#Coffee Without a Machine

[coffeeverse1]

The Beginner’s Guide to Making Coffee: Methods, Tips & Tricks

There’s nothing quite like a good cup of coffee to start your day—or lift your mood any time you need a boost. But if you’re new to brewing your own coffee, it can be confusing to know where to start. French press? Espresso? Cold brew? What does it all mean, and which method is best for you?

In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll walk you through the most popular coffee-making methods, easy-to-follow tips, and smart tricks to help you get the most out of every cup.

Why Learning to Brew Coffee at Home Is a Game Changer

Brewing your own coffee gives you control over taste, strength, and quality. You’re not just saving money—you’re also creating a morning (or afternoon) ritual that you can actually enjoy.

And guess what? You don’t need an expensive machine to start. With just a few basic tools and a bit of practice, you can make coffee that tastes better than what you get at most cafés.

Choosing the Right Coffee Beans

Before diving into brewing techniques, let’s talk about beans—because great coffee starts here. Whether you prefer a strong and bold flavor or something more mellow, the type of bean you choose will make a huge difference.

For beginners, a medium roast is a safe and versatile choice. If you’re interested in smoother and less acidic brews (like cold brew coffee), consider beans with chocolate, nutty, or caramel notes.

Quick Tip: Always buy whole beans and grind them fresh for the best flavor.

Popular Coffee Brewing Methods for Beginners

Let’s break down the most accessible and popular ways to brew coffee at home.

1. French Press (Also Known as a Press Pot or Plunger)

A favorite for beginners due to its simplicity.

What you need:

Coarsely ground coffee

Hot water (not boiling)

French press

Steps:

Add 1–2 tablespoons of coffee per cup.

Pour hot water over the grounds.

Stir gently and let it steep for 4 minutes.

Press the plunger down slowly and pour.

Best for: Full-bodied coffee lovers who like a bit of boldness.

2. Pour-Over (e.g., V60, Chemex)

Ideal if you enjoy clean, light flavors and have a bit of patience.

What you need:

Medium-ground coffee

Pour-over dripper

Filter paper

Hot water and kettle

Steps:

Place the dripper over your mug and insert a filter.

Rinse the filter with hot water.

Add coffee grounds and pour hot water in a circular motion.

Let it drip through slowly.

Best for: Flavor clarity, highlighting subtle notes in your beans.

3. Cold Brew Coffee

If you're after a refreshing and smooth coffee without bitterness, cold brew coffee is your go-to.

What you need:

Coarsely ground coffee

Cold or room temperature water

Jar or pitcher

A strainer or cheesecloth

Steps:

Mix coffee and water in a 1:4 ratio (e.g., 1 cup coffee to 4 cups water).

Let it steep in the fridge for 12–24 hours.

Strain and store the liquid.

Serve chilled, with or without milk.

Best for: Hot weather, low acidity, and slow sippers.

Pro Tip: Use beans specifically roasted for cold brew coffee to enhance the flavor.

4. Instant Coffee (In a Pinch)

It gets a bad rap, but instant coffee has come a long way.

Steps:

Add 1–2 teaspoons of instant coffee to your mug.

Pour hot water and stir.

Add sugar or milk if desired.

Best for: Quick caffeine fix without the mess.

Coffee Tips & Tricks for Beginners

Tip 1: Use Filtered Water

If your tap water tastes funky, so will your coffee. Clean water = clean brew.

Tip 2: Nail the Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Too much coffee = bitter. Too little = weak. Start with 1:15 (1g coffee to 15g water) and tweak as you go.

Tip 3: Mind Your Grind

Coarse for French press and cold brew

Medium for drip and pour-over

Fine for espresso (if using a machine)

Tip 4: Preheat Your Equipment

Always rinse your brewing gear with hot water before brewing—it keeps your coffee hotter and cleaner in taste.

How to Find Your Favorite Coffee Style

Everyone’s taste is different. Some love the intense flavors of espresso, while others prefer the light brightness of a pour-over or the mellow smoothness of cold brew coffee. The key is to experiment.

Try different brewing styles for a week. Note how each method affects the flavor and how it makes you feel. You’ll soon discover what fits your daily rhythm.

