Lola at the Coffee House

Coffee first thing in the morning is not just a beverage. It is the elegant elixir of life, the necessary nectar of the gods, the fabulous fluid which sets the cogs and wheels of the inner man humming like a well-tuned engine. I can't speak for other Americans, but for me wherever coffee is served in the morning is my temple, the place which restores my belief in a power greater than myself, one which can imbue me with superhuman strength and instill in me a rare quality indeed -- to wit, wakefulness.

Shooting up eh Andrei?

The thing is when you find something like that is to not tell anybody about it. Otherwise any advantage is lost.

How do you prepare the drink that has such wonderful effects?

Melville was panned from the start for Moby Dick. Its npt one of my overall favorites because Melville really doesnt know where hes going half the time.

When post "Age of sail" Americans got caught up in books like CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS and "2 YEaRS BEFORE THE MAST---24 YEARS LATER...", Moby Dick was right there waiting to be rediscovered and Melliville resurected

But why and by whom? Without that sentence I mentioned it's just an adventure story isn't it. It lays out the cost to men, at that time, of the rendering of the feminine into a divinity.

It was considered brutish and merely a disjointed book about sailing, whaling, with a smidge of a plot.

I did enjooy the parts about teh nat world of wjhales and ships that hunt em.

It is amazing, where's my coffee by the way? a man could die of thirst, when you think that before mineral oil was discovered/exploited the USA ran mainly on whale oil, and most of that came through Nantucket. I've got a book about that.
I'll leave it here on the shelf above the fire.

There was a similar market in "coal oil" but that one was quite a mess to use and was used in street lamps and coach lights until someone discovered how to make esters out of the fatty acids.

First, eschew anything that has the word 'instant' on the container. Patience, after all, is a virtue; I can wait for a properly prepared cup of this elixir.

Next, I grind the coffee beans. As a rule, that's how I buy my coffee -- a bag of beans rather than the pre-ground stuff. I've come to prefer Kona coffee, but that's expensive, even here on the island where it's grown. Ground just before brewing gives the resulting cup a fresh, if robust, taste. And, incidentally, I usually keep the bag of beans in the freezer part of my 'fridge. They stay fresh longer that way.

The method of actual preparation may vary. I see nothing wrong with using the 'Mr. Coffee' type of electric coffee maker; that's how I used to brew it and will again if that's all that's available. But for the most satisfying taste I use one of those glass coffee carafes (forget what they're called) with a metallic plunger. You measure the appropriate amount of coffee right into the decanter (how much per cup depends on how strong you like it), pour boiling hot water on it and let it seep for about seven minutes. Then you sl-o-o-wly push the plunger down to pack the grounds at the bottom and serve.

And, for the love of Juan Valdez, don't ever try to serve me anything called 'decaffeinated'. I'm sure my heart will stop.

Coming up Spendi. I'll bet you thought I couldn't understand that.

But what is the appropriate amount to get the effect you described?

You don't really see the point fm. It wasn't a phlogiston theory. It was a fundamental law of nature.

thanks to all. I missed my coffee this morning......or I had to drink it on the run. I went to the Cardiologist. He said I had a "Phantom infarct" which means that it just looks I've had a heart attack on the front of my heart, but really not. whew! that's a relief. I was not understanding how I could have had a heart attack and not even known it.

Then I went downtown for the divorce. But when I got there, they said I have to come back tomorrow morning. So it's tomorrow.

So now I'm home and ready for all the coffee I can drink. A granny smith apple would be good too. I'm determined to lose 5 pounds. Gotta look my best, you know.

MA, yes....me too

Well, Spendi, we are divine. Wanna make something of it?

It probably varies for each person. I use one heaping teaspoon per each cup of water.

Or are you asking how many cups one must consume to get the effect? In that event, it really varies for each person.

Ah, divorce.
Hard to say anything, so much going on.

I like both of you - but then I liked both of us (me and ex) too.

I like both of us too, Osso. Oh well. Gotta move on.

I'm in Hunt Valley Maryland (30 miles north of Baltimore) for company Board meetings: going back to Washington on Thursday, and then to California a few days later. Business stuff, sometimes tiresome, occasionally challenging and fun.

Divorce? Sad, very sad to learn of this.

Our very best wishes to you both.

I think that's part of the fun. I love the part when he suddenly shifts the narrative to South America to tell how, after the event, he told one aspect of the story to a group of South American landowners, then once the chapter is over, he never mentions them again.