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Prompt #2 / Name: Energized
Book: Anansi and the Twelve Days of Christmas
Author: Gillena Cox
Date Read: 12/14/24
Pages: 26
Task: Energizing
How it Fits: These tales of Anansi "Spider" from African Mythology are Lighthearted, Heartwarming, expressing Love of Family and also of Following one's Dream: a perfect uplifting short read at Christmastide!
Mod
The water you use is very important to the quality of your coffee. Use filtered or bottled water if your tap water is not good or has a strong odor or taste, such as chlorine.
If you’re using tap water, let it run a few seconds before filling your coffee pot, and be sure to use cold water. Avoid distilled or softened water.
A general guideline is called the "Golden Ratio" - one to two tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water. This can be adjusted to suit individual taste preferences.
Check the cup lines or indicators on your specific brewer to see how they actually measure. And remember that some water is lost to evaporation in certain brewing methods.
Your brewer should maintain a water temperature between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal extraction. Colder water will result in flat, under-extracted coffee, while water that is too hot will also cause a loss of quality in the taste of the coffee. (However, cold brew does not need any heat.)
If you are brewing the coffee manually, let the water come to a full boil, but do not over boil. Turn off the heat source and allow the water to rest a minute before pouring it over the grounds.
Coffee usually cools rapidly after being served, depending upon the container from which it is being served. And, many coffee drinkers may add cream or milk which also has a cooling effect. Ultimately, the temperature at which any individual coffee drinker will prefer their coffee is a personal preference, like so many other things that make coffee special. These are some of the reasons why it is best to serve coffee right after brewing, when it is fresh and hot. Cupping quality standards suggest brewing at 200˚F. When serving hot beverages, especially in retail or clinical care settings which present risks for burning or scalding, lower temperatures should be considered. Coffee drinkers often desire to add cold milk or cream, or just allow the hot beverage to cool to reach a comfortable temperature for drinking. One study has shown that coffee drinkers typically drink their coffee at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
The amount of time that the water is in contact with the coffee grounds is another important flavor factor.
In a drip system, the contact time should be approximately 5 minutes. If you are making your coffee using a French Press, the contact time should be 2-4 minutes. Espresso has an especially brief brew time — the coffee is in contact with the water for only 20-30 seconds. Cold brew, on the other hand, should steep overnight (about 12 hours).
If you’re not happy with the taste of the final product, you're likely either:
Over-extracting - the brew time is too long
Under-extracting - the brew time is too short
Experiment with the contact time until you get the right balance for your taste.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where a character comes into contact with water in some way.
☕️ 2. Read a book with less than 195 pages OR more than 205 pages.
☕️ 3. Read a book you felt was too long OR too short to do justice to the storyline.
☕️ 4. Read a book set in a hot climate.
Prompt #1 / Name: Read a book where a character comes into contact with water in some way.Book:
Author: Adreina Cordaino
Date Read: 12/14 - 12/24/24
Pages: 368
Task: connection with Water:
How it Fits: This book is set in Scotland, in 2 timelines: 12 years earlier and Contemporary. The protagonist is almost Drowned 12 years ago, but never knows the identity of her assailant. In the present, she discovers that information, but later is twice attacked and nearly murdered in a "burn" near a waterfall, by two different murderer/assailants.
Mod
More than 90% of American coffee drinkers choose caffeinated brews, but decaf is a great option for those who want the taste and social connections of drinking coffee without the energy boost of caffeine. Luckily, a serendipitous accident in 1905 swamped a shipment of coffee beans with seawater, washing the caffeine out and prompting the development of modern decaffeination methods.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where an accident happens.
☕️ 2. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in DECAF.
☕️ 3. Read a book set in the 1900s.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in SERENDIPITOUS.
Prompt # 1/ Name: Read a Book where an accident happens.Book:
Author: Katy Watson
Date Read: 12/31-1/03.
Pages: 368.
Task: An accident occurs in the very beginning of the novel, not a vehicular, but a boating.
How it Fits: Set at a (mostly) isolated ancestral castle in the Scottish Highlands, at Christmas. The castle sits on a peninsula between two Lochs, one insular and one connecting to the sea. Nearby is another great house (across a loch), and the village is only accessible via a narrow bridge. In the very first pages police are summoned to an apparent drowning accident in one of the lochs, a corpse and a capsized rowboat. It's assumed that for some reason the dead man rowed out on to the loch in the dead of night, and it's deemed an accident.
Mod
Like regular coffee, decaf coffee begins as green, unroasted beans. The hard beans are warmed and soaked in liquid to dissolve and remove the caffeine in one of four ways: using water alone, using a mixture of water and solvents (most commonly methylene chloride or ethyl acetate) applied either directly or indirectly, or using water and “supercritical carbon dioxide.”
All four methods are safe, and once the caffeine is removed (well, at least 97% of it), the beans are washed, steamed, and roasted at temperatures that evaporate all the liquids used in decaffeination.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with a mostly green cover.
☕️ 2. Read a book with the word HARD OR the word BEANS found in the text.
☕️ 3. Read a book with a question mark in the title.
☕️ 4. Read a book where a character is faced with more than one option to solve a problem.
Prompt # 4/ Multiple Options to solve a Problem :Book:
Author: Octavia E. Butler
Date Read: 1/17-1/18
Pages: 356
Task: Character faced with Multiple Options to Problem Solution.