Final Thoughts: Start Simple, Sip Slowly

Brewing coffee doesn’t have to be intimidating. Start with one method—maybe a French press or cold brew coffee—and focus on doing it well. As you gain confidence, branch out and try new techniques, new beans, and even new add-ins like spices or flavored syrups.

Before long, you’ll find that making coffee becomes less of a task and more of a ritual. And that’s when you truly become a coffee lover.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the easiest method to make coffee for beginners?

A: French press and cold brew are both great for beginners. They require minimal equipment and are very forgiving with measurements.

Q2. How is cold brew coffee different from iced coffee?

A: Cold brew is made by steeping coffee in cold water for 12–24 hours, resulting in a smoother, less acidic drink. Iced coffee is brewed hot and then cooled.

Q3. Do I need a scale to make good coffee at home?

A: It helps for consistency, but you can start with basic tablespoons and adjust as you go.

Q4. How long can I store cold brew coffee?

A: You can keep it in the fridge for up to 7 days. Use an airtight container and avoid adding milk until you're ready to drink.

Q5. What grind size should I use for cold brew coffee?

A: Always use coarse ground coffee for cold brew. Finer grinds can over-extract and make your brew bitter.

[mechazushi]

God, you're dense [Affectionate].

{a Kn8 short story}

Hoshina wasn't one to play games. Sure, he liked to have fun, but playing with people's emotions and perceptions wasn't something he could get into. He raised himself on the belief that being straight forward on something was the best course of action. If someone couldn't get on the same page as him, that was on them. He worked in a position where the best moves forward and anyone else that can't keep up with him were best left behind. Of course, much like most rules in life, there were exceptions to the rule. His biggest fault to everything he stood for was a tall, jolly, brute of a beast named Kafka. Kafka would be an exception to most everything he would die on a hill for. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, was one person that he held to the highest accordance of his standards. His brother.

Hoshina made a point not to talk to his brother after he got accepted into the defense force. The restrictions on that got tighter after he got accepted as Mina's Vice Captain. Since before, he still showed up to family gatherings at the least to entertain his mother's concerns about his livelihood in the Third Division. Still, just because he didn't make attempts to contact his family, doesn't mean his family doesn't make attempts to contact him. It was always inevitable (because they don't tell him ahead of time) always with the supposed best of intentions (Because what quality road to hell isn't paved with them) and always at the most inconvenient times (an ability that seemed to be an inbred skill in every other family member). Between catching up on chores that should have been done yesterday, decaf in the communal coffee machine, and his third favorite pen breaking, Hoshina found he wasn't in the mood to talk. So obviously it was a perfect time to be visited by his least favorite person.

Walking down the hallway with a mountain of signed paperwork, his pace was intended to be brisk, but felt sluggish all the same. As he passed an intersection in hallways, he noticed the large frame of a burly friend catching up behind him. As Kafka slowed his pace to match his commander's, Hoshina tilted his face in his direction and flashed what was hoped to be a casual and respectful smile.

"Had a feeling you'd feel like that once I heard about the incident at the coffee machine. Here. Brought this for ya." Kafka said as he handed over a steaming mug of dark tan coffee.

"Oh, I already had coffee today." Hoshina tried to politely decline. he guessed his smile wasn't as bright as it should have been if Kafka could see he was feeling off.

"Yeah, but that was decaf." he insisted as he held the mug by its rim and pointed its handle temptingly toward its intended recipient.

Hoshina stiffed its steam heavily as it wafted under his nose. The smell of a caffeinated brew being much more rejuvenating than the bland swill he choked down this morning. He didn't think twice as he shifted the paper load more securely under his arm and took the offered mug greedily. There was a low, grateful moan as the hot, searing, and just lightly sweetened liquid burned pleasantly down the back of his throat.

'You might've just saved my mental state yet again, Kafka." Hoshina finally muttered after nearly downing half of the mug.

Kafka just chuckled as he walked in time with him, and after a while, held out a hand in an offer to carry the paperwork. Hoshina politely refused again, feeling genuinely better now that he had something more stimulating coursing throughout his system. Walking side by side, they engaged in pleasant idle chatter as they continued down the hallway. Without checking how far they had walked, they neared an area that had a lobby that was sparsely populated. As they got closer, an irritatingly familiar voice rang clear in the partially echoey room.

