This past week involved much chit-chat about coffee and art – and so I decided to share this cool COFFEE ART painting by Hong Yi:
I also started this post to specifically share my view about Keurig k-cups. During my Buffalo trip last November, another unexpected highlight was visiting my cousin K, and her husband L. I did not visit them on our August trip because I totally forgot they had moved back to Western New York. (Seems that so many folks move back to that area because it has many perks.) Anyhow, for decades K and L lived in Southern California, and I actually stayed with them in fall of 1986 in Long Beach. They were awesome because not only did they treat me like an adult – but they let me freely use their 1965, honey gold, stick-shift Mustang to go back and forth to my new job. This was my second time living in Long beach (7th grade was the other one) and what fun. Another memory from that fall was when my cousin R, who was jamming to the newly released, “Peace sells, but Who’s buying” (if there’s a new wayyyy…) took me to a costume party at UCLA, with “Dear Yvette” playing (not a wholesome depiction of a different Yvette – lol) but at the party, I can still picture this girl walking around wearing a tan, silk “slip” – holding a sign that said “Freud.” 😉 Get it “Freudian slip” costume.
So recently visiting my relatives had typical Buffalo wintry weather (snowed in) with warm conversations about a variety of stuff – like misinterpretations of Bible passages, L’s award-winning home brewed stouts and ales, K’s kiln, and the ubiquitous Long Beach area late 1980’s Dodge commercial, “Long Beach freeway… firestone exit…. Southhhhh – gate!”
Keurig:
Deleted the k-cups pros and cons – I try not to use Keurig because of the plastics associated with the coffee pods.
During this cosseted visit, I also enjoyed using their Keurig brewer.
**** For MORE coffee art, check out 5 more artists who use coffee in their art….
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
PRIORHOUSE BLOG
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
priorhouse blog 
We love our Keurig also. I’m not much of a coffee-snob, but I can really tell the difference in taste between our Cuisinart brewer and the Keurig.
I decided I had to have one after, getting my car serviced, I had a chai tea latte while waiting. It was better than Starbucks.
I drink a lot of tea and greatly enjoy the hot water feature. I’ve also found a rooibos (red tea) k-cup that is surprisingly delicious.
Never thought about the health and plastic/foil issues though. Great point.
Enjoyed this, Y!
LikeLike
Great post. You are obviously well informed about the K Cups … We use an espresso machine, and we load regular coffee into the one shot bowl, and let it flow … It gets the job done for us simple folk. Hey, I like your style of writing, and … thank you immensely for visiting my blog, SpeakListenPrayDon’tBeStupid. I hope you and yours have a great transition into the new year. Peace, T
LikeLike
Thanks T (sorry yo just reply now) 😉
LikeLike
I considered getting one of those K-Cups thingamajigs when my old coffee maker broke. But I decided against it because I buy whole beans and grind my own, so I got a combo burr grinder and brewer. I love the smell of napalm…oops, I mean freshly ground and brewed coffee…in the morning.
LikeLike
ha – and well, I saw that photo of your grind/brew coffee maker, um, I mean – I saw the – deluxe, upscale, restaurant-edition stainless steel brew machine!!!
LikeLike
You got that right. Nothing but the best for this coffee drinker. But I still can’t remember what it was that I forgot to write on my whiteboard. Oh wait. Maybe it more coffee beans!
LikeLike
I’m gonna add a couple more con’s cause I’m a generally elitist numnut when it comes to coffee;
con -> for those crazy coffee people like myself I’m assuming the coffee in the little cup is already ground, right? Well all the coffee I make at home is freshly ground moments before I brew it (by yours truly) cause that is the best way to savor every sip of the coffee bean…….thus, I never buy already ground coffee…..and when I’m in my especially crazy moments, I buy the whole bean coffee from the Jewish Rabbi’s coffee shop four blocks from my house and every pound of coffee he sells is never more than 10 days old from when he roasted it……Paul (the rabbi) is even more intense than me because after he roasts his various blends, if it doesn’t get used within 10 days of roasting it he tosses it or gives it away (but that rarely happens because he is one of the most popular coffee roasters in the State)
con –> the joy of using a French press or Italian maker is entirely destroyed by your new electronic fangled contraption……..I love feeling connected to the ‘olden’ days and using my French press…..nothing gets thrown away; no paper, no plastic…..even the grounds get recycled!
yes….I’m a nut…I admit it…..but at least im aware of my nuttiness..right?
