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Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
I never paid much attention to cups. We have standard logo'd Trucillo
espresso cups. We have very nice 8 and 10oz cappuccino cups/mugs and
we have nice 8oz latte glasses. What we use most of, however, are
"teacups", or mugs. For americanos and for tea. We use a lot of
them. I used to use 10oz mugs from Rayware. They eventually broke
and were unreplaceable so I had to source an alternative. Queue Ebay
search for mugs.
Aren't images subjective or qualitative... They looked nice in the
Ebay listing, so I bought 72 of them, as a starter, for evaluation,
knowing the seller had many thousands in stock. In real life they
were smaller (8/9oz) than they looked in the image, but this could be
good, since it would save water in the trailer (and espresso machine)
and we could brew a stronger americano for those that wanted it
without pulling another double. (We already have a 6oz cup and saucer
for those that want a strong short coffee). They were also well
packed, each in it's own bubblewrap pouch and box. Looked like a
large order gone wrong - British Racing Green they were.
Enter customer, stage right. June hates green. Can't possibly drink
out of a green mug. Will be physically, violently, sick at the
thought of it. Will have to drink coffee elsewhere etc etc. No
problem, we still have a few of the original mugs in a box at home, so
I'll dig out a nice blue one for June. June is a regular, in a party
of 4-6 who come most days for most hours. Junes' friends tell me I
should get some lovely bright green chair cushions, and maybe nice
green uniforms would be great too.
They have "their table". Actually, they only have "their table" when
they can actually get to it, and since they don't get here until
10:30am it's actually the Moka ladies table (regulars from 08:45 -
09:30) - party of three who drink large Moka's most days. And little
Rose in the pushchair who drinks a frothy chocolate or little cappa or
juice.
Anyway, a few customers complained that the cups were smaller, and
since they were thinner china than the previous mugs (there's a lot of
stuff to consider in a mug, isn't there...) some said that their drink
went cold quicker, and we also broke a few when boiling water cracked
them. But other customers loved the new mugs.
So I bought another 1076 green mugs. Just to be on the safe side.
Well, the seller was down the road in Bournemouth so I could just
collect a pallet of them. A pallet of green mugs *just* fits in an
Isuzu Bighorn lwb. It was a great deal, too...
I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the
fruit machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need to
break some more, quickly. Turns out that we only really break them in
the winter, when it's cold in the trailer and they get a stress crack
when hot water hits them. In the summer we don't break them, so they
may last longer than I first predicted...I have even sold some to
customers (not June), but probably friends of hers who might have her
round for coffee.
Talking of uniforms - we now have some. We look very corporate.
Matching polo shirts and aprons, with sweatshirts for when it's cold.
And I'll get some matching fleeces for when it's even colder. The
trailer is blue with yellow writing, and so are the uniforms. I was
going to have "Danny's bitches" sewn on the shirts (by request of the
girls) but instead settled for Danny's coffee bar (we've had to slowly
drop "espresso bar") since most people round here can't spell it,
never mind guess what it is. Aren't uniforms expensive? I ordered 5
of each for us three, to save on washing. Quite expensive that was.
£170 per member of staff. No-one can resign now. Especially not
Kelly. Myself and Lucy take the same size (XL), but Kelly is a Very
Small.
Disasters? I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention, or
should that be Frank Sinatra:
Regrets, Ive had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.
I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
Yes, there were times, Im sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way.
Ive loved, Ive laughed and cried.
Ive had my fill; my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.
To think I did all that;
And may I say - not in a shy way,
No, oh no not me,
I did it my way.
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows -
And did it my way!
Sorry about that...but it sort of fitted.
Anyway, the tow bit fell off the trailer. Luckily stationary at 05:40
just after I towed it to work. I noticed the towbar on the car and
the tow socket on the trailer weren't exactly horizontal. Should be
-- looked more like \/ Closer inspection showed some large bolts had
either broken or were ripped through the (overly thin) chassis member
on the trailer. Just as well it's a detachable tow bar. Remove said
item and retire to local engineering workshop for extensive rebuild
with heavier gauge metal and *lots* of really big welds.
New fridge just won't stay upright. Old fridge never moved. New
fridge has fallen over many times. Despite being pop rivetted in 7
places to the trailer. Then same again but with stainless steel
rivets. Then same again but with a restraining strap attached to
trailer walls, which one has to remember to actually attach before
leaving for home. Quality engineering workshop (see above) has looked
at fridge and pronounced the metal skin to be so thin it is merely a
knife edge to cut all pop rivets, so they have manufactured a plate
with bolts welded to it to slot though the fridge and attach to the
bracket. Must fit it soon...
Every night we stow the grinder in the sink before towing home. Most
nights, that is. Arrive at work one morning to find many coffee beans
on floor. Along with many parts of grinder. Favourite Cimbali Cadet
grinder in attractive gold finish. Retire grinder and bring out
replacement ugly Cimbali Cadet in silver. Cimbali Cadet plastic is
expensive. £68 for a hopper.
Double axle trailers shouldn't sway much. Unless they have a slow
puncture in one of the tyres. Then they sway quite impressively.
Since the trailer road lights had also taken on a lifeform of their
own (any/all lights work when they feel like it) and I'd already had a
go at recrimping lots of earth wires I took the whole shebang to the
trailer place and said please fix. Trailer place said "Certainly sir,
please leave lots of money".
Canopy has turned into a hang glider on a couple of occasions when
sudden 80mph gusts came along. I am now very familiar with sail lofts
in the area. "Hold your cups please" was the watchword this last
winter. "Sorry madam" is the current watchword of the summer, as the
canopy strains under the weight of several gallons of rainwater before
unleashing it on the unwary when a gust of wind arrives. Apparently
it's a part of market life, and all customers should be aware of this.
Managed to get to Paris on the bike with Lucy a few times. Actually
got to go to France more than expected after a surprise encounter with
a large lump of metal on the autoroute near Vernon on our way home
once. Turned out to be an expansion joint that had ridden up - a
large length of L shaped metal which after nearly throwing us off gave
us two flat tyres and two dented wheels, with no-one to actually claim
off. Had to leave bike in France to get back to work since there were
no front wheels for a Honda Blackbird anywhere in Honda Europe.
Bought one off Ebay and took it back a few weeks later.
Lucy loves Paris. We stay near the Tour Eiffel, same hotel, coffee
mostly bad anywhere, apart from (surprisingly) the local Italian
restaurant that serves Illy and does a passable cappa. Lucy loves
Italian food. She doesn't like much french food. I did try and get
her to eat something french - Normandie Poulet seemed ok - she liked
chicken, but threatened to send it back if it came to the table with
legs and feathers etc still attached. Of course it won't. Of course
it did. Almost had a head, too. She eats a lot of Italian food now.
And Croque Madame.
Lucy also now likes being on the bike, so I've had to upgrade her
"starter" bike outfit for better kit. New pink helmet and new pink
armoured jacket etc.. Lucy also enjoys buying a bottle of champagne
from the local Tabac and drinking it on the grass by the Tour Eiffel.
Until the 3rd bottle. Then she's ill. And she makes me wear a
beret. Unfortunately it suits me (according to the lady in the tabac,
who spent some time adjusting it so it looked right) and makes me look
like an old french man. Just need to develop a taste for Gitanes.
Ye olde lever machines still rock. Currently have 4 in the kitchen,
including the vintage italian 2 group I discussed here a while back.
Frank at Visacrem kindly sent me a parcel of spare parts, including
replacement steam wands (rare things, these) etc and sets of
group/piston seals, which I am currently too scared to fit. I
understand the Spanish group - just 3 rubber piston rings. Italian
group has about 12 assorted paper and fibre gaskets, which I don't
fully understand. Yet.