"Brother Dearest!" Soichiro Hoshina, Soshiro's older brother, was leaning against the desk in the back center of the lobby, relaxing like he deserved the space he was taking up.

"Oh God, why aren't I being delivered from evil like I ask every Shrine visit?" Soshiro muttered as soon as he realized who was occupying the open room with them.

"That's your brother?" Kafka asked as he laid eyes on the visitor.

"Unfortunately." Soshiro said with every letter somehow overflowing with distain and loudly enough to be heard by the other person.

"Come on, brother! You had to have known that one of these visits was to have to happen soon? It's been, what, months since you've even sent at minimum a hello to Mother." Soichino's words were playful, a clear difference in demeanor to the attitude his younger brother was radiating. A second had passed as he clearly gave the plus one an interested once-over after he lifted his sunglasses off his face.

"Well, hello soldier. And who might you be?" A salacious smile slithered coolly over Soichiro's glossy, thin lips. His tongue flicked out and over his teeth teasingly as he continued to stare down Kafka with a darkened sense of interest. Kafka bowed deeply in greeting before he introduced himself.

"Kafka Hibino. Officer of the Third Division." was his militantly clipped response.

"Kafka... Kafka... Where have I heard that name before?" Soichiro drawled out as he shifted over to Kafka's side, poking his shoulder with the arm of his sunglasses with playful emphases.

"He's our Kaiju Number Eight, you salacious cur. Now what are you doing here?" Soshiro snarked as he took another sip of his coffee. His brother made no move to acknowledge the comment as he continued to speak directly to Kafka.

"Kaiju Number Eight, huh! So you're the beast on the battlefield. Is it too much for me to ask if you're a beast anywhere else?" That Cheshire smile never left his face as his eyes turned into a more evaluating gaze.

"Well, I'm the Division's only on call Kaiju. It's pretty safe to say that I'm always the beast when it's needed." Kafka smiled bashfully as a hand came up to scratch the back of his neck. Soichiro practically giggled as a hand came up to mischievously smack the other shoulder.

"Look at you! Making out to be something that strong and powerful as a humble brag!" the older brother seemed to slide in closer to Kafka's personal space, with Kafka playing it off as business as usual. Soshiro could feel the handle of the mug creaking under his tightened grip as he looked on at his brother's shameless display.

"Ya know, I had originally cleared out my schedule to take my brother out on a lunch date, but I've just realized he's been a horrible brother and hasn't shown me around the Third Division's main facilities not once!", Soichiro saddled up impossibly closer and even had the audacity to slip a hand around the back of Kafka's forearm, "Why don't I be a good Captain and help clear yours so you can show me around? I'm sure any tour by you would be far more interesting than what he could provide." Soshiro watched as he saw the offer being sealed with an obviously flirty wink.

"Well, I'd be happy to! That is, if it's alright with my Vice Captain?" Kafka asked as he looked innocently toward the younger brother, seemingly unaware or unaffected by the attention he was currently being given.

"No Kafka, that won't be necessary, If my brother is going to come out all this way to see me, then he's just going to have to settle for my company alone." Soshiro said as he placed his paperwork and his coffee mug on the abandoned reception desk.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Maybe some other time?" Kafka asked as he looked at the older Hoshina brother.

"Such a shame. Don't be surprised if I take you up on that offer." Soichiro tittered as he patted the other side of the forearm he was still holding onto. The two brothers watched intently as Kafka turned around and walked down the hallway. Soshiro waited until he was out of every possible hearing range before he decided to speak.

"Alright, you bottle-platinum harlot. What the hell was that display all about?" Soshiro made no attempts to restrain his irritation at his brother's expense. He had no idea what game his brother was trying to play with him, but he wouldn't stand for it since it seemed to involve a very close and personal friend of his.

"I don't know what you mean." Soichiro said as he kept tittering. His posture and demeanor revealing to his younger brother that there was a plan brewing behind those evil eyes.

"I will not have you seducing my strongest man over to your division while I'm here." Soshiro commanded as he leveled a piercing gaze at the other person.

"Excuse me, 'Your man'? I'm sorry, but I didn't see a ring on his finger." Soichiro teased as he turned to face his brother.

