Habit-forming

I love the routine of making a cup of something warm in the morning; more often than not it's herbal tea but in the last few months I have inadvertently become QUITE the coffee snob!! (For the record, I am a decaf drinker...none of that hard stuff for me!)

I like a solid cup of coffee - not too acidic, full-bodied... I had been a diehard french presser, for that reason, after a million years of drinking weak but passable coffee in an auto-dripper (mostly for the convenience of the system and also out of ignorance) but my beloved french press has been relegated to the cupboard as of late! 

After much research, I decided one day to shelve my electric coffee grinder and got a low-end hand grinder ... and at the same time I moved from the french press to a Chemex, again because of the taste AND I loved the simplicity and artsy aspect of it. To me, Chemex makes a good cup of coffee, but it's a little on the weak side for my taste. A few weeks after that, I ran across this article on The Smitten Kitchen website about Americanos - my favorite coffee drink.  

So off I went to buy THIS:

This is a good old fashioned stovetop moka pot.  This is a pic of mine, making this morning's coffee. So simple, and mechanically a cool little machine (the Italians' design standards are always top notch!)  The moka pot has been putting the world's espressos out since the beginning of time practically. It doesn't work with an electric stove, but I haven't had one of those... ever?  At least not since living at home with the parental units!

The coffee it makes is strong and slightly acidic, and the time it takes to fully brew is jusssst about the time needed to make this:

Warm cream of brown rice cereal with a blob of peanut butter, a spoonful of mom's Marionberry jam and a little honey. By the way, did you know a Marionberry is actually a special blackberry created by a USDA program at Oregon State U - it's a cross between an Olallieberry and Chehalem blackberry!  Who knew ..! 

I shall now commence to feeding my addictions, haha!

HAVE A GREAT WEDNESDAY!