Easy coffee for one

(This one's for you, Anna!)

First, the history. I never used to drink caffeine at all because it has the potential to mess up the absorption rate of some medications I take. However, a couple years ago I was having great difficulty getting going in the morning, and my doctor said, well, I could prescribe a stimulant, or you could just drink a cup of coffee in the morning. Overjoyed, I chose the coffee--I've long loved decaf, and the flavor options are so much greater with caffeine.

But I hated how the coffee maker took up a good portion of my one work counter in the kitchen. Then my coffee-loving friend Jen DeBoest showed me the handy little contraption above. (She also gave me the mug.) You set the plastic thing on your mug, put in a regular filter (or a special-sized one if you like to spend money), and a large tablespoon of coffee grounds (I grind mine each week at the grocery store--perfect combination of freshness and convenience). Then you pour enough boiling water in to fill your cup (but not overflow it--that's really the only trick). We love it! ("We" because Alex actually makes the coffee--and the breakfast--every morning although he only drinks tea and coffee "socially.")

It's available locally at Cooks' Emporium for about $5. It comes from Holland, and if anyone is interested, I'm sure I could get more details on the name of it.