"That's not what I meant and you know it, you vile rake." Soshiro spat the words out in an attempt to dissuade any further conversation on the topic.

"So catty today, are we brother? I was simply taking in the local selection. I'm not surprised you're interested in him." Soichiro chatted as he teasingly bit on the arm of his sunglasses.

"I also see you've decided to take up slander as a hobby since last we met." Soshiro grumbled as he found himself forced into a position where he had to talk to his brother in person for more than a minute.

"Oh, please! You know our family has a history of liking them sweet and dumb. How do you think Mother's marriage has lasted this long?" Soichiro continued as he leveled a knowing stare at him.

"If you're going to keep insinuating things that don't exist, I'm going to order you to cancel the lunch date and leave." the younger brother retorted as he turned around to drink the last sips from the coffee mug.

"What do you think I'm insinuating?" Soichiro purred as his sight never left his brother.

"Don't toy with me today, you troglodytic trollup. I am in no mood to bat around this string of yarn you're trying to spin here." Soshina kept snapping back as he took the opportunity to avoid eye contact as he shuffled around the stack of papers.

"Why all the denial, Brother Dearest? Especially since we're so far from Egypt. Besides, it's not slander saying you like a coworker as if your interactions weren't displayed all over the news two weeks ago." The grin broke into a full blown, toothy smile of superiority as the Captain of the Sixth Division draped himself over the desk's top next to Soshiro.

"What... interactions?" the Vice Captain hissed as he slowly turned his head to side-eye his brother

"Should I reenact it for you?" Soichiro giggled before flopping onto his back and dramatically fainting, "Oh! I seem to have taken a terrible fall and broken both of my legs! Oh, is there some dark, handsome, Knight in living armour that can princess-carry my oh so fragile body to the farthest fucking ambulance on scene and completely bypass three others that were unoccupied and were going to take me to the same fucking hospital!" It was clear that he was taking a massive amount of joy retelling his version of events that he saw on the news as his voice raised in volume with every reveal.

"I didn't break my legs, I dislocated my ankles! What would you have me do, walk?" Soshiro started to match his brother's volume and had now fully turned to him to confront this problem of point-of-views head on.

"The cameras clearly show you two having a conversation where it shows you convincing him to carry you!" The two of them were so close to each other's faces now their noses could touch.

"I was trying to convince him not to!" Soshiro returned.

"Because the cameras were rolling?" Soichiro asked.

"Yes!" his brother answered.

"AND BECAUSE YOU TWO ARE IN LOVE! Why else be camera shy about being carried around in public?" The eldest returned triumphantly as he poked him in the chest.

"NO." Soshiro shouted back as he shoved his brother backwards, "We are not in love! What part of this do you think it's okay to date someone like him?"

"Oh don't act like you can't because he's under your position. He makes his own precedent as he breathes! And you are the right type of rebellious, attention craving, delinquent punk that would absolutely fall for someone that is perfect for you in all the right ways, while also him being a human anomaly in every sense of the word! He turns into something our family has been training it's young to kill for centuries so of course you're going to deviate from the norm and be practically head over heels for him!" The Captain couldn't stop himself from cackling as his lungs quaked from talking for so long without breath.

There wasn't anything left on the matter that Soshiro could say to make his brother change his mind, so he decided to let his fists do the talking for him as he sent a vicious right hook. His fist connected to his brother's left eye and caught him off guard for a second. Before he could speak out against the assault, the younger brother wasted no time in jumping onto his brother and throwing his fists left and right. The two soon became a mass of tangled limbs and colorful curse words on the floor. It wasn't like this for long as two other people came across the fight and helped break up the fray.

"Alright, alright! Break it UP!" You two are grown up men, and Defense Force officers at that! ACT LIKE IT!" Okonogi reprimanded them as Aoi held them off the ground by their jacket collars.

"Yes, Okonogi." The brothers said in unison. As they were set back on the ground, they straightened their outfits and waited to see if their new company would leave. When they didn't, Soichiro decided to speak what was left on his mind anyway.

"The lunch date is still on, by the way. Mother's orders. How about I give us an hour to cool down and we try this whole 'conversation' thing again?" he tried to say with as much possible conviction in his smile. Soshiro just glared violently as he picked up the stack of papers from the desk.

