Coffee and Vegetable Plants

Did you know you can fertilize your vegetable garden with your coffee grounds? After enjoying your coffee, spoon the grounds into a container. Lightly scratch them into the soil of your garden once a week.  Take care not to have the grounds pile up as this can create a water barrier preventing watering reaching the roots. The nitrogen from the coffee grounds will feed and nourish the plants. I have been using this method on my lettuce and tomatoes. I have several large tomatoes on the vines. Once we are of the rain pattern we're in past several days, the summer sun will help ripen these beauties. I have been cutting the lettuce and using to make delicious heathy salads for our meals. 

Do you have any gardening tips to share? Happy Gardening!

Sipping Coffee

I was a late comer to the coffee world.  My parents weren't coffee drinkers.  When I was growing up, trendy coffee cafes didn't exist. While in the corporate world dining with clients, I eventually began to have a coffee after dinners joining in with the rest. Raising my children, I had morning coffee to give me the energy I needed to keep up with their schedules.  Now that my children are grown and raising children of their own,  I enjoy a hot cup of coffee early in the morning before text messages begin and the demands of the day are upon me.  It's my "me" time while I read the newspaper.

Starbucks opened its first store in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 1971, and in 1984 Howard Schultz convinced the founders of Starbucks to test out its now popular coffeehouse concept by opening in downtown Seattle, proving to be ever successful. Visiting Pike Place Market is on my bucket list. We all have our favorite coffee of course, but Starbucks beans are my number one!  Just the smell of it brewing puts a smile on my face.  But Starbucks, as much as we love the "limited" coffee beans you introduce throughout the year, please make them more available when we fall in love with them....i.e. Casi Cielo.

Embrace your quiet moments☺

If you like coffee, try the Kalita Wave!

If you are looking for a new way to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, try the Kalita wave.  I follow PerfectDailyGrind on Instagram and couldn't wait to try it.  It's a pour over drip method whose flat bottom design allows for even flow and distribution giving you maximum flavor.  You can purchase the Kalita on their website Kalita-usa or sites like Amazon carries it too.  I purchased mine on Amazon and bought the Kalita Wave Dripper 155 for 1-2 people for $22.50 and $9.90 for a pack of 100 paper filters.  Kalita sells a kettle for heating water, but I opted to use my tea kettle and it worked great.  I placed my stainless steel "Wave" over my coffee cup, placed the filter inside, spooned my ground coffee into the filter and slowly poured the hot water over the grounds until my mug was full.  The coffee smelled delightful and I couldn't wait to take my first sip.  It didn't disappoint! A special treat when I find a few minutes to relax:)  Better yet, put it on your Holiday wish list this year?

How Do You Brew your Coffee?

French Press

I love this antique box I found to keep my special Keurig KCups in.

I use an antique dish dryer rack to hang my coffee mugs.  Always a conversation piece.

I appreciate a great cup of coffee.  Years ago while visiting friends, they served us coffee made in a French Press.  If you want to treat your family and friends this weekend, try this method.  You start the coffee in the kitchen and finish it at the table where you can watch the brew process.  I like the Bodum french press and it can be found on Bodum.  

Here is the simplicity of the process that "connects" you to the coffee.  

Always use freshly ground coffee beans. Starbucks is my favorite coffee bean for it's rich and bold flavor. By the way pumpkin flavor fans like myself! Starbucks instant pumpkin latte has arrived in stores so stock up.  Plan on using approximately 1 tablespoon of grounds per cup.

Use a tea kettle to heat your water.  Let it sit for a couple of minutes after boiling before adding it to the french press.  

Pour the hot water into the press, slowly covering all the coffee grounds as you fill it up.  Stir the grounds immediately.

Add the filter on top and let the coffee steep for 4 minutes.  After the time has passed, press the plunger down and you are ready to pour and serve.  Customize with your favorite creamer, sugar, Agave nectar, or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon for a special treat.

Weekdays I use my Keurig single serve brewer . I generally drink just one cup in the morning and am the only one in the house drinking hot coffee.  My husband prefers cold pour iced coffee.  Making an entire pot of coffee each morning isn't practical. Plus it's quick and easy and there are over 500 varieties of coffee, tea and specialty beverages to choose from.  There are other single serve coffee makers out there of course, and everyone has a favorite.  We have a self serve coffee bar in our homes for family and friends who stay with us that gets a lot of use on weekends.   

Keep a coffee cake and/or cinnamon rolls in the freezer for coffee time! However you brew, enjoy and savor the moments. Happy weekend.