What use a coffee scoop?

That was my thought at a zero waste stall. Why use, what use a bamboo coffee scoop?

What use a coffee scoop? #coffee pic.twitter.com/24y49FcIEN

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 31, 2021

I take the point from the little experiment carried out by James Hoffman, consistency if take care, but consistency of what, an unknown, unknowable scoop of coffee? And it would vary with grind size and the coffee beans, for example if the beans were peaberry.

April brewer #coffee #filtercoffee @misakouroco pic.twitter.com/gvdiixex6w

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 31, 2021

I brewed a pour over using an April brewer. I followed the recommendation of Patrick Rolf, 12g of coffee, 200g of water, first pour 50g circular pour 50g centre pour within 10 seconds, wait 40 seconds, repeat. Total brew time two minutes thirty seconds. How to without digital scales and an accurate timer? Not possible using a scoop.

I cannot see any use for a scoop. I cannot see why provided with an Aeropress. It leads to sloppy brewing, lack of consistency.

Zero waste shops: Refill shampoo bottles, loose nuts, rice, cereals, spices. But never buy loose coffee. Stale oxidized beans of unknown provenance, roasted who knows when. Always buy coffee from specialty coffee shop or reputable coffee roastery.

Lincoln coronavirus free for all day twelve

Torrential downpour early hours of the morning, again mid-afternoon.

Damn, forgot mask. Feel guilty catching bus no mask.

First stop, Coop pharmacy to buy a mask.

No outdoor fruit and veg stall. Coffee van absent.

stale coffee beans Jackalope Joe #coffee pic.twitter.com/shlaiztUja

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 31, 2021

Bag of coffee Jackalope Joe from Central Market. Usually lovely aroma from a bag of coffee. Nothing, dead. Not tried brewing but is it even worth trying?

Problem appears to be the paper bag. Strong smell of paper. Nothing else. Open the bag, which I would not usually do unless about to brew as coffee quickly goes stale once opened, literally within days. Nothing, nada, other than smell of paper. Dead, flat, stale coffee. The reason for this easily explained, the paper bag porous. Totally useless for coffee.

Interesting, coffee a pound cheaper on the market than ordering direct from website. Not that I would recommend.

Eye test. All ok.

Heavy torrential rain.

cappuccino #Rwanda 200 Degrees Sincil Street #Lincoln #coffee pic.twitter.com/OtdIVr8kUq

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 31, 2021

Cappuccino in 200 Degrees to shelter from the rain. Busy when I arrive, empty when I leave.

Cappuccino guest coffee Rawanda in correct size cup for cappuccino.

Faith in Nature and Bio D 20% discount #soap #shampoo #Oxfam #OxfamBookshop pic.twitter.com/egOzUis1Po

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 31, 2021

Pick up washing up liquid, laundry liquid and soap from Oxfam Bookshop. Until I saw in Oxfam shop yesterday I had never come across Bio D.

Mowing lawns before storm hits

Heavy rain yesterday, a storm tomorrow, mow the lawns whilst the grass is dry.

Faith in Nature offering big discounts to Big Business

Faith in Nature not playing fair. Big Business offered big discounts, the retail price less than what Indy retailers paying.

Plastic Free July drawing to an end. It is reasonable to expect Faith in Nature to be supporting small businesses that buy in bulk, offer refill, reducing plastic pollution. But apparently not.

Faith in Nature 20% off https://t.co/OCDF4ycDVG #Oxfam #FaithInNature #BioD #shampoo #soap #PlasticFreeJuly

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 30, 2021

Oxfam Shop, Faith in Nature and Bio D (not encountered before) 20% off.

Next I visit a zero waste shop to refill with Ecoleaf washing up liquid (Suma own brand) to learn the 20% off is cheaper than the zero waste shop can obtain from Faith in Nature.

Something very wrong here. Plastic Free July, encourage less use of plastic, but not Faith in Nature who would rather encourage use of plastic by offering big discount to Big Business charity but not to local Indy businesses.

Bio D very strong containers, made from recycled plastic. Very good for reuse and refilling. What are the contents like? That I do not know. Nor do I know if supply in bulk for refill.

• PHOTOS Faith in Nature and Bio D

Lincoln coronavirus free for all day eleven

Cooler than of late, though not cold and not raining.

Faith in Nature 20% off https://t.co/OCDF4ycDVG #Oxfam #FaithInNature #BioD #shampoo #soap #PlasticFreeJuly

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 30, 2021

Oxfam Shop, Faith in Nature and Bio D (not encountered before) 20% off.

Next I visit a zero waste shop to refill with Ecoleaf washing up liquid (Suma own brand). Learn the 20% off is cheaper than the zero waste shop can obtain from Faith in Nature.

Something very wrong here. Plastic Free July, encourage less use of plastic, but not Faith in Nature who would rather encourage use of plastic by offering big discount to Big Business charity but not to local Indy businesses.

