Second day of another relaxation of lockdown.
I expected many people in town. Outside Bus Station busy but elsewhere not
A hot day. Hottest day of the year, 25C in Kew Gardens.
Back way up Steep Hill.
Fish n chips from Elite and the Bail.
Back down Steep Hill.
Cappuccino at Coffee Aroma.
Lawns last mowed end of February, mower then went in for a service.
Lawns mowed again yesterday. Very warm for end of March, strong winds blowing in warm air.
London today, 20.4C. Warmest day of the year.
Mowing the lawns this morning, shorts only.
Sat outside later reading
In flower, hyacinths daffodils, tulips appearing in flower.
Plum tree was in full blossom last week, already gone over.
Can an Nespresso machine brew excellent coffee?
Yes and no.
A couple of years ago at The Underdog, i was shocked to find a Nespresso machine. I was offered a coffee from the machine. I am no great fan of espresso, I find too strong, too harsh, but an excellent coffee, I will enjoy,. My reaction on what I was given was wow, I could not believe how good. A 60 euro Nespresso machine was capable of brewing excellent coffee, but not using original Nespresso capsules. The capsules, Panama Geisha, 30 euros for 18 capsules.
A couple of days later I was at the flagship Nespresso store in Kolanaki. I asked for their best coffee. I was served vile undrinkable coffee. I learnt internally all the Nespresso machines were the same.
Two things therefore learnt, the cheapest Nespresso machine can brew excellent coffee, if and only if, use high quality coffee from third party coffee roasteries.
But we can go one better, an Opal One.
Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood has given further food for thought on the use of capsules.
Capsules offer optimum grind, optimum freshness, in an oxygen-free environment. The design of the capsule determines the flow rate and extraction.
On unboxing, \i thought a little gaget was missing. I found in the bin for spent capsules. Tis si uded to prime the OPal One.
But first, rinse out the water tank with tap water a couokle of times.
Next fusg through on hearting cycle.
I was going to calibate but tgen thoughtm let;s slect short espereoss to flushm weigh what comes out.
Driop ray removed, cu in place on Hario scales.
Over 30g need to calibarte.
Refiled water tank with M&S Highland Water.
Popped in a compsotable caplue from Kiss the Hippo, Georde Street blends.
Watching the coffee to put through as would expect lovely brown coulour, no evidence of channeling or bypassing the vcapsule.
I found too strong and harsh. At this conjuctite a confession, I am no gteat fan of espresso, but will enjoy an expetional coffee.
Extarction only 17.5g.
My first mistake, I calinated with no capsule in palce.
I reste the machien to factory settings. Then set to highest tempratture setting.
Annoying kn way ko knowing yemperarture or pressure.
Another George St blend from Kiss the Hippo.
THis tiem clse as I would get if I ewere to calibate to 25g.
I agan fiind stron and harsh. How it comaspres with Georde St blend serves as eszpresso at Kiss the Hippo in George Street in Richmond do not know.
SEcond mistake I made, I did no shake the capsule as recommended by Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood .
Three boxes earlier this month from Colonna.
All boxes have remained untouched until yesterday.
Yesterday it was open the coffee, today it was open
Inside large brown box
My missing bag of coffee Yesterday, until I double checked my order, I thought I was mistaken that I had not only ordered Nespresso capsules, but also a bag of coffee for comparison,
A read of the manual, use I will try for another day.
My initial impression on taking the Opal One out of its box was cheap plastic construction.
— to be continued —
Another example of the evil that is Nestle. Employment of child slave labour on cacao plantations.
Nestle, Cargill, Mars, Mondelēz, Hershey, Barry Callebaut, and Olam are co-defenders in class action brought by former child slaves on cacao plantations.
Children as young as 11 are being trafficked into slavery, harvesting cocoa for global corporations Nestle, Mars, and Hershey.
Tenimba was only 11 years old when a trafficker lured him from his home in Mali to a cocoa plantation in Ivory Coast. He was promised good pay and care. Instead, he worked every day for two years with no pay, no medical care, and no safety measures.
Today there are over 1.5 million child slaves like Tenimba, losing their childhood to supply cocoa to some of the world’s wealthiest global corporations, companies like Nestle, Mars, and Hershey.
Tenimba and seven other former child slaves have brought a lawsuit against these corporations, hoping to get justice for themselves and hundreds of thousands of others.
And do not be fooled by Tony’s Chocolonely, they source low quality industrial chocolate from Barry Callebau, then re-brand it.
Please support bean-to-bar chocolate makers, support small producers who care, who buy direct trade, pay producers higher prices than FairTrade scam, and produce quality chocolate not poor quality industrial chocolate.
From Bean to Bar, a whimsical tour of bean-to-bar chocolate makers in Great Britain, is an excellent guide to quality chocolate.
Those taking the action are reliant on funding to successfully conclude this case. Please give them your support.
