggested activities, to clothing, to food options we present her with - as BORING! I suspect eye rolling is not far off in the horizon. Before I know it, she'll probably be drinking coffee with me! I just hope we share the same taste in java.
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