*Update 1/1/14: We drew a winner – congratulations to Jody & Peter from Punta Gorda, FL!
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Hello everyone! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and holiday season in general. We love this time of year and even though we celebrate it differently than we ever had, the season is as festive as ever. In fact, we’ve decorated the mast with care and we have no chimney for the big man to navigate so we’re basically good to go. It’s a bit strange to see palm trees decorated with lights and suffer no seasonal chill in the air but we are in full bore aboard Vacilando. We are ever grateful for the family, friends and gifts we are continually blessed with. On that note, we received an amazing gift from the folks at Aerobie!
Now you may remember a previous post “Won’t Leave Home Without ‘Em” where Mel and I extolled the virtues of several things we would never leave the dock without and our Aero Press Coffee Maker was one that both of us felt we couldn’t do without. I will say again, this little gem works like a charm and produces the most exquisite cup-o-joe you could ever want. Forget your Starbucks coffee maker with the cute-little, plastic containers of coffee that end up costing you about six-dollars a cup if you can find them once you run out. The Keurig “brewing system?” Pshaw… Fuh-get-about-it! Hot water, great espresso coffee (our favorite is Illy Ground Espresso) and your AeroPress is all you need. Here’s how it works, heat the water (about 175 degrees is about perfect), put the paper filter in the press, put a scoop of espresso or ground coffee and pour. Stir. Gently press the plunger down. Presto! Ahem… You have an incredible cup of coffee. But don’t take our word for it…
Guess what?! The awesome folks at Aerobie have agreed to GIVE YOU ONE! Yep, they’re gonna give one of our readers a FREE AeroPress Coffee Maker. All you have to do is leave a comment on the blog and tell us and them, what you’re like without your coffee! Keep it clean folks… Have fun and we’ll pick a winner at random and bang! Someone will get a very special treat. Hurry, we’ll be picking a winner on New Year’s Eve!
Again, the crew of Vacilando want to wish everyone a very safe and happy holiday season. Enjoy your families, friends, loved ones, cats, dogs, horses and hogs! Thanks for reading along with our crazy adventure. We cherish every last one of you. All the best in 2014. Be kind to each other!
Not a whole lot of conversation before that first cup in the morning!
We know how that is! Our mornings are veeeeerry quiet until we have our coffee. ha
I don’t know what I am like without coffee since I am never without one. One of my students even drew me a picture of a coffee cup as a present!
A morning without coffee on our boat is like a little glimpse into what hell must be like. We would love to have an AeroPress coffee maker – they sound great and would make a real difference in the mornings!
Hell hath no fury… or coffee.
Can’t wait to try a cup. Ralph is very grumpy in the morning with out cup.
How cool!! We have an espresso machine aboard our boat but I fear it will use too much power at anchor. Must.Have.Coffee. If we don’t have our morning coffee by 11am we’ll both feel a massive headache coming on rendering us completely useless for the rest of the day :S We cant have anything get in the way of sailing, fishing, SUP and diving everyday! We would love to try out the AeroPress!
-Jody & Peter
Thanks everyone for playing along! We know what it’s like to do a morning without our faithful cup-o-joe. Jody and Peter… espresso machines are great but yes… to much power at anchor. Stacie, Ralph is grumpy already… can’t imagine him without his coffee… I’M KIDDING! Elle, Bernadette and Johnny… Very funny! Keep the comments coming and whoever wins this little gem is going to be a very happy camper.
Chris
Oh, and those caffeine headaches are almost impossible to get rid of once you have one!
Captain Jim or Captain Crabby? Please, hubby, get your daily dose of java! Since Jim entertains 40-60 people a day on his nature cruises, it’s very important that he be in a good mood. Aeropress sounds like a fun way to deliver a lot of flavor.
Captain Crabby – that’s a good one. Yes, sounds like Jim could use one of these. 40-60 people a day? Maybe he needs two? ;)
One of my most embarrassing moments was on a bare boat charter when I told my now husband/then fiancé to get me some effing (I hate to admit but I used the real word) coffee. This was in front of his old yet new to me friends after awakening to find that one of their wives, who’d promised to get up early and make coffee, had actually taken a walk and came back with a cup of Starbucks. One cup. For herself only. This was because the percolator was missing its little glass bubble but you’d think she could have gotten a to-go carrier with more cups! We’re now live-a-boards and have a French press. Actually I’m okay with it but I just had to share that story.
Ha! Love it. I think we’ve probably dropped an f-bomb or two when we needed our coffee, so don’t fret! Also, we used to have a French Press and liked it, but we broke the glass carafe part of it while tapping it to try to get the grounds out of the bottom. Another plus for the Aeropress is that it uses barely any water to clean. You simply push the puck into the trash and it’s practically clean. The French Press uses a lot more water to rinse those grounds out of the bottom!
A cup or two of coffee is the only way to begin a day… or a cold afternoon!
I agree!
Brian just told me that our coffee maker draws 100 amps…not a problem on shore power, but here at anchor?! A no go! This looks like the perfect solution!
Yikes! Yes, it’s nice to have something that uses no power!
I’m like a grumpy cantakerous 2 year old prior to getting my morning cup of Joe!
Corey~ I think most of us coffee drinkers alternate between Jekyll and Hyde regarding our “relationship” with coffee…Thanks for the comment
Chris
I already have one as standard equipment on the S/V Second Wind (since I can’t bring/power my Ranchilio Silvia on board) and I highly recommend it! It makes great espresso quality coffee and quickly! I could always use a spare!
Rick~ You are a smart man… but we knew this already since you also own a CAL 35! A super tricked out 35. You are in the running… thanks for the comment. Fair winds. I understand your departure is quickly approaching. Keep us in the loop if you get close to Lauderdale.
Chris