Glibertarians.com 2019 Archive

Author: Web Dominatrix

  • Products You Need: Coffee Edition

    I’ve tried many times over the years to give up coffee, but man it’s hard. I don’t drink a ton of it; maybe 5 cups a week, but I have noticed when I don’t drink any at all for a whole week I’m really cranky.

    Part of it is the caffeine, and part of it is that I really love coffee.

    Like love love.

    I’ve loved coffee since I was 15 years old to a degree that has been known to frustrate my loved ones because I can’t settle for just plain average coffee.

    I love the flavour of good coffee. I love the process of crafting a perfect latte with velvety microfoam. And yeah, I love the pick-me-up.

    So for this edition of Products You Need, I thought I’d share my favourite coffees and coffee tools.

     

    Hario Coffee GrinderHario Ceramic Coffee Grinder

    This is a staple in my household. I buy whole bean coffee, and grind it fresh “to order” every morning.

    I dislike the traditional blade grinders for coffee because they chop the beans while this manual burr grinder crushes the beans.

    The grinder attaches to any standard mason jar, but I only grind as much as I need. The grind is adjustable all the way down to Turkish.

    Some reviewers have voiced complaints about the screw coming loose during grinding. I have noticed this, but that was solved by having NotUsidore tighten it for me. Tightening the screw doesn’t adjust the grind setting on my grinder.

    I bought the Hario Ceramic Coffee Grinder in October 2014, and I can confidently say it’s worth the investment.

     

    Bodum Pour OverBodum Pour Over

    When I got into pour over coffee I searched long and hard for the perfect pour over maker, and after a lot of research I settled on the Bodum Pour Over.

    After much experimentation with my Hario, the best grind for making hot coffee in the Bodum, use a fine-medium grind with the filter in.

    But in recent years, cold brew is my preferred drink.

    To make cold brew with the Bodum, a medium-coarse grind works best. Too fine and the water doesn’t reach the grinds on the bottom, which causes a weak and watery brew. Too coarse and the flavour is weak due to under extraction.

    For cold brew, I pour the grinds right in the bottom of the Bodum, and then filter for serving.

     

    Coffee Gator French Press

    I’ll never forget when Thermos came out with a French Press. I was so excited. I took it everywhere because if you have a Thermos french press and grinds, you can have awesome coffee at a gas station or truck stop.

    The Coffee Gator French Press is even better as fewer grinds make it into the cup. It’s quite easy to clean. If you use it regularly, I suggest soaking the filter in white vinegar once a week to remove any build up of oils.

    Coffee stays hot for about 2 hours, and as an added bonus, it has a handy canister for your grinds.

    If you travel a lot, especially if you do a lot of road trips, this french press is a must-have.

     

    Primula Cold Brew BottlePrimula Portable Cold Brew Bottle

    For cold brew on the go, I recommend the Primula Portable Cold Brew Bottle. It’s super easy to use, and travel friendly.

    Add grinds and water before bed, and in the morning you just have to grab the bottle out of the fridge on your way out the door.

    This filter requires a medium-course grind in my experience.

    You can also use this for making hot coffee or hot tea. It comes with a sleeve so you can avoid burning yourself.

    I’ve never had any problems with leaking due to the silicone gaskets inside the lids. That said though, make sure to remove the gasket at the bottom (under the filter basket) when you clean it. I didn’t for the first few weeks and my coffee started tasting weird.

    It’s fairly easy to clean.

     

     

    Stok Cold BrewStok Cold Brew Coffee

    I am soooo not a morning person, and some mornings I’m incapable of making coffee before I’ve had coffee. I recently discovered Stok Cold Brew Coffee.

    Yes, it’s cheating, but I like having a bottle in the fridge for the mornings I just simply can’t function, and I’m out of cold brew.

    It’s a lot better than I expected. I was expecting it to be filled with all sorts of extra crap like most store bought cold brews, but that’s not the case. It’s coffee, and water. Each bottle is consistent. I mix with a little soy milk, though it’s perfectly fine without.

    I’d love to hear about your favourite coffee tools. Share! Enlighten me!

  • Vegan Alfredo

    My husband has joined Glibs under the name NotUsidore! To welcome him to the community, I thought tonight I would share his vegan Alfredo recipe.

    Since going vegan, I’ve missed Alfredo more than anything. Happily, my meat loving husband has found a way to make a delicious vegan Alfredo that even he loves.

    The secret is Chao cheese, a vegan cheese made out of tofu. It tastes like Havarti, and acts like cheese. It’s good enough that I can eat a slice and feel like I’m eating real cheese. It totally hits that craving.

    Without further ado, I give you vegan Alfredo.

    Vegan Alfredo

    Delicious, creamy vegan alfredo, that even my non-vegan husband loves.

