The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 03: Come On In

Our weather has been amazing, cool, little bit of rain showers, very much fall like which makes me want to cook!

I've been watching this lady's videos for about a year now. She makes some really good southern foods. I've tried a couple and really like her recipes.
https://youtu.be/DPNcsPKB7jM

My friend that is originally from SOuth Africa but now lives in California is coming to visit me on Thursday and staying until Monday. I'm so nervous! So much to do between now and then.

Probably need a few gallons of coffee to get it all finished!
 
Our weather has been amazing, cool, little bit of rain showers, very much fall like which makes me want to cook!

I've been watching this lady's videos for about a year now. She makes some really good southern foods. I've tried a couple and really like her recipes.
https://youtu.be/DPNcsPKB7jM

My friend that is originally from SOuth Africa but now lives in California is coming to visit me on Thursday and staying until Monday. I'm so nervous! So much to do between now and then.

Probably need a few gallons of coffee to get it all finished!

Try & get some of Chloe's 'Black Rifle' stuff.
Do not exceed the stated dose ! :)

Time for a cup of tea. . . .
 
Try & get some of Chloe's 'Black Rifle' stuff.
Do not exceed the stated dose ! :)

Time for a cup of tea. . . .

I'll probably need some.
I found this stuff at the grocery yesterday, so I'm trying it even though I usually like my hot coffee strong hot and black.
And it's okay. I might make my next cup iced since I prefer my sweet coffee iced.
Sadly they only had the vanilla, I bet the caramel would be delicious!
 

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We're threatened with a frost tonight, so I cut all my basil. Now my office is scented by the basil drying in the closet. That has to be one of my favorite scents, but it will only last a few days.
 
Our high for the day was one minute after midnight, 74. It is now 59 and it has rained off and on almost all day. Rinse and repeat for the next week.

Fresh coffee for the evening crew. I'm going to make a big mug of hot chocolate later.

A big batch of chicken wings for supper and french fries. Sticky, spicy, and finger licking good. :)
 
We're threatened with a frost tonight, so I cut all my basil. Now my office is scented by the basil drying in the closet. That has to be one of my favorite scents, but it will only last a few days.

So I traveled most of August into the first of September.
On the first part of my trip my friend gave me a bag of fresh rosemary from her garden, which I stuck in my suit case. That suit case never made it to our next location.
It was lost until about 10 days ago when the airline sent it to my other friend in California. She's coming here Thursday and is bringing it with her.
I'm curious what all the stuff in there is going to smell like after being closed up for 2 months with fresh rosemary.
I figure either the rosemary dried out nicely(hopefully) or it turned to mush :(

Luckily I love the smell of rosemary, hoping it's not too overwhelming, at least in my suit case. It was brand new! That was my first trip with it.

Our high for the day was one minute after midnight, 74. It is now 59 and it has rained off and on almost all day. Rinse and repeat for the next week.

Fresh coffee for the evening crew. I'm going to make a big mug of hot chocolate later.

A big batch of chicken wings for supper and french fries. Sticky, spicy, and finger licking good. :)
I'm making chicken for dinner too. Wasn't going to since we're all busy cleaning, but I had a package of chicken leg quarters so I put it in a big roaster pan with an onion chopped, some celery and I had a bag of maxed veggies(broccoli, carrots, cauliflower) so I added that too, loaded it with garlic and salt and pepper and it's currently baking in the oven and smells pretty darn good!
 
I figure either the rosemary dried out nicely(hopefully) or it turned to mush :(

Rosemary is pretty woody stuff, so I doubt it would go to mush. My guess is that things got well-scented, but the Rosemary probably molded, and by now the scent would be gone.

But you can always hope for the best, and rosemary-scented clothes wouldn't be a bad thing. Rosemary is one of the common herbs I don't grow. I've been thinking of growing it, but I'm not sure where to put it. Maybe with the lavender.
 
I'll probably need some.
I found this stuff at the grocery yesterday, so I'm trying it even though I usually like my hot coffee strong hot and black.
And it's okay. I might make my next cup iced since I prefer my sweet coffee iced.
Sadly they only had the vanilla, I bet the caramel would be delicious!

Setting aside for a moment, the concept of 'iced' coffee, WTF is the vanilla for ?
Ain't coffee got any taste these days ?

Tex, can I have a plain coffee; no mysterious additions, quaint flavours or 'extras' PLEASE ?
(I might have some real cream and sugar, though. . . )
 
Rosemary is pretty woody stuff, so I doubt it would go to mush. My guess is that things got well-scented, but the Rosemary probably molded, and by now the scent would be gone.

But you can always hope for the best, and rosemary-scented clothes wouldn't be a bad thing. Rosemary is one of the common herbs I don't grow. I've been thinking of growing it, but I'm not sure where to put it. Maybe with the lavender.

Dare I ask those of you who may not actually have frequent reason for doing so: Do you have any tips on preserving fresh herbs? I've heard various things about drying your own, freezing them (at least the ones that can handle it), keeping cut herbs in water like you'd do with flowers, etc.. I live in a city and have given up most of my potted herb space to other things, but I'd like to learn how to get the most out of farmer's market hauls. I've had good luck freezing chili peppers actually.
 
Dare I ask those of you who may not actually have frequent reason for doing so: Do you have any tips on preserving fresh herbs? I've heard various things about drying your own, freezing them (at least the ones that can handle it), keeping cut herbs in water like you'd do with flowers, etc.. I live in a city and have given up most of my potted herb space to other things, but I'd like to learn how to get the most out of farmer's market hauls. I've had good luck freezing chili peppers actually.