"I do what I damn well please, you leporid bunk bunny." he said as he stormed off. Everyone watched as he walked away before his older brother spoke up again.

"He'll be fine."

 𓈒   𑁍 𓈒

It was a little after seven thirty before Hoshina felt fine enough to interact with anyone. Spending some time in the gym helped him feel better after dealing with the Lunch Date From Hell. It also helped that he got to meet his favorite punching bag for sparring.

"Look -huff- I get you -huff- don't like your brother -huff-, but did you really -huff- need to literally -huff- kick my ass?" Kafka's lungs heaved after spending what felt like hours defending himself from his Vice Captain's volley of blows.

"Ya snooze, ya loose Kafka. Intense training is for your own good." Hoshina quipped back as he walked over to his duffle for water bottles. Kafka shambled behind him slowly and sat down on the bench the bag was next to.

"Intense training, my entire bruised ass. That last chokehold felt personal." Kafka began to regulate his breathing by the time Hoshina made it over with the water bottles.

As Hoshina drank from his, he subtly tried to look at Kafka as he poured some of the bottle's contents onto himself. He watched as the water made his partner's bangs stick to his forehead at odd angles and made a swift attempt to cool his fiery red cheeks. Hoshina didn't let his imagination run too far away from him as he thought about Kafka looking worn out and sweaty for a different reason. Of course he denied everything that was said earlier that was concerning the situation between him and Kafka. Mainly because it all implied that Kafka felt the same way he did. Had it been a complete stranger talking to him this morning, it would have shocked everyone that knew him once they heard how different his answers would have been.

As Kafka finished rubbing the cool water into his face and straightened his back and arms out into an intense looking stretch, Hoshina forced himself to look away from the rippling of muscle and the straining of his tank top around said muscles. In moments like this, when he was sure no one would be looking or they were alone, Hoshina liked to play a little game with Kafka. It wasn't one that you could win with points or anything. Hell, some days it made Hoshina feel like all he did was lose by playing, but he couldn't deny that conniving little twitch that begged for him to play over and over again. All so he could see that dumb little smile.

"Still improving as slow as always." Hoshina said after a minute of relaxing on the bench.

"Hey, at least I am still improving, right?" Kafka returned as he looked back at his Vice Captain.

There was a smile, sure, but it wan't big. He could do better.

"Can't say I don't find you to be consistent at least 1% of the time." Hoshina offered as a response, deciding to bring up a well used joke between them. He turned back to look out at the empty gym in front of them.

"God, I still haven't gotten higher than that, haven't I?" Kafka chuckled out of the side of his mouth.

"It was a good thing we found out you were a kaiju when we did. Could you imagine what would have happened if you couldn't raise that percentage up high enough in three months?" Hoshina thought the comment sounded funnier in his head, but once he heard it out loud he wanted to smack himself for it. Everyone knew that it was a horrible thought, thinking about Kafka not being around anymore. Even that was something Hoshina couldn't bring himself to deny or joke about.

"I do every day." Kafka sighed heavily, "Everyday I wake up here." He closed his eyes for a second as he smiled softly, his head coming to rest against the back wall the bench was against.

Hoshina turned back to look at him, taking Kafka's moment of vulnerability to look at him fully this time. He thought about it too. A life in the Defense Force where he didn't get to see Kafka everyday. A life where he didn't bring him coffee or hear his laugh or have drinks with him after work hours. Hoshina could feel his heart squeeze at the thought of Kafka not being in the Defense Force, or worse, suddenly living at a different Division. Being close by technicality, but feeling oh so very far.

"Did you notice my brother was flirting with you at all?" Hoshina felt himself ask before he could take the words back. He felt himself brace for the answer in the brief moments in between his heartbeats.

"Wait... really?" Kafka asked with genuine interest. Hoshina could feel his face twist into something between curiosity and mild disgust. Kafka couldn't tell he was being flirted with? And was okay with it coming from his brother?

"Ye-yeah?" Hoshina returned hesitantly.

"You sure? 'Cuz I mean... wow. He's... actually interested? In me?" Kafka's smile grew bigger and more wonky as he processed what he was told.

"You're okay with this?" Hoshina questioned incredulously. He could not believe what he was seeing, and was actively praying that this wasn't the case.

