Welcome, Ven a gozar!

As I was making a cup of coffee this morning, I was thinking about what I am grateful for today. I threw out yesterdays coffee grounds and rinsed the permanent filter out. Then I rinsed and filled the cup with water so I could fill the reservoir. I put the cup back where it goes, and pushed the power switch down. In about three minutes I have a great cup of very hot coffee that I simply pour into a better cup than the insulated travel cup the Brew n’ Go brews into.

I have been using this little one cup maker for a number of years now, and I have been very happy with it. It has replaced my Braun coffee maker, and it replaced my French press coffee maker, although my French press makes a slightly better cup of coffee.

The Braun coffee maker makes an excellent cup of coffee, it just makes too many of them at one time. I do not see the sense in making a single cup with a big coffee maker. The French press makes the best coffee, but it too makes more coffee than I usually drink in a morning, unless I am really into twitching that particular day.

I have owned my thrifty little Brew n’ Go for a number of years now, and it has rarely failed me. The only problem I have had with it is a the little one way valve where the water is let into the heating unit, comes out every few months. I simply push it back in and it is good for another three or so months.

A second of my favorite drinks in the morning, and occasionally later at night is a nice hot cup of tea. There is nothing challenging about making tea. I am all for simple is better, so for my cup of tea, I simply fill a mug with water, drop in a tea bag, and heat it up in the microwave until it is just short of boiling. I then let it sit and steep for about two minutes, and I have a great cup of tea waiting for me. I have enjoyed different teas in different areas of the country and world, but a few brands do stand out for me. I really enjoy Rose tea. I also enjoy a Japanese tea, Yamamoto Yama Green Tea. I think they are good value for the money and they taste very good.

I am happy having a nice bowl of oatmeal these days for breakfast. There is nothing outstanding in the oatmeal department in my weekday morning. I usually am very happy with the Walmart brand of instant. It is quick and I think it tastes okay. Others have told me it is not that all that great, but it works for me.

One the weekend though, especially in the winter, I really like to make a steel cut oatmeal that is imported from Ireland. The oatmeal is named John McCann’s, and it is different than oatmeal most of us are used to eating. McCann’s oatmeal has a different texture and a nice nutty flavor that is really good with a little butter, and some sugar to sweeten it up a little.

I have moved far away from my little coffee maker and into breakfast, but I am grateful for these other foods too in the morning. They make life a little more interesting, especially on the weekends. Now if I could only find some black cherry tea here locally. There is one brand here that I have found, but it tastes like hot black cherry soda pop. Not exactly my idea of a good hot drink.

I do not live in snow country, but I used to live in the snow belt. When I did I would have been really grateful if all the snow that fell overnight, or was pushed back into the driveway by the snow plow would remove itself without my help. Unfortunately, that would be moving from being grateful to fantasy.