Coffee Beans and Kidney Beans, The Videos

Subtitle:  It Pays to Measure

COFFEE

When I buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks or Coffee Bean and Tea, even when I sample a small cup at the Trader Joe's coffee display, it tastes so much better than the cup I make myself at home. Why is that? What can be so hard about coffee?

One of my favorite blogs is the Freakonomics Blog. You'd be surprised what the Economist talk about. They talked about making coffee in a recent post. They suggest a French Press. I have a French Press and a can of Trader Joe's coffee beans. I have ground the beans coarsely.  I've measured the coffee, heated the water and it is steeping - without the plunger covering the brew.

I read that a cup of coffee made with a French Press may not be good for you because of all of the little coffee particles that float around in the cup and end up in your gut. Oh dear. The Economists say to skim the foam (the bloom) off the brew before plunging, eliminating many of those little particles that keep brewing and making your coffee bitter. Oh my. So much to think about. It's chemistry. Here's a video that shows the whole process.

My coffee is ready now. Not bad. I have to work on the coffee/water ratio. I didn't measure the coffee and water precisely, as suggested. They use a scale. I thought that I could wing it. I guess not.

This could become a very Zen-like morning ritual, awakening all of the senses at the first light of day.

WHERE ARE THE VEGAN TV PROGRAMS?

An online search for a Vegan TV program yielded:  Delicious TV Totally Vegetarian and The Cooking Channel's Vegetarian program on Wednesday evenings called The Veg Edge.  (It's a great program. The camera finds restaurants across the country that are offering vegetarian and vegan fare once a week or exclusively.)

 I found today's recipe on the Delicious TV program I've linked above. You can watch many nice videos there featuring Chef Toni Fiore. 

Red Bean Walnut Nibbles

A Lebanese Appetiser



15 oz can of Red Kidney Beans, drained

(any bean will do)

1/4 cup minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 cup ground walnuts

1 tsp salt

1 tsp coriander

1/4 cup chopped parsley

** 1 lemon juiced 

Mash the beans with a fork or potato masher - do not use a food processor.  Add remaining ingredients, mix together with your hands, form into balls. That's it. What could be easier?

My first batch was a little salty, or was it too much lemon?  **One lemon juiced is not a good measurement. I suggest you start with a couple of Tablespoons of lemon juice and keep adding until it satisfies your taste buds. 

These little non-fried bean balls are very good and very pretty.