I dry basil every year and have also dried lavender, oregano, thyme and parsley. The process is the same in any case, though the seasons vary. Cut the herbs, clean them, tie them into bunches that are small enough for air to circulate through, and hang them in some dry place. I use the closet in my office at home, and put a small fan in there to keep the air moving. It takes about six weeks.

I cured garlic in much the same way, except that I hung them in the garage. The bunches seemed a little big for the closet.

The chili we use locally (and actually call chile rather than chili) is commonly dried if it's ripe and roasted, peeled, and frozen if it's green. The ripe red chile is braided into bunches, called ristras, for drying. Chile ristras are decorative and commonly seen in the SW US.

I've never put herbs in water for preservation. It doesn't seem like it should last very long. I have put fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley in water temporarily. They make effective air fresheners. I trim the stems, put it into plastic zip-lock bags with the bottom corners cut out, and store it in the refrigerator (crisper drawer). It will keep that way for a few days to a week.
 
I dry basil every year and have also dried lavender, oregano, thyme and parsley.

Okay. I ought to try drying some herbs like that then. I use a lot of them and I have to imagine that's better than buying the stuff at supermarkets. Who knows how old that is...
I guess the chile/chili thing has to do with regionality? Where I grew up in the Northeast, I think chile was used in a more specific context to refer to Mexican chiles, Southwestern cooking, etc. whereas chili refers more generally to chili peppers of any variety and origin, including Thai Bird's Eye chilis and the like.
The garlic box I have checked, but when it comes to fresh herbs, I usually just run to the corner. Like you, I'm skeptical how much milage I'd see keeping them in water.
 
Okay. I ought to try drying some herbs like that then. I use a lot of them and I have to imagine that's better than buying the stuff at supermarkets. Who knows how old that is...

The aromatic quality of herbs doesn't last forever, even when dried. Sealed in a mason jar it's good for a few months. Storing dried herbs in a freezer would probably extend that period.

I guess the chile/chili thing has to do with regionality?

I thought the use of "chile" to refer to anything but the country was unique to New Mexico, and here we don't even know how that usage came about. We use it for several large, usually fairly mild, pods and for most any preparation of the pod, and for sauces and stews made from the pod. The use of chili or chile for non-local products seems variable.

Here, the most common use of the word "chili" is for that brown, spicy TexMex stew of tomatoes, beans and ground beef.
 
Vanilla coffee; isn't that the good old plain coffee, straight from the filter, without any of that modern kinky stuff?

I somehow doubt it.
The photo illustrated "Mocha", "Vanilla" and "Caramel".
I have heard of one of the Lits adds 'Hazelnut' to coffee. . . . :confused:

Meanwhile, I'll settle for a plain coffee please; with milk & sugar.
 
HP, those were flavored creamers. Used how and where you would use milk. I hope that cleans things up some.

Fresh coffee for the nooner bunch. My nooner turned into more of a lunch. :)

Back to writing for me. Winter has set in early. :eek:
 
Do you need some pumpkin spice syrup to sweeten that stuff?

Oh, do please tell me you don't put pumpkin flavouring in a coffee . . .:confused:

I can see the point of "Mocha"; it used to be the port from which the Arabika coffee beans were shipped (it's a very strange, almost chocolatey flavour, according to some reports). .

Meanwhiel, I'll have a nice cup of tea please
 
I dry basil every year and have also dried lavender, oregano, thyme and parsley. The process is the same in any case, though the seasons vary. Cut the herbs, clean them, tie them into bunches that are small enough for air to circulate through, and hang them in some dry place. I use the closet in my office at home, and put a small fan in there to keep the air moving. It takes about six weeks.

.

I would suggest hanging the bunches inside thin paper bags, the kind often used in liquor stores. They dry just as well (around here, anyway) and don't get dusty.
 
I would suggest hanging the bunches inside thin paper bags, the kind often used in liquor stores. They dry just as well (around here, anyway) and don't get dusty.

Or if you want to dry a lot of it you could pick up a food dehydrator. I don't dry herbs but I dry lots of fruit and do dried meat for hiking - and I like jerky and making dried sausages. I'd work just as well for herbs and it's very controlled.
 
Sweet and spicy is always good but I think I'll draw the line at pumpkin flavor. :D

My darlingest husband-creature is of the opinion that Caramel-Chocca-Mocha-Hazelnut-Vanilla Latte is a major contributory factor in the decline of western civilization; he's right up there with the French coffecionados who believe putting anything in a coffee except more coffee is a sin against nature and offenders should be nailed to the city gates as a warning to others. He's of the opinion, oft-expressed, that if you wanted a cup full of sickly, syrupy stuff, why the f*ck did you ask for coffee...?
 
My darlingest husband-creature is of the opinion that Caramel-Chocca-Mocha-Hazelnut-Vanilla Latte is a major contributory factor in the decline of western civilization; he's right up there with the French coffecionados who believe putting anything in a coffee except more coffee is a sin against nature and offenders should be nailed to the city gates as a warning to others. He's of the opinion, oft-expressed, that if you wanted a cup full of sickly, syrupy stuff, why the f*ck did you ask for coffee...?

You probably get about the same amount of caffeine with our without the fat and sugar, but adding the fat and sugar can make the coffee give you the shakes. That's fun. It's like exercise without the effort.
 
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