For months now I have been penning my "Drivel Over Coffee" while sipping a comforting cup of French Roast. It occurred to me this morning while preparing my coffee that I have never made mention of my coffee making system that produces this perfect French Roast coffee. For years I had one of those Bunn coffee makers. You know the ones that have hot water all of the time so they start producing coffee almost instantly. Well it made 12 cups at a pop like most machines do. We are a one drinker family, namely me. Sue is not much of a drinker. In fact when she retired, theorizing she would have all of this time on her hands, she purchased a small can of decaf. This was Jan. 2009. It has not been opened yet. Needless to say, a 12 cup coffee maker was a bit of overkill for us at this stage of our life. I know what you are thinking, why not just make the amount of coffee you want? You don't have to always make a full pot.
Let me explain. I was raised on the farm in the 50's & 60's. Every farmstead started the morning with a pot of coffee. It was just a part of starting the day. That pot was full or nearly full all day. If it was a 12 cup pot, that was what was made and used. Sub-consciously that drives my coffee making technique. There is no other way. However, in this day of economizing, going green, conservation of our resources I am willing to try making only the amount of coffee that I would consume. Being a tried and true male, I just couldn't get the hang of making only 2 - 4 cups of coffee in such a large machine. I don't know why I had the problem of reducing the ingredients to scale down. It isn't quite as complicated as the formula for KFC Chicken, for instance. I mean it only is made of coffee and water. My attempts, as feeble as they were, produced either a cup of Joe where the spoon stood up by itself or so weak that you can see the bottom of the cup. I never could get it right.
Two years ago about this time of year, I put out the call to the kidlets asking for a smaller coffee maker like a four cup model. Believe it or not, I got one for Christmas - great! I was thrilled to pieces. I can fill it with water, plop a scoop of coffee in and presto - good cup of Joe. Problem solved! What a great present. Or so I thought. Now this coffee maker is not knock off brand it is a prestigious brand Mr. something or other. This brand has a very good reputation. Although I have enjoyed every cup that has come from this machine, it has challenged me. The past two years I have been trying to get my hands around 2 small issues.
First, this does not have any frills. It makes coffee, has a warmer with automatic shutoff and allows you to remove the pot before it is finished brewing. Pretty basic. Now it is impossible to remove the pot before brewing is finished without coffee dripping onto the hotplate. I defy anyone to remove the pot before brewing is finished and not have coffee drip down on the warmer element. It is just physically impossible. I have studied this phenomenon from every angle I can think of. It just can't be done. I have given up on this issue and live with it. I periodically clean the grunge off of the element when I wash the pot. This is usually when I can no longer see inside the pot. I then know it is time to clean it.
Secondly, when I pour the coffee from the pot to my cup, it drips onto the counter - not every time mind you but sporadically. Doesn't matter if the pot is full or partially full. It doesn't seen to have anything to do with the day of the week or the phase of the moon as near as I can tell. I have as of yet been able to dismiss the effect of low pressure systems on this but I am working on this. I have adjusted my pouring method every which way. Nothing works. It almost seems as though there is a hole in the pot that opens up once in a while to drip. My current wife thinks I am a slob now. No, I think she thinks this confirms that opinion. I don't agree but that is for another day.
I just thought of another test I need to conduct on this problem. I need to log the drippages and compare those dates with the dates I wash the pot. Could it be that washing the pot dislodges gunk that covers a little pin hole? Could it be? Hmmmm! I may be onto something. I will follow-up on this. Some have suggested Duct Tape. One slight problem with that is the fact that in my house, my current wife, Sue, controls the roll of duct tape. I may only use it if she approves. She will dispense a specified amount to me, no more or no less. It kind of stymies any kind of McIver type of solutions.
Better sign off so I can design this test, create a time table for testing and beg for some duct tape. I still have half a cup of French Roast so I had better get busy. TA!
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