June 21: Day 18: Still at MacDonald Island Mooring Field

The Art of Boat Coffee (And Why Greg Got My Cinnamon) 

We awoke around 6:15 a.m. after going to bed at 11:15 last night following another episode of The Resident. I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I finally crawled out of bed to make coffee. Missing that extra hour of sleep definitely makes a difference—it’s always my goal to get a solid eight hours since I operate so much better on it!

We took note of the exact time the sun finally rose on the boat at this anchorage: 7:35 a.m. First thing in the morning, it was incredibly calm. The water was flat and perfectly still when we first stepped out into the cockpit, capturing the early light striking the mountainside at the edge of the anchorage. It was a magical moment. Once the sun cleared the ridges, the usual morning breeze began to flow lightly through the boats.

This morning, I total goofed. I made our coffee and accidentally gave Greg my cup. The catch? I like cinnamon in mine. I also add a capful of navy rum before the coffee even goes into the mug. It gives a lovely little depth of flavor and starts the day off nice and mellow—don't worry, it’s not enough alcohol to complain about! We usually only indulge in this on the boat, depending entirely on what kind of day we have ahead of us.

In an earlier post, I promised I’d share my boat coffee-making routine. Seeing as I just confessed to putting rum in it, this seems like the perfect time to pull back the curtain on the galley cafe.

The Lil' Ollie Guide to Galley Coffee

First, I fill our whistling kettle right up to the bottom of the pouring spout, light the small burner on the left, and set it to heat. My goal is to bring it just under a boil. I leave the lid slightly loose so I can peek in on it, otherwise, I have to judge it entirely by the changing pitch of the sound.

While the water heats, I gather the arsenal: two 16-ounce ceramic mugs, a spoon, our stainless steel French press, a long stirring spoon, our fresh coffee grounds, the rum, a carton of Natura shelf-stable soy milk (a steal at $2.99/liter from the Real Canadian Superstore), a Bodum frother, and cinnamon.

[Photo: My floating cafe setup. It takes an arsenal, but the results are worth it.]

I add 4 to 5 level scoops (about 2 tablespoons per scoop) of ground coffee into our 32-ounce French press. If we’re running low on grounds, I hand the jar and the beans over to Greg to run through the grinder. We keep about a half-pint of ground coffee in a sealed jar on hand. We drink half-decaf, so Greg pre-mixes the beans right in the jar before grinding.

When the water is ready, I pour a quarter-cup into each mug just to warm up the ceramic. Then, the rum and cinnamon go into my cup, and a splash of rum goes into Greg’s. I fill the French press halfway with hot water, give it a good stir, and set a timer for 10 minutes.

While the coffee steeps, I light the small burner on the right, turn it as low as it will go, and place a heat diffuser on top of the flame. I fill the Bodum frother about half full with soy milk—it is way past the maximum fill line, but it works for me! I pump the frother until the foam hits the lid, then set it on the diffuser to warm up, pumping it occasionally to ensure it doesn't scorch on the bottom.

When the timer dings, I plunge the French press. I fill our cups halfway with the rich coffee, top Greg’s up with the remaining hot water to make a full Americano, and top mine with the thick, hot frothed soy milk. Voilà—a boat latte! Greg doesn’t care for soy milk, hence the separate orders. It might seem like a lot of steps, but hey, we're on a boat! What else is there to do? The final result is absolutely delicious.

[Photo: Ahhhh—finally, our start to this wonderful day! (This is a photo from a different day's coffee the way it is supposed to be)]

Right now, Greg has taken Artemus ashore for a quick tree-sniffing trip, so I’m taking advantage of the quiet boat to grab some granola, brew a cup of tea, and finish up this entry. My main goals today are to get these posts published, head over to the dock, and practice some Tai Chi. My body is practically begging for the movement! I truly love my life right now.

• Comments are Welcome! Please feel free to chime in—just make sure to hit PUBLISH when you are done. If you aren't signed into a Google account, your comment will show up as "Anonymous," so please type your first name and last initial in the comment box so I know who I'm replying to! (If you are signed into Google, your name will show up automatically.)

• Check Back for Updates: I quite often write and update this blog as the day goes by. If you want to catch the whole story, be sure to check back and refresh your browser! I've also been known to add details after the day is over—or even days later if I suddenly remember something I forgot to include.