"Are you kidding? Of course! You're brother is frickin' hot!" Kafka replied with joy, "Is he, like, still around? I mean, I know he's not here kinda around, but I mean, is he like, nearby? Like in a hotel or something? Nah, that would be creepy. Oh! Could you let me have his number?" Kafka prattled on as Hoshina continued to become more and more disgusted. Sure, he was a little happy to hear that Kafka was cool with being hit on by guys, (and clearly reciprocated the sentiment) but felt absolutely horrified at hearing Kafka wanting his brother's number. So much so that he immediately stood on the bench seat so he could get a good enough vantage to stomp on Kafka to stop his train of thought.

"You! Will! NOT! Be! Dating! My! BROTHER!" Hoshina shouted out between the stomping.

"Jesus! And here I thought you wouldn't be having a problem with me liking guys! Yah know, since you told me about it!" Kafka shouted back as he tried to defend himself from the onslaught.

"I don't have a problem with you dating guys! I have a problem with you dating my brother!" Hoshina said as he pressed his foot down firmly onto Kafka's hands that were protecting his head.

'Well then, who would you rather have me date?" Kafka returned rhetorically.

"Me for starters!" Hoshina finally admitted. Once he did, he let the pressure off of his foot and just stayed in the position for a hot minute, feeling as awkward as a school girl admitting to her first crush. Kafka just held onto the foot as he looked up at his commander with wide, unbelieving eyes. All Hoshina could bring himself to do was look away, his cheeks flushing hot and bright. Kafka helped lower the foot down as he got up from his seat to face him from the front.

"Have... have you been flirting with me too?" Kafka asked. Hoshina still couldn't look at him or answer, so his cheeks answered for him.

"How long have you been flirting with me?" Kafka asked again.

"Two... two years." Hoshina answered quietly.

"We've known each other for two years." Kafka responded. Hoshina still hadn't made a move, only crossed his arms defensively.

"YOU'VE BEEN FLIRTING WITH ME SINCE WE MET?" Kafka shouted as he made the realization.

"To be fair, I don't flirt like a normal person and you clearly can't read context clues." Hoshina said as he finally regained some control over his mouth. He just wished he had better control over what it said.

"Why didn't you say anything before now?" Kafka sounded incredulous at the thought of how he could have been dating the most amazing person on base before now, had be been able to read between the lines.

" I kept thinking it was funny?" Hoshina responded in a shy, quivering voice as more blood rushed to his face and made it redder.

"Okay, now I have to ask. What about me do you like? Do you think I'm handsome, or do you really just like to think I'm funny?" Kafka questioned as he waved his hands around animatedly.

"Honestly? I just really like that you're funny." Hoshina said as he relaxed and playfully shrugged. Now feeling better about having all of this out in the open.

" So, just, fuck my face then." Kafka said in a sarcastically irritated manner while turning around and waving his arms.

"I would if you'd stop talking." Hoshina accidentally let slip.

He wasn't ashamed of saying it, but probably should have found a better time to say it. It didn't seem to matter anyway as Kafka took a second to stop his flailing and slowly turned around to face his commander again. A sly smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his eyes darkened at the play on words they stumbled into.

"Well alright then." Kafka chuckled darkly as he strode over to where Hoshina was still standing. He grabbed his legs and threw him over his shoulder, holding onto Hoshina's calves for dear life as he carried his thrashing lover out of the gym.

"Wha-what do you think you're doing?" Hoshina cried as he tried to look back at his kidnapper. Kafka returned the most intensely flirtatious side-eye back at him as they walked out of the gym.

"Moving training to your place, so you can properly shut me up."

"Wha-what, no dinner first?" Hoshina stuttered nervously as he continued to be paraded down the hall on Kafka's shoulder. He got even more nervous as Okonogi slid past his line of sight and watched them walk away.

"You've been flirting with me for two years. Dinner can wait." Kafka growled as the other hand came up and audibly smacked Hoshina on the ass.

[worthystill]

GOOD MORNING BOOP.

i hope you all have a great day. i'm around if anyone wants to pester the thundernerd ( or me. )

[fatedroses]

I don’t know what exactly possessed me to make a Garlean Republic-era poster of Solus with a bit of storytelling irony (I.E Atticus and Regant’s soul crystal lol), but here we are anyways.

