Nutmeg loves her coffee.
It is a sad morning for Nutmeg AND a difficult day for Ginger if there is no morning coffee.
That being said not just any java will do. Nutmeg has prepared this rating scale for clarity:
| -100 | Instant coffee – only consumed in the most dire of situations |
| -95 | Banquet brewed coffee – only if you need to stay a wake at the event |
| -90 | McDonalds regular coffee – necessary for a long drive |
| -80 | French café espresso in a tourist town |
| 0 | Tim Horton’s – some folks love it – have you ever see the line-up at one of their drive-thrus? |
| +50 | French Press coffee – the quality depends on the beans, and the grind |
| +70 | French café espresso with no tourists |
| +95 | Real Vietnamese iced coffee served with condensed milk |
| +95 | Nespresso a near perfect espresso shot every time at home and they are working on the environmental packaging |
| +100 | Italian espresso = Perfect! |
Of course, not everyone can visit Italy, so this is Nutmeg’s solution, buy a stove-top espresso pot and some decent quality ground espresso. The results are a perfect “Americano” every time. You can buy pricey versions at high-end cooking stores, although the inexpensive versions work just fine. Nutmeg now owns five, because Ginger has put his foot down at travelling with one, so she leaves them everywhere.
What could be better than a steaming cup of java and a freshly baked cookie? These cookies are definitely among Nutmeg’s favorites.
- 1½ Cups Flour (all-purpose)
- ¾ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- ½ Cup Sugar
- ½ Cup Molasses
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1½ Cups Large Oat Flakes
- 1 Cup Unsalted Nuts, chopped (use your favorite mixture)
- 1 Cup Chopped Dried Fruit: dates, apricots, figs, raisins
- 2 Cups Chocolate Chips
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Flaked Coconut
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
- Blend butter and sugar together until smooth
- Add eggs and mix well
- Add molasses and mix well
- In another bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt
- Mix in the dried fruit, nuts, chocolate and coconut to the dry ingredients
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients until well mixed
- On a lightly greased baking sheet (or use silpat) put tablespoon size scoops of the batter, leave room in between for spreading 9. Bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly brown on the bottom
- Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack 11. Store in a sealed container
Food Travel Tags:
Easy Cookie Recipes, Easy healthy snack recipes, Italy Travel, Travel in Italy