My neighbour, Jeff, who has always been very kind in helping with all
things electrical/gas/engineering started texting me pictures of
various stuff that was being de-commissioned where he works. "Do you
want this scale", along with a picture of a superb pharmeceutical
0.000001 gramme accuracy laboratory scale with little doors round it
so the breeze can't upset it. Seemed a shame to see it thrown away,
so it's in the kitchen now. Along with an ultrasound bath. Then
there was the coffee machine. I've never been into filter coffee, but
he came back with a little used commercial machine - Hobart still 3
pint capacity. Ordered some filters and coffee (Ebay, where else),
and we've been drinking Irish coffee every night since (well, a
variation or two, since I don't have or like irish whiskey). We've
tried Cointreau, Tia Maria etc and Lucy even went for cherry brandy
when we'd run out of everything else! She can float the cream like a
pro now. I'd do them in the trailer if I had a drinks licence.
Might do filter in the trailer. It would save pulling many 9oz cups
of esresso/water through the espresso machine for americano's. Just
have to see how many customers like it. Some do ask for a filter
coffee, but we just serve an americano. Any idea how often we should
refresh the filter coffee when it's sat there? I've mad a jug at home
and tried it an hour later and it seemed OK, but I'm not really into
it. In the trailer I guess a jug would be used up before then, and
I'd throw the rest after a suitable period. Answers on a v-postcard.
Jeff also bought home a large water softener. Big blue cylinder with
some automatic flow control valves and an LCD display that auto
regenerates from a massive (wheelie bin) full of salt on a gravel base
that stands next to it. I think I'll plumb it in to the kitchen to
provide softened water for the trailer containers, once I work out how
it works.
Customer update time: We still have old Rose (who, despite looking
like she might pop her clogs imminently likes to fantasise about
stripping firemen (picture please Bernie?). She says goodbye and then
stays chatting to other customers for at least 1/2 hour. Piss B**L
(name preserved), who every single morning arrives for his americano
and toast with Marmite. Lucy says he smells of wee, but I don't
notice it, so she is busy trying to kill him off with ever increasing
amounts of Marmite on his toast, but he seems to love it. (Google
Marmite those of you who don't know about this love-it-or-hate-it
spread, which is usually spread thinly). B**l is from Malta and is
very generous, always offering to buy the ladies a coffee (not bad for
a 70+ year old). We have another regular who always has a suasage
roll with his drink, and always chides us about the less than large
size of said suasage roll. This week we plan to either get some tiny
party snack rolls to serve him, or do the opposite and buy a super
large sausage roll, haven't decided yet. Then there's always that one
annoying customer, the one who always wants his drink a bit different
to how you made it, then leaves a right mess on the counter as he adds
sugar sticks to his special espresso. Lucy worked out that since he
only wants a double espresso, but always says it's too strong, we
should pull a double then fill the remainder of the demitasse with hot
water. It's his "special" drink, which he appears to like now.
Customers are always coming up and ordering "their" drink, made how
"they like it", so we gave up on names, and espie customers by their
drink - "here comes wishy washy tea" "here comes treacle tea" "here
comes weak flat latte man". I guess it imparts a feeling of
belonging, which is exactly what I cherish. These people now go back
a few years, and mothers with babes in arms now have youngsters that
we've seen grow up, and who were brought up on milk heated on the
steam wand. Some people ask us to heat babies' milk, and object to
the use of the steam wand (it's the special babies milk wand,
exclusively for that purpose, nice and shiny), so we politely decline,
not knowing how else to do it, with no microwave etc.
Enough rambling.
--
Regards, Danny
http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
(apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
I never paid much attention to cups. We have standard logo'd Trucillo
espresso cups. We have very nice 8 and 10oz cappuccino cups/mugs and
we have nice 8oz latte glasses. What we use most of, however, are
"teacups", or mugs. For americanos and for tea. We use a lot of
them. I used to use 10oz mugs from Rayware. They eventually broke
and were unreplaceable so I had to source an alternative. Queue Ebay
search for mugs.
Aren't images subjective or qualitative... They looked nice in the
Ebay listing, so I bought 72 of them, as a starter, for evaluation,
knowing the seller had many thousands in stock. In real life they
were smaller (8/9oz) than they looked in the image, but this could be
good, since it would save water in the trailer (and espresso machine)
and we could brew a stronger americano for those that wanted it
without pulling another double. (We already have a 6oz cup and saucer
for those that want a strong short coffee). They were also well
packed, each in it's own bubblewrap pouch and box. Looked like a
large order gone wrong - British Racing Green they were.
Enter customer, stage right. June hates green. Can't possibly drink
out of a green mug. Will be physically, violently, sick at the
thought of it. Will have to drink coffee elsewhere etc etc. No
problem, we still have a few of the original mugs in a box at home, so
I'll dig out a nice blue one for June. June is a regular, in a party
of 4-6 who come most days for most hours. Junes' friends tell me I
should get some lovely bright green chair cushions, and maybe nice
green uniforms would be great too.
They have "their table". Actually, they only have "their table" when
they can actually get to it, and since they don't get here until
10:30am it's actually the Moka ladies table (regulars from 08:45 -
09:30) - party of three who drink large Moka's most days. And little
Rose in the pushchair who drinks a frothy chocolate or little cappa or
juice.
Anyway, a few customers complained that the cups were smaller, and
since they were thinner china than the previous mugs (there's a lot of
stuff to consider in a mug, isn't there...) some said that their drink
went cold quicker, and we also broke a few when boiling water cracked
them. But other customers loved the new mugs.
So I bought another 1076 green mugs. Just to be on the safe side.
Well, the seller was down the road in Bournemouth so I could just
collect a pallet of them. A pallet of green mugs *just* fits in an
Isuzu Bighorn lwb. It was a great deal, too...
I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the
fruit machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need to
break some more, quickly. Turns out that we only really break them in
the winter, when it's cold in the trailer and they get a stress crack
when hot water hits them. In the summer we don't break them, so they
may last longer than I first predicted...I have even sold some to
customers (not June), but probably friends of hers who might have her
round for coffee.
Talking of uniforms - we now have some. We look very corporate.
Matching polo shirts and aprons, with sweatshirts for when it's cold.
And I'll get some matching fleeces for when it's even colder. The
trailer is blue with yellow writing, and so are the uniforms. I was
going to have "Danny's bitches" sewn on the shirts (by request of the
girls) but instead settled for Danny's coffee bar (we've had to slowly
drop "espresso bar") since most people round here can't spell it,
never mind guess what it is. Aren't uniforms expensive? I ordered 5
of each for us three, to save on washing. Quite expensive that was.
£170 per member of staff. No-one can resign now. Especially not
Kelly. Myself and Lucy take the same size (XL), but Kelly is a Very
Small.
Disasters? I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention, or
should that be Frank Sinatra:
Regrets, Ive had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.
I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
Yes, there were times, Im sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way.
Ive loved, Ive laughed and cried.
Ive had my fill; my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.
To think I did all that;
And may I say - not in a shy way,
No, oh no not me,
I did it my way.
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows -
And did it my way!
Sorry about that...but it sort of fitted.
Anyway, the tow bit fell off the trailer. Luckily stationary at 05:40
just after I towed it to work. I noticed the towbar on the car and
the tow socket on the trailer weren't exactly horizontal. Should be
-- looked more like \/ Closer inspection showed some large bolts had
either broken or were ripped through the (overly thin) chassis member
on the trailer. Just as well it's a detachable tow bar. Remove said
item and retire to local engineering workshop for extensive rebuild
with heavier gauge metal and *lots* of really big welds.
