Coffee drinkers unite!

I'm thinking about placing an order at http://coffeebeandirect.com. Most coffees are $4.50-$6/lb in 5lb bags. Want in?

• Nope, I've never used this company before.
  
• We can add together orders; everyone saves on shipping. If we get to five 5lb bags,
  shipping is free.
  
• People who want less than 5lbs can split a compatible order with someone else. (I'd be interested in splitting a bag of Kenya AA, for example.)
  
• I'll handle the ordering and front the money for people I know well. If people want me to split, weigh and repack bags, I can do that too.
  
• Pick up at my house in Waltham or at my office (1 Mem Drive, short walk from Kendall Square) or by prior arrangement.
  

If you're interested, discuss in comments.

Coffee drinkers unite!

I'm thinking about placing an order at http://coffeebeandirect.com. Most coffees are $4.50-$6/lb in 5lb bags. Want in?

• Nope, I've never used this company before.
  
• We can add together orders; everyone saves on shipping. If we get to five 5lb bags,
  shipping is free.
  
• People who want less than 5lbs can split a compatible order with someone else. (I'd be interested in splitting a bag of Kenya AA, for example.)
  
• I'll handle the ordering and front the money for people I know well. If people want me to split, weigh and repack bags, I can do that too.
  
• Pick up at my house in Waltham or at my office (1 Mem Drive, short walk from Kendall Square) or by prior arrangement.
  

If you're interested, discuss in comments.

Dinner

I felt like cooking rather than eating leftover chicken piccata (yummy, but Eliz will have a long day tomorrow, so it will be better to eat it tomorrow...) but didn't have any inspiration. A chat with Eliz and a few flips through a cookbook later, I decided on chicken in a carrot sauce and risotto with spinach and mushrooms.

I had never made the chicken dish before and I had never made risotto in a pressure cooker. Oh, and without supervision I don't follow recipes -- I look at ingredients and cooking methods and take it from there. The carrot sauce was basically pan drippings from sauteing the chicken, plus chopped carrots, coriander, ginger and paprika with chicken broth, boil then puree. I added garlic and onion and about eight times as much coriander as specified. Rather than puree, I ran the carrots through the grater of a food processor before cooking, then used a hand blender to partially smooth it after cooking. Oh, and a healthy glug or six of sherry. Very tasty.

Risotto in a pressure cooker is easy and fast. Fry onions, garlic and rice in a little olive oil; steam spinach on top. Dump into the cooker with liquid and dried shiitakes; when it pops, stir in butter and parmesan cheese. Yum.

Dinner

I felt like cooking rather than eating leftover chicken piccata (yummy, but Eliz will have a long day tomorrow, so it will be better to eat it tomorrow...) but didn't have any inspiration. A chat with Eliz and a few flips through a cookbook later, I decided on chicken in a carrot sauce and risotto with spinach and mushrooms.

I had never made the chicken dish before and I had never made risotto in a pressure cooker. Oh, and without supervision I don't follow recipes -- I look at ingredients and cooking methods and take it from there. The carrot sauce was basically pan drippings from sauteing the chicken, plus chopped carrots, coriander, ginger and paprika with chicken broth, boil then puree. I added garlic and onion and about eight times as much coriander as specified. Rather than puree, I ran the carrots through the grater of a food processor before cooking, then used a hand blender to partially smooth it after cooking. Oh, and a healthy glug or six of sherry. Very tasty.

Risotto in a pressure cooker is easy and fast. Fry onions, garlic and rice in a little olive oil; steam spinach on top. Dump into the cooker with liquid and dried shiitakes; when it pops, stir in butter and parmesan cheese. Yum.