Bio D very strong containers, made from recycled plastic. Very good for reuse and refilling. What are the contents like? That I do not know. Nor do I know if supply in bulk.

haddock and chips Elite on the Bail https://t.co/gVEqs8hVIc #fishnchips #Bailgate #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 30, 2021

espresso Madame Waffle https://t.co/bbJqUkxLBN #espesso #coffee #LincolnCoffeeTrail #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 30, 2021

Lunch at Elite on the Bail.

Espresso at Madame Waffle.

Mushroom stroganoff

Mushroom stroganoff is a variation of beef stroganoff where mushrooms substitute for strips of beef.

Chop one large onion, slice into strips Portobello and chestnut mushrooms.

Frying pan, medium heat, cold pressed extra virgin rapeseed oil, toss in chopped onion, fry for ten minutes.

Add mushrooms, fry for a couple of minutes. Mushrooms will fill the pan, but will reduce down.

Basmati rice, add water, add salt, bring to the boil, summer.

Add chopped clove of garlic to mushrooms.

Add paprika and smoked paprika to mushrooms.

Add white wine. Leave to bubble for a minute or two.

Add double cream.

Add parsley.

Serve with chives and any left over parsley.

Criticism and mistakes. I have a few.

I should have gone out and bought the iingredients.

Riverford delivered yesterday. In the rain, but at least covered the box to stop getting wet.

Portobello mushrooms bruised and damaged. Careless packing.

Big mistake of Rverford to pander to vegans substituting soya fake cream for double cream. This ruins an otherwise excellent dish.

A big mistake on my part to use the soya crap.

Last time I used double cream. I had a pot opened, I should have used. But I used the fake soya crap, it said for cooking, i thought wise not to put on strawberries. Waste not want not, I used. But the biggest mistake is that Riverford use this crap, merely to stick a vegan label on the dish.

Annoying parsley had been substituted for watercress. Had i known i would not have bought parsley the day before and would have ordered watercress. This is a stunt Mindful Chef would pull.

Why, when Plastic Free July, a small plastic bottle of white wine? Why not include half a bottle or advise wine required?

Beef souvlaki with griddle tomato kiffir

Marinate beef overnight. Extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil, finely chopped mint. After a couple of hours, pop in fridge. On the morning add .. and juice from half a lemon.

Chop parsley, mint, red onion from garden including green leaves, one garlic clove, but tomatoes in half.

in a bowl, tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar.

Tomatoes in griddle pan, add a little salt.

Interlace paper and beef on skewers. If using bamboo soak in water firts to prevent burning. Suspend over griddle pan.

Griddle pan with tomatoes and beef, fan oven 200C for 30 minutes. Turn every five minutes. Drizzle beef with whatvrensins of marinade each time turned.

Bulgur wheat in saucepan, add double volume of boiling water. Bring to boil, simmer for a minute. Turn off heat, leave on heat.

To bulgur add slosh of cold extra virgin rapeseed oil, …., fluff up. Add chopped herbs. Cover with lid.

Dish out bulgur wheat, griddle tomatoes and souvlaki.

Mowing the lawns before heavy rain and thunderstorms

Heavy rain forecast Saturday, then Sunday, then Monday. Now Tuesday.

Heavy raining in London. Slow moving.

Somewhat pointless mowing when only mowed two days ago. Little grows when hot and dry.

Lincoln coronavirus free for all day eight

Another hot day.

One of those days when I cannot find what I want.

Bulghur wheat off zero waste store in Central Market, success. But fruit and vegetables stall no herbs.

Hop on Walk and Ride to Lincoln Cathedral

Green grocer has what I want.

Redhill Hill farm shop no sausage rolls. My only reason for visiting Bailgate, that was my lunch. I try Curtis and eat in the little square. OK but not as good.

Diced beef from Redhill Farm shop. Sold out.

I am not having much success

Bailgate busy. Never seen as many people walking up Steep Hill.

The Lincoln Imp Trail reverting a lot of interest.

A coffee at Coffee Aroma, but first a detour to Pepperdine’s for diced beef. They rub it in they have sausage rolls.

After coffee, just have time to detour to fishmonger in Central Market. Not open.

• PHOTOS Lincoln coronavirus free for all day eight

Lincoln coronavirus free for all day six

A fleeting vist to Lincoln.

I would usually avoid Saturday, but i fancied a coffee.

The same problem as yesterday, a long wait fr a bus. No bus turned up. Next bus 15vminutes late. I was about tobgive up when a bus turned up.

Two

Two buses out of the city, tge first twenty minutes late the second ten minutes late.

At a guess, drivers off sick with cornavirus or been in contact with someone who has tested positive for cornavirus.

The bus companies are not helping, allowing passengers to travel with no masks, turning the buses into coronavrus death traps.

Nor is the City Council helping, bus station filled with people not wearing masks. If not wearing masks in the bus station, likely to get on the bus not wearing masks.

City centre full of drunken scum.

A gang of yobs haging around near Coffee Aroma.

Return bus, gang of yoibs, probably think they are cool not wearing a mask.