New fridge just won't stay upright. Old fridge never moved. New
fridge has fallen over many times. Despite being pop rivetted in 7
places to the trailer. Then same again but with stainless steel
rivets. Then same again but with a restraining strap attached to
trailer walls, which one has to remember to actually attach before
leaving for home. Quality engineering workshop (see above) has looked
at fridge and pronounced the metal skin to be so thin it is merely a
knife edge to cut all pop rivets, so they have manufactured a plate
with bolts welded to it to slot though the fridge and attach to the
bracket. Must fit it soon...
Every night we stow the grinder in the sink before towing home. Most
nights, that is. Arrive at work one morning to find many coffee beans
on floor. Along with many parts of grinder. Favourite Cimbali Cadet
grinder in attractive gold finish. Retire grinder and bring out
replacement ugly Cimbali Cadet in silver. Cimbali Cadet plastic is
expensive. £68 for a hopper.
Double axle trailers shouldn't sway much. Unless they have a slow
puncture in one of the tyres. Then they sway quite impressively.
Since the trailer road lights had also taken on a lifeform of their
own (any/all lights work when they feel like it) and I'd already had a
go at recrimping lots of earth wires I took the whole shebang to the
trailer place and said please fix. Trailer place said "Certainly sir,
please leave lots of money".
Canopy has turned into a hang glider on a couple of occasions when
sudden 80mph gusts came along. I am now very familiar with sail lofts
in the area. "Hold your cups please" was the watchword this last
winter. "Sorry madam" is the current watchword of the summer, as the
canopy strains under the weight of several gallons of rainwater before
unleashing it on the unwary when a gust of wind arrives. Apparently
it's a part of market life, and all customers should be aware of this.
Managed to get to Paris on the bike with Lucy a few times. Actually
got to go to France more than expected after a surprise encounter with
a large lump of metal on the autoroute near Vernon on our way home
once. Turned out to be an expansion joint that had ridden up - a
large length of L shaped metal which after nearly throwing us off gave
us two flat tyres and two dented wheels, with no-one to actually claim
off. Had to leave bike in France to get back to work since there were
no front wheels for a Honda Blackbird anywhere in Honda Europe.
Bought one off Ebay and took it back a few weeks later.
Lucy loves Paris. We stay near the Tour Eiffel, same hotel, coffee
mostly bad anywhere, apart from (surprisingly) the local Italian
restaurant that serves Illy and does a passable cappa. Lucy loves
Italian food. She doesn't like much french food. I did try and get
her to eat something french - Normandie Poulet seemed ok - she liked
chicken, but threatened to send it back if it came to the table with
legs and feathers etc still attached. Of course it won't. Of course
it did. Almost had a head, too. She eats a lot of Italian food now.
And Croque Madame.
Lucy also now likes being on the bike, so I've had to upgrade her
"starter" bike outfit for better kit. New pink helmet and new pink
armoured jacket etc.. Lucy also enjoys buying a bottle of champagne
from the local Tabac and drinking it on the grass by the Tour Eiffel.
Until the 3rd bottle. Then she's ill. And she makes me wear a
beret. Unfortunately it suits me (according to the lady in the tabac,
who spent some time adjusting it so it looked right) and makes me look
like an old french man. Just need to develop a taste for Gitanes.
Ye olde lever machines still rock. Currently have 4 in the kitchen,
including the vintage italian 2 group I discussed here a while back.
Frank at Visacrem kindly sent me a parcel of spare parts, including
replacement steam wands (rare things, these) etc and sets of
group/piston seals, which I am currently too scared to fit. I
understand the Spanish group - just 3 rubber piston rings. Italian
group has about 12 assorted paper and fibre gaskets, which I don't
fully understand. Yet.
My neighbour, Jeff, who has always been very kind in helping with all
things electrical/gas/engineering started texting me pictures of
various stuff that was being de-commissioned where he works. "Do you
want this scale", along with a picture of a superb pharmeceutical
0.000001 gramme accuracy laboratory scale with little doors round it
so the breeze can't upset it. Seemed a shame to see it thrown away,
so it's in the kitchen now. Along with an ultrasound bath. Then
there was the coffee machine. I've never been into filter coffee, but
he came back with a little used commercial machine - Hobart still 3
pint capacity. Ordered some filters and coffee (Ebay, where else),
and we've been drinking Irish coffee every night since (well, a
variation or two, since I don't have or like irish whiskey). We've
tried Cointreau, Tia Maria etc and Lucy even went for cherry brandy
when we'd run out of everything else! She can float the cream like a
pro now. I'd do them in the trailer if I had a drinks licence.
Might do filter in the trailer. It would save pulling many 9oz cups
of esresso/water through the espresso machine for americano's. Just
have to see how many customers like it. Some do ask for a filter
coffee, but we just serve an americano. Any idea how often we should
refresh the filter coffee when it's sat there? I've mad a jug at home
and tried it an hour later and it seemed OK, but I'm not really into
it. In the trailer I guess a jug would be used up before then, and
I'd throw the rest after a suitable period. Answers on a v-postcard.
Jeff also bought home a large water softener. Big blue cylinder with
some automatic flow control valves and an LCD display that auto
regenerates from a massive (wheelie bin) full of salt on a gravel base
that stands next to it. I think I'll plumb it in to the kitchen to
provide softened water for the trailer containers, once I work out how
it works.
Customer update time: We still have old Rose (who, despite looking
like she might pop her clogs imminently likes to fantasise about
stripping firemen (picture please Bernie?). She says goodbye and then
stays chatting to other customers for at least 1/2 hour. Piss B**L
(name preserved), who every single morning arrives for his americano
and toast with Marmite. Lucy says he smells of wee, but I don't
notice it, so she is busy trying to kill him off with ever increasing
amounts of Marmite on his toast, but he seems to love it. (Google
Marmite those of you who don't know about this love-it-or-hate-it
spread, which is usually spread thinly). B**l is from Malta and is
very generous, always offering to buy the ladies a coffee (not bad for
a 70+ year old). We have another regular who always has a suasage
roll with his drink, and always chides us about the less than large
size of said suasage roll. This week we plan to either get some tiny
party snack rolls to serve him, or do the opposite and buy a super
large sausage roll, haven't decided yet. Then there's always that one
annoying customer, the one who always wants his drink a bit different
to how you made it, then leaves a right mess on the counter as he adds
sugar sticks to his special espresso. Lucy worked out that since he
only wants a double espresso, but always says it's too strong, we
should pull a double then fill the remainder of the demitasse with hot
water. It's his "special" drink, which he appears to like now.
Customers are always coming up and ordering "their" drink, made how
"they like it", so we gave up on names, and espie customers by their
drink - "here comes wishy washy tea" "here comes treacle tea" "here
comes weak flat latte man". I guess it imparts a feeling of
belonging, which is exactly what I cherish. These people now go back
a few years, and mothers with babes in arms now have youngsters that
we've seen grow up, and who were brought up on milk heated on the
steam wand. Some people ask us to heat babies' milk, and object to
the use of the steam wand (it's the special babies milk wand,
exclusively for that purpose, nice and shiny), so we politely decline,
not knowing how else to do it, with no microwave etc.
Enough rambling.
--
Regards, Danny
http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
(apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
"Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
news:6bspnpF3djmmeU1@mid.individual,net ...
>I never paid much attention to cups. We have standard logo'd Trucillo
>espresso cups. We have very nice 8 and 10oz cappuccino cups/mugs and we
>have nice 8oz latte glasses. What we use most of, however, are "teacups",
>or mugs. For americanos and for tea. We use a lot of them. I used to use
>10oz mugs from Rayware. They eventually broke and were unreplaceable so I
>had to source an alternative. Queue Ebay search for mugs.
