What Gift That You Gave Was a BIG HIT?

[gemgirl]

I bought my husband a Keurig coffee maker because he wanted one so badly, that he HAD to have one. His fishing partner bought one a year ago for them to use when they're fishing away tournaments. He always liked the coffee it made. Now he has his own at home and he can't get the coffee to taste the same and it's frustrating me!

Could it be the water?

Exactly my thought, too . . .

I was thinking that too, but they use bottled water to make coffee when they go away and I have a PUR water filter on my sink, so I don't think the waters are all that different. I'll have to ask the hubby to be sure, but I hope we get this right before it becomes one of those expensive appliances that just sits around .

 

[Jennifer W]

I feel for you, because I have tried various coffee machines along there lines at work and I struggled with them too.

Making really good coffee seems to be on a par with alchemy. Here's what I've learned from many hours online, reading about making coffee (too much spare time?!):

if you have very soft water, or are using a water filter, try adding 1/4 - 1/8th naturally carbonated water to that. I'm reliably informed that the smaller the bubble in the fizz, the better it will work. I used san pellegrino and it does brighten the flavour a little. If your water is too hard, try filtering it and adding some naturally carbonated water. Aerating the water before adding it to the machine's tank will help too. Put the still water you're using into a bottle with twice the capacity and really shake it up. I did find that water straight from the tap then aerated worked best (with just a little carbonated) as water that has been standing in a bottle or filtered and left to stand doesn't seem to give terribly lively and aromatic coffee (I'm sure there's a good reason for this, just no idea what it is...).

You can also try making a 'blank' shot before you brew the coffee you want to drink. Draw the first lot of hot water through the machine, either with no pod or with the pod you used previously, if the machine will let you do that (some models won't). That should heat the parts of the machine that the water passes through, so it isn't cooling the water too much before it gets to the dry coffee. Don't make too many cups in quick succession either, as it can heat up a little too much. If the water hits the pod of coffee at the right temperature, you'll get a better flavour. If it's too cold, it won't release enough oil from the coffee, so it will be thin and a little weak, without much aroma. If it's too hot, the coffee will be bitter.

Finally, try getting different packs of coffee. I know they seem to have endless shelf lives, but I noticed they aren't entirely consistent between batches for some reason.

I hope you can use it, because real coffee is a treat and these gadgets are expensive! Very thoughtful gift, too - here's hoping you and your DH can figure it out. Good luck!

Jen

 

[diamondringlover]

The biggest hit in my household was I got my son's matching Rayban sunglasses they both thought it was pretty amazing Santa did good lol

 

[artdecogirl]

My son in laws Joe Mauer bobblehead, he really really likes Joe Mauer.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I gave 2 hits this year:

- a set of 6 exotic spices for my mother, including sumac and tonka. She loved it and we just had to try a bit of the tonka right away. It has a very interesting flavour but it is way too strong to eat pure.

- I gave my sister a basket of various household items for her new house (from a pepper mill to a vegetable peeler). But the favourite item in the basket was some coca tea. It is supposing to be stimulating and my sister is notorious for sleeping through the new year (can't have that!). Ok, completely legal and it doesn't give a high (you need to refine a lot of leaves to get a little cocaine, not just the couple used for tea), but trying it out was a lot of fun and we got to blame all the silly behaviour afterwards on it.

 

[ksinger]

Well, I think I did pretty well this year. The Chateau Lagoiole sommelier's corkscrew with the handle of reclaimed 250 year old yew wood was a fun bauble. A bit OTT, but impressive quality tool. He was pleased - he's been wanting a Laguiole for several years now....

The best one though, was the immersion blender I gave the hubs. Not extravagant, but after having a friend's kitchen end up looking like an abbatoir because of a mishap with hot, homemade tomato soup and a blender, it was highly appreciated. Works great too.

 

[iLander]

Well, I think I did pretty well this year. The Chateau Lagoiole sommelier's corkscrew with the handle of reclaimed 250 year old yew wood was a fun bauble. A bit OTT, but impressive quality tool. He was pleased - he's been wanting a Laguiole for several years now....

I LOVE Laguiole knives and corkscrews! I think I'm just in it for the bee . . .

 

[iLander]

We did this Santa gift auction thing and the "big-family-dinner" with like 45 of us all in a tiny room. Anyway, everyone got to draw numbers and then you could steal presents from lower numbers.

This is exactly what our (large) family does, too - we call it "Stealing Santa". It is hilarious! "

We have the same type of thing!

Now I will admit to something incredibly non-PC: we call it the Yankee Swap.

I actually have no idea why we call it that.

I think I'm going to change the name to "stealing Santa" or something, because we're really not THAT southern . . .

 

[Imdanny]

Kukui. Alternating dark brown and a kind of beige color. They also had one that was all black which I didn't think he'd like (and he said he wouldn't have).

Danny - I LOVE kukui nut leis! I still have the one I bought many years ago during my first trip to Hawaii. Paid a lot more than $12 for it though... next time I may have to look in the grocery store!

They're great because they last a long time! Avoid the ones with the little leaves between each of the nuts, because the leaves rot (at least they do in the wet climate where I live, then again the nuts actually rotted next in the wet climate where I live, so maybe it's different in a dry climate- I'd say the leaves are the most vulnerable part). I'm sure there are nicer ones than the one I got at Foodland but the next time you're here check them out. Also, they have (big $) shell leis, and those will last forever. Many different types and qualities, takes a lot of research.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

The biggest hit was the Tom Tom that DH and I got for my MIL. She LOVED it! She must have thanked us about a million times! She was so cute!

 

[Jennifer W]

DH has worn the ghastly Shrek-sweater I knitted him every day since Christmas.

Of course, we've barely left the house since then...

It's pretty bad, he must really love me.

 

[random_thought]

We gave my sister a cross that was carved from a tree in Bethlehem. She is very into Christianity and I know that she loves that we remember the reason for the season