Where's the Coffee Pot

I think it twas Sunday night. But what ever night it was, it was time for Gun Smoke!! We all watched every episode. But the part I remember the best was when Marshall Dillon had a discussion with Chester (played by Dennis Weaver) about the coffee. Chester would hobble over (he had a stiff leg) to the old wood burning stove in the Marshall's office and get the old coffee pot and pour the coffee. He always had a word or two defending his special blend. It had little to do with the plot -- but I remember it well.

I remember my parents and grandparents all had a coffee pot or one sort or another. Some were pretty simple -- just put in the water and put in the coffee and let her boil. It often boiled over and had to be pulled off with a hot pad or towel and the mess wiped up.

Then there were the percolators which bubbled up into a dome top and sang a little tune. There were drip-o-laters. Then we switched to various electric versions. Then we had a glass pot under a gadget into which we poured the water and let it do its thing. One could even set the timer and -- bingo -- coffee in the morning when you got up. The similiarity in all these various versions of the coffee pot was -- they all smelled so good. NOthing like the smell of a good pot of coffee in the morning. Until now!!

A few weeks ago my daughter and son-in-law took us to visit a wealthy friend who invited us for a breakfast at his home in the mountains in Arizona. He has a beautiful view through his big picture window -- looking out over the valley below and the mountains above. But he also had something else to show us -- his new coffee making machine. It was made by Keurig. He showed us how one simply filled the reservoir on the side -- then lifted the lid and placed a pre measured little plastic cup with a sealed lid into the recepticle -- pulled down the lid and lights began to flash. Then you select just how strong you wanted your coffee by determining the size of your cup -- smaller cup -- stronger coffee -- place you cup under the spout and here comes your fresh coffee.

We all got a cup of our choice of coffee from scores of blends and brands from all over the world. He even had several blends of tea and hot chocolate! And it is all fresh and took only about 10 seconds to brew.

My daughter fell in love with this new gadget and went out and bought one immediately -- that same day. Also available is a nice display rack which holds a few dozen of those little plastic cups. And, of course, the little plastic containers of coffee. The whole thing was nearly $200.

Well -- now guess who has one in his kitchen? --ME -- We had to have one. Gone is our coffee maker with the clock and the timer. Now we select a little plastic container of our favorite blend from the rack and put it in and pull the handle, press the botton and here comes fresh coffee in about 10 seconds.

But there is no smell -- no aroma. It never boiles over. It is perfect every time. What would Chester say about that?