>
> Aren't images subjective or qualitative... They looked nice in the Ebay
> listing, so I bought 72 of them, as a starter, for evaluation, knowing the
> seller had many thousands in stock. In real life they were smaller
> (8/9oz) than they looked in the image, but this could be good, since it
> would save water in the trailer (and espresso machine) and we could brew a
> stronger americano for those that wanted it without pulling another
> double. (We already have a 6oz cup and saucer for those that want a
> strong short coffee). They were also well packed, each in it's own
> bubblewrap pouch and box. Looked like a large order gone wrong - British
> Racing Green they were.
>
> Enter customer, stage right. June hates green. Can't possibly drink out
> of a green mug. Will be physically, violently, sick at the thought of it.
> Will have to drink coffee elsewhere etc etc. No problem, we still have a
> few of the original mugs in a box at home, so I'll dig out a nice blue one
> for June. June is a regular, in a party of 4-6 who come most days for
> most hours. Junes' friends tell me I should get some lovely bright green
> chair cushions, and maybe nice green uniforms would be great too.
>
> They have "their table". Actually, they only have "their table" when they
> can actually get to it, and since they don't get here until 10:30am it's
> actually the Moka ladies table (regulars from 08:45 - 09:30) - party of
> three who drink large Moka's most days. And little Rose in the pushchair
> who drinks a frothy chocolate or little cappa or juice.
>
> Anyway, a few customers complained that the cups were smaller, and since
> they were thinner china than the previous mugs (there's a lot of stuff to
> consider in a mug, isn't there...) some said that their drink went cold
> quicker, and we also broke a few when boiling water cracked them. But
> other customers loved the new mugs.
>
> So I bought another 1076 green mugs. Just to be on the safe side. Well,
> the seller was down the road in Bournemouth so I could just collect a
> pallet of them. A pallet of green mugs *just* fits in an Isuzu Bighorn
> lwb. It was a great deal, too...
>
> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the fruit
> machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need to break
> some more, quickly. Turns out that we only really break them in the
> winter, when it's cold in the trailer and they get a stress crack when hot
> water hits them. In the summer we don't break them, so they may last
> longer than I first predicted...I have even sold some to customers (not
> June), but probably friends of hers who might have her round for coffee.
>
> Talking of uniforms - we now have some. We look very corporate. Matching
> polo shirts and aprons, with sweatshirts for when it's cold. And I'll get
> some matching fleeces for when it's even colder. The trailer is blue with
> yellow writing, and so are the uniforms. I was going to have "Danny's
> bitches" sewn on the shirts (by request of the girls) but instead settled
> for Danny's coffee bar (we've had to slowly drop "espresso bar") since
> most people round here can't spell it, never mind guess what it is.
> Aren't uniforms expensive? I ordered 5 of each for us three, to save on
> washing. Quite expensive that was. £170 per member of staff. No-one can
> resign now. Especially not Kelly. Myself and Lucy take the same size
> (XL), but Kelly is a Very Small.
>
> Disasters? I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention, or should
> that be Frank Sinatra:
>
> Regrets, Ive had a few;
> But then again, too few to mention.
> I did what I had to do
> And saw it through without exemption.
>
> I planned each charted course;
> Each careful step along the byway,
> But more, much more than this,
> I did it my way.
>
> Yes, there were times, Im sure you knew
> When I bit off more than I could chew.
> But through it all, when there was doubt,
> I ate it up and spit it out.
> I faced it all and I stood tall;
> And did it my way.
>
> Ive loved, Ive laughed and cried.
> Ive had my fill; my share of losing.
> And now, as tears subside,
> I find it all so amusing.
>
> To think I did all that;
> And may I say - not in a shy way,
> No, oh no not me,
> I did it my way.
>
> For what is a man, what has he got?
> If not himself, then he has naught.
> To say the things he truly feels;
> And not the words of one who kneels.
> The record shows I took the blows -
> And did it my way!
>
> Sorry about that...but it sort of fitted.
>
> Anyway, the tow bit fell off the trailer. Luckily stationary at 05:40
> just after I towed it to work. I noticed the towbar on the car and the
> tow socket on the trailer weren't exactly horizontal. Should be -- looked
> more like \/ Closer inspection showed some large bolts had either broken
> or were ripped through the (overly thin) chassis member on the trailer.
> Just as well it's a detachable tow bar. Remove said item and retire to
> local engineering workshop for extensive rebuild with heavier gauge metal
> and *lots* of really big welds.
>
> New fridge just won't stay upright. Old fridge never moved. New fridge
> has fallen over many times. Despite being pop rivetted in 7 places to the
> trailer. Then same again but with stainless steel rivets. Then same
> again but with a restraining strap attached to trailer walls, which one
> has to remember to actually attach before leaving for home. Quality
> engineering workshop (see above) has looked at fridge and pronounced the
> metal skin to be so thin it is merely a knife edge to cut all pop rivets,
> so they have manufactured a plate with bolts welded to it to slot though
> the fridge and attach to the bracket. Must fit it soon...
>
> Every night we stow the grinder in the sink before towing home. Most
> nights, that is. Arrive at work one morning to find many coffee beans on
> floor. Along with many parts of grinder. Favourite Cimbali Cadet grinder
> in attractive gold finish. Retire grinder and bring out replacement ugly
> Cimbali Cadet in silver. Cimbali Cadet plastic is expensive. £68 for a
> hopper.
>
> Double axle trailers shouldn't sway much. Unless they have a slow
> puncture in one of the tyres. Then they sway quite impressively. Since
> the trailer road lights had also taken on a lifeform of their own (any/all
> lights work when they feel like it) and I'd already had a go at recrimping
> lots of earth wires I took the whole shebang to the trailer place and said
> please fix. Trailer place said "Certainly sir, please leave lots of
> money".
>
> Canopy has turned into a hang glider on a couple of occasions when sudden
> 80mph gusts came along. I am now very familiar with sail lofts in the
> area. "Hold your cups please" was the watchword this last winter. "Sorry
> madam" is the current watchword of the summer, as the canopy strains under
> the weight of several gallons of rainwater before unleashing it on the
> unwary when a gust of wind arrives. Apparently it's a part of market
> life, and all customers should be aware of this.
>
> Managed to get to Paris on the bike with Lucy a few times. Actually got
> to go to France more than expected after a surprise encounter with a large
> lump of metal on the autoroute near Vernon on our way home once. Turned
> out to be an expansion joint that had ridden up - a large length of L
> shaped metal which after nearly throwing us off gave us two flat tyres and
> two dented wheels, with no-one to actually claim off. Had to leave bike
> in France to get back to work since there were no front wheels for a Honda
> Blackbird anywhere in Honda Europe. Bought one off Ebay and took it back a
> few weeks later.
>
> Lucy loves Paris. We stay near the Tour Eiffel, same hotel, coffee mostly
> bad anywhere, apart from (surprisingly) the local Italian restaurant that
> serves Illy and does a passable cappa. Lucy loves Italian food. She
> doesn't like much french food. I did try and get her to eat something
> french - Normandie Poulet seemed ok - she liked chicken, but threatened to
> send it back if it came to the table with legs and feathers etc still
> attached. Of course it won't. Of course it did. Almost had a head, too.
> She eats a lot of Italian food now. And Croque Madame.
>
> Lucy also now likes being on the bike, so I've had to upgrade her
> "starter" bike outfit for better kit. New pink helmet and new pink
> armoured jacket etc.. Lucy also enjoys buying a bottle of champagne from
> the local Tabac and drinking it on the grass by the Tour Eiffel. Until the
> 3rd bottle. Then she's ill. And she makes me wear a beret.
> Unfortunately it suits me (according to the lady in the tabac, who spent
> some time adjusting it so it looked right) and makes me look like an old
> french man. Just need to develop a taste for Gitanes.
