Coffee Roasting Update

It's been close to a year now since I first wrote about our coffee roasting adventure. It's about time for an update.

First off, it has been loads of fun. A bit daunting when you have to roast beans in the garage in the wintertime, though, but still fun.

The West Bend Poppery II popcorn popper has seen much use, roasting 1/4 lb of beans twice a week. Even roasting, easy to use, good batch sizes (1/4 1b requires two batches). The roasts are easy to vary, and replicate, as long as you keep a log. For my needs... I am perfectly happy with this $10 roaster.

As far as roasting, I have my system down pat. I have a Gralab 300 enlarger timer that, when the timer reaches zero (signalling the end of the roast), gives out a load buzz, and automatically turns on a small electric fan pointed at my baking (cooling) pan. I dump the smoking-hot beans into the non-stick baking pan. It has a corrugated bottom which quickly dissipates the heat. A few stirs with my wooden spoon, and the beans are cool.

The decision to get the midrange Capresso Infinity burr grinder was a good one. The grinder has been reliable, with consistently excellent results.

I am glad we got the press pot in two sizes: the eight cup is good for 2-3 people. When I just want one cup, the 3 cup Bodum Chambord is just right.

A fast-heating electric kettle is key. The Braun was a bit costlier than the competition, but well worth it. It has no cord to tangle, and no heating element inside to corrode.

Beans? Well that certainly is the most crucial component.

Burman has good prices, but there was some variability in quality and taste between orders. Makes me doubt the freshness of their beans.

Sweet Maria's costs a bit more than most places, especially with shipping costs from California. The quality and freshness of their offerings are top rate. You just get the sense that they actually know what they are talking about. That gives you the confidence that they select the best lots. Their service has been excellent, too. In my first shipment, a couple of bags opened in transit and I ended up with "blended" coffee. They promptly shipped me two replacement bags for free. Try that with Willoughby's aka Roastmasters.com. No one picks up the phone, or returns your phone call.

Willoughby's has been a pain to deal with, particulary trying to pick up the beans from their store(s). Somehow you get the impression that they do not want to sell green beans. Sure I could have it shipped to me one town away, but it's a matter of principle. Their prices are also the highest I have seen. Lastly, I have not been impressed with the coffees I tried (from the store, roasted or green).

On a friend's advice, I am trying out a new (to me) source in North Carolina, The Coffee Bean Corral, particularly for their Kauai selection. They also have a very large selection, and an informative site. Like Sweet Maria's, they strike me as more confidence inspiring that places where your options are pretty generic, like "Kenya AA", or "Colombia Supremo." And they take Paypal, if you are hesitant to give your credit card information. We'll see.

If you like coffee and are still buying roasted beans (or worse, grounds... yech!) from the grocery, give roasting a try. You won't regret it.

John Rain's Latest

Requiem for an Assassin came out the end of May, and I just finished reading my copy. This is the 6th Barry Eisler novel about John Rain, "the most charismatic assassin since James Bond," (San Francisco Chronicle).

Personally, I think it was the best-written: it's pace was fast and sustained, with no lulls or overly lengthy descriptions. It is also possibly a reflection of the maturation of the author as a storyteller.

My only misgiving about it - I think it assumes that the reader has read the preceding Rain books. Characters, like Boaz, popped up with not much background for the reader's benefit. I "discovered" this character after picking up "Killing Rain" from the New Books shelf at the local library a couple of years ago. I had no problem, despite starting with the 4th book in the series. Somehow, I think starting with Requiem would be different.

There were a few differences that struck me, compared to the other books. Not a single mention of jazz, if I recall correctly. First time Rain did not go to a jazz or whiskey bar. Only one drink of single malt (Glenmorangie) throughout the whole novel. It seems John Rain is becoming more of a wine connoisseur?

In addition to the fast pace, there was also considerably more travel in this novel: Paris, Saigon, Bali, Singapore, Silicon Valley, LA, Tokyo, New York, Rotterdam. Also a new "affinity" for expensive cars: Mercedes E500, BMW 750iL. Expensive watch. The books must be selling well, eh?

Lastly, the political statements about the current administration, and the war in Iraq. AG. American society's excesses. I don't think John was quite so vocal in the past.

I hope this is not the end, although Rain seems to have run out of enemies. All in all a good read, especially for Rain fans.

Have ipod Will Travel

Ironically, most of the ipod generation will have never heard of that western.

Up to this point, I have been using my video ipod for music, podcasts, video podcasts, and some audiobooks. I have also uploaded several of my favorite photos in jpeg form.

I decided to try the "video" part and downloaded "Apocalypto" from itunes. All $12.95 of it (now it is $14.95!). Big mistake.

