Best Foods

3.5.2017

My little family trekked up north of LA to the beautiful city of Fresno, CA for Christmas this past year.  Our hosts were my little wife's brother and his wife and would you believe it, they weren't home to greet us because they were at the hospital having a baby!
We've done the Air BnB-thing several times and so walking into someone else's home is not unfamiliar.  All of the home owner's stuff is there - furniture, linens, cookware, etc.  (At one of the more memorable Air BnB bookings, we found the fridge to contain various condiments, pickles and such.  One of our crew thought for sure it was all poisoned by the previous guests or owners and promply chucked it all and replaced it.)
While at that place the fridge contents were both unexpected and suspected all at the same time, the empty but not empty home of our kin had a kitchen full of food.  We found sixty bags of Flamin' Hot Cheetos and a full rice cooker still on the warm setting.  The fridge was stocked full as was the freezer and pantry. 
It was approaching 3 pm and everyone knows what to do at 3 pm, so I investigated the coffee situation.  I was disheartened to find a single-shot Keureg machine - still so popular these days - and so resigned myself to find the inserts.  I did notice a gigantor can of Yuban coffee next to the machine.  I wondered why for a moment while rummaging for the single-shot inserts.  What I found were a couple insert-shaped "cages" and a full box of itty bitty filters that fit into them.  That solved the Yuban mystery. 
I slotted a filter into the cage, spooned Yuban into the filter and inserted it into the machine.  I filled the water reservoir, placed a coffee mug I found into place, pressed the button and waited for the process to complete.
When it was ready, I noticed an unexpectedly pleasant aroma and dark color to the Yuban.  I took a sip, hoping for the best and had a great sip of coffee.  What??  I must be hallucinating.  I had another sip and sure enough, it was good.  I downed that cup, made another and it, too was good.  Wow.  Yuban.  Who knew??
Next morning, I had seven cups of my new best friend, Yuban.  I made a couple cups for my little wife and she, too, enjoyed the Yuban. 
A few days of Yuban later, our hosts came home with their baby.  After the welcome home celebration, I had a word with the lord of the house.
He asked if we found everthing we needed okay.  I said we did and we figured out the coffee service and were really surprised with the Yuban.  "When did you figure out that Yuban was so good?" I asked.  "Oh," he said, "It's not Yuban.  It's Peet's in a Yuban can."
I stood there for a minute.  Then said, "figures."


Tonight - The Homestead.


bye-ee!
whrr ... clik!