>
> Ye olde lever machines still rock. Currently have 4 in the kitchen,
> including the vintage italian 2 group I discussed here a while back. Frank
> at Visacrem kindly sent me a parcel of spare parts, including replacement
> steam wands (rare things, these) etc and sets of group/piston seals, which
> I am currently too scared to fit. I understand the Spanish group - just 3
> rubber piston rings. Italian group has about 12 assorted paper and fibre
> gaskets, which I don't fully understand. Yet.
>
> My neighbour, Jeff, who has always been very kind in helping with all
> things electrical/gas/engineering started texting me pictures of various
> stuff that was being de-commissioned where he works. "Do you want this
> scale", along with a picture of a superb pharmeceutical 0.000001 gramme
> accuracy laboratory scale with little doors round it so the breeze can't
> upset it. Seemed a shame to see it thrown away, so it's in the kitchen
> now. Along with an ultrasound bath. Then there was the coffee machine.
> I've never been into filter coffee, but he came back with a little used
> commercial machine - Hobart still 3 pint capacity. Ordered some filters
> and coffee (Ebay, where else), and we've been drinking Irish coffee every
> night since (well, a variation or two, since I don't have or like irish
> whiskey). We've tried Cointreau, Tia Maria etc and Lucy even went for
> cherry brandy when we'd run out of everything else! She can float the
> cream like a pro now. I'd do them in the trailer if I had a drinks
> licence.
>
> Might do filter in the trailer. It would save pulling many 9oz cups of
> esresso/water through the espresso machine for americano's. Just have to
> see how many customers like it. Some do ask for a filter coffee, but we
> just serve an americano. Any idea how often we should refresh the filter
> coffee when it's sat there? I've mad a jug at home and tried it an hour
> later and it seemed OK, but I'm not really into it. In the trailer I
> guess a jug would be used up before then, and I'd throw the rest after a
> suitable period. Answers on a v-postcard.
>
> Jeff also bought home a large water softener. Big blue cylinder with some
> automatic flow control valves and an LCD display that auto regenerates
> from a massive (wheelie bin) full of salt on a gravel base that stands
> next to it. I think I'll plumb it in to the kitchen to provide softened
> water for the trailer containers, once I work out how it works.
>
> Customer update time: We still have old Rose (who, despite looking like
> she might pop her clogs imminently likes to fantasise about stripping
> firemen (picture please Bernie?). She says goodbye and then stays
> chatting to other customers for at least 1/2 hour. Piss B**L (name
> preserved), who every single morning arrives for his americano and toast
> with Marmite. Lucy says he smells of wee, but I don't notice it, so she
> is busy trying to kill him off with ever increasing amounts of Marmite on
> his toast, but he seems to love it. (Google Marmite those of you who
> don't know about this love-it-or-hate-it spread, which is usually spread
> thinly). B**l is from Malta and is very generous, always offering to buy
> the ladies a coffee (not bad for a 70+ year old). We have another regular
> who always has a suasage roll with his drink, and always chides us about
> the less than large size of said suasage roll. This week we plan to
> either get some tiny party snack rolls to serve him, or do the opposite
> and buy a super large sausage roll, haven't decided yet. Then there's
> always that one annoying customer, the one who always wants his drink a
> bit different to how you made it, then leaves a right mess on the counter
> as he adds sugar sticks to his special espresso. Lucy worked out that
> since he only wants a double espresso, but always says it's too strong, we
> should pull a double then fill the remainder of the demitasse with hot
> water. It's his "special" drink, which he appears to like now. Customers
> are always coming up and ordering "their" drink, made how "they like it",
> so we gave up on names, and espie customers by their drink - "here comes
> wishy washy tea" "here comes treacle tea" "here comes weak flat latte
> man". I guess it imparts a feeling of belonging, which is exactly what I
> cherish. These people now go back a few years, and mothers with babes in
> arms now have youngsters that we've seen grow up, and who were brought up
> on milk heated on the steam wand. Some people ask us to heat babies'
> milk, and object to the use of the steam wand (it's the special babies
> milk wand, exclusively for that purpose, nice and shiny), so we politely
> decline, not knowing how else to do it, with no microwave etc.
>
> Enough rambling.
>
>
> --
> Regards, Danny
>
> http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
> (apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
>
Great post Danny.......We have really missed them !
Regards, bmc
"Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
news:6bspnpF3djmmeU1@mid.individual,net ...
>I never paid much attention to cups. We have standard logo'd Trucillo
>espresso cups. We have very nice 8 and 10oz cappuccino cups/mugs and we
>have nice 8oz latte glasses. What we use most of, however, are "teacups",
>or mugs. For americanos and for tea. We use a lot of them. I used to use
>10oz mugs from Rayware. They eventually broke and were unreplaceable so I
>had to source an alternative. Queue Ebay search for mugs.
>
> Aren't images subjective or qualitative... They looked nice in the Ebay
> listing, so I bought 72 of them, as a starter, for evaluation, knowing the
> seller had many thousands in stock. In real life they were smaller
> (8/9oz) than they looked in the image, but this could be good, since it
> would save water in the trailer (and espresso machine) and we could brew a
> stronger americano for those that wanted it without pulling another
> double. (We already have a 6oz cup and saucer for those that want a
> strong short coffee). They were also well packed, each in it's own
> bubblewrap pouch and box. Looked like a large order gone wrong - British
> Racing Green they were.
>
> Enter customer, stage right. June hates green. Can't possibly drink out
> of a green mug. Will be physically, violently, sick at the thought of it.
> Will have to drink coffee elsewhere etc etc. No problem, we still have a
> few of the original mugs in a box at home, so I'll dig out a nice blue one
> for June. June is a regular, in a party of 4-6 who come most days for
> most hours. Junes' friends tell me I should get some lovely bright green
> chair cushions, and maybe nice green uniforms would be great too.
>
> They have "their table". Actually, they only have "their table" when they
> can actually get to it, and since they don't get here until 10:30am it's
> actually the Moka ladies table (regulars from 08:45 - 09:30) - party of
> three who drink large Moka's most days. And little Rose in the pushchair
> who drinks a frothy chocolate or little cappa or juice.
>
> Anyway, a few customers complained that the cups were smaller, and since
> they were thinner china than the previous mugs (there's a lot of stuff to
> consider in a mug, isn't there...) some said that their drink went cold
> quicker, and we also broke a few when boiling water cracked them. But
> other customers loved the new mugs.
>
> So I bought another 1076 green mugs. Just to be on the safe side. Well,
> the seller was down the road in Bournemouth so I could just collect a
> pallet of them. A pallet of green mugs *just* fits in an Isuzu Bighorn
> lwb. It was a great deal, too...
>
> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the fruit
> machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need to break
> some more, quickly. Turns out that we only really break them in the
> winter, when it's cold in the trailer and they get a stress crack when hot
> water hits them. In the summer we don't break them, so they may last
> longer than I first predicted...I have even sold some to customers (not
> June), but probably friends of hers who might have her round for coffee.
>
> Talking of uniforms - we now have some. We look very corporate. Matching
> polo shirts and aprons, with sweatshirts for when it's cold. And I'll get
> some matching fleeces for when it's even colder. The trailer is blue with
> yellow writing, and so are the uniforms. I was going to have "Danny's
> bitches" sewn on the shirts (by request of the girls) but instead settled
> for Danny's coffee bar (we've had to slowly drop "espresso bar") since
> most people round here can't spell it, never mind guess what it is.
> Aren't uniforms expensive? I ordered 5 of each for us three, to save on
> washing. Quite expensive that was. £170 per member of staff. No-one can
> resign now. Especially not Kelly. Myself and Lucy take the same size
> (XL), but Kelly is a Very Small.
>
> Disasters? I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention, or should
> that be Frank Sinatra:
>
> Regrets, Ive had a few;
> But then again, too few to mention.