    Roux

    • 2 tbsp Earth Balance Butter Alternative (heaping tbsp)
    • 1 tbsp white onion (minced)
    • 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
    • flour

    Sauce

    • 3 cup almond milk (unflavoured, unsweetened)
    • 6 slices creamy Chao cheese (vegan)
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
    • big pinch thyme
    • small pinch chile powder

    1. Melt the butter alternative. Add the onion, and cook over medium heat until soft.

    2. Add the garlic. Cook until just starting to brown.

    3. Add flour and create a roux.

    4. Add almond milk. Whisk until smooth.

    5. Add Chao and spices. Cook over medium heat until smooth and melty.

    Add lemon zest and 2 tbsp of lemon juice to make a lemon Alfredo.

  • Late Links

    Hey there, Glibbies! It’s been a while since the last time I popped in here.

    My husband lost his job as a fixer for Taco Bell franchises in January when the Taco Bell they sent him to was in such poor shape they couldn’t afford to pay him. To make ends meet I picked up a part time gig at a diner a couple nights a week (on top of my web design and consulting work) because credit card companies do not care that my husband lost his job.

    I expected to be done early enough tonight to get links up on time, but alas, the universe had other plans. Apologies for my tardiness.

    And now, for links.

    5 confirmed dead in rocket blast explosion in Russia.

    If you’re thinking about taking a trip to Ireland, here’s what you should see.

    And speaking of Ireland, an Irish man gets upset when his donkey isn’t allowed on a bus.

    Taco Bell released a exceptionally on brand Taco Bell hotel as a pop-up marketing experience complete with sunrise yoga.

    Gillian Anderson as dildos. (Seems on point for a WebDom post.)

    It was suggested I include these boxer briefs. (Unrelated to the dildos, I swear.)

    WITSEC is a lot more interesting than I expected.

    Instagram is cracking down on meme accounts.

    Florida man.

    It wouldn’t be a WebDom post without Products You Need, and this one comes with no snark. I recently acquired this wok, and I am in love. It’s well made, and it gets extremely hot on my gas stove, perfect for cooking all my vegan Asian dishes.

    This week I’m reading Moneyland, and I am enthralled. If I wasn’t already a cynical libertarian, I think this book would’ve done the trick. It’s a fascinating book about how kleptocrats hide their assets, and the weird loopholes exploited by the uber wealthy.

    And with that, I’m off to enjoy some much needed bourbon. This is what’s on the menu tonight.

  • Cocktails You Need

    Sorry for the delay in getting a post up for you, Glibs! I have no excuse. I just forgot. January has been a month of constant jackassery. I don’t have any water in the kitchen — and haven’t since the weekend — because of the sub zero temperatures.

    This has been such a stressful month so far that when I sat down to write this Products You Need post all I could think about is alcohol.

    So, tonight I present to you: Cocktails You Need.

    1. Rob Roy

    So far as I can tell, this seems to basically be a Scotch version of a Manhattan. Admittedly, I first heard of this in Venture Brothers.

    2. Cucumber Gin Ricky

    This recipe is simple and makes me daydream about warmer weather coming and thawing out my pipes (not a euphemism). Cucumber, gin, lime, sodawater, and simple syrup.

    3. Mango Habanero Margarita

    I cannot wait to try this. Tequila, triple sec, mango, habanero, grapefruit soda, lime, and lemon.

    4. Red Velvet Cake Martini

    Perfect for those who want their cake and to drink it, too. Dessert with booze. What’s not to love?

    5. Gold Rush

    And, because, whisky, I have one more for you. Whisky, honey syrup, and some other stuff.

  • Vegan School: Random Chickpea Curryish

    Happy New Year, Glibbies!

    We are still settling into new Casa Dominatrix, and haven’t fully unpacked the kitchen, so this week’s recipe has only been made once, but it was delicious.

    I am guessing on the spice measurements because my measuring spoons are still packed away, so adjust to taste.

    Nutritional yeast is a core component of this recipe. I prefer the Anthony’s brand and you can get it on Amazon.

    This dish tastes rich and meaty, yet uses no meat, or oils of any kind. I served it over white rice.

    Random Curryish

    • 2.5 cups red lentils
    • 2 cans chick peas (drained, not rinsed)
    • 1 lg carrot (diced)
    • 2 tbsp red onion (minced)
    • 1/5 cups nutritional yeast
    • 2 tbsp curry powder
    • 1 tsp Balti seasoning
    • 2 tsp garam masala
    • 2 tsp smoked paprika
    • dash celery salt
    • salt (to taste)
    • black pepper (to taste)

    1. In a pot over medium heat, add the lentils and cover with water. Cook until the lentils are cooked through. Skim off the froth as necessary. 

    2. Add the chick peas, carrots, onions, nutritional yeast. and enough water to cover. Plus 1/4″ in the pot. Stir.

    3. Add the spices, adjusting to taste as needed.

    4. Simmer, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. It’s done when it’s slightly thicker than stew.