Smiley: Coffee packing and other stories

Our point out of Louisiana’s love of robust espresso introduced extra responses than any current subject: 

Grandma’s syrup

Jim Nichols, of Lafayette, says, “My grandmother, Mary Kate Nichols, of Baton Rouge, preferred actually robust espresso.

“My dad stated she would make espresso in a percolator and use a sawed-off broom deal with to pack the espresso into the basket. She’d then add some extra, pack it down, and add nonetheless extra.

“Her espresso poured nearly like syrup. My dad stated half the time, the grounds within the center had been nonetheless dry.”

Morning jolt

Tony Falterman, of Napoleonville, says, “My mother and pop drank and served espresso in demitasse cups. The espresso was brewed in a drip pot by pouring a demitasse of boiling water over the grounds and ready a couple of minutes to repeat the leaching.

“The espresso was made by mixing one pound of Group Darkish Roast with one pound of Luzianne with chicory. To say it was robust could be an understatement. A spoon may nearly actually stand within the cup!

“A demitasse was adequate to energise us within the morning to arrange for varsity!”

Espresso critics

Pat Hogan, of Covington, says, “Within the mid-’60s I used to be aboard the submarine USS Tiranti. In port I had below-deck watches and additional duties, amongst them making a contemporary pot of espresso.

“We had a 50-cup pot, and the order was ‘not more than two cups of grounds.’ Once I made espresso I put seven or eight cups of grounds, for espresso us Cajuns preferred.

“As I drew a cup of this, the lead prepare dinner drew one. He dumped it out, grumbling. As I continued my rounds, I handed by way of the chow corridor and noticed the mess prepare dinner dumping the pot.

“However that was OK; I had my cup of Louisiana espresso.”

Oh, Child!

Robert A. Lipe, of Prairieville, says when he labored in Virginia, Minnesota, “manner the heck upstate,” he had dinner in a captivating outdated resort restaurant.

“One of many choices was ‘child lobster’ pasta. I couldn’t resist — I addressed the waiter and stated the ‘lobster’ was crawfish, which it was.”