> I did what I had to do
> And saw it through without exemption.
>
> I planned each charted course;
> Each careful step along the byway,
> But more, much more than this,
> I did it my way.
>
> Yes, there were times, Im sure you knew
> When I bit off more than I could chew.
> But through it all, when there was doubt,
> I ate it up and spit it out.
> I faced it all and I stood tall;
> And did it my way.
>
> Ive loved, Ive laughed and cried.
> Ive had my fill; my share of losing.
> And now, as tears subside,
> I find it all so amusing.
>
> To think I did all that;
> And may I say - not in a shy way,
> No, oh no not me,
> I did it my way.
>
> For what is a man, what has he got?
> If not himself, then he has naught.
> To say the things he truly feels;
> And not the words of one who kneels.
> The record shows I took the blows -
> And did it my way!
>
> Sorry about that...but it sort of fitted.
>
> Anyway, the tow bit fell off the trailer. Luckily stationary at 05:40
> just after I towed it to work. I noticed the towbar on the car and the
> tow socket on the trailer weren't exactly horizontal. Should be -- looked
> more like \/ Closer inspection showed some large bolts had either broken
> or were ripped through the (overly thin) chassis member on the trailer.
> Just as well it's a detachable tow bar. Remove said item and retire to
> local engineering workshop for extensive rebuild with heavier gauge metal
> and *lots* of really big welds.
>
> New fridge just won't stay upright. Old fridge never moved. New fridge
> has fallen over many times. Despite being pop rivetted in 7 places to the
> trailer. Then same again but with stainless steel rivets. Then same
> again but with a restraining strap attached to trailer walls, which one
> has to remember to actually attach before leaving for home. Quality
> engineering workshop (see above) has looked at fridge and pronounced the
> metal skin to be so thin it is merely a knife edge to cut all pop rivets,
> so they have manufactured a plate with bolts welded to it to slot though
> the fridge and attach to the bracket. Must fit it soon...
>
> Every night we stow the grinder in the sink before towing home. Most
> nights, that is. Arrive at work one morning to find many coffee beans on
> floor. Along with many parts of grinder. Favourite Cimbali Cadet grinder
> in attractive gold finish. Retire grinder and bring out replacement ugly
> Cimbali Cadet in silver. Cimbali Cadet plastic is expensive. £68 for a
> hopper.
>
> Double axle trailers shouldn't sway much. Unless they have a slow
> puncture in one of the tyres. Then they sway quite impressively. Since
> the trailer road lights had also taken on a lifeform of their own (any/all
> lights work when they feel like it) and I'd already had a go at recrimping
> lots of earth wires I took the whole shebang to the trailer place and said
> please fix. Trailer place said "Certainly sir, please leave lots of
> money".
>
> Canopy has turned into a hang glider on a couple of occasions when sudden
> 80mph gusts came along. I am now very familiar with sail lofts in the
> area. "Hold your cups please" was the watchword this last winter. "Sorry
> madam" is the current watchword of the summer, as the canopy strains under
> the weight of several gallons of rainwater before unleashing it on the
> unwary when a gust of wind arrives. Apparently it's a part of market
> life, and all customers should be aware of this.
>
> Managed to get to Paris on the bike with Lucy a few times. Actually got
> to go to France more than expected after a surprise encounter with a large
> lump of metal on the autoroute near Vernon on our way home once. Turned
> out to be an expansion joint that had ridden up - a large length of L
> shaped metal which after nearly throwing us off gave us two flat tyres and
> two dented wheels, with no-one to actually claim off. Had to leave bike
> in France to get back to work since there were no front wheels for a Honda
> Blackbird anywhere in Honda Europe. Bought one off Ebay and took it back a
> few weeks later.
>
> Lucy loves Paris. We stay near the Tour Eiffel, same hotel, coffee mostly
> bad anywhere, apart from (surprisingly) the local Italian restaurant that
> serves Illy and does a passable cappa. Lucy loves Italian food. She
> doesn't like much french food. I did try and get her to eat something
> french - Normandie Poulet seemed ok - she liked chicken, but threatened to
> send it back if it came to the table with legs and feathers etc still
> attached. Of course it won't. Of course it did. Almost had a head, too.
> She eats a lot of Italian food now. And Croque Madame.
>
> Lucy also now likes being on the bike, so I've had to upgrade her
> "starter" bike outfit for better kit. New pink helmet and new pink
> armoured jacket etc.. Lucy also enjoys buying a bottle of champagne from
> the local Tabac and drinking it on the grass by the Tour Eiffel. Until the
> 3rd bottle. Then she's ill. And she makes me wear a beret.
> Unfortunately it suits me (according to the lady in the tabac, who spent
> some time adjusting it so it looked right) and makes me look like an old
> french man. Just need to develop a taste for Gitanes.
>
> Ye olde lever machines still rock. Currently have 4 in the kitchen,
> including the vintage italian 2 group I discussed here a while back. Frank
> at Visacrem kindly sent me a parcel of spare parts, including replacement
> steam wands (rare things, these) etc and sets of group/piston seals, which
> I am currently too scared to fit. I understand the Spanish group - just 3
> rubber piston rings. Italian group has about 12 assorted paper and fibre
> gaskets, which I don't fully understand. Yet.
>
> My neighbour, Jeff, who has always been very kind in helping with all
> things electrical/gas/engineering started texting me pictures of various
> stuff that was being de-commissioned where he works. "Do you want this
> scale", along with a picture of a superb pharmeceutical 0.000001 gramme
> accuracy laboratory scale with little doors round it so the breeze can't
> upset it. Seemed a shame to see it thrown away, so it's in the kitchen
> now. Along with an ultrasound bath. Then there was the coffee machine.
> I've never been into filter coffee, but he came back with a little used
> commercial machine - Hobart still 3 pint capacity. Ordered some filters
> and coffee (Ebay, where else), and we've been drinking Irish coffee every
> night since (well, a variation or two, since I don't have or like irish
> whiskey). We've tried Cointreau, Tia Maria etc and Lucy even went for
> cherry brandy when we'd run out of everything else! She can float the
> cream like a pro now. I'd do them in the trailer if I had a drinks
> licence.
>
> Might do filter in the trailer. It would save pulling many 9oz cups of
> esresso/water through the espresso machine for americano's. Just have to
> see how many customers like it. Some do ask for a filter coffee, but we
> just serve an americano. Any idea how often we should refresh the filter
> coffee when it's sat there? I've mad a jug at home and tried it an hour
> later and it seemed OK, but I'm not really into it. In the trailer I
> guess a jug would be used up before then, and I'd throw the rest after a
> suitable period. Answers on a v-postcard.
>
> Jeff also bought home a large water softener. Big blue cylinder with some
> automatic flow control valves and an LCD display that auto regenerates
> from a massive (wheelie bin) full of salt on a gravel base that stands
> next to it. I think I'll plumb it in to the kitchen to provide softened
> water for the trailer containers, once I work out how it works.