[kingscourthouse]

I don't know who needs to hear this, but if it works for you, don't let anyone shame you. Whatever it may be.

I've been shamed before because I have to microwave my drinks to make tea and coffee. I've boiled noodles in a rice cooker and someone just said to buy a pot. I only have 1 plate, 1 cup and 1 set of silverware for myself. I don't have a functional dishwasher. I've been shamed for using water for hot cocoa instead of milk when I couldn't afford it. I've had one pair of shoes for the past 7 years because they're not comepltley fallen apart yet.

Don't let someone shame you for the things that work for you. Don't let someone shame you for things that make you happy. They don't know your life.

Wheather you can't afford something, are homeless, just don't have the "normal" household items, the ability to get help, broken or worn down items, don't let anyone shame you for it.

If it's working for you, then it works. If it's not harming anyone, then it works. If you're still living your life finding ways around problems, then it works. You're making it work and that's all that matters.

Don't let anyone shame you for just trying to live.

[teenvue-with-vickivale]

New Batburger menu just dropped!!! Don't miss their limited items!!!

[dailycupofcreativitea]

You ever want an iced latte or something but you're too lazy to leave and you don't own any coffee equipment? Fret no longer! After some desperate googling I found the EASIEST FUCKIN DIY ESPRESSO EVER (please don't come after me coffee connoisseurs)

1. Add 5 spoonfuls of ground coffee to a glass

2. Saturate with hot water

3. Cover and wait 1 minute

4. Stir to generate crema

5. Filter through a sieve into another glass

BOOM!!! ESPRESSO!!! No fancy equipment or anything!

I poured mine in a glass with ice cubes and milk and added pumpkin spice and sugar (pre-dissolved in hot water), AMAZING

[timetravelstudies]

downside of surrounding myself with 90% bizarre queer people who speak in riddles for the past 3 years is that my weirdness meter for small talk is way off base

[araneitela]

I ran out of coffee beans. /glares into camera

It's officially time for 6 hot chocolates today.

[simmeringstarfruit]

Moka Pot Espresso with Crema

Homemade easy espresso using a moka pot! How to use a moka pot at home to make wonderful espresso-style coffee, topped with the crema. Drink your espresso as is, or use it for a wide variety of homemade coffee drinks, hot or cold. Including instructions for how to use a moka pot, clean your moka pot, and how to recreate amazing coffee crema topping. No espresso machine required! Inspired by the…

[eyes-of-nine]

me: I should be allowed to bite my coworkers for not showing up for our shift I should be allowed to bite my coworkers for not showing up for our shift I should be allowed to bite my cowor-

the dead cistercian monks watching me mop their monastery alone in fishnets at 8am on a saturday:

[contextualise]

my coffee tastes terrible bc once the machine finished extracting or whatever I removed the stick thing with the grounds and filter and some of the grounds just straight up fell into the crema. also i've been using uht milk this week and the steamer is not quite sure what to do with itself around the uht. when i say terrible btw i mean not as stunning as usual but not actually like bad bc i put a little choccie on top <3

[deanpinterester]

the thing that's like "if you smell toast for no reason you might be having a stroke" except i'm smelling vanilla bean noelle scented candle from bath and body works

[mainfaggot]

I spent like 40 minutes making hazelnut lattes for my mom and i . I used the stove top to steam milk and prepared hot brewed coffee (instead of making instant coffee shots and microwaving the milk) like it was THAT serious. and the finished product doesnt even taste right all i do is flopflopflopppppp this is sad. my technique has to be way off. or maybe it was that and also the 2 year old McCafé medium roast grounds from costco. And the fact that I may have used an extra two tablespoons of syrup. oops.

[oceane-rei]

I don‘t trust our stove because it’s gas, I grew up with induction which is much quicker and more adjustable

Our fridge doesn’t have a thermostat and needs manual adjustment which causes my trust issues (I just set you to 3, why are you too warm again?)

