Poem: "chado"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls, inspired by kelkyag. It has been sponsored by kengr. It belongs to the series Lacquerware, which you can find via the Serial Poetry page.


chadō


the tea master is
also the accountant: she
measures, stirs, and pours
to balance the accounts as
carefully as the tea things

Comments

[technoshaman]

I have been learning precision coffee brewing. So many grams of such a type of coffee, so many grams of water at so many degrees, brew for so many seconds... it is quite the science...

And I appreciate that the Japanese do it by eye and by feel; that is art, and cause for a smile.

Go you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Kitchen chemistry can be fun. \o/

Re: Go you!

[technoshaman]

You're a tea drinker, no? What sort?

Re: Go you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Primarily herbal, as I prefer tea without caffeine. I do like black, white, and green though. Sometimes I find flavors I like that are decaf, other times I just deal with the caffeine.

[we_are_spc]

I would love to learn the science of kemex. xd

I've learned the science of pressing. If I could get the kemx (I need one) down, I'd be very willing to give up my drip-maker except for times of company.

I lovew the flexbrew (My single side quit working for which I'm sad) but I love being abale to put energy into my own food, you know?

-Fallon~

[technoshaman]

I'm using an Aeropress. It gets you the filtration of a Chemex, the immersion of a French press, it's compact and travel-able (I can fit the Aeropress, its funnel, paddle, and scoop, enough filters for a long weekend, a Hario Slim grinder, and sixty grams of beans into a largish shaving kit bag, and still have a fair bit of space left for beans... now, you need a stout mug into which to press - you can't do this with a paper cup!, and if you're grinding your own beans it will take longer, because you want a finer grind than even the Chemex takes, much less the coarse gravel for a French press... at least it doesn't demand espresso grind! (though it will take it!) but it likes the pre-ground "drip" grind just fine (a Chemex really wants slightly coarser to get it totally right).... you can even get a decent cup out of Maxwell House (I tried it!)... I love it.

I'm probably going to end up with a French press for making enough to share... that is, until I save up enough to get a siphon brewer (and that only at home, b/c open flame in the office, probably bad... ) Talk about a gadget geek magnet... the only thing better would be one of these, a balance siphon, which is a total Heath Robinson (Rube Goldberg, for the Yanks) invention.. but those are PRICEY...

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

My rule is, buy what you use. If you have a tool that you use regularly and like, but there's a better one available, then it makes sense to upgrade. If it's expensive, you can either save up or ask for it as a gift. It's worth the money as long as it's a quality item you'll use often.

Same rule applies to duplication. It's okay to collect subtle variations of something that you use frequently for assorted purposes. I have five crockpots. I use all of them, occasionally even two at the same time, and the biggest one was not cheap. But they're worth it. I use them intermittently through the year, and more vigorously in the summer while stocking up.

Re: Well ...

[technoshaman]

Point. Probably not so much with a siphon brewer until I'm brewing for more than one at home regularly. But a bloke can dream... :)

[technoshaman]

By the way, how would we find you at OVFF? I'm going to have my handle on my badge (saying "short round balding bearded fellow" at a geek con is kinda non-specific!)... that is your actual pic in your icon?

[we_are_spc]

If it'sthe face, yes it is.

We'll be wearing a badge with our handle (We_are_spc) and we'll be with Callibr8, so we won't be hard to miss. :d

Because I was going to say-we've never seen an aeropress, and when we tried to read the instructions-well, the PDF didn't work very well. :( We'll probably have to use whatever mashine the hotel has because...well. Granted we'll be bringing (probably) some of our own coffee with us (In either pods or a plastic airtight container (Unless you have a better idea?) because us without caffine is a bad day. :d Granted, we only need 1 cup of said caffine these days if we get enough hydration-and sometimes we'll use yerba matte tea or something else for it, but it's still pretty much a standard. That and breakfast. Wake up, shower, do short grounding rit, breakfast, caffine. Pretty much in that order. :d

-Fallon~

[technoshaman]

I'm using Sistema 150ml yogurt containers to hold 60g of beans, and Ziploc 32fl.oz. Twistloc cylinders will just hold 340g (12oz) of beans or pre-ground. i.e. a standard bag... you'll want to baggie either of'em in case of accident; unlike the Sistema snap-lock boxes, I don't trust the screw tops not to come loose in-flight. (I'm using a Sistema sandwich box for my Escali Pico pocket scale, wrapped in a small microfiber wipe for padding; THAT won't come loose!) (And it fits handily in the false bottom of my "shaving" kit mentioned above...)

I can find out whether the hotel in-room pots are podmakers or basket brewers... *or* if you're willing to come out to consuite for your fix, I can press you a cuppa. You like dark dark darkity dark, kona light roast, or something in between?

