Hello Old Friend: Missing Coffee and Coffee Fatigue

Sitting in front of my monitor, I quietly type away sipping my afternoon coffee.  Generally this is not a new experience, except I haven't imbibed coffee since yesterday morning.

What!?  You have not had  coffee since when? Yes, I was suffering from coffee fatigue.  Coffee fatigue, according to me, is when a coffee lover is over caffeinated, gets no pleasure from drinking coffee, and suffers from a coffee "grimyness" all over. (Any other possible symptoms? Drop a comment below)

I went into a self-imposed coffee detox for ~30 hours. Partly due to my busy schedule, partly to the aforementioned coffee fatigue.  I agree, sometimes I do not have time to make coffee, or I need to rush out the door to make my class or finish the last few pages of reading.  Some days aren't conducive to brewing coffee.  Additionally, I have pressed myself not to buy coffee unless I am reviewing the cafe or serves some purpose to writing a blog post.  This policy, albeit austere, pushes me to brew at my coffee bar in the apartment.  Not ten minutes ago (as of 4:12 PM on Friday), I had my first taste of coffee since 6AM yesterday.

What is so significant of this coffee development?  Being away from any cherished thing or person, makes you appreciate it that much more.  With coffee out of my system for more than 24 hours, drinking a cup of coffee sends a caffeinated jolt through my body.  Similar to drug addict without their fix (An image not without basis, caffeine is a drug you know!), going through a self imposed or contingent detox for coffee, when you indulge in coffee again, you appreciate the flavors, the brewing ritual, and your favorite cup all the more.

What about you?  Have you ever though that improving the taste of the coffee could simply mean having longer intervals between cups?  Ever suffer from "coffee fatigue?"  Comment below!         

The Perfect Cappuccino: A Documentary

"It might be the worst of the best coffee, but it is." (Referencing Starbucks)  I have to say I can't disagree.  While not bad, the image of Starbucks betrays the quality of the product produced.  But this is another post.

Looking for a coffee documentary?  Look no further. 

I stumbled over this coffee gem about a person's search for perfect cappuccino foam.  Intertwined with this obsessive caffeinated search, is a critique of Starbucks and how Americans are buying into corporate coffee culture.  I have only viewed the trailer, but take a look at their website, (www.cappuccinomovie.com), buy a copy if you like it, and become a fan on their Facebook page.  (I would but I do not have Facebook.)

Pour Over Method and the Popping of my Coffee Ballon, aka Ego

  

Buying my pour over a few days ago, I felt empowered!  Not only would I brew excellent drip coffee, but since I have a coffee blog it would logically follow that I would make an excellent cup the first time.  No skill or knowledge need apply.  How wrong I was!  This is not to say that it turned out badly, but my first cup, despite the wonderful aroma of Counter Culture's Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, was watery.  Bruising my coffee ego further, the Fiance chimed in agreeing with this assertation.  How could this be?  It was as if someone broke into my apartment, seized my coffee ego in the form of a balloon, and popped it with extreme prejudice.

Let me start from the beginning.  A few days prior, I visited Northside Social and bought the pictured pour over and coffee.  When I go to Bourbon coffee in Foggy Bottom, I order the pour over because you can pick the kind of beans you want and it is always fresh.  My enjoyment of pour over coffee prompted me to buy said contraption for home use to save money.  Spending a few hours reading reviews of Hario V60, Melitta, and the Chemex and the different paper filters, I concluded that I was going to buy the Hario.  The accompanying Hario kettle was out of my price range, but I have a green tea pot that is something quite similar.

Arriving at Northside Social to buy my pour over, I found they didn't sell the Hario!  I was crushed.  Me being the impatient one, I reconciled my feelings and bought the Counter Culture version.  Walked the 2 miles to my apartment and eagerly started prepping for the ensuing coffee gloriousness.  I ground my coffee (too coarsely I soon found out), heated the water, whetted the filter, and brewed.  I followed the directions most baristas give.  Wet the grounds for 30 seconds, then pour slowly spiraling out, and always keeping the "bloom" alive.  2 minutes later, my 12oz cup was full.  Not the four minutes of steep time I hoped for.

As already mentioned, the results were decent.  The coffee itself was good, roasted on Feb. 11 and Counter Culture coffee isn't to be scoffed at.  What can I change to improve the end result?  Is it simply that I ground it too coarsely?  I want to get my coffee balloon back!  Thanks, I needed this stream of consciousness/semi-humorous post.  

What is a pour over you ask? Look at this video.

*Update*
Today, I ground the coffee finer, and nuances of the jasmine and honey tasted muted.  Is that because the coffee is now being overextracted?  Perhaps, I will have to video myself and have you guys comment on it :-).

DC in the Morning!

Hi everyone, I am out and about in the DC area, but take a look at these wonderful pictures of DC this morning!  Enjoy the weather if you are in the Metro area.  I will be back this weekend with some more coffee related posts on pour overs and Ethiopian coffee.

