Perk Up Your Morning

An unknown author captures our AM jet fuel best. “A morning without coffee is like sleep.” For the coffee connoisseurs out there, some may think it’s all in the bean you use to grind and brew your ideal pot of morning Joe. But one cannot overlook the equipment. Most of us have used the typical Mr. Coffee pot and some have even taken the money nose dive and purchased those fancy rigs that do everything with the exception of blowing your nose. Although these types of gizmos make awesome coffee, some take an enormous amount of valuable kitchen countertop space and others are just plain overpriced for the same end result you can achieve with inexpensive equipment. The two best options out there for those coffee lovers who want the best cup of perked Java without the $1,000 + price tag is the French Press or the good old-fashioned percolator. The French press is a tad too strong for everyday use. It takes a bit to figure out how to get that brew just right but it’s perfect for special weekend sipping. It also comes in handy when the electricity goes out given you can still boil water.

For everyday use, the best option on the market is the good old-fashion percolator. This contraption takes up no counter space, gives an unbelievable cup of coffee and you use less beans then most drip coffee makers. It also looks retro. A big plus for the style oriented coffee drinker. The one drawback: it can be a challenging exercise in morning dexterity. It’s advised you prep the pot the night before (i.e., clean all its parts) so as not to create a sunrise disaster. There is nothing like the sound of percolating coffee gurgling in the background in the early morning hours. It’s a bit nostalgic; kind of Ward and June Cleaverisque.

So if you are really into coffee, remember that it’s all in the beans but the wrong equipment or technique can ruin even the best cup of Joe. Speaking of beans – take it one step further to get direct shipped coffee from the grower at a fairly reasonable cost. You leave out that middle man (or men) plus support the farmer growing it. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, which means there can be a lot of dividends being cut from the same pound of coffee with very little going into the farmer’s pocket. We found a great coffee grower in Hilo, Hawaii that ships our stash on a regular basis at a very reasonable price. When you think local, it doesn’t always have to be in your backdoor. Supporting local farmers wherever they may be is a great way to keep the agricultural industry what it should be – a little less industrialized.

So if you are looking for that last minute present for under the tree, get perking. You only have three more shopping days left!

Image from the Internet