p e n c h a n t

You say eXpresso, I say …

On my first excursions to New York long ago, at editor-hosted lunches, I discovered this potent drink in a little cup, with a lemon peel curled on the saucer. After ordering an “expresso”, I’d be gently corrected by the waiter, who would repeat—or so I thought— “espresso?”.

I use a stove-top maker. Low-tech, no electricity. All you need is flame. Even when the power goes out in an ice storm or a hurricane, I can still enjoy it, provided the beans are ground, which is a good reason to have a manual coffee grinder at hand. (Handy when traveling, too.)

If you have a stove-top maker, it’s best to ignore the instructions, which usually say to fill the reservoir with water to a level just under the pressure valve. You won’t get a decent brew doing this—it’s too much water. You should measure the amount, and be sure to use cold water. For a 3-cup maker, the correct amount would be 6 ounces, since an espresso cup is not equivalent to a standard 8-oz cup, but closer to a 2 oz amount. I add a little more than 6 oz, because the suction pipe does not reach the very bottom of the reservoir. Fill the basket to the top with finely ground coffee, tamp (another no-no according to the instructions), and set the unit over medium-low heat. To reduce the taste of bitterness and create a thicker brew, I lower the heat as the coffee begins to stream from the upper pipe. I have read that you can never get crema from these makers, but sometimes I’ve been able to, though it’s not as dense as machine-produced espresso.

I use organic beans from Indonesia, which are full-bodied and mellow. Timor is my choice when it’s available, but political unrest and the tsunami of a few years ago affected family-owned businesses, and I haven’t been able to find it. I now use beans from Papua New Guinea. Though the beans from these small plantations may not be “certified” organic, the use of expensive chemicals is rare, and farmers depend on surrounding foliage that lures pests away from the crops. Non-organic coffee has upwards of 90 toxic chemicals, so I advise using beans from the small farm sources; this also supports fair trade. I also recommend getting a stainless steel unit rather than run the risk of aluminum toxicity.

Art is stir-stick & coffee (as in pen & ink) on paper

I gobble, I have gobbled, I would have gobbled, I had gobbled, I will gobble, I will have gobbled, he has gobbled, he must have gobbled, he must gobble, he was gobbling, he will be gobbling, he is gobbling, he is a gobbler, he is the gobblest, he is the gobblingest; gobblology, gobblosophy, gobblogical, gobblidity, gobblation, gobblable, gobblative, gobblement, gobblography, gobblactical, gobblific, gobblanamous, gobblennial, gobblocity, gobblotic, gobblistic, gobblastic, gobblspheric, gobblicious, and last but not least: gobbledy-gook

Mixed-media turkey
(tail-feathers: all the colors a starving artist has at hand / wattle: pencil shavings / beak: pen nib / inky feet: airbrushed with drinking straw)

GRILLED CHEESE EXPRESSIONISM

This makes a nice lunch.

I use a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a tab of butter (olive oil should work just as well), and lightly buttered multi-grain bread, white cheese—usually jack, though Gouda is good, and when in the mood I’ve used sharp cheddar—with thinly sliced onions browning alongside the sandwich. Once the cheese has melted and the bread has grilled, I add the onions and—here’s the creative part—slices of avocado and a coil of mustard.

Finding a good avocado is an art. I grew up in a home with an avocado tree outside my second-story window, and we had avocados throughout the year. The more avocados you examine and try, the more familiar you become with what is good and what is not. Keep in mind that ridges running beneath the skin indicate strings inside, which are undesirable. The fruit should give slightly under pressure when ripe.

To complete the meal, I serve tomato soup (Trader Joe’s brand is my choice) with a slice or two of avocado afloat, and a liberal sprinkling of freshly ground pepper. The color combination alone is pleasing.

artwork is acrylic on rag board