(I'm thinking of putting together a sample set of Seattle coffees for the Interfilk auction... :D )

[we_are_spc]

We're not flying. Callibr8's our wheels to the con, so...screw tops or ziplock will probably be our transport for the coffee.

we like...anything medium or darker-light roasts are sometimes our go tos if we want OMG caffine, but we're...medium to darkity dark type people.

And yes, please do because that would be amazing. Because our only light roast (A breakfast blend) is in tose single serve pod things and if we don't have to bring those...

I doubt we'll be able to participate in the auction much, we're lucky to jus *get* there...let alone for anything extra. But that should be fyun! Also: just because we won't bid doesn't mean we can't look... xd

-Fallon~

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I imagine that a well-curated selection of imported coffees would well very well indeed. Especially if you can describe in your own words what makes them worth drinking, because that's fun to read even for people who aren't bidding.

Re: Yes ...

[technoshaman]

Oooh, point.

Okay, I need a coffee icon. Maybe a mini of that siphon brewer... ;)

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Coffee is one of the milder entheogens, which means it can hold a lot of energy. Making your own, mindfully, is a great way to get more oomph without feeling wired. If you handle it all mechanically, the results tend to be erratic, and that's one reason people say it's "complicated." There are variables that most of them don't even know about, let alone how to control.

It's why geeks often make the best coffee. ;) It functions very nearly as a biofeedback machine if you pay close enough attention to what you're doing and how it comes out. You don't have to actually pray over it to turn the trick; a simple attitude of reverence will suffice.

Re: Well ...

[we_are_spc]

Yeah it's complicated-but even with our flexbrew we managed to not feel wired unless we've had like...an insain amount of caffine )2 20 ounce cups of coffee, two 20 ounce bottles of MD+1 12 ounce coffee of the same) or coffee )...something like an entire 12 cup (of the 6-oz cup measurement) all at once with no break), or something. I don't know what it is about us and coffee, and to some ext3ent tea, but we tend to know instinctively, even with the mechanical stuff, how to do it right-except for when our single serve quits working. That's throwing us up the creek a lot because our foundation is...sort of off. The filter being so larg to the concentration I think is what's doing it, but it's still a thingk y'know?

But...for me, I've lways enjoyed doing all the steps of something-the steps in my sauce-the steps in making coffee-the steps in...learning to write, etc.

I dearly wish I could write print for that reason-kaligraphy is one of my interests despite the visuality of it because both my Dah and my brother are bardmages )Litteral wordsmiths; they can write things on people metaphysically and it will affet them exactly as a spell would-it's why you really *do not* want ot piss them off...) and I sometimes wish they could do that in here on paper first before...well, you know. Because al ltheir magic isn't bad-they'll oftentimes write 'blessings' on the people who tend to help out-so they get the carma they deserve...quite a bit faster (Or as it's needed as the case might be) than they would otherwise.

-Fallon~

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I don't know what it is about us and coffee, and to some ext3ent tea, but we tend to know instinctively, even with the mechanical stuff, how to do it right-except for when our single serve quits working. <<

Yep, some people have a knack for that. If it's something other folks can sense, it might make you very popular.

>> I dearly wish I could write print for that reason-kaligraphy is one of my interests despite the visuality of it because both my Dah and my brother are bardmages <<

Calligraphy can be made tactile in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:

* writing in "puff" ink

* writing in glue and sprinkling a texture over it

* using a stylus for freehand embossing on heavy paper or foil.

It might even be possible to do Braille calligraphy, but that would take some serious creativity. *ponder* Maybe something like gluing seed beads around a twisted ribbon. You can get fine silk ribbon for embroidery.

If there's a guy who makes whole paintings with the raised-outline method, there's no reason you couldn't do textured calligraphy. I bet vision-impaired audiences would really enjoy something like that.

Re: Well ...

[we_are_spc]

Yep, some people have a knack for that. If it's something other folks can sense, it might make you very popular.

Especially since we tend to be able to do it with adult beveratges, too. We've been told several times that we mix awesome drinks. I still wouldn't want ot tend a bar-we tend to need to take our time sometimes.

Calligraphy can be made tactile in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:

* writing in "puff" ink

* writing in glue and sprinkling a texture over it

* using a stylus for freehand embossing on heavy paper or foil.

It might even be possible to do Braille calligraphy, but that would take some serious creativity. *ponder* Maybe something like gluing seed beads around
a twisted ribbon. You can get fine silk ribbon for embroidery.

If there's a guy who makes whole paintings with the raised-outline method, there's no reason you couldn't do textured calligraphy. I bet vision-impaired
audiences would really enjoy something like that.

