Your Café Holidays!

[TexLaw]

Fellow Denizens,

Many of us take this time of year to slow down a bit, reflect on the year we've been through, and look forward to the year to come. Much of the time, that involves a lovely café sort of beverage, whether something special, something new, or just appreciating what we enjoy (if not savor) every day.

Please, tell us how you have enjoyed your own, personal Café this year (or expect to). Have you tried something new? Have you received a gift? Is there a coffee, tea, tisane, or something else that you share with friends or family? Is there that cuppa that you relish on a particular morning?

Personally, I enjoy my cup of coffee or tea just about every morning. However, there's something special about that Christmas morning cup. I'm not working. I may have some place to go (the family get together), but I'm not in a hurry. The days of childhood exuberance left the house a few years or so go, but no magic ever will.

As for trying something new, I tried this wonderful Harney & Sons chocolate mint black tea after I bought a tin for the Bingle gift exchange. As soon as I opened the shipping box, the aroma just about bowled me over, and I had another tin (for myself) on its way about ten minutes later. I don't much care for flavored teas, as a rule, but this stuff is something else.

 

[Mick]

This year I've managed to expand my roasting hardware so that I will have a coffee roaster at the cabin in the great white north, the main roaster in middle America, and my recently resurrected Hottop down here in the scorching south (it's 9:30 pm and it is 78 degrees outside)

 

[alpster]

I made a couple coffee upgrades this year. Just acquired a 'Baratza Vario' grinder to replace my old 'Cuisinart'. The difference is indescribable. Due to the unrelenting enabling of another thread on drip makers, I have new 'Bonavita' 1900 that is due to be delivered today. I also bought my wife an 'Aeropress' as she is more prone to a single cup at a time. Morning coffee is my 'quiet time' when I don't allow any distractions and God has my full attention. Looking forward to the new coffee maker.

 

[PGrevie]

I haven't been drinking much coffee or tea recently. I'm getting back into the swing of things thanks to my bingle buddy TexLaw. My brother in law sent us a coffee machine and coffee packets for a system that is similar to Keurig. I drank one cup and am currently waiting until the free coffee runs out. I bought a french press yesterday and got bored last night, so I made up a batch of cold brew coffee for this morning. I'm a half cup deep and already starting to fly.

SWMBO is usually against my "projects", but this morning she said she would prefer cold brewed coffee every morning. Now to pull out the green beans and upgrade from a popcorn popper to a countertop roaster.