-Matt, Drew, Josh, and Curtis-

For the original post click here.

Good morning gentlemen.  Rarely does a day go by in which I fail to drink at least one cup of coffee, and I would be willing to bet that many of you would say the same.  Coffee has become quite the industry with fancy coffee shops and equally fancy coffee machines for the home.  This fanciness often leaves us guys feeling left out, emasculated even.  The fact that I have to wait in a line while people order drinks that include words like low fat, whipped cream, latte, and anything ending in ccino upsets me (Drew has been known to make his wife lean over from the passenger seat at the Starbucks drive through to order her drink).  The fact that I have to take out a small loan to buy a cup that is the Starbuckian language equivalent to a large (I refuse to use their terms opting for small, medium and large instead) frustrates me even further.  Oh and they are not tricking me into thinking that what I am doing is cool by adding that  eighty-dollar Wilco or Ray Charles CD at the counter.  That almost became a rant, anyways, there are at least two things that are certain in the world of coffee, one is that people want it and the other is that people want it quickly and so how we make and buy our coffee has changed with those demands. While there is nothing categorically wrong with growth and technology in any field, I am advocating for the renewal of something old, coffee in a percolator.

Many of you probably do not even know what a percolator is, your most ancient of coffee devices being a drip machine, which you traded in long ago for something chrome or something that makes coffee in a single cup.  So let’s have a look.

I first discovered percolators while living in Haiti.  Haiti does not have Starbucks (gasp) , though street vendors will sell coffee out of large pots over an open fire.  My wife and I often found ourselves in a situation in which there was either not enough electricity for a drip coffee maker or that it would not be wise to use such energy to do so, not to mention the fact that it can be hard to locate coffee filters in rural Haiti.  The solution to our problem came in the form of a percolator and a gas stove.  When we moved back to America my grandmother heard us talking about coffee in a percolator, she went home and pulled this well used pot out of 1973 her garage.  It now belongs to me and it is where the majority of my coffee is brewed.

This is my percolator, with a sweet dent in it, posing with my bag of coffee. See how I turned the camera sideways? I am pretty much an artist, now where are my black rimmed glasses…

It is pretty simple really.  Place the scoops of coffee in the basket, fill the pot with the desired amount of water and let it boil on the stove.  It will be obvious when the water is boiling over because you will be able to see it in the clear plastic piece on the top of the pot. You can tinker with the amount of time that you let it boil (I usually let it boil for ten minutes or so) based on how strong you want your coffee.  Also, for those of you wondering what goes on during those magical ten minutes inside the pot, I found a diagram that explains it all.  Here is how it works.

So as you see from the picture, as the water is heated it boils up through the stem to the top of the pot and then falls down over the basket holding the grounds.  After a few minutes the result is well brewed, delicious coffee.  For even better results try roasting and grinding your own raw coffee beans (I will leave that for another post).  I have been known to brew a full pot on Monday, only to reheat it every morning or whenever I require another cup the following days and it is still delicious.

Yes it takes longer than a drip coffee maker or a Keurig, but it makes superb coffee.  Yes it means you might have to wake up a few minutes earlier than normal but it also means that you do not have to navigate through a line of soccer moms and offer your car as collateral for your morning brew. Give it a shot at home or even on the campsite (percolators are awesome for campfire coffee).  Scour garage sales a thrift stores and find a percolator.  If you do not find one in those locations try your local sporting goods store in the camping section.  Technology is great, but some things are worth holding on to.  Not everything that is quicker is better.  Coffee in a percolator is just one of many things that is well worth the wait.

In the meantime we will be counting down the top fifty posts (out of 353) from this year.  Once we are done with that we will get back to our regular blogging.  As you read these posts feel free to share them on any number of social media sites with the buttons found below each post and above the comments section.  Have a great holiday season.

-Matt, Drew, Josh, and Curtis-

For the original post click here.

I have to admit I’m a huge fan of a good night-cap. After a long day of work, we come home and prepare dinner, play with our two kids, and get them washed up and ready for bed. By the time they’re both  in their rooms falling fast asleep and the house gets calm and quiet, there’s something  relaxing about pouring a nice single malt, neat, from the crystal decanter. Or maybe mixing up an old-fashioned (a TTAF favorite) or Manhattan.

Tonight will be an especially good night for a night-cap. It’s Monday, for starters. Secondly, we’ve come off a great weekend during which I played some golf, saw the new Batman, and we celebrated my wife’s birthday. All good things, but also tiring. And lastly, my wife is out of town visiting an old friend, which leaves me alone to do all the aforementioned cooking, playing, washing, and putting-to-bedding.