...weeel crap-we were thinking of trying to paint with oils-and the only reason we haven't is becave no oils with witch to practice, let along the acrilics/other paints with which to start)...so I don't see why we couldn't do something like that.

Though learning standard print would be our first thing-since we used Braille our entire lives we weren't really taught print, though we explored it on our own wit the big Fisher Price letters.

-Fallon~

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Especially since we tend to be able to do it with adult beveratges, too. We've been told several times that we mix awesome drinks. I still wouldn't want ot tend a bar-we tend to need to take our time sometimes. <<

So do it at parties. It'd be fun for you, popular with other guests, and a good host could find you a quiet corner to work in where you could enjoy a little interaction without getting mobbed.

I've seen it at cons in the green room. Not just with alcohol or coffee -- one time there was a guy making fresh salsa and other veggie things. He largely stayed in the back of the kitchen-corner behind a counter, while other volunteers passed stuff back and forth. It kept the weight off him. Talk about being mobbed, you could eat out of that green room all con long, which we mostly did. <3

>> ...weeel crap-we were thinking of trying to paint with oils-and the only reason we haven't is becave no oils with witch to practice, let along the acrilics/other paints with which to start)...so I don't see why we couldn't do something like that.<<

Yay! I'm glad I could give you ideas. When it comes to paint, you can start with just one tube. Normally I'd say two for color mixing, but unless you can see at least colors, you'll be working primarily with texture, so one would do. Oil paint is best for sculptural work; acrylic will do but it dries a lot faster. That may be an asset at first because you'll need to feel what you're doing. Plus acrylic is way cheaper.

>> Though learning standard print would be our first thing-since we used Braille our entire lives we weren't really taught print, though we explored it on our own wit the big Fisher Price letters. <<

I highly recommend using the Montessori method. You'll probably want to have someone make the materials because buying them is ruinously expensive. But the writing education is extremely tactile -- they use sand trays, tracing cards, sandpaper letters, etc. You might want something that'll hold its shape better than dry sand or salt, such as "moon sand" or clay. But the sandpaper letters are perfect. Once you learn the basic shapes, you can just redo your alphabet in a calligraphic font.

Re: Well ...

[technoshaman]

I hereby dub thee an honorary acolyte of Caffeinia. You *get it*. (Tea is much the same way....)

(Besides, the crossover between "geek" and "foodie" is HUGE. :D )

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I hereby dub thee an honorary acolyte of Caffeinia. You *get it*. <<

"Praise to Caffeina ..."

I made an altar figure of her once from polymer clay. She is coffee-brown with long flowing hair. Two arms hold a bean above her head. The other two hold a coffee pot and a mug.

While I don't care for the taste of coffee, I love the smell. It just makes me smile in the morning. For a while we had a housemate who, although vexing in some other ways, routinely made coffee in the morning which was very nice.

>> (Tea is much the same way....) <<

I will definitely splurge on high-quality tea. But when it comes to brewing, I usually just throw it in the microwave. I have a fancy brewer, but I discovered that's it rarely worth the bother of using. I can't taste much of a difference there. I can taste the difference between high and low quality tea, and have definite favorite brands. Not all of them are expensive, though -- I like a lot of the Celestial Seasonings stuff.

>> (Besides, the crossover between "geek" and "foodie" is HUGE. :D ) <<

It's not a crossover, it's a subdivision. Foodies are geeks who do edible science.

That raises an interesting question about geekdom, though, between love of something, innate knacks, and the use of technology. I tend to think that nerd is more about love, and geek is more about skill and tech. Certainly I can do things with food that most people can't or won't, but I'm not in there with a blowtorch or a pearler. Of course, the kitchen gizmologists usually aren't in theirs invoking hearth goddesses whilst kicking the fairies out of the way. ;)

Re: Well ...

[technoshaman]

That's not too far off from how I define it. Nerd is definitely about the love of a given field. I am by and large a music *nerd*. I love it, I know a bunch about it... I can even write lyrics... but composition? Exactly. Once. (I'm still proud of that....) With pens and coffee, I would say I am a Geek Minor, i.e. I brew, I write, I know the use of the tech of both areas... With Linux? Geek Major. I write automation. I have written a device driver. I have *created* within the space. Kitchen? Geek Major. As are you. (I should do Skillet Algorithm again sometime soon.)

Ummmm, I would pay good money for a Caffeinia. Am seriously considering a Geek's Altar to Her... Herself as the centrepiece, with all the accoutrement necessary to make her Offering, on something like a baker's rack... gizmos up top (brewer(s), scale, grinder(s), kettle, mugs, and the Coffee itself below, in enclosed space where it's nice and cool and dark...

(and, yeah, she and Pele get along *just* fine. See also, Kona... without Pele and her Mountains, there would not be Coffee as we know it. The best stuff grows in volcanic soil...)