Roughin’ It – the AeroPress

In case you missed it, on Wednesday I announced that the next Vote Your Adventure will begin on October 7. Hooray!

I don’t plan the stories in advance so there’s not much insight I can provide right now. The next setting will be inside one of the underground cities. Also, as I said on Wednesday, this story will be a bit more involved than “Site 27” and “The Relic”. I don’t want to drag our adventures out unnecessarily, but I’m going for something more involved this time, which will probably mean a longer story.

Also, for the big fans of the world and the series, I’m planning on writing an origins novel for you. I have no idea yet what to call this world or series, but I’m working on it. If you have any ideas, let me know. I’m only in the research stage with this one but I’m pretty excited. I think you’re going to like it.

Right now, my priority is to finish a long-standing novel project called THE FOURTH CHANNEL. It’s paranormal action about the most inept necromancer who ever lived and her deranged talking knives. I’ve been working on it for so long, it would kill me to toss it in the garbage. It’s very close to being completed and, once it’s done, I’ll officially begin work on the origins novel.

I’m also getting situated in Seattle. The thought of living in a corporate apartment sounded awesome at first, but since it involves living out of my suitcase for an extended period of time, not so much. I know, I’m roughing it with maid service. Life is so tough.

But seriously, there aren’t many of my belongings that I miss, except for my espresso maker. I love coffee. I drink it, therefore I am. I even had ideas of packing it in the car and driving it across the country, but the movers got to it before I could stop them. I thought I’d be fine without it until we got into the corporate apartment and I saw the regular coffee drip maker.

Drip coffee? I honestly can’t think of the last time I made drip coffee… which is why the first cup of coffee I tried making in it really sucked. Really. Like, a substantial amount of suckage. Luckily, Tom had heard a podcast where some crazed programmers were raving about the best coffee maker ever: the AeroPress.

It was $25 and I was tired of walking down to Starbucks every morning, so we ordered one. (In Starbucks’ defense, their Americano isn’t half bad. But I digress.)

The AeroPress arrived and, I’ll be damned, it really does make terrific coffee shots. Better than a French press.

So what you do is, grind your coffee beans into something finer than you’d need for drip, but not quite espresso. Pour two scoops (with the provided scooper) into the container. Heat water to 175-degrees F (not boiling!) and pour up to the 2. For two shots, see? Insert the rubber seal into the larger container and press. The air forces the shot out of the bottom, where there is a small paper filter.

Unless you forgot to put a cup under your AeroPress, you have two delicious shots in your cup and not all over your counter and floor. Not that I would ever do that. *cough*

Anyway. After you get your delicious, thick, rich coffee shots, you can drink them just like that or add milk (latte!) or water (American coffee). And the best part? The rubber seal is so snug, it cleans the AeroPress as it’s making your shots. Not only is my coffee really delicious, it’s the easiest and cleanest espresso I’ve ever made.

See ya, fussy espresso maker!