Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Meanie Economics, 101 (short course, held over the months of January-February)

-Realize I am spending way too much on coffee (Starbucks every morning adds up). I decide I need a Bodum to make my own.

-When I decide I want something, it becomes a compulsion. I do no comparison shopping, I do no research, I simply seek and buy. (insert sympathetic sounds for Jonas here) In this case, I spend about $40 at the Bay for a 3 cup Bodum (whatevs, their idea of 3 cup is one mug-full for me).

-Must now purchase ground coffee. Purchase ground hazelnut cream flavoured coffee, can’t remember cost, but optimistically bought a big-ish bag, so let us estimate about $5.00

-So excited to try coffee the next morning. Doing research after I bought the Bodum, I have read exciting statements in Bodum reviews that this is the best way to drink your coffee. Yippee! I’m going to be in da club!

-Next morning on the way to work (during the strike) walk by several Starbuck establishments and mentally thumb my nose at them. I’m going to have the best coffee ever this morning, tralalala.

-Get to office kitchen. Make coffee. Look cool and chic carrying my Bodum back to my office. Feeling very Euro and superior. I'm Audrey Toutou.

-Take first sip. Bleach! Tastes like shit! What did I do wrong???? Make another cup, add more coffee. Gross, still tastes like dishwater! I’m not chic! I’m not Euro! I’m Courtney Love! Caffeine withdrawal headache kicking in now. Knowing that I have a very short timeline between no caffeine and full-on lunacy, I humbly present my spare change to the closest barrista.

So, I have been staring at the Bodum on my desk for over month now, and am again on a first name basis with everyone at my ‘Bucks. I need to make my investment work for me before the barristas talk me into upgrading to a Venti instead my usual Grande every morning. Your homework is to pass on any Bodum success stories. It is the original French Press Bodum. It’s too pretty and sophisticated looking to go to waste.

8 comments:

Nat said...

The Man had a bodum at his desk until they ratted him out and took his kettle away. (Apparently not up to code.)

Bodum coffee is very yummy, the trick is figuring out the correct amount of grind. Too much, it'll put hair on your chest. Too little and it's like dishwater. So it's bit more of an experiment. We, however, are still working on it. (It seems like it takes a lot tweeking.)

aandjblog said...

I had to look up and see what a Bodum is. It looks cool, that's for one thing.

I have to say, that I was (see I said was) in the same boat as you with implusive shopping. I was buying everything I wanted, when I wanted it.

Jan/Feb have been a no buying useless stuff month. So far so good. The only thing I bought that I didn't need was hot rollers.

Why not try for a month, not buying anything, but logging what you would have bought. If you still want it after a month, go for it :)

Sparklypear said...

I have a little Bodum, and just keep it at home for when I'm feeling lazy and just want one little cup of coffee....it also comes in handy for baking (the secret to really good chocolate cake is cold coffee)- but the recipe usually only requires 1/2 to 1 cup. Bodum is perfect for that!

All that being said however, you DO have to tinker and figure out the perfect coffee:water ratio of course -lol.

~*Jobthingy*~ said...

yeah i LOVE bodum coffee..

it really is about the tweaking.

you can do it!

Anonymous said...

I have no idea what you're talking about not being a coffee drinker at all, but I think you should paint your basement in bright colours.

Anonymous said...

For the perfect Bodum experience...

- You generally need to be "generous" with your grounds... Sometimes twice the amount you would put into your drip coffee maker. I would suggest using heaping tablespoons rather than those neat little scoop things...
- Is your coffee ground for the French Press?
- You really do have to wait... wait... wait... for the boiling water to brew your coffee before you plunge. Wait at least 4 minutes.
- Slowly plunge. You don't want to push/suck little bits o' coffee into the drinkable stuff.
But testing this is always key...

- Your Friendly Neighbourhood Curator

Stella said...

It's not the Bodum that's the problem! Mine makes seriously the best coffee ever. Either the coffee you bought is not very nice, or you bought the wrong grind. Or didn't let it steep. Or something.

Because Bodum coffee? SO GOOD.

Stella said...

Okay: details.

I use Franchesco's coffe (SO GOOD) that I buy at Raw Sugar (but you can also get it at Franchesco's in the Glebe). We get the fine grind, not the extra fine that is meant for espresso. I put two scoops (with my scoopy thingy, probably a tablespoon?) and pour in boiling water. I put the plunger on top and let it rest there so the heat doesn't all escape (I don't plunge yet, though).

I leave it for at least five minutes.

Then I plunge it slowly to the bottom, and VOILA! Kick ass coffee. Add milk and sugar as you see fit. I add a lot of both.

Franchesco's is really just the greatest.