There is no such thing as a trustworthy microwave, they always heat food unevenly

Kettle kinda gets close but lacks versatility

My coffee machine sometimes makes a bigger coffee than I tell it to if it’s the first coffee of the day

I don’t use the toaster enough to judge it but he‘s probably reliable in the same way a construction worker is reliable, he’ll do the job but no one knows after how many beer breaks

We just got a new used dishwasher and it’s a very good model but I haven’t used it yet since I’m not home for a few weeks so I can’t judge him

The airfryer once betrayed me when I tried to use it for reheating rather than the microwave so no thank you

And our deepfryer is very basic but very good but he also once made my fries too dark despite them only being in the beef grease for 3 minutes smh

The oven has enough different modes and I understand and use all of them for different purposes and it never disappoints. Oven my best friend even if you’re a bit old and need a really good cleaning someday.

tell me the appliance that is your best friend ever in the kitchen

[marvelsmostwanted]

There are people – some in my own Party – who think that if you just give Donald Trump everything he wants, he’ll make an exception and spare you some of the harm. I’ll ignore the moral abdication of that position for just a second to say — almost none of those people have the experience with this President that I do. I once swallowed my pride to offer him what he values most — public praise on the Sunday news shows — in return for ventilators and N95 masks during the worst of the pandemic. We made a deal. And it turns out his promises were as broken as the BIPAP machines he sent us instead of ventilators. Going along to get along does not work – just ask the Trump-fearing red state Governors who are dealing with the same cuts that we are. I won’t be fooled twice.

I’ve been reflecting, these past four weeks, on two important parts of my life: my work helping to build the Illinois Holocaust Museum and the two times I’ve had the privilege of reciting the oath of office for Illinois Governor.

As some of you know, Skokie, Illinois once had one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors anywhere in the world. In 1978, Nazis decided they wanted to march there.

The leaders of that march knew that the images of Swastika clad young men goose stepping down a peaceful suburban street would terrorize the local Jewish population – so many of whom had never recovered from their time in German concentration camps.

The prospect of that march sparked a legal fight that went all the way to the Supreme Court. It was a Jewish lawyer from the ACLU who argued the case for the Nazis – contending that even the most hateful of speech was protected under the first amendment.

As an American and a Jew, I find it difficult to resolve my feelings around that Supreme Court case – but I am grateful that the prospect of Nazis marching in their streets spurred the survivors and other Skokie residents to act. They joined together to form the Holocaust Memorial Foundation and built the first Illinois Holocaust Museum in a storefront in 1981 – a small but important forerunner to the one I helped build thirty years later.

I do not invoke the specter of Nazis lightly. But I know the history intimately — and have spent more time than probably anyone in this room with people who survived the Holocaust. Here’s what I’ve learned – the root that tears apart your house’s foundation begins as a seed – a seed of distrust and hate and blame.

The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame.

I’m watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now. A president who watches a plane go down in the Potomac – and suggests — without facts or findings — that a diversity hire is responsible for the crash. Or the Missouri Attorney General who just sued Starbucks – arguing that consumers pay higher prices for their coffee because the baristas are too “female” and “nonwhite.” The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here: They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.

I just have one question: What comes next? After we’ve discriminated against, deported or disparaged all the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities – once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends – After that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face – what comes next.

All the atrocities of human history lurk in the answer to that question. And if we don’t want to repeat history – then for God’s sake in this moment we better be strong enough to learn from it.

I swore the following oath on Abraham Lincoln’s Bible: “I do solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the state of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Governor .... according to the best of my ability.

My oath is to the Constitution of our state and of our country. We don’t have kings in America – and I don’t intend to bend the knee to one. I am not speaking up in service to my ambitions — but in deference to my obligations.

If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this:

It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic. All I’m saying is when the five-alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water if you want to stop it from raging out of control.

Those Illinois Nazis did end up holding their march in 1978 – just not in Skokie. After all the blowback from the case, they decided to march in Chicago instead. Only twenty of them showed up. But 2000 people came to counter protest. The Chicago Tribune reported that day that the “rally sputtered to an unspectacular end after ten minutes.” It was Illinoisans who smothered those embers before they could burn into a flame.

Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance. Democracy requires your courage. So gather your justice and humanity, Illinois, and do not let the “tragic spirit of despair” overcome us when our country needs us the most.

Sources:

• NBC Chicago & J.B. Pritzker, Democratic governor of Illinois, State of the State address 2025: Watch speech here | Full text

• Betches News on Instagram (screencaps)