Great movie, but the entire movie is in subtitles. Have you tried to read those little subtitles on an ipod screen? For over two hours? I had to get the dvd after that.

Other than that, watching movies on my ipod is pretty cool. Problem is, I also like to watch them on my big screen. And getting both the dvd and the itunes download can be pretty expensive.

Apocalypto in both formats, $32. Being able to watch someone's heart getting ripped out over and over again, priceless.

Speaking of price, for a bit more than the cost of two movie downloads, I decided to purchase the PQ DVD to Ipod Converter. I have since converted most of the DVD's in my modest collection into MP4 files compatible with my ipod. Very easy, intuitive interface. One-click operation. Definitely money well spent.

Just be sure you only rip videos YOU own.

It allows you to choose the level of compression you want. For 'excellent' video quality, a 4GB movie becomes around 350-400MB. You can carry enough movies for a trans-pacific flight and back.

Or for a trip to the mall with your wife.

The next problem, of course, is having enough juice to run the video for more than two hours. The Maxell ipod battery backup is a nice, economical solution. Sure it adds bulk, but that is really not a problem when I am watching movies on an airplane. And since I have many sets of AA NiMH rechargeable batteries (and Maha charger) for my digicam, I am all set.

Of course, when you get to where you are going, you will need to charge your ipod. AC chargers run the gamut, from less than a dollar on ebay (with astronomical shipping), to the $29 OEM piece from Apple. Take your pick.

Next, for use on a plane, you really need something better than the ipod buds. Invest in a good pair of headphones. I got a pair of Bose headphones a couple of years ago as a gift. Since I tend to set the volume on the loud side, I really have not found a pressing need to plunk down more than 300 bucks for the latest noise-cancelling version.

Last trip, I found myself taking digital photos almost exclusively (as opposed to film), with the RD1. This seems to be a handy ipod accessory to be able to use the video ipod for photo data storage. Transfer rates are supposed to be quite slow, but that can be done while I shower that night in the hotel room, so it really is not a big deal. Like all apple accessories, the price seems a bit steep, however, since it really is just a glorified ipod to usb connector, but with a female usb port. A separate portable data storage device, such as the wolverine, may be a better choice. However, if I will be traveling with something that big, I may as well bring the laptop, and get an early start on the post-processing.

And be able to read the subtitles.

The Chum Bucket Guide to the Galaxy

My nephew will be backpacking through Europe for a month when college lets out this summer. He emailed me for some tips regarding his upcoming trip.


Suggestions? Here are a few practical ones:

- get a good backpack, and travel light. Eagle Creek makes good backpacks. Rick Steves' ETBD bag is cheap but also ok. A backpack would be best since you will be going around by train, and walking around and to the hostel with your stuff. Unless you leave your stuff at the train station locker, you will be touring town with your stuff.

- don't overpack. i typically bring clothes good enough for 5-7 days, then wash at the hotel/hostel. Bring lightweight clothes that dry quickly. Jeans take more than a day to dry. Cotton shirts take long too. Check THIS out. Cabelas also has the supplex pants that zip into shorts. Supplex dries in 2 hours or less. LLBean has good pants too.

- I bring two pairs of Tilley travel socks. I prefer the ankle length version. They dry quickly overnight, are light, and wont wear out for years, so the cost is ok.

- The absolute best clothesline, with no need for clothespins. Also, get a stopper for the sink drain at a hardware store or such before you leave. Something like THIS would be more unversal, but you can also get the standard one, with chain. That is to plug up the hostel sink for when you wash your clothes.

- get a money belt or something that goes under your shirt, for your cash, passport, and important documents. Write down important phone numbers, your credit card numbers (and toll free numbers to report loss), your passport number, hotel/hostel numbers, etc. Include that inside the money belt. Also make a few copies - leave one at home with mommy, put one inside your backpack. If there is a secure url you can upload the info to, do that - you can access it from an internet cafe in case of emergency.

- look into traveller's health insurance, if your medical plan does not cover you worldwide.

- get a small combination lock, or at least cable ties, for your pack for when you leave it in the hostel. Do not lock your bag if you are checking it on the plane. I would not check it in if I were you since it would completely ruin your vacation if it got lost. Make sure you check your particular airline's carryon size and wt limits. The US carriers are liberal,but air france and british airways are stricter.

- Buy your toiletries there - shampoo, soap, shaving stuff, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Plan to buy as you go - think of it as an opportunity to try the local brands. People in europe brush their teeth too.

- Consider buying tshirts as you go. That will save you the space and weight, and you will have some souvenirs at the same time.

- Consider bringing your oldest clothes - the ones that you will be throwing out soon. Like underwear and socks, tshirts with holes, and leave them in the hostels as you go. Less stuff to wash too.