First Impressions of Northside Social

Until today, I had not visited Northside Social in swanky Clarendon.  My friends, knowing that I am monstrous coffee lover, could not believe this omission.  It's a few minutes walk from the Metro due to crossing some busy intersections, but distance-wise one can see it from the Metro stop.   A specialty coffee and wine bar that sells Counter Culture coffee, pour overs, French Presses, and pastries, Northside Social is the real deal.  (Not really a revelation, but its good to know that it's not hype.)  There was ample seating inside, a second floor, and an outside patio area.

What was particularly impressive was the drip coffee.  One of the best ways to judge a coffee shop, is how tasty the drip coffee is.  From my experience, drip coffee is easy to make, but hard to keep it flavorful and interesting resulting in a "wow."  Since I bought a bag of coffee, I received a medium sized cup of drip (Ethiopian Yirgacheffe) for free!  Let me tell you, wow!  It was flavorful, pleasantly warm (not scalding), and tasted fresh.  The jasmine and honey notes were particularly noticeable in the taste. 

The baristas were engaging, and answered all my questions about the pour over and getting the right filters for it.  I will post about that later, but Northside Social serves excellent coffee, and I highly recommend it to anyone if they haven't visited already.  I will be reviewing Northside Social in a later post as I hadn't the opportunity to look at prices, offerings, ambiance...etc. 

Good Morning! Turkish Coffee Delight

Some Turkish Delight

A change of pace this morning.  Today, I ground some coffee in the spice mill for a cup of Turkish coffee.  Unfortunately, I did not grind enough coffee to get a nice coffee film on the top.  The last cup I made had a beautiful oily film on the top.  Unfortunately, no camera was around to snap a picture.  To be sure, I will make one to show all Metro Espresso readers that it can be done!  Interested on Turkish coffee?  Look at my previous posts here and here for more information. 

Unlike Espresso, French Press, and other warm coffee drinks, Turkish coffee mixed with the spice cardamon, has a refreshing, "pine-like" quality that makes it quite unique and memorable.

DC Coffee Review: Filter

Source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andynash/5413168471

This is a Guest Post by Dave, who is currently living in DC and is an avid coffee lover.  If you would like to be a Guest Writer for Metro Espresso, please contact me at MetroEspressoDC@gmail.com

On my two visits to Filter Coffee, located one street off Connecticut Avenue on 20th between R St. and S St.  in the Dupont Circle neighborhood I walked away with one over-riding thought.  They sure can make a nice drink.  Not so rare you say?  Well, it kind of is rare these days as the coffee shop community blooms here in DC and the talent pool gets thinner and thinner.  The baristas who served me were friendly and very competent.  I could hear them answering customer questions with patience and with an interest in educating the novice, without being snobbish.  From the decor which is earthy and inviting,  accented by their signature warm orange espresso machine, to their focus on the coffee I quickly felt I was in a good place.  A lightly adorned exposed brick wall serves as the backdrop for a wide cross-section of the diverse neighborhood.

Bike messengers, coffee hipsters, tailored commuters, the self- and un-employed laptop addicts, and local office workers all can equally lay claim to this small semi-submerged oasis.  Just a few steps below street level one gets the sense of being a world away  aided by the sweet aroma of a large variety of pour overs, and the hubbub of conversations and swell music in the air.  Most days finds Rasheed, the owner, personally making the drinks or waiting at the pick-up end of the counter to smartly greet his large cadre of regulars.  I overheard a few of his speeches on fine dining and could see a real passion in him - a passion not fully realized in his shop as the selection of baked goods or food of any kind is surprisingly lacking. Upon leaving after my second visit was when I even noticed they offered anything.   This is either a bad oversight or a testament to their single-minded focus on the coffee.   I will need more visits (and more good coffees) to really know. It didn't bother me one bit.

Of their coffees I went with the Guatemalan suggested to me.  French Pressed.  It was simple, clean and mild.  A true crowd pleaser.  My next visit found me going back to the counter for second Americano for the road.  More please! One of the best Ive had in the city.  Their website lists Cafe Pronto of Annapolis as their roaster, a very competent and popular roaster that serves many shops here in DC.

As good as things were, I would like to see Filter move out of that box a little and multi-source their beans which I believe would back up their bona fides as a coffee-centric operation.  The bottom line on Filter is that its a wonderful coffee shop that knows its community and works hard to provide it with good coffees in a nice environment.  Coolness factor is high - you must check out the coffee icon bike racks out front. 

Metro Espresso Coffee Newsletter: Writers Wanted (Yes, that means you!)

(This is a printing press, though it does resemble a medieval torture apparatus.)

In seeking new ways to expand Metro Espresso, I will be creating a physical and digital coffee newsletter that will, hopefully, be distributed to select cafes in the DC-area.  It will be published once a month.  If you would like to write an article about DC coffee culture (highly encouraged) or general coffee topics (still encouraged), please contact me via email (MetroEspressoDC@gmail.com) or Twitter. 

