Not quite the last thing needed in a kitchen with insufficient cabinet space...but close.
In my planning-and-acquisition frenzy before I'd closed on this place - when I was 99% sure I had this house but the final papers hadn't been signed yet, and I naively assumed that since I'd been approved for a loan AND the seller had agreed to my price AND the house had passed inspection and assessment that of course the place was mine except for the formalities - I made a few careful purchases. I knew that I didn't have much money to work with, I knew what I wanted to do, and I knew how much wiggle room I had. So I hit a pair of nearby shopping areas. One contained a home furnishings chain that was going out of business. Everything was marked down at 20% to 40%. I'd bought things from this place previously, shopped a bit more often, and knew that their prices were a tad inflated anyway - so 20% off just put them slightly below other stores' regular prices. 40% off meant that there might be some stuff to be had, though. So I parked the car and headed in.
The place was a zoo: full of other bargain hunters like myself. Traffic congestion was incredible. I had a cart, as did many other intrepid bargain hunters...and these corridors weren't too wide to begin with. Choke them with people and the LA freeway rush hour began to look mobile in comparison. Almost all of the store's queen sheet sets were gone (surprise, surprise). They had no bath sheets at all. (I am nearly six feet tall. I don't do "bath towels".) I looked for some other things I thought I'd need - a few more garbage cans, some kitcheny things - and spotted the dishware.
Normally I would not go anywhere near the dishware. I have two sets of Corelle (service for eight, should I ever actually have eight people eating at my place all at once), a dozen glasses, and Far Too Many Mugs. But this dishware was fairly attractive. It was the "holiday" dishware - no twee Christmas trees, no little gamboling animals, just plain stoneware dishes with either gold or silver piping around the edges. Service for six includes dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, salad bowls, mugs, napkin rings, and one serving bowl.
It was simple. It was slightly elegant. It was 50% off.
Downsides included the "simple" factor, which turns some folks right off, but I love it - and the fact that since the trim was metallic, the dishes can't ever go into the microwave. The care instructions recommend hand washing, but - hey - I've got a dishwasher, I'm by damned well using it. If some of the metallic trim flakes off over time...cry me a river. These aren't my "good" dishes, I don't actually have "good" dishes. They're my everyday dishes. I'm good enough for gold-trimmed dishes every day. Because this dishware had been made specifically for this chain, and because I know - just KNOW - that I'll break something eventually, I bought two sets. (Which equates to buying one set at their full price. Only now I have "backup".)
So this morning, the oddly sunny day after that great big storm blew into town, I'm sitting in front of my computer eating warm snickerdoodle cookies and drinking my morning coffee. My socks are blue and fuzzy. I'm still in my pyjamas. My hair is uncombed. And my dishware is gold-plated.
My morning coffee
I usually drink my coffee black. I don't like coffee with stuff in it - particularly milk or cream. When eggnog hits the markets, though, that dictate gets shelved. Eggnog by itself is a bit to rich for me to drink straight - but it's not supersweet or cloying. Black flavored coffee, such as hazelnut, is a bit too bitter for regular duty. But add eggnog and a few other things, and it can be a nice way to kickstart the morning.
- hazelnut-flavored coffee
- cinnamon
- Ghirardelli double chocolate cocoa
- eggnog (get the regular, not the 'lite')
Set up the coffee to brew a six-cup pot. To the basket of grounds, add one heaping teaspoon of Ghirardelli double chocolate cocoa and about six good shakes of cinnamon (more if you want more of a "Mexican-chocolate" kind of flavor.) Brew the coffee as normal.
Before you pour the coffee, add eggnog to the mug. Not a whole lot - just enough to cover the bottom of the mug. Then pour in your coffee. Stir if you need to (the pouring should have done the trick, though) and enjoy with warm cookies, breakfast rolls, or just by itself. Optional ambience enhancement: add a small fire in the fireplace, restful music faint in the background, your favorite book, and a cat who wants to sit on your lap RIGHT NOW. (If you're catless in Seattle, I can lend you one of mine. Fog's very sociable and loves her warmblooded furniture.)
