Slow down for a quick cup of coffee

Remember when coffee used to get a bad rap, billed as the drink of the unhealthy and over-driven? A more current perspective is that if we need constant caffeine jolts to force us to be busy, maybe it’s not the beverage that’s the problem, but the unrealistic pace of life we set for ourselves. Still, the little buzz you might get from coffee can be a good thing; research is showing it has health benefits that include increased short-term memory, attention, and focus. And that’s not just connected to caffeine; scientists are finding that a cup of coffee triggers brain activity in a way that doesn’t happen when people simply ingest caffeine.

NOTE: As with all good things other than joy, it’s probably wise to consume coffee in moderation: research also shows that more than four cups a day can affect your health negatively.

Even the big brains at the Mayo Clinic agree that our attitudes toward coffee may need revisiting. Since I uncovered these research articles in July, I’ve been goggling “sustainable coffee consumption” and “don’t waste coffee” to look at ways people use coffee mindfully. As fall closes in, here’s what have to say about that:

Good coffee beans are the foundation of a good cup of coffee. Which should be obvious. More and more people define “good” as ethically made and sourced, and respectful of the environment.

That’s accounted for the rise of Canadian roasters like Muskoka Roastery. (I like a one to five mix of their Muskoka Maple and Loon Call Medium Blend.) The company says it was the first roaster in North America to convert to 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance certified beans, and the first brand in Canada to have 100 per cent compostable pods. They’ve also launched recyclable coffee bags.

Personally, I’m not a coffee machine snob. Because after twenty years of testing them, I know they don’t have to cost the earth to make a good cup of coffee. Frankly, I just want an uncomplicated, relatively inexpensive way to get a delicious cup, hot or iced. For that, I’ll point to the Hamilton Beach Flex Brew 5-in-1

Here’s why I love it:

It’s a slim seven inches wide, about the span of my hand. It has the exceptionally clever design feature of tucking the carafe in the side of the unit, and the basket swings out when needed.

It makes a fine cup of coffee.

I love that I can use an eco-friendly reusable filter for single-serve cups. For those who use pods, there’s a special filter as well.

It’s SO versatile, making single hot or iced coffees, or a pot of up to 12 cups.

It’s affordable: you’ll find this model at Walmart, where in my part of the world it’s on sale for $120.00, which is $30 less than the suggested price.

There’s a timer function, which means for example, I can be reminded to brew a pot of decaffeinated to put into a thermos when I am entertaining folks who can’t have caffeine. I LOVE being able to offer them a delicious decaf without any fuss. If it’s just one person, I might brew a full carafe of regular coffee and then do a single decaffeinated hot or iced cup of coffee.

It’s easy to use. It has a limited number of clear icons that are simple, and straightforward. It’s also easy to clean with vinegar and water. PRO TIP: Clean your maker once a month (more if your water is super hard) to keep coffee tasting fresh.

The machine has a two-hour keep warm feature that doesn’t broil the brew.. After that, it automatically turns off in case I forget.

I also tried, as Google suggested, to use coffee a medium for tie-dying fabric, which several people told me was a good idea. I have a number of linen table napkins that tell me otherwise, as they look like nothing so much as old, stained rags. Oh, well, nobody died (GET IT?!)

Using coffee as a meditation tool is apparently a thing too. It’s just not MY thing. My experience with listening to a disembodied voice telling me how and when to sniff, swirl, put down, and pick up my coffee was not the calming influence I was promised. When disembodied voice asked silkily if I was now enjoying my coffee, my response was that I’d enjoy it a lot more if she would just…shush!

That doesn’t mean that I don’t absolutely love sneaking off with a coffee to a quiet, cozy corner-preferably with a window view-with just a mug of coffee. No phone, no book, no nothing.

I also learned that the small lime tree that had been languishing for years here at Around the House simply needed some coffee grounds added to its pot; apparently citrus trees thrive in slightly acidic soil. The acidic nature of coffee grounds make them an ideal soil amendment: my lime tree is producing for the first time in three years.

My favourite discovery was all the ways you can use coffee Ieft over in the pot to cook and bake muffins, butter tarts, brownies, marinades, rubs, and gravies. 

I had yummy fun experimenting with ways to create flavoured coffee creamers at home; about half the price of the commercial products, which are often made with non-dairy and artificial ingredients.

Easiest thing ever – put one teaspoon of vanilla, and one teaspoon of honey in a jar or bottle with about a cup of cream. Shake it. You’re done.

You can also mix cream with other kinds of nut milks. I had really good luck with homemade hazelnut milk. I mixed about a cup of it with a cup of cream. Delicious in cold and hot coffee.

Full disclosure: I went from experimenting with leftover coffee to make sweet treats to “accidentally” making too much coffee to make sweet treats to brazenly making a single cup of coffee for the express purpose of making a sweet treat. Or three. Good clean fun, if you ask me:)

NOTE TO READERS: Hamilton Beach sponsored me to produce media content about the Flex Brew, which I tested over a period of weeks. They did not direct or review this copy. I partnered with them because I think the brand’s kitchen appliances are extremely well-designed, durable, and affordable. I’m happy to share the new coffee maker model with my millions and millions and millions of loyal readers.

BONUS TIP: Using a good quality packaged gravy mix for Thanksgiving this year? Like, who isn’t? Add a tablespoon of strong coffee; it takes the flavour to a new level. I promise. Come back next week when I’ll explain why I prefer to grind whole beans as needed rather than use ground coffee.