LikeLike
what – really? you mean the culture monk – also known as the “cafe culture monk” – well you mean he actually has coffee at home? and good coffee? – now how could that be – with all those people to meet and greet?
coffee at home?- thought the Monk only sipped while on the roam… –
But alas’ – your cons are well received
and I guess you won’t let anyone be deceived
because fresh roast – and a fresh grind –
DOES yield coffee of the highest kind!
And yes, there will never be any “electronic fangled contraption”
that can replace a French Press abstraction…
or outdo an Italian maker, which uses vapor and pressure
to give us rich coffee with taste beyond measure.
But for second rate coffee and times of ease-
this machine is just what I need
and for coffee of the second rate kind
well the k-cup brewer was well-designed!
😉
LikeLike
if you met the Rabbi who owns and runs the kosher coffee house down the street from me I would seem like the most laid back coffee bum ever…now HE is intense lol he doesn’t serve lattes, he doesn’t carry any syrups…and only offers crème and sugar to add to the coffee….he has a bunch of different roasts (all which he roasts on site) and he doesn’t sell any pastries, food, snacks, etc……basically ALL he sells is straight up French press coffee or espresso….and its always so packed that you can’t get a seat…..AND the coffee is ridiculously over priced…..ever seen Seinfeld? he’s the Coffee Nazi lol and we all love him….but man is he ever intense. thankfully I drink my coffee black otherwise I think he’d throw me out.
LikeLike
Hey Mr. Monk – I have totally enjoyed the coffee talk here – and the Rabbi’s coffee sounds AMAZING….. and this comment discussion reminded me of the Village Roaster, a Denver coffee shop we used to go to (and is also owned by friends from our old church there)- and they roast their own beans too. But unlike your Rabbi’s shop – they dabble in everything – and I recall the owner sharing that coffee was not even where the money was – it was the spice sales that really carried their store(s).
http://villageroaster.com
LikeLike
Wow am I ever glad I found your post about the K cup coffee and all the replies!
I have loved my home ground, dripped or pressed coffee for so long that I realized I had become a coffee snob. There’s a better word for that but I’m in a hurry so I’ll leave it at that.
Anyway, having seen these things and their machines in every store possible (meanwhile always dreaming of having an espresso machine) I was beginning to feel the draw toward getting one and how fun and easy it would be to just wake up in the morning and Voila! there’s my coffee. But after reading your post, I realize that I even if they could make the K cup taste like it was real espresso or French Roast at least-the newness would wear off and I’d be out the hundred bucks and back to my happy morning tradition (which is really half of it ) of grinding and brewing myself.
Thank you for the info and a most entertaining post.
LikeLike
Actually, I do recommend the Keurig – and I am sending my mother one this month. We still make our own, but it is pretty fun – and delicious. It is fun to sample different ones and there is something for everyone. Caribou is still a top favorite, also like this Mexico one, and we have found a couple that we don’t like – and my older son, a non-coffee drinker, likes the all-natural apple cider. My other son likes a breakfast in bed one (smooth). We signed up and now order with the Keurig company online, which is cheaper per box than store prices. Also, they have thrown in samples and had little deals (like save 6 on 4 boxes). But I truly have enjoyed this machine and even if the fad wears off, we feel like we have already gotten our value.
A couple more things.
My husband has had an unusually busy schedule this last month – and he woke up and had to bolt one morning – and well, the k-kup is almost instant – so he was able to brew and go – and that was cool. We also sold some misc. music gear this week – and a few of the guys that left with their purchases, well I sent them on their way with snack and a hot cup their k-kup choice (nice little touch of hospitality).
Also, the instant hot water is nice. I used it in Buffalo for tea, but was not sure how it would be for other teas (like I think Green tea needs a rolling boil) and well, it has worked fine for different teas (Christy was right).
okay, just had to share that – 😉
LikeLike
Forgot to say-Love the Artist!
LikeLike
🙂 (me too)
LikeLike
I live under a rock, but when I came out one time recently I noticed there was such a thing as keurig cups, and it did make me wonder what that was and what all the fuss was about. Thanks for the break down.
LikeLike
Yeah, K-Cups can be a bit more but it also depends on where you find them. Amazon has them for great prices, usually.
LikeLike
thanks for the comment – and it looks like your site also has some decent prices – I was just checking out some of the packs you offer – have a good day -:)
LikeLike