How it Fits: Set in a Dystopian Southern California, 2024-2027 approximately, MC is 15 at beginning. Life is hard but becomes tremendously harder and she seeks solutions that mean taking the high road while many others collapse into rampant crime, violence, suicide.
Mod
Decaffeination removes about 97% or more of the caffeine in coffee beans. A typical cup of decaf coffee has about 2 mg of caffeine, compared to a typical cup of regular coffee, which has about 95 mg of caffeine.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with some type of chart or graph in it.
☕️ 2. Read a book with a 2 in the page count.
☕️ 3. Read a book with a 9 AND a 7 in the publication date.
☕️ 4. Read a book with the word TYPICAL found in the text.
Prompt #2 / Name: 2 in Page Count Book:
Author: Brian Keene
Date Read: 2/04-2/05
Pages: 288
Task: 2 in Page Count
How it Fits: Kindle version = 288 pp.
Mod
Like all coffee, decaffeinated coffee is safe for consumption and can be part of a healthy diet.
If you are wondering whether the decaffeination process itself is safe, the answer is yes. All four methods are safe, and once the caffeine is removed (well, at least 97% of it), the beans are washed, steamed, and roasted at temperatures that evaporate the liquids used in decaffeination.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has set a rigorous standard to ensure that any minute traces of solvents used to decaffeinate coffee are safe. FDA measures these traces in “parts per million.” After decaffeination, coffee can contain no more than 10 parts per million of, for example, methylene chloride -- that’s one one-thousandth of a percent.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where the MC feels safe by the end of the story.
☕️ 2. Read a book with the letters F-D-A all found in the title.
☕️ 3. Read a book with at least a million ratings.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the author's FIRST initial is found in METHYLENE and the LAST initial is found in CHLORIDE.
Prompt # / Name: a Book where MC feels safe by end of storyBook:
Author: Steve Hugh Westenra
Date Read: 02/07-02/08
Pages: 450
Task: MC feels safe by end
How it Fits: perfect choice for this, as protagonist (the titular Tyler Kyle) is literally an anxiety-ridden nervous wreck throughout, due to both personality idiosyncrasies and childhood abandonment, plus loss of best friend and terrifying circumstances in present, no one trustworthy, all are deceptive... UNTIL almost the VERY END!
Mod
Regulators and health authorities in the United States and around the world have concluded moderate caffeine intake can be part of healthy diets for most adults -- generally up to 400mg per day, or about 4-5 cups of coffee. Guidelines may vary for people with certain medical conditions.
As you think about caffeine intake, be mindful that caffeine is found not just in coffee but also in other foods and beverages, so consider all potential sources. Every body is different, so everyone should check health recommendations from recognized authorities, listen to how your body responds to caffeine, and consult your personal physician if you have any questions.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book where only one eye is completely visible on the cover.
☕️ 2. Read a book that has up to 400 pages.
☕️ 3. Read a book where a major character is a doctor.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the MC does not have a healthy diet.
Prompt #1 / Name: A Book With Only One Eye Visible On the Cover Book: Holy Fire
Author: Bruce Sterling
Date Read: 3/05-3/30
Pages: 362
Task: Cover illustration showing only one eye
How it Fits: Only Left Eye is Visible on the Cover
Mod
Your beans’ greatest enemies are air, moisture, heat, and light.
To preserve your beans’ fresh roasted flavor as long as possible, store them in an opaque, air-tight container at room temperature. Coffee beans can be beautiful, but avoid clear canisters which will allow light to compromise the taste of your coffee.
Keep your beans in a dark and cool location. A cabinet near the oven is often too warm, and so is a spot on the kitchen counter that gets strong afternoon sun.
Coffee's retail packaging is generally not ideal for long-term storage. If possible, invest in storage canisters with an airtight seal.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with multiples of one item on the cover.
☕️ 2. Read a book where the MC has more than one enemy.
☕️ 3. Read a book you would invest in, as in purchase your own copy.
☕️ 4. Read a book where at least one scene happens in a DARK and/or COOL location.
Hooked on Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Holy Fire (other topics)The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle (other topics)
Pressure (other topics)
Parable of the Sower (other topics)
A Lively Midwinter Murder (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Bruce Sterling (other topics)Steve Hugh Westenra (other topics)
Brian Keene (other topics)
Octavia E. Butler (other topics)
Katy Watson (other topics)
More...
The objective of a proper grind is to get the most flavor in a cup of coffee. How coarse or fine the coffee is ground depends on the brewing method.
The length of time the grounds will be in contact with water determines the ideal grade of grind. Generally, the finer the grind, the more quickly the coffee should be prepared. That’s why coffee ground for an espresso machine is much finer than coffee brewed in a drip system.
Espresso machines use 132 pounds per square inch of pressure to extract coffee.
We recommend taking a moment to examine the beans and smell their aroma — in fact, the scent of coffee alone has been shown to have energizing effects on the brain.
Complete ONE of the following:
☕️ 1. Read a book with a mostly brown cover. {Your discretion.}
☕️ 2. Read a book that made you feel energized.
☕️ 3. Read a book with a 1, 2, or 3 in the page count.
☕️ 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is found in GRIND.