Luckily I’ve found this article, Rules for an Honorable Nightcap, by Rosie Schaap over at the NYTimes. Follow the link to read the article, which comes complete with the “Perfect Last-Drink Playlist,” night-cap moments in cinema history, and snifterology. But here are Rosie’s rules for a great nightcap:

(1)    A nightcap should be a one-off, not “one more” of whatever you’re drinking. As great as a good cocktail is, according to Schaap, that’s not how to end a night. She says, “Your last drink should be set apart, so pick something special, something to sip slowly; one serving of one spirit, neat.”

(2)    A nightcap should be brown. Stick with the classics: top-shelf whiskey, good brandy (usually Cognac), a burnished, potent, amber liqueur.

(3)    A nightcap shouldn’t stray too far from the movements that preceded it. If you’ve been drinking whisky cocktails, move up to a neat single malt. If wine, Schaap recommends cognac.

(4)    A nightcap should be warming. In Schaap’s words, “After the initial burn subsides, a soothing comfort remains, the liquor equivalent of a cup of hot milk. Just much better.”

So tonight, after the madness is over and the house is quiet, I’ll be celebrating the end of another crazy Monday by pouring myself an honorable nightcap. What say you? What do you think of Schaap’s rules? What rules would you add/delete? What’s your favorite nightcap drink? Leave us your notes in the comment section below.

But what else is going on this weekend you ask?  Plenty.

First and foremost, episode two of the new season of Gold Rush comes on tonight on the Discovery Channel.  If you want to watch a man with impossibly high hopes be a constant disappointment to himself and others, I recommend the show.

If you live in our area you should check out the Chevy Chase Street Fair tomorrow from 2 PM to 11pm.  The 800 block of Euclid Avenue will be closed off to traffic.  I am a big fan of anything involving stalls where food and wares can be bought on the street so I would imagine that this fair will be right up my alley.  Unfortunately I will not be able to make it, so if you go bring me back something French.

If you are in the New York area this weekend maybe go check out the Afro-Punk Festival in Brooklyn.  The lineup looks pretty solid and if Erykah Badu sings Call Tyrone then it will be worth the price of admission.  Well actually the festival is free but Call Tyrone is a fantastic song.  Somewhere Drew is packing up the kids and driving to Brooklyn on the chance she might sing it.

If you are in the Chicago area then you may know that you are in the midst of 175 Days To Love Chicago there are events going on everyday at varying locations so make sure to have a look at the link and see what is happening this weekend in one of my favorite cities.  Maybe one day I will tell you the story about the lady on the train from Chicago to Barrington and how much she loves Billy Idol.  But that’s for another day.

If you happen to stumble across the city of St. Louis this weekend you should first spit on Cardinal’s stadium and then check out The Festival of Nations described as A multiethnic celebration featuring traditional dance, music, ethnic food, cultural and educational exhibits, folk art demonstrations, and an international market.

If you are on the west coast and not surfing, hiking, or doing something else outdoors for the weekend #1 you are dumb #2 you should check out the Found Footage Festival.  It is a comedy event on La Cienega Blvd, there is a Ryan Adams song in there somewhere. Oh and it is tonight so get going. From the website:

Now you know where every bad video you’ve ever watched or made winds up: at the Found Footage Festival. Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher (whose work credits include The Onion, The Colbert Report and Late Show With David Letterman) started the touring comedy show in 2004, showcasing their treasure trove of VHS oddities — mostly exercise tapes and home movies — culled from garage sales, thrift stores and Dumpsters. Tonight, the two screen their latest cream of the crap, including classroom films from the 1960s and ’70s and a vintage video on how to care for a ferret, accompanied by their usual snarky commentary; plus, opening performances by comedian-blogger Jacy Catlin and Kenny Strasser, “the Fake Yo Yo Pro.”

If none of these events sound like fun then you could always come over and help me move into an apartment in the bustling metropolis of Wilmore, Kentucky.  My wife is a bum and cannot pick up any boxes, something about having a baby soon, so I could use the help.  If you know of any other events that you would like to share feel free to leave us a comment below.

In the spirit of moving let me leave you with a drink recipe for the weekend.  Moving can be pretty brutal and at the end of the day there is a perfect drink for sore muscles and moving dressers one inch to the left and then one inch to the right repeatedly until it is situated in the absolute center of the wall.

-get a glass

-pour in your favorite Bourbon (I like Woodford Reserve)

-Enjoy

Slainte Mhath

O thou, my muse! guid auld Scotch drink!
Whether thro’ wimplin worms thou jink,
Or, richly brown, ream owre the brink,
In glorious faem,
Inspire me, till I lisp an’ wink,
To sing thy name!