>
> Customer update time: We still have old Rose (who, despite looking like
> she might pop her clogs imminently likes to fantasise about stripping
> firemen (picture please Bernie?). She says goodbye and then stays
> chatting to other customers for at least 1/2 hour. Piss B**L (name
> preserved), who every single morning arrives for his americano and toast
> with Marmite. Lucy says he smells of wee, but I don't notice it, so she
> is busy trying to kill him off with ever increasing amounts of Marmite on
> his toast, but he seems to love it. (Google Marmite those of you who
> don't know about this love-it-or-hate-it spread, which is usually spread
> thinly). B**l is from Malta and is very generous, always offering to buy
> the ladies a coffee (not bad for a 70+ year old). We have another regular
> who always has a suasage roll with his drink, and always chides us about
> the less than large size of said suasage roll. This week we plan to
> either get some tiny party snack rolls to serve him, or do the opposite
> and buy a super large sausage roll, haven't decided yet. Then there's
> always that one annoying customer, the one who always wants his drink a
> bit different to how you made it, then leaves a right mess on the counter
> as he adds sugar sticks to his special espresso. Lucy worked out that
> since he only wants a double espresso, but always says it's too strong, we
> should pull a double then fill the remainder of the demitasse with hot
> water. It's his "special" drink, which he appears to like now. Customers
> are always coming up and ordering "their" drink, made how "they like it",
> so we gave up on names, and espie customers by their drink - "here comes
> wishy washy tea" "here comes treacle tea" "here comes weak flat latte
> man". I guess it imparts a feeling of belonging, which is exactly what I
> cherish. These people now go back a few years, and mothers with babes in
> arms now have youngsters that we've seen grow up, and who were brought up
> on milk heated on the steam wand. Some people ask us to heat babies'
> milk, and object to the use of the steam wand (it's the special babies
> milk wand, exclusively for that purpose, nice and shiny), so we politely
> decline, not knowing how else to do it, with no microwave etc.
>
> Enough rambling.
>
>
> --
> Regards, Danny
>
> http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
> (apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
>
Great post Danny.......We have really missed them !
Regards, bmc
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
"Brian Colwell" <bmcolwell@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:Bzc6k.36221$gc5.8434@pd7urf2no...
>
"Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
news:6bspnpF3djmmeU1@mid.individual,net ...
Piggybacking off of Brian's post since the original didn't show up on my
server.
Great stuff Danny. Make's me want to come back and actually see you in
operation.
Gary
"Brian Colwell" <bmcolwell@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:Bzc6k.36221$gc5.8434@pd7urf2no...
>
"Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
news:6bspnpF3djmmeU1@mid.individual,net ...
Piggybacking off of Brian's post since the original didn't show up on my
server.
Great stuff Danny. Make's me want to come back and actually see you in
operation.
Gary
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
On Jun 18, 11:00 am, Danny <da...@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote:
<snip>
Thanks for the post Danny.
btw. Bernie was asking about you a couple of weeks back.
Shane
On Jun 18, 11:00 am, Danny <da...@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote:
<snip>
Thanks for the post Danny.
btw. Bernie was asking about you a couple of weeks back.
Shane
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:00:36 +0100, Danny
<danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote:
>
>Enough rambling.
We haven't had enough rambling from you lately. Thanks for the
update.
North Sullivan
On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:00:36 +0100, Danny
<danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote:
>
>Enough rambling.
We haven't had enough rambling from you lately. Thanks for the
update.
North Sullivan
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
Wonderful Danny. Missed your ramblings. Of course now I would love
photos of trailer, treacle tea, green mugs, uniforms, canopy, and Mr
B***I and all other great details.
Take care- half way around the world from me.
with aloha,
Cea
roast beans to kona to email
farmers of Pure Kona
Wonderful Danny. Missed your ramblings. Of course now I would love
photos of trailer, treacle tea, green mugs, uniforms, canopy, and Mr
B***I and all other great details.
Take care- half way around the world from me.
with aloha,
Cea
roast beans to kona to email
farmers of Pure Kona
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
beans@smithfarms,com wrote:
> Wonderful Danny. Missed your ramblings. Of course now I would love
> photos of trailer, treacle tea, green mugs, uniforms, canopy, and Mr
> B***I and all other great details.
>
> Take care- half way around the world from me.
>
> with aloha,
> Cea
> roast beans to kona to email
> farmers of Pure Kona
I'll try and get some pics put up on the website... Thanks.
--
Regards, Danny
http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
(apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
beans@smithfarms,com wrote:
> Wonderful Danny. Missed your ramblings. Of course now I would love
> photos of trailer, treacle tea, green mugs, uniforms, canopy, and Mr
> B***I and all other great details.
>
> Take care- half way around the world from me.
>
> with aloha,
> Cea
> roast beans to kona to email
> farmers of Pure Kona
I'll try and get some pics put up on the website... Thanks.
--
Regards, Danny
http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
(apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
"Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
news:6bspnpF3djmmeU1@mid.individual,net ...
Some people ask us to heat babies' milk, and object to
> the use of the steam wand (it's the special babies milk wand, exclusively
> for that purpose, nice and shiny), so we politely decline, not knowing how
> else to do it, with no microwave etc.
>
> Enough rambling.
>
As the others said, great post, thanks.
Remembering from when I was a new parent, my wife would not have been too
keen on dipping a steam wand in the baby's bottle either. I would think
that the wand would be largely self sterilizing because it gets so hot, but
again new mothers are usually worried about their precious charges and err
on the side of caution, at least with the first child. By the time you get
round to the later ones you let them eat things that have fallen on the
ground and so on and they grow up just the same.
So, what I would suggest is filling a receptacle (e.g. a 1 quart stainless
or plastic container or cup, tall and narrow shape) part way with hot water
from the steam boiler (not so much that it overflows when you drop the
bottle in) and then steeping the bottle in the hot water until it was warm.
You could speed this up by bringing the water in the container back to a
full boil with the steam wand. You could do an experiment with how much
hot water you need and how long you need to steep to get a baby's bottle
from fridge or room temp to the recommended serving temperature (body temp,
naturally, 37C/98F) . Or you could just hand the container of hot water to
the mom and let her control how long she wants to steep the bottle (fewer
lawsuits that way). IIRC, this is really the recommended method for
warming bottles - the microwave is dangerous because it can heat very
unevenly so you could have a mixture of cold and scorching pockets in the
same bottle.
"Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
news:6bspnpF3djmmeU1@mid.individual,net ...
Some people ask us to heat babies' milk, and object to
> the use of the steam wand (it's the special babies milk wand, exclusively
> for that purpose, nice and shiny), so we politely decline, not knowing how
> else to do it, with no microwave etc.
>
> Enough rambling.
>
As the others said, great post, thanks.
Remembering from when I was a new parent, my wife would not have been too
keen on dipping a steam wand in the baby's bottle either. I would think
that the wand would be largely self sterilizing because it gets so hot, but
again new mothers are usually worried about their precious charges and err
on the side of caution, at least with the first child. By the time you get
round to the later ones you let them eat things that have fallen on the
ground and so on and they grow up just the same.
So, what I would suggest is filling a receptacle (e.g. a 1 quart stainless
or plastic container or cup, tall and narrow shape) part way with hot water
from the steam boiler (not so much that it overflows when you drop the
bottle in) and then steeping the bottle in the hot water until it was warm.
You could speed this up by bringing the water in the container back to a
full boil with the steam wand. You could do an experiment with how much
hot water you need and how long you need to steep to get a baby's bottle
from fridge or room temp to the recommended serving temperature (body temp,
naturally, 37C/98F) . Or you could just hand the container of hot water to
the mom and let her control how long she wants to steep the bottle (fewer
lawsuits that way). IIRC, this is really the recommended method for
warming bottles - the microwave is dangerous because it can heat very
unevenly so you could have a mixture of cold and scorching pockets in the
same bottle.
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
Jack Denver wrote:
>
> "Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
> news:6bspnpF3djmmeU1@mid.individual,net ...
> Some people ask us to heat babies' milk, and object to
>
>> the use of the steam wand (it's the special babies milk wand,
>> exclusively for that purpose, nice and shiny), so we politely decline,
>> not knowing how else to do it, with no microwave etc.
>>
>> Enough rambling.
>>
> As the others said, great post, thanks.
>
> Remembering from when I was a new parent, my wife would not have been
> too keen on dipping a steam wand in the baby's bottle either. I would
> think that the wand would be largely self sterilizing because it gets so
> hot, but again new mothers are usually worried about their precious
> charges and err on the side of caution, at least with the first child.
