One Thing a Day: Grind Coffee

Welcome back to our irregular “one thing a day” series, where today, we are simply grinding some coffee. What’s One Thing a Day? Well, this is the series where we increase our future selves’ happiness… when our current selves focus on accomplishing just: One thing a day!

Hello, and welcome to the NON-daily grind! (And by the way… I just love this mug. It’s Hudson Middleton fine bone china, which I found for $.50 at Goodwill last month. Looking at what this brand goes for on eBay, I think that’s a pretty good bargain, actually.)

But, let’s get back to the grind

What’s up with this? Well, as a coffee-loving person, I try to purchase whole bean coffee most of the time for increased freshness and flavor. But, as a busy person who is less-than-fond of mornings… You know how the tagline of this site is: Real food meets real life? Well, I don’t know about you, but lately “real life” is winning. I’m not sure if it’s the release of some of the pervasive underlying Covid-tension as we slowly get back to a new normal here, but let’s just say that the need for morning coffee has become ever more pressing lately.

So, let’s get this out of the way right up front: Purists will shudder at the thought of pre-grinding coffee. I know this: It is always better to grind coffee beans right before brewing. This gives you the most flavorful cup; ground coffee starts losing its flavor within 20-30 minutes.

But, for those of us who are not connoisseurs… sometimes, good enough is just enough.

Shhh… sometimes I grind a few days worth of coffee at once

I just have a cheap little coffee grinder from Amazon, that only grinds about one pot’s worth of coffee at a time anyway. But, here’s why I often pre-grind a few days’ worth and then store the grounds in an airtight container on my counter, rather than doing it every morning:

It makes a mess. Maybe I’m just clumsy, but I hate cleaning coffee grounds off my counter; I’d rather do it once than every day
It takes more time. Maybe I’m just lazy, but the extra step of grinding the beans in the morning seems more daunting, you know… before I’ve had my coffee
It’s so loud. The whirr of the grinder also hits me harder in the morning

Can I tell the difference? Yes, and on a weekend morning I’ll usually grind my coffee the day of, then slowly savor the more full-bodied, flavorful cup. Does it perceptibly reduce my enjoyment on a weekday? Not enough to make a difference; my priorities are different on a busy morning. (Not different enough for K-Cups, though: That’s where I draw the line…)

One of these days, I’m going to invest in something like a Cuisinart grind-and-brew coffee maker to give me the best of both worlds. But for now, I’m going to spend my pennies on the better coffee and be happy on a busy weekday morning when my coffee beans are already ground.

Do you grind your coffee beans the day of, do you pre-grind… or, do you just buy ground coffee? Inquiring minds, they want to know! 🙂

What one thing will you do today?

One last question, while we’re questioning: What one thing will you do today? Don’t get me wrong, we all still have to eat (and those of us with kids and families still have to make sure that they eat).

When I say “one thing,” I’m not saying, don’t get dinner on the table. Instead, I’m saying: What’s one bonus food-related task you can do today, that will make you happy (relieved, excited) to have done in the future.

What are some other examples of one thing a day? Well, how about:

What one thing will you do today?