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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Coffee, Tea, and Me

The above title is an allusion to a scandalous book of the 1960s titled Coffee, Tea, or Me. This book--unread by me--detailed the sexual adventures of flight attendants (then called stewardesses) and pilots in the swinging 60s. Evidently one of our neighbors (a pilot, never seen by me) was a character in it. His disguise was transparent and his wife Lillian divorced him and moved away with their 6 kids.

My Frugal Son has been home for a few days. He has been maligning me for buying too much (good) stuff at Goodwill. He has a point. But watch out for the forces of thrift store karma.



Frugal Son has become interested in loose tea. We searched--to no avail--for our tea strainer. So...when I went to Goodwill, what do I find?

Of course, this item was greeted with ecstasy by Frugal Son.

On to coffee. I made some nasty comments about the now ubiquitous coffee pods. Funny About Money replied with a survey of coffee making methods and paean to the French press, which is what I use.

This inspired me to waste some time--I mean, research--coffee making methods. I discovered this, which seems pricy for what it is. It seems like it would be less messy than the French press, however.

Has anyone used it?

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I use this espresso maker (I'm Italian after all ;) http://www.morningbrewcoffee.com/aluminumstovetopespressomaker3cup-p-3008.html
Simple, fast, no need for coffee pods!

Duchesse said...

We use the Melita filter system. Some claim that paper filters seep into the coffee flavour, but I've experimented,tasting the same bean side by side with Bodum and can't discern a difference.

Frugal Son, your mother has the highest form of thrift shop karma. Maybe she needs to keep that karma flowing by letting it come forth as it must.

Jane said...

We have a french press but don't use it very often. Today Michael bought a new, yes NEW coffee maker that has a thermal pot instead of the usual glass so we can take the pot with us, like out on the front porch or out by the fire pit and the coffee stays warm without getting bitter. It also comes with a dual permanent filter and 2 thermal mugs so you can make two different kinds of coffee at once - this will work well for us because often I want decaf instead of regular. The plan when we are out at Crofters Lane is to make two thermal mugs of coffee everyday and take them with us while we walk the km. to the end of our driveway and back. Can't wait!
BTW - I would LOVE one of those teapots! I use a straining spoon which works well but just for one mug of tea at a time.

Logan Leger said...

I have coffee every night with a group of friends and we always have French press coffee. I purchased this one a few months ago and it makes amazing coffee: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KEM4TQ/. Community beans are OK in it, but the best I've had so far is the Espresso Sierra blend from Whole Foods. And recently, I've added about 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice to the press — delicious.

For tea, I use this from Teavana: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZK2RZI/. It makes great tea every time. I always use a loose tea from Teavana — they have some great teas.

jenny wren said...

I have been eye-ing the aerobie as well. I have not used one or know anyone who has. It was on sale at Macy's for black friday, but with shipping it ended up being only $4 cheaper than not on sale. For that little difference I will buy it locally. Maybe I am waiting for the thrift store karma to bring me one. Stranger things have been found at the thrift store.
In the meantime I am on a yerba mate kick.

Funny about Money said...

Whoa! I've never seen that Aeropress gadget! Isn't THAT interesting!

Consumer reviews are almost uniformly positive...though there aren't enough of them to be sure the voting isn't weighted by shills. Hmmm....it does look like it ought to work.

You get 350 filters for $3.59...that's only about a penny apiece. Interesting. Extremely interesting. The contraption itself is $25, which really isn't all that much more than a French press, unless you get your press at Ikea or the Goodwill.

This thing appears to be a likely candidate for a Christmas present for M'hijito.

I love those teapots, too, and have long coveted one. Spotted one -- ONCE -- at World Market (Cost Plus) and then before I could make up my mind that I really needed another piece of jun...uhm, another teapot, it was gone, never to return. Great coup, Frugals!

FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com said...

For tea, I find a teapot tends to make too much tea, or not enough (it has to sink into the hot water to steep, but if you don't put enough water it doesn't do anything

I use a mesh cup instead :)

Frugal Scholar said...

@marcela--I have one of those too. It's in the closet. I'm going to pull it out.

@Duchesse-I have a melitta too. I go crazy waiting for the water to drip through.

@Jane--What kind of coffee maker is that?

@Logan--I have the same coffee maker. That tea stuff you mention sounds great! Another thing on my list...

@jennywren--If you find someone who has used it, report back. I'm thinking of getting one for my daughter for her dorm. Oh, yerba mate--I've been meaning to try that. Too much temptation in these comments.

@Funny--I'm thinking of that aero thing as a gift too. Let me know how it works out if you get it. If I find another Bodum, I'll send it to you.

@FB--Your way is more practical, but the little pot is so cute.