> By the time you get round to the later ones you let them eat things that
> have fallen on the ground and so on and they grow up just the same.
>
> So, what I would suggest is filling a receptacle (e.g. a 1 quart
> stainless or plastic container or cup, tall and narrow shape) part way
> with hot water from the steam boiler (not so much that it overflows when
> you drop the bottle in) and then steeping the bottle in the hot water
> until it was warm. You could speed this up by bringing the water in the
> container back to a full boil with the steam wand. You could do an
> experiment with how much hot water you need and how long you need to
> steep to get a baby's bottle from fridge or room temp to the recommended
> serving temperature (body temp, naturally, 37C/98F) . Or you could just
> hand the container of hot water to the mom and let her control how long
> she wants to steep the bottle (fewer lawsuits that way). IIRC, this is
> really the recommended method for warming bottles - the microwave is
> dangerous because it can heat very unevenly so you could have a mixture
> of cold and scorching pockets in the same bottle.
We do that sometimes - yesterday it cost us two litres of boiling
water from the machine, which is a lot when you have a finite supply
of water for the day (currently 25 gallons).
--
Regards, Danny
http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
(apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
Jack Denver wrote:
>
> "Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
> news:6bspnpF3djmmeU1@mid.individual,net ...
> Some people ask us to heat babies' milk, and object to
>
>> the use of the steam wand (it's the special babies milk wand,
>> exclusively for that purpose, nice and shiny), so we politely decline,
>> not knowing how else to do it, with no microwave etc.
>>
>> Enough rambling.
>>
> As the others said, great post, thanks.
>
> Remembering from when I was a new parent, my wife would not have been
> too keen on dipping a steam wand in the baby's bottle either. I would
> think that the wand would be largely self sterilizing because it gets so
> hot, but again new mothers are usually worried about their precious
> charges and err on the side of caution, at least with the first child.
> By the time you get round to the later ones you let them eat things that
> have fallen on the ground and so on and they grow up just the same.
>
> So, what I would suggest is filling a receptacle (e.g. a 1 quart
> stainless or plastic container or cup, tall and narrow shape) part way
> with hot water from the steam boiler (not so much that it overflows when
> you drop the bottle in) and then steeping the bottle in the hot water
> until it was warm. You could speed this up by bringing the water in the
> container back to a full boil with the steam wand. You could do an
> experiment with how much hot water you need and how long you need to
> steep to get a baby's bottle from fridge or room temp to the recommended
> serving temperature (body temp, naturally, 37C/98F) . Or you could just
> hand the container of hot water to the mom and let her control how long
> she wants to steep the bottle (fewer lawsuits that way). IIRC, this is
> really the recommended method for warming bottles - the microwave is
> dangerous because it can heat very unevenly so you could have a mixture
> of cold and scorching pockets in the same bottle.
We do that sometimes - yesterday it cost us two litres of boiling
water from the machine, which is a lot when you have a finite supply
of water for the day (currently 25 gallons).
--
Regards, Danny
http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
(apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
"Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
news:6c1bbsF3em7t4U1@mid.individual,net ...
>
>
> We do that sometimes - yesterday it cost us two litres of boiling water
> from the machine, which is a lot when you have a finite supply of water
> for the day (currently 25 gallons).
>
> --
> Regards, Danny
>
Not to mention the energy cost of heating that water to boiling. I suppose
if you were doing 10 or 20 of these a day it might be a problem but one or
two doesn't seem like a big deal. Is there no public tap at the market where
you can top off your water tank?
"Danny" <danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso,com > wrote in message
news:6c1bbsF3em7t4U1@mid.individual,net ...
>
>
> We do that sometimes - yesterday it cost us two litres of boiling water
> from the machine, which is a lot when you have a finite supply of water
> for the day (currently 25 gallons).
>
> --
> Regards, Danny
>
Not to mention the energy cost of heating that water to boiling. I suppose
if you were doing 10 or 20 of these a day it might be a problem but one or
two doesn't seem like a big deal. Is there no public tap at the market where
you can top off your water tank?
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
Danny wrote:
>
> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the fruit
> machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need to break
> some more, quickly.
Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much
for 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
Danny wrote:
>
> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the fruit
> machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need to break
> some more, quickly.
Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much
for 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
"Moka Java" <rtwatches@fishyahoo,com > wrote in message
news:6btae7F3cjm7sU1@mid.individual,net ...
>
> Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much for
> 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
One would hope that its not THIS kind of "fruit machine":
http :// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit machine
>
"Moka Java" <rtwatches@fishyahoo,com > wrote in message
news:6btae7F3cjm7sU1@mid.individual,net ...
>
> Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much for
> 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
One would hope that its not THIS kind of "fruit machine":
http :// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit machine
>
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
Moka Java wrote:
> Danny wrote:
>
>>
>> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the
>> fruit machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need to
>> break some more, quickly.
>
>
> Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much
> for 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
>
Fruit machine, AKA "one armed bandit" like this:
< http :// cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270246005486>
I would love to sell some mugs, but they have a tendency to crack when
filled with boiling water, so caveat emptor etc etc...
--
Regards, Danny
http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
(apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
Moka Java wrote:
> Danny wrote:
>
>>
>> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the
>> fruit machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need to
>> break some more, quickly.
>
>
> Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much
> for 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
>
Fruit machine, AKA "one armed bandit" like this:
< http :// cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270246005486>
I would love to sell some mugs, but they have a tendency to crack when
filled with boiling water, so caveat emptor etc etc...
--
Regards, Danny
http :// www .gaggia-espresso,com (a purely hobby site)
(apparently bad grammar but I like it that way...)
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
Danny wrote:
> Moka Java wrote:
>> Danny wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the
>>> fruit machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need
>>> to break some more, quickly.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much
>> for 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
>>
>
> Fruit machine, AKA "one armed bandit" like this:
>
> < http :// cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item'0246005486>
>
> I would love to sell some mugs, but they have a tendency to crack when
> filled with boiling water, so caveat emptor etc etc...
>
I sent you an email. I'll take my chances since the kitchen here rarely
goes below freezing.
Danny wrote:
> Moka Java wrote:
>> Danny wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the
>>> fruit machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need
>>> to break some more, quickly.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much
>> for 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
>>
>
> Fruit machine, AKA "one armed bandit" like this:
>
> < http :// cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item'0246005486>
>
> I would love to sell some mugs, but they have a tendency to crack when
> filled with boiling water, so caveat emptor etc etc...
>
I sent you an email. I'll take my chances since the kitchen here rarely
goes below freezing.
Re: Sitting in a field - the cups of the matter...
Danny wrote:
> Moka Java wrote:
>> Danny wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the
>>> fruit machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need
>>> to break some more, quickly.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much
>> for 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
>>
>
> Fruit machine, AKA "one armed bandit" like this:
>
> < http :// cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item'0246005486>
>
> I would love to sell some mugs, but they have a tendency to crack when
> filled with boiling water, so caveat emptor etc etc...
>
Danny,
Is there some trick to sending an email to you?
R "stumped" TF
Danny wrote:
> Moka Java wrote:
>> Danny wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I have boxes of mugs everywhere. Under the carport. Next to the
>>> fruit machine in the kitchen. Under the dining room table. I need
>>> to break some more, quickly.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for sharing. Do you want to sell some of those mugs? How much
>> for 4 with shipping to NY? BTW, what is the "fruit machine"?
>>
>
> Fruit machine, AKA "one armed bandit" like this:
>
> < http :// cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item'0246005486>
>
> I would love to sell some mugs, but they have a tendency to crack when
> filled with boiling water, so caveat emptor etc etc...
>
Danny,
Is there some trick to sending an email to you?
R "stumped" TF
