Back on the ground

[plonq]

I picked up a new coffee grinder recently. While it's not a professional-grade grinder, neither is is one of the cheap ones that you might find for sale at Wal Mart or Target. I stopped in a fancy, local kitchen store and snagged a conical Breville grinder to replace the old BRAUN grinder that I have been using for the past 30ish years.

On the one hand, I feel a little guilty replacing a grinder that, other than being held together with painter's tape, has been working reliably for over a quarter of a century. On the other hand, using this new grinder has really illustrated to me how poorly my old one has been working for the past few years. It's not that it wasn't grinding coffee when asked, it's that it was essentially giving me chunks and powder instead of a consistent grind.

I'd decided that it was time to replace it when I was cleaning it one day and discovered that the burs had worn themselves almost smooth over years of use in the old grinder.

It took a few tries before I settled on the grind size and amount that works for me with the new grinder, but now I have it set up so that I just press a button and it gives me a perfect grind every time.

The best part is that I can really taste the difference in the final product. I am getting much better, and more consistent coffee than I ever could with the old grinder.

I guess everything has its time to retire.

Comments

[frith]

I use my Black and Decker coffee bean grinder to grind up dried orange rind. It's hard to get straight fine powder.

[plonq]

I actually have a dedicated spice grinder for stuff like that - got it as a gift from work for an achievement award. It has been sitting in its original box since I won it a few years ago, but someday I am going to cook something fancy that needs me to grind fresh spices.

Someday...

[chalcedony_starlings]

^βAn honorable sendoff for the old grinder.

[plonq]

I've actually stashed away the old grinder rather than throw it out because a) It still kinda works, b) I am a pack rat, and c) I figure it's probably good enough for decaf coffee.

[notasupervillain]

I don't think there's any shame in replacing something that barely works. And food is one of the most important hedonistic pleasures that we have. We need to hold onto it. And we need to make the pleasure as enjoyable as possible.

[plonq]

This is all true, but that does not stop me from feeling a little guilty on how much I spent on this grinder.

On the other hand, atara and I live a pretty modest lifestyle, so I think we can forgive ourselves if one or t'other splurges on something nice once in awhile.

[notasupervillain]

My husband has been working on me for years not to feel guilty when I spend money on myself. He hadn't succeeded either.