Note: Mindful Chef a Nestle company, paranoid any mention of Nestlé on their social media posts.
Three boxes earlier this month from Colonna.
All boxes have remained untouched until today.
Today it was open
Boxes of capsules, aluminium and compostable, a device for extracting spent coffee from the aluminium capsules.
I was expecting a bag of coffee. Nada. I checked my order. Yes, a bag of coffee.
Note: I found my bag of coffee in a different box.
I do not know why, but I was expecting a long slim metal tool. No, a tacky cheap plastic device. Functional? I do not know.
Next, open box, set up Opal One, try capsules. Then Peak water filter, but first try with bottled spring water.
Coffee is seasonal. Colonna change what is on offer every few months to reflect the changing seasons.
Part of a series, The Kitchen Counter Coffee Shop.
A lovely warm sunny spring day, though in the shade, in the wind, cool.
Lincoln Central Bus Station deserted.
Back way up Steep Hill.
I look in Bookstop Cafe. Cafe was closed on Tuesday. Thanked for directing a delivery on Tuesday to Imperial Teas. I ask why do not have some of the items from Imperial Teas on sale. Good idea. Do not know. But hopefully will be open within a couple of weeks.
Shop selling Lincolnshire produce not open. Last time I passed by said open Thursday Friday and Saturday,
Look in Lincoln Eco Pantry. I recommend from where to obtain pasta. Also suggest jute bags from Stokes at the Lawn, make into tote bags.
I learn from Redhill Farm Shop that a farmers market did not take place last weekend. This is the third month no farmers market.
Fish n chips from Elite on the Bail.
Excellent cappuccino from Coffee Aroma.
Surprised to find specialty coffee on sale in M&S. Though they have started selling single origin chocolate. Out of curiosity I pick up a bag, Rwanda Sholi.
I have missed the bus, I take my time, have a wander around.
Peanut butter. Bulked out with sunflower oil and palm oil. Coconut milk, additives. That from Riverford coconut milk, nothing else.
No till manned, not a single till manned. A lady beckons me over to the self-service and check through the shopping.
I raise with a suit. I am told I am at fault for not getting a member of staff to man the tills. Easy to see why M&S a failing retailer service an alien concept.
— to be continued —
Slightly followed the Riverford recipe but guided by Jamie Oliver.
Splash of cold-pressed extra virgin rapeseed oil, sliced mushrooms, added to hot pan.
Then take out of the pan, add strips of beef.
Brown both sides of the strips of beef, return to the pan the mushrooms, then add the other ingresses, white wine splosh of hot water, simmer, add creme fraiche.
For the mashed potatoes I cheated. Colcannon mashed potatoes from M&S.
Plate the mash potatoes, add contents of the pan.
No resemblance to beef or mushroom stroganoff nevertheless tasty.
I only used about half of the cabbage, the creme fraiche, together with the potatoes, save for another dish.
Last Friday I found a couple of women chalking on the street.
Why I do not know, and lacked the time to stop and ask.
Later at the weekend I learnt on Look North they were writing of their own experience of sexual harassment, then on Monday, one spoke of whilst she was writing she was being abused and harassed by men passing by, which only served to underline the point they were making.
Lincoln City Council have stated they will not wash off the messages. How generous (I am being sarcastic).
In a recent survey, 97% of women claim they have been sexually harassed or abused, and as some of the messages showed, often from a very early age whilst they were still children. Not a very good reflection of society and how women are treated.
The vigil for Sarah Everard the previous weekend, many of those present told similar stories. The vigil was broken up by heavy-handed Met Police, many of the women assaulted. Sarah Everard, on the same day, a serving Met Police Officer appeared in Court charged with her kidnap and murder.
A couple of days ago, a serving police officer, a different police force, received a slap on the wrist for attacking a woman as she walked home, the police force dragged their feet investigating the attack.
I found yesterday, messages on Steep Hill as I walked down, many more when I reached the High Street.
Eight passengers on the bus.
Main display in Lincoln Central Bus Station finally working, has been out of action for weeks.
Back way up Steep Hill.
Look in Lincoln Eco Pantry. Show them KaffeeForm espresso cup made from spent coffee grounds. I suggest float the idea, then if a demand, order a few. I drop op a bag of coffee from Coffee Gems, recommend they order.
I was not going to but decide to have fish n chips from Elite on the Bail.
I was going to walk around to Stokes at the Lawn, but turned cold.
Cold walking down Steep Hill.
Stopped on the way down and had a chat with a girl who looked lost.
s
On Steep Hill, chalked description of sexual harassment. More when I got down to the High Street.
Cappuccino at Coffee Aroma.
Vehicles driving through the High Street. Pedestrianised city centre ignored, no enforcement.
It is getting ridiculous, gangs of schoolkids hanging around outside the bus station no social distancing.
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