-Robert Burns, “Scotch Drink”

Being born and raised in central Kentucky, and having moved to Scotland for my graduate studies, its no surprise that I’ve developed quite the appreciation for whisk(e)y over the years. Now back in Kentucky and living literally minutes away from the Bourbon Trail, a nice glass of bourbon (It’s somewhat cliché, but I’m a Woodford guy myself, although I thoroughly enjoy a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel or Basil Hayden’s, as well) is a staple in the nightcap repertoire. Unfortunately I think those of us in the U.S., and especially here in Kentucky, can become a little complacent in our choice of whisky, falling into a bourbon rut.

The reality is that, for many of us, bourbon is the safe drink. We’ve had it, we know it, we’re comfortable with it, and we’re comfortable picking it out at the store or ordering it at a restaurant. When we look the world of single malts our heads can start to spin. There are so many brands and regions and finishes. But this same variety that can be intimidating when we first enter the world of Scotch whisky is, to me, what makes Scotch so appealing. There is such a vast array of flavors that can provide for innumerable drinking experiences, and I firmly believe that taking just a little bit of time to learn how to navigate the larger world of whisky will not be time wasted. But where do we begin? I’d suggest we start by learning a bit about the various regions in which Scotch whisky is produced.

Like the wines of France, each of the five regions of Scotland (or four, if you don’t count Campbeltown, or six, if you like to separate the Islands from the Highlands, which I tend to do) have distinct characteristics that are prevalent in the whiskies produced there. I should note that the characteristics traditionally identified with each region can only serve as a starting point on our adventure. The distinctions between regions are by no means clear cut (even less so recently) and there are certainly exceptions in each. But a cursory knowledge of the typical attributes of each region is a great tool in the whisky selection process. This way, when you’re standing in the aisle at the local liquor/party store, instead of being befuddled by the sheer number of brand names and ages, you can look at the region and start to make an informed decision. Here we go:

Highlands: The Highlands is by far the largest whisky producing region of Scotland, at least in terms of actual land size. And because of that, the Highlands is the most difficult of the regions to characterize, unless of course you’re characterization is “wide variety.” That probably wouldn’t be too bad of an explanation, really. Personally, I tend to think of the Highlands as (just) the standard Scotch whisky. By that I mean, they’re the starting point, against which the other whiskies and regions are described. They tend to be medium to light-bodied traditional whiskies.

In a little while I’ll say that Lowland whiskies are light. What that really means is that their lighter than Highlands whiskies. Or when I say that Islay whiskies are tend to be smoky or peaty (or both), I really mean they’re smokier and/or peatier than Highland whiskies. And don’t take that to mean their in any way bland or boring. The highlands produces some excellent drams. And by no means are all of them the way I just described. Again, there are always exceptions, and this is especially the case for the Highlands, but if you come across a Highland whisky in the store, think excellent medium-bodied, traditional whisky.

Recommendations: Oban 14, Dalwhinnie (I’ve got a 15 yr open right now), Clynelish (I’ve got the Provenance over 10 year 1996 bottling).

Islands: As I mentioned earlier, the Islands are technically a subcategory of the highlands, but many, including myself, treat them independently. Island whiskies include those distilled on the Isles of Mull, Skye, Arran, Jura, and Orkney (but not Skye, which is a stand-alone region). Like the Highlands, the Island whiskies can vary significantly, but the majority of whiskies from this region are very much affected by their seaside location. While less so than Islay whiskies, the Islands tend to have a nice amount of peat and are smokier than Highland whiskies, and they tend to be a little salty.

Recommendations: Talisker is the staple Island whisky, but I’d also recommend Jura (especially Jura Superstition, though I had a bottle of 16 year old last year that was excellent!), Highland Park (Josh and Curtis finished my bottle), and Arran. Note that Arran is the youngest distillery in Scotland and is a very smooth and easy drinking whisky. Unlike other Island whiskies, it’s unpeated and fruity. Also, since its such a young distillery (I don’t think they sell anything over 14 years old), they make up for having young whiskies by exploring a lot of different finishes . . . and they’re good.

Lowlands: The Lowland region is known for producing very light-bodied and dry whiskies, and often have a florally/grassy hint to them. Being so light-bodied they are often a great entry point into the world of whisky, although they should be respected by all, as they produce some excellently nuanced aromas and palates.

Recommendation: There aren’t many single malts to choose from in the Lowlands, but Glenkinchie produces some great bottles (and right outside of Edinburgh, where I lived). I actually had a Glenkinchie 12 year old at a friend’s house last weekend; it was definitely light, but a great dram. I’ll note that the 12 year is part of the Classic Malts Selection and the packaging in some way referred to it as a Woman’s Malt, which, as we had just expressed our approval of the whisky, didn’t boost our self-esteem any.