- Bring a small flashlight for use in the hostels. I like the cheap LED ones powered by one easily available AAA battery.

- Check if your hostel provides beddings and towels. More than likely they will not. If so, bring along a lightweight set travel beddings: sheet and pillowcase, and a microfiber travel towel.

- When you eat in italy, do not sit down, the prices will be much more. Eat standing up at the bar, or take the food out with you. In the vatican, many places will not let you in if you are in shorts or sleeveless tshirt. Make sure you read up on local customs etc for each place you will be going to.

- Get THIS. Concentrate good as shampoo, body wash and to wash clothes. A 4oz bottle should be enough. Remember too that TSA will only let you bring liquids or gels as big as 4oz in quantitiy (in a one quart ziplock bag that you must put through the airport xray. You will need to take it out of your bag, but in general, airport security is not too bad these days compared to 1-2 yrs ago.

- Instead of always eating at restaurants, you will save money by buying cheese, bread, and sausages from the local stores/bakeries, esp in france. Pack a plastic plate, plastic spoon and fork (or spork), and plastic knife. Plan to buy a cheap corkscrew there for wine (you probably will not be able to get that through security).

- Bring individually packed hand wipes for after your "picnics" if you eat the bread, cheese etc in the park for instance (much better than at the hostel). Public bathrooms cost money to get into to wash your hands (bring loose change always, for this). Also, bring a small roll of toilet paper in your pack (you can buy there) since not all the public restrooms are stocked, or clean. Also, if you eat out, take the opportunity to use their bathroom (for free) before you leave.

- wrap a few feet of duct tape around your shampoo or camp suds bottle. There are infinite uses for duct tape, believe me.

- Bring a small first aid kit, with bandaids, tylenol/motrin, imodium. I also bring a small sewing kit in my toiletry bag, in case of emergency. You probably wont need to sew buttons back on (like i had to do with a coat) but a safety pin saved me when the pull tab of my pants' zipper broke off.

- If you are bringing electronics like your ipod and camera charger, make sure you have the appropriate plug adapters for the countries you are visiting.

- back to packing: Pack-mate vacuum bags are very useful. They not only cut on bulk, but also keep your dirty clothes from making your clean clothes smell. I got them at QVC for much less. Consider packing cubes too. They keep your stuff separate and easy to find, and also makes packing and unpacking easy, and you will be doing a lot of that.

- bring earplugs and the airplane eye covers for sleeping - good if the other people in the hostel room snore, talk late into the night, or keep the light on. Same for sleeping on trains. Be careful sleeping on the train - watch for thieves and pickpockets at night. Best to have your own compartment for you and your friend, and don't leave stuff hanging on the coat hook while you sleep. On the train, watch out for this guy.

- An item i have found useful is a carabiner. You can use that to secure your bagstrap to your chair while you eat, or to your beltloop when you sleep. Consider a small plastic whistle too, just in case you need to attract attention.

- Again, make sure you have lots of copies of your passport. In case all gets lost, you can have mommy mail it to you. Or else, you wont be able to fly home.

- Bring a small alarm clock if your watch does not have one. Hostels do not have wakeup calls, and you may have an early train to catch. Also, for popular tourist places like the Sistine Chapel/Vatican museum, you need to be there early (or go late, before it closes) or you will be in line for many hours. Remember, you will be there in the peak of tourist season. Also, whenever possible, get your tickets online or through a travel agent before your leave - especially the LOUVRE.

- When you get to a big city, make sure your go to the tourist office. Get free maps. Also, many of them offer 1, 2 or 3 day passes which will let you in all the museums. Same with trams, metro and buses. Otherwise, individual tickets are available at the Tabac shops.

- This is a good chance to use your small moleskine notebook! Keep a journal - if not, you may not remember the little details of your trip.

- Get a good guidebook and read when you plan your trip. Lonely Planet is good. Europe Through the Backdoor is a handy book. Lots of great little tips. Like what bus number to ride to see the sights around the Ring in Vienna. Or which tram to take to the top of the Prague Castle entrance, to bypass the tourists coming in by bus. Or that you can get tickets to the Colosseum at some other place up the hill and beside it (I forget the name, it may be the Palazzo Borghese) - or else you will be in line half the day. Also good suggestions about cheap places to eat, hostels, etc. Read the parts pertinent to your trip but do not bring the (bulky) book with you. Just photocopy or rip out the pages to bring, and leave it when you are done with that place.

- If you buy stuff and it starts to weigh you down, consider mailing a package back home midtrip. Even if you send it by the cheapest way, it will be there by the time you get home.

- Send postcards as you go.

Well, that's a lot of stuff. Damn, I should make this a blog entry.

Have fun.

Blast From the Past

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-wJjRApwws