It should be roughly 250 words in length or less.  Examples of an article could be a tidbit on the ongoing regional Barista championships or a review of a new coffee brewing device.  Can you submit coffee-related poetry and prose?  Yes!  If I receive a flood submissions, the one's that do not make it into the print edition will be featured on the blog as featured posts.  I am quite excited about this, and hope you can be a part of this project.  If you have friends who are possibly interested, tell them!

Are you a cafe who would like to receive the inaugural Metro Espresso Coffee Newsletter for your patrons?  Please contact me and I can set you up with a digital copy.

Less is More: Coffee Dosing and the Espresso Machine

Wow!  Dosage can drastically change how espresso tastes.  While not groundbreaking for some, tasting the results, i.e. the shot in the espresso, made me a believer in buying a scale in the future.  As of right now, I do not know how much coffee I am using for my double shots.  Is there 18 grams or 30 grams in my portafilter?  Many coffee bloggers, baristas, and coffee redditors propound the virtues of a scale in achieving consistency in espresso shots.  I believe it now.  When I used less coffee, I tasted a full body, pear notes, acidic tingling (good thing), and a bittersweet chocolate finish (I started this post, when I had the Archer Farms coffee, not the Illy).  All of this on my 150 dollar espresso machine, the Lello Ariete.   

Before, I "overstuffed" the portafilter and it would have a nasty habit about once every month to be choked and spit out espresso where the portafilter and the O-ring meets.  Even when it didn't "choke," the coffee seemed more bitter.  I realize the choking can be contributed to fineness of the grind, but when I lowered the dosage at the same grind, the Lello Ariete pulled a shot with no difficulty, and it tasted surprisingly better.  One additional benefit of lowering the coffee dosage, is that it is easier to tamp levelly.  Perhaps, this only happens for me, but this could be a factor for the better espresso extraction due to the flatter and more level surface of the coffee in the portafilter.  

What do you think?  Have you consistently used the same amount of coffee in your espresso or other coffee beverages?  Do you measure by weight or volume? (grams vs. tablespoons)  Is it worth the hassle?

Is Illy Coffee Overhyped and Overpriced?

Before I influence you with my impressions of Illy, what is your opinion?  Is is priced reasonably in relation to quality?  What does it taste like?  How does the dark roast differ?  Post a comment now before reading any further.  (Technically, I have already biased you with my title.)

Two days ago, I broke down and purchased some Illy coffee.  Seduced by the premium price, fancy packaging a la tin can, and the curiosity of what I might be missing, I plopped my hard earned cash on the iconic red can.  Thankfully, the supermarket placed Illy on sale for two dollars less than normal!  Coming to 12.99 for 8.8oz of whole bean, medium roasted Illy coffee.

A pretty penny to be sure. 

Impressions:

Naturally, I am a big fan of fancy, intriguing packaging.  The reflective, circle tin can along with the simple Illy logo appeals to my appreciation for aesthetics.  Yet, a fantastic taste is what turns a first time customer to a return customer.  (We hope!)  After removing the metal seal, pouring the beans into the grinder, and firing up the espresso machine, I tasted the vaunted Illy brand.  What did I think?

It was a deflating "decent."  Perhaps, my expectations exceeded what I secretly knew.  No roast date, the coffee is being sold at a supermarket, and Italian coffee generally has a reputation for solid but simple tasting coffee.  In conjunction with the elevated price and only receiving 8.8oz of coffee it's difficult to justify buying it every week.   With that said, the espresso embodied a smooth and moderately bright taste which is quite pleasant, but leaves a small, but noticeable, ashy aftertaste.

I found Archer Farms' Peru San Ignacio a superior supermarket coffee, which at 4-5 dollars cheaper and more flavorful than Illy, would be my choice between the two.  Am I being too harsh?  Is my coffee palette not refined to marshal out the nuanced flavors of Illy?  Sound off in the comments section.  

Most Extensive Moka Pot/Stovetop Espresso Maker Guide on the Internet: Part Two

Welcome back to the "Most Extensive Moka Pot/Stovetop Espresso Maker Guide on the Internet."  In this post, I will discuss different tips for how to clean your Moka pot and include a section of links for further information about Moka pots.  If you haven't read Part One, please click here, it will detail what is a Moka pot and tips on brewing with it. 

Cleaning:
First and foremost, soap is generally a "no-no."  Soap adds chemicals that can possibly alter the taste of your coffee in the future.  If you must add soap, add the slightest, most imperceptible amount on a paper towel or rag, and thoroughly rinse the pot out after wiping it down.

Run warm water over, but do not wipe w/ rag on the inside.  Remember the coffee oils!

After every use:  Empty the spent grounds from the coffee basket, wash out the base, and run water over the collecting chamber.  Dry everything with a rag, but do not wipe the inside the collecting chamber in order to keep those precious coffee oils. Let the three pieces dry separately.  This will avoid having a dank, odorous smell later.  After an hour, everything should be dried