Speyside: If you’re looking for an introduction to whisky, but don’t want to partake in a women’s malt, or want something with a bit more punch to it than the Lowlands provides, Speyside would be an excellent choice. Speyside was actually my introduction to the world of Scotch, when my wife, then fiancé, bought me a bottle of Balvenie 15 Single Barrel (A bottle that still sits on my shelf with half a dram left. I can’t bring myself to finish it!). The reality is Speyside produces whiskies that tend to be sweeter than the other regions, with fruity overtones, but that remain medium to full-bodied. This makes them ideal for beginners and perfect for the warm summer months. As an added bonus, Speyside contains the largest number of distilleries, so there is quite a bit to choose from.

Recommendations: the Balvenie (the whole line-up is great, including the 12 year Doublewood, which is finished in a sherry cask, and the 15 year single barrel), Macallan, Benromach, Glenrothes (a must try).

Campbeltown: Campbeltown lies in the southern portion of the islands, on the west coast of Scotland. Today there are very few distilleries in Campbeltown, and they remain quite distinctive in flavor. These whiskies are known for being full-bodied and salty (more so than the Island whiskies), and have a pretty strong presence of peat, though not as much as the Islay malts.

Recommendations: Glen Scotia or Sptingbank . . . sadly, although their used to be over thirty distilleries in Campbeltown, these are about all that’s made there anymore.

Islay: Oh the Isle of Islay (pronounce “eye-luh”). Oh how great though art. Islay is a relatively small island off the west coast of Scotland that just gets beaten with wind and rain throughout the year. Along with the natural peat found in the water sources for many of these whiskies, these distilleries often use peat fuel for their fires in their barley malting process, giving many (though not all) of these whiskies a very smoky and peaty taste.

As much as I love a Speyside malt in the summertime, I just as much love a strong glass of an Islay whisky in the winter. They’re often described as having a medicinal quality and I couldn’t agree more. They just kind of warm your heart. It’s on a cold wet winter night, in a dimly lit pub, over a glass or two of Islay whisky, that I imagine Burns wrote this verse to the poem above:

Food fills the wame, an’ keeps us leevin;
Tho’ life’s a gift no worth receivin,
When heavy-dragg’d wi’ pine an’ grievin;
But, oil’d by thee,
The wheels o’ life gae down-hill, scrievin,
Wi’ rattlin glee.

But know that Islay whiskies are not for the faint-hearted. Their bold, smoky, and even described as “seaweedy.” Give it a shot.

Recommendations: I could pretty much recommend them all. I love the Ardbeg 10, but if you’re bold you can try the Ardbeg Uigeadail, which is very peaty. Secondly, the Laphroaig Quarter Cask (aged in smaller barrels to speed up the aging process) is excellent! I’d also recommend a Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, or Lagavulin.

So there’s the first of probably a few single malt primers. What do you think? Do you disagree with any of my characterizations? Any recommendations you want to add? What are your experiences with single malts?

Slainte Mhath

What to watch: This weekend concludes the spectacle known as the Olympics. The lineup for the final weekend includes men’s and women’s basketball, hockey, handball, the modern pentathlon, and wrestling, among others. It also includes the uber-generic category known as “athletics.”

Also of note this weekend is the opening weekend of both The Bourne Legacy (for which we need some convincing) and The Campaign (which we can’t wait to see).

What to do: as the Olympics is concluding, give your favorite sport a fair shake. If your Curtis, that means you’ll be stuck in a friends basement or garage for hours on end playing ping-pong, or as some like to call it, table-tennis. Hopefully your favorite event will get you outside a bit.

Also this weekend you should buy your copy of Gilead and begin reading.

What to drink: As the Olympics are winding down, so is summer for many. With schools getting back in session, this is for many the last weekend of summer. In celebration, I’ll be partaking in my go-to warm weather drink: a simple rum and coke. My recommendation is Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum. Give it a try.

Until next week. Slainte Mhath.

Also of note is the fact that recent storms have put a temporary end to the drought here in our section of the country (Kentucky) which means that waters are rising in local creeks.  When waters rise in local creeks, I go kayaking.  As always I recommend that you do something outside this weekend.  Maybe go see a baseball game.  If you do not hear from me next week it is because I died in the creek while kayaking in a boat unsuitable for fast moving water.  In case I do die, I wish I would have had an obituary as cool as this guy who wrote his own.  Make sure you check out that link and read the full obituary, it will be the best thing you read all weekend, well at least the best thing you read all weekend from the Huffington Post.

Speaking of the outdoors, you may want to consider reading this book this weekend.  I have had it on my shelf for a while but I still haven’t gotten around to reading it.  I have included a quote from the introduction.

