jimqpublic

Do you really, really want to know what the wierdest thing in my freezer is? Are you sure? Our son is turning three years old next week. The placenta that fed him in the womb is in the freezer. We planned to plant it with a tree in the yard as some old/new age custom suggests but haven't gotten around to it. Do I win the prize? (On Edit- after reading the rest of the thread it turns out to not be that rare. On homebirth- Jason asked the other day "where was I born" and it was fun to point to a spot in the corner of the bedroom and say "Right there".)

As a customer, I don't get to spend time in the kitchen or check the fridge and dishwasher temperatures. Even if the county health department inspects the place, I want to feel that the food I'm eating was prepared hygenically. If the part of the establishment I can see is clean, I assume the kitchen is as well. The contrary implies the contrary. If the waitstaff appear dirty or unwashed, I presume that the kitchen staff and facilities are similarly unwashed. If I'm not able to wash my hands with hot water, soap, and dry with clean towels in the restroom I presume that the staff hasn't either. And no, I've never mentioned the level of cleanliness to management. I just never return.

For a "bargain" (maybe) at Starbucks I tend to order a doppio machiatto. From friends who have traveled- they say that this comes out more like a cappuchino in Italy? Two shots of espresso and a bit of foam. $1.70

I just bought a la Signora caffettiera also, my first moka pot. Mine is the plain aluminum version purchased at Cost Plus World Market in Lakewood, California for $20. So far my results have been a bit spotty. My first pot came out perfectly giving me some false hope. There's a fine line between not enough and too much coffee; off a little and it's either weak or leaks out at the join between the halves. Now that I have a couple dozen pots I'm getting pretty good. Of course grind is critical too. My best results are from a just-level filter basket with absolutely no tamping, tapping, or shaking down. One reason I bought this model is of course the variable sized filter. So far though I've mostly been making full pots (12 ounces) which fills my mug nicely leaving room for about 3 ounces of whole milk. The full pot has a bit of caffeine in it, so I limit myself to one daily with Peets French Roast. I've tried Trader Joe's Decaf Italian Roast and it isn't nearly as good. Agreed. I searched the web and didn't find anything, although I assume that most mfr's use "parts bin" components.