{"id":80,"date":"2007-05-11T06:21:43","date_gmt":"2007-05-10T22:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stevepeer.net\/wordpress\/?p=83"},"modified":"2007-05-11T06:21:43","modified_gmt":"2007-05-10T22:21:43","slug":"blue-mountain-bog-roll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stevepeer.com\/blog\/blue-mountain-bog-roll\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Mountain “bog roll”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is coffee an addiction?<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, it is.<\/p>\n

Am I addicted?<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes I am.<\/p>\n

It started back in the days of summer camp. I was a young, fresh-faced counselor who enjoying staying up most of the night, a hand of euchre clutched in my sweaty fist. Coffee was the magically liquid that revived me the following morning as I sat comatose with over-excited 7-year-olds. Black Joe became a morning ritual, like showering or not making my bed.<\/p>\n

<<\/p>\n

p class=”left caption”>\"coffee.jpg\"
\nThe Stevo Emergency Coffee Contraption (Pat. Pending)<\/p>\n

Finding real coffee in China is difficult. Well, not that difficult, you can buy coffee at Wal-Mart, but that involves a bus ride. Add to that my cheapness and understanding why I drink instant coffee is easy.<\/p>\n

This morning I found myself with an empty bottle of instant coffee. I debated donning my shorts and heading to the 24-hour convenience store that stocks the mythical crystals. Being the laziest man in Shenzhen I dismissed this idea. On the kitchen counter was a Ziploc bag of real Blue Mountain coffee, a gift (or bribe) from a co-worker that had committed a minor transgression.<\/p>\n

I had no coffee filters, or a coffee maker to place them in. My French press had been\u00a0 discarded months before due to aggressive mould growth caused by lackluster cleaning skills. I was at a loss.<\/p>\n

But necessity is the mother of invention. I had a wire basket strainer and toilet paper (bog roll, my Kiwi friend calls it). In fact I have 15 rolls of toilet paper in my apartment. My wife purchased 24 rolls the last time we ran out. Why two people in a very small apartment need to stockpile toilet paper is a mystery to me.<\/p>\n

But I digress.<\/p>\n

The plan was just crazy enough to work. Or fail with aplomb. I didn\u2019t care; thoughts of Blue Mountain goodness had invaded my thoughts like some nations invade others for oil.<\/p>\n

I lined the basket with a generous amount of toilet paper. Once placed over a pot I slowly poured hot water over the grounds. My body shook with anticipation, and withdrawal.<\/p>\n

The liquid went into a large white mug. It was brown, the right color, although I would have seriously considered drinking something pink or green if I had the correct aroma. I sampled.<\/p>\n

It was coffee-like. Not nearly strong enough, but good enough to do the job. I just needed four cups instead of my ritual two.<\/p>\n

Desperate times (and laziness) call for desperate measures. As this tale passes into legend I think the coffee-starved of the world will see me for the visionary I was\/am.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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