One evening when my boys were younger, Matthew, then ten, looked at me from across a restaurant table and said quite seriously, “Dad, how come it was more fun when you were a kid?”

I asked what he meant.

“Well, you’re always talking about your woods and tree houses, and how you used to ride that horse down near the swamp.”

At first, I thought he was irritated with me. I had, in fact, been telling him what it was like to use string and pieces of liver to catch crawdads in a creek, something I’d be hard-pressed to find a child doing these days. Like many parents, I do tend to romanticize my own childhood—and, I fear, too readily discount my children’s experiences of play and adventure. But my son was serious; he felt he had missed out on something important.

He was right. Americans around my age, baby boomers or older, enjoyed a kind of free, natural play that seems, in the era of kid pagers, instant messaging, and Nintendo, like a quaint artifact.

Within the space of a few decades, the way children understand and experience nature has changed radically. The polarity of the relationship has reversed. Today, kids are aware of the global threats to the environment—but their physical contact, their intimacy with nature, is fading. That’s exactly the opposite of how it was when I was a child.

Today I will be taking my wife to a doctor’s visit to get the three millionth ultrasound so far.  It is cool to have lots of pictures of our unborn daughter but I do wish they weren’t neccesary.  After the appointment I will be headed to register for baby stuff, pushing my bedridden wife in a wheelchair through a store called “Buy Buy Baby” which is probably the most frustratingly consumeristic store name ever.  I will be looking out for revelations of wisdom similar to the one Kevin had in lamaze class.

As much fun as it is to shop at a store called “Buy Buy Baby” you may want to check out something a little more manly.  We here at TTAF can help with that.  Huckberry is having a huge sale as they are moving offices and looking to get rid of some stock.  You should most definitely check out the store and pick up something sweet like this

I should also take this time to mention that, while we like to try to connect you with cool products geared towards guys, (we will introduce a new store partner next week) we by no means believe that having a certain product makes you more or less of a man.  There is nothing wrong with owning a watch, but there is something wrong when you feel like the watch, car, house, etc. defines you.  While you are viewing the store over at Huckberry make sure you also read their blog and have a look at their summer reading list.

Finally, in true Friday at Five fashion, I leave you with a beverage recipe.  Ale 8 and Bourbon is a favorite drink of ours here at TTAF and along with the Old Fashioned is a regular at our thursday night meetings.  Ale 8 is a local soft drink here in Kentucky and unfortunately most of the country does not have access to it in stores.  You can however buy it online so you may want to consider doing so with the following recipe in mind.  It is pretty complicated so to try to keep up.  Also, we like to give credit when credit is due and would like to thank Mac Baxter for recommending this drink.

-Open your Ale 8 (it has to be a glass bottle).

-Take a large swig of said Ale 8.

-Fill the remaining void with your favorite bourbon.

-Place the cap back on the bottle and mix (turn upside down several times, please don’t shake it).

-Drink responsibly

Thanks for reading, don’t forget to check back often, and as always

Slainte Mhath

 
The only reason to watch the NBA this weekend would be if the Heat lost last night and the series goes to a game seven.  Even then the only reason to watch that game would be to watch Lebron James cry.

You should however watch The Hunger Games The European Championships which start today.  Word is the winning country gets a large financial bailout from China and since pretty much every country in Europe needs the bailout it should get pretty interesting.

Also of note is inter-league play in major league baseball going on this weekend, so you should check that out as well.  Johan Santana, coming off of a no hitter, facing the Yankees tonight should be interesting.

Apparently a movie called Prometheus comes out this weekend.  I would recommend going but it costs like twenty bucks to go to a movie these days so I cannot make that recommendation in good conscious.

There is also a horse race this weekend.  The horse named I’ll Have Another will be going for the Triple Crown.  Honestly, even as a Kentuckian who grew up next to Keeneland, I do not care at all about horse racing, and I have never even been to a race.

But please do not spend too much time watching TV this weekend, there are certainly better things to do.
 
 

What to Do

 
Personally I will spend my Saturday fishing on Elkhorn Creek.  Walt Whitman wrote about the Elkhorn in his poem Song Of Myself

A Kentuckian walking the vale of the Elkhorn in my deer-skin leggings

If anyone knows of a good place to locate some deer-skin leggings please let me know.  It would make the trip more authentic.

If you are not into fishing at places written about by one of America’s greatest writers, consider fishing at a regular place which is also fun.

If you live near a professional baseball park you may want to consider going to a game this weekend.  Not only will it be a great early Summer weekend but you will also get the chance to see your hometown team play an opponent that does not come to town often (again inter-league play).  Speaking of baseball, you should follow this link and vote for A.J. Ellis of the Dodgers for the All-Star game.  You can vote 25 times per email address.  It is quick and easy and A.J. is a great guy that you will learn more about sometime soon.  In the meantime, go vote for him.

The whistle’s blown, you’ve punched your time sheet, you’ve shut down the workstation, you’ve said your goodbyes. Congratulations, you’ve made it through another work week. Let us help you get your weekend started in the right direction with the weekly Friday at 5.

What to Watch: The NBA Playoffs. The nations longest lasting sports tournament continues and will provide some nice bookends to the sports weekend. Tonight kicks off with Boston and Philadelphia (Boston to win) at 8:00 and Oklahoma City and the Lakers (OKC) at 10:30. Sunday night provides a nice end cap to the weekend with Indiana trying to expand their series lead (which they will) against el Heat at 3:30. And at 10:30 the Spurs will continue to barrel through the Clippers.

The UEFA Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Chelsea is Saturday at 2:45. This match will be shown on Fox so you don’t have to pay way too much money to eat food at the one bar in town that shows soccer, but you still can if you want to, I guess.

The real highlight of the weekend will be the 137th running of the Preakness in Baltimore. Coverage begins Saturday at 4:30 on NBC. Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another will be trying to win the second leg of the elusive Triple Crown. But even after a disappointing second place finish at the Derby, Bodemeister remains the favorite Saturday and will be the horse to beat.

What to Do: Buy a Frisbee, or three, and find the Frisbee Disc Golf course nearest you. I’ve played golf for several years now, but was just introduced to Frisbee Golf last month and I highly recommend you give it a try. It takes significantly less time to play a round of Disc Golf and costs significantly less money. It’s also a lot more challenging than you might think. I’d recommend buying a starter set of three discs, not because you will need a Long-Range, Mid-Range, and Putter, but because there’s a really good chance you’ll lose a disc or two. Give it a try; you’ll have a great time. And if nothing else, you’ll be out of the house.

What to Drink: In honor of the Preakness, this weeks drink of the week is the Black-Eyed Susan. Here’s how you make it:

- ¾ oz Vodka

- 1 ¼ oz Early Times Kentucky Whiskey*

- 3 oz Sweet and Sour Mix

- 2 oz Orange Juice

- Stir and garnish, traditionally with an orange slice and cherry. (or a lime)

* Whilst Early Times is not legally a bourbon, feel free to substitute your favorite bourbon here for the same effect.

Slainte Mhath.

Many of you probably do not even know what a percolator is, your most ancient of coffee devices being a drip machine, which you traded in long ago for something chrome or something that makes coffee in a single cup.  So let’s have a look.

I first discovered percolators while living in Haiti.  Haiti does not have Starbucks (gasp) , though street vendors will sell coffee out of large pots over an open fire.  My wife and I often found ourselves in a situation in which there was either not enough electricity for a drip coffee maker or that it would not be wise to use such energy to do so, not to mention the fact that it can be hard to locate coffee filters in rural Haiti.  The solution to our problem came in the form of a percolator and a gas stove.  When we moved back to America my grandmother heard us talking about coffee in a percolator, she went home and pulled this well used pot out of 1973 her garage.  It now belongs to me and it is where the majority of my coffee is brewed.

This is my percolator, with a sweet dent in it, posing with my bag of coffee. See how I turned the camera sideways? I am pretty much an artist, now where are my black rimmed glasses…

It is pretty simple really.  Place the scoops of coffee in the basket, fill the pot with the desired amount of water and let it boil on the stove.  It will be obvious when the water is boiling over because you will be able to see it in the clear plastic piece on the top of the pot. You can tinker with the amount of time that you let it boil (I usually let it boil for ten minutes or so) based on how strong you want your coffee.  Also, for those of you wondering what goes on during those magical ten minutes inside the pot, I found a diagram that explains it all.  Here is how it works.

So as you see from the picture, as the water is heated it boils up through the stem to the top of the pot and then falls down over the basket holding the grounds.  After a few minutes the result is well brewed, delicious coffee.  For even better results try roasting and grinding your own raw coffee beans (I will leave that for another post).  I have been known to brew a full pot on Monday, only to reheat it every morning or whenever I require another cup the following days and it is still delicious.

Yes it takes longer than a drip coffee maker or a Keurig, but it makes superb coffee.  Yes it means you might have to wake up a few minutes earlier than normal but it also means that you do not have to navigate through a line of soccer moms and offer your car as collateral for your morning brew. Give it a shot at home or even on the campsite (percolators are awesome for campfire coffee).  Scour garage sales a thrift stores and find a percolator.  If you do not find one in those locations try your local sporting goods store in the camping section.  Technology is great, but some things are worth holding on to.  Not everything that is quicker is better.  Coffee in a percolator is just one of many things that is well worth the wait.

