Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Perking

I was pleased to receive a percolator style coffee pot for Christmas. This is an item I have wanted for some time but wasn't willing to pay the price for. To me it is a luxury item as I have a perfectly fine Mr.Coffee style pot. Also it is not a pot I would use on a daily basis. But I feel the percolator does make the best tasting coffee.
 It has been some time since I had perked coffee. I brewed up a pot today and I must say I wasn't disappointed. Good stuff ! I bought Maxwell House coffee for use in this pot because that is what my Grandmother always used. I usually buy Folgers but then I haven't been using a percolator. The wife says to me," do you know how to make perked coffee ?" Well, of course I do. Grandma told me to use one scoop  of grounds for every cup and one for the pot. I wound up using considerably less for my twelve cup pot, 8 scoops to be exact. The coffee was excellent but strong ! I expect that is why sugar and cream was added. I also expect that is why it was served in a coffee cup and not a mug !  In these modern times we tend to go for quantity and not quality. A couple of mugs later I knew I was drinking coffee !
As I was sipping this flavorful brew I was thinking about Grandma. She always had a pot on for anyone that stopped by. I can remember her pouring coffee for her guests and family. Always with a cup and saucer. I don't even have a cup and saucer anymore. Just mugs. Grandma had a big sugar bowl , another item I'm missing. A creamer ? Don't think so. I am so not ready to serve perked coffee. I'll have to watch for these items. If I can locate classic ones, I will be sure to snag them.Maybe I'll even get sugar cubes! One lump or two ?
 Funny thing is I never had a real cup of coffee at Grandmas'. She passed long before my coffee drinking days. I do recall however having some coffee with her. She would put a very small amount of coffee in the cup, two scoops of sugar and fill it with milk. That was my coffee. I loved it then and felt pretty grown up.
My New Percolator 
And then one more thought entered my mind. How was it that I can remember Grandma telling me how to brew coffee ? That had to be almost fifty years ago. The answer is an obvious one. The things Grandmas' tell their Grandchildren have a way of sticking. That's it ! Why that is, is a harder question to answer. Grandchildren do seem to listen to their Grandparents a little more closely than their parents. Maybe that is because Grandparents tend to listen to their Grandchildren a little more closely than their parents. Or maybe it is because Grandparents don't yell at them as much ! ( not that we Grandparents tend to spoil them you understand ). Whatever the reason, I think it is the truth. So, thank you Nana for teaching me how to use a percolator. I haven't forgotten that, or you !

1 comment:

  1. My goodness...I've always made it 1 scoop per 2 cups of coffee, and it is often quite strong! I'll bet yours would curl the hair on my head!...and I do like it strong. I'll take my mugful with no sugar and a splat of 1/2 and 1/2 please. On 2nd thought,IF you use that 1 scoop per cup, I think you'd better keep that sugar bowl close by my mug! :-)

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