Dear friends, fellow Waverley Carers and country people, lend me your support.

You may have become aware that I have been running about Edinburgh (usually looking bemused and bewildered as my legs turn to jelly – if you see me in this state, please point me in a homewards direction, I do carry a wee card with my address on it) and going out on my bike with me pals (I sound about 10).

The reason I am getting fit and doing all this training is for a cause really close to my heart – if you hear the rumour that it is so I can eat as many biscuits as I like, please don’t believe it.

Just like me Waverley Care celebrated its 21st birthday last year (yes I am deluded and/or dehydrated) and to celebrate this and raise much needed funds I ran the Berlin half marathon in April, will be a Hairy Haggis in the Edinburgh marathon in May and I am cycling from London to Paris in June, it’s only 310 miles in 4 days and yes me and my backside are terrified:). Bloomin heck – I am totally knackered just typing that.

How you can support me for just £7 – please read on in it will all make sense soon;)

What you can get for £7:

I have conducted extensive research (well I had a quick look on the internet) and this is what £7 quid gets you at today’s prices:

• 6 Gregg’s Steak Bakes (that’s actually a bargain, I might be talking myself out of ticket sales here)
• 1 bottle of Buckfast
• 4 two litre bottles of Irn Bru
• 700 penny sweets (the children and young people have reassured me that you can still get penny sweets)

Or

• Seven quid buys a ticket to a once in a lifetime, never to be repeated event – The London to Paris Comedy Extravaganza. A padded – pantastic night of top notch comedy featuring our very own Kalonde and Katai, as well as Jojo Sutherland and the Alex Salmond Gastric Band.
• Not only will you laugh your socks off (I was going to say pants but that sounded rude) and lets face it during a period of economic downturn we all need a good laugh, you will also get a warm, tingly feeling from celebrating and supporting Waverley Care, an organisation that is close to all of our hearts:).
• Have you been thinking about organising that long overdue wee night out with friends, family or fellow workers – don’t worry all you have to do is buy a ticket, turn up, have a drink and be entertained – hassle free!!
• If that’s not enough, you’ll also play a massive part in helping me get a good night’s sleep – not that I am stressed in any way at all – arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhh .
• All that for £7 quid – bargain! There is a raffle on the night, where a quid gets you five chances to win one of the amazing prizes up for grabs

The comedy show takes place on Thursday 28 April, (public holiday the next day, ‘way-hay’) 8pm till late at Slainte Mhath Bar, 13-14 Melville Place (very accessible by bus and train). Waverley Care has the whole place for the duration of the show and the bar will be serving snacks on the night to keep us going.

If this blog post has made you smile, laugh or cry (sorry) here are 4 ways that you can support my fundraising antics:

• Buy the hottest (no it’s no stolen, I’ve given all that up) ticket of the year.
• If you are unable to come along, please consider making a donation to my just giving page. Go on click on the padded pants, you know you want to! Any amount is totally appreciated, as is a wee message of encouragement.
• Purchase lots of bars of June’s amazing Tartan Tablet, available at Mansfield Place and will also be for sale on the night.
• Slap me if you hear me saying I’ll run it, cycle it etc in the future (form an orderly queue;))

Drop me an email – lynne.williamson@waverleycare.org or give me a phone on 0131 558 1425 and let me know by the beginning of next week if you want a ticket(s) as I only have 100 for sale and they are going pretty quickly.

Looking forward to being inundated with requests for tickets!!!

A big massive thank you to everyone who has already got their ticket and/or sponsored me.

Cheers

Lynne

Robert Burns, the Scots Bard, is well-known for his love of women, a love that got him into trouble at Ayr’s local kirk and produced at least one bastard child.  As a result, it is a tradition common to the dinners held in his honour at the commemoration of his birthday across the world to provide a toast to the “fairer” sex.

Yet might I take a moment to toast not just lassies in general, who are certainly a species of creature worth toasting, but to those lassies most worthy of a toast?  Might I turn our attention from the more carnal taste of Burns to the more spiritual taste of the saints?

Indeed, throughout the history of Christianity, strong women have been a force to be reckoned with.  They have been on the front lines of evangelisation, of work amongst the poor, of medicine and hospitals, of hospitality, of generosity, of pilgrimage, of mysticism.  Yet too often they are forgotten — indeed, even I have failed in over a year of “Weekly Saints” to make a female saint the topic for the week.  Nevertheless, the power of women in Christianity is something not to be forgotten, from the Blessed Virgin our “Champion Leader” to Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Let us toast first, then, the Mother of Our Lord, St. Mary of Nazareth.  She stands out not only as the only person to carry God in her womb, but also as the first person in a series of biblical calls to avoid making excuses and say in response to God’s call, “Let it be unto me according to your will.”  Faith and obedience to God’s call are our lessons from the Supersaint Godbearer.  To Mary!

A toast is also in order to Perpetua, the second-century martyress who stood firm in her faith and faced execution at the hands of Rome boldly, even wrestling with demons while she awaited her death.  Endurance and fortitude in the face of extreme unpleasantness are our lessons from St. Perpetua.  To Perpetua!

Third, I propose a toast to Amma Syncletica the fourth-century Desert Mother of Egypt, if for no other reason than this quotation: “Just as the most bitter medicine drives out poisonous creatures so prayer joined to fasting drives evil thoughts away.”  For encouraging us to pray and to fast in the bitter struggle against our own evil desires, a toast to Syncletica!

Slàinte mhath to St. Hilda of Whitby (my post here), who founded an abbey and used discernment to seek out the talents the Lord hid away in people like Caedmon.  May we all have true insight into the world around us.  To Hilda!

A toast to St. Clare of Assisi (my post here).  This intrepid mystic followed the call of God against the pressures of family and hearth — a difficult task for anyone whose family is Christian (to reject pagans is one thing, but to turn your back on your Christian parents another).  Would that more Christians had the boldness to follow the call of God to difficult places and a life of prayer regardless of what others think of them.  To Clare!

I propose a toast to Lady Julian of Norwich (my page here), the mystic anchorite who has shown so many of us something of the depths of the riches of the love of God Almighty for us.  May we, too, seek God’s face in prayer and spread his message of love to the world around us.  To Julian!

A toast is definitely in order to Susannah Wesley, mother of John and Charles, who, in a household full of loud children, sought the Lord at all times — even if it was just under the kitchen table.  She also has the distinction of having raised two of the eighteenth centuries great men of faith.  To Susannah!

Given the limits of time, let us remember Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who demonstrated heroic virtue in seeking Christ in the lowest of the low and the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, who moved beyond the confines of her nunnery to bring Christ where he was needed.  May we all be willing to go out of our comfort zones as we live for Christ.  To Teresa!

These few women and the many more who have populated Christianity from its earliest days as (allegedly) a faith of women and slaves are worthy of a toast.  May we live up to their examples of obedience to God, of faithfulness, of perseverance in prayer, of discernment, of willingness to go beyond the usual, of visions of God’s love, of the pursuit of God in everyday life, of heroic virtue seeking Christ in all places!

To the lassies of Christ!  Lang may their lum reek!

Then I thought “naw naw naw”.

See, I got some good news the other day from Jim Gellatly. He named me as one of his “10 for 2011″! I’m really, really honoured to be on the list, especially with such amazing acts. The 10 acts feature on Jim’s latest podcast and the list has been printed in Jim’s weekly column, today, in the Scottish Sun! Look!

I honestly can’t tell you how flattered I am, especially with the description that Jim has written. It really means a lot to me, even being mentioned in the same breath as two of my favourite songwriters. Thanks Jim.

You see, if it wasn’t for you guys reading my rambling blogs and coming along to my gigs, I’d just be sitting in my room, playing daft songs, so I really want to thank you all for supporting me this past year. I’m really grateful for every single one of you that shows interest in what I do, in any way. You’ve all helped make this year really special and if I had all of your numbers (what am I saying, there’s only about 12 of you*, I could easily get all your numbers) you’d all be getting drunken New Year texts from me tonight, telling you I love you.

Whatever 2011 brings, I hope I can live up to my spot on Jim’s list and to the other nice things people have said about me. It’s been a great start to the last day of the year.
I want to wish all of you and yours a fantastic Hogmanay and a truly happy New Year. Whatever you’re doing tonight and whoever you’re with, enjoy yourselves and be merry. Also, don’t tell the missus but you all look absolutely GORGEOUS, you little devils.

Til 2011 folks,

thanks again,

lots of love,

Campbell

x

*Ok there are slightly more than 12 of you. There’s at least 15. 16 if you count that one guy who’s actually two midgets. Happy New Year everybody! Slainte mhath!

As a sidenote not included in the wikipedia article, the band name translates to “good health.”

My wife got a wild hair on the 9th after returning from a day at the Faire and decided that, by goodness, this was going to be the year that her website was updated. I wrote the code nearly 3 years ago, but one thing or another always prevented her (us|me) from actually getting it loaded. So, we went down to NFG for dinner and took advantage of their free Wi-Fi and got it done. Her website is now live, if not complete (she’s still got some content management to work on). This is her putting some finishing touches on a sentence or two:

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 13 March 2008)

Listening to:
Congress by Slainte Mhath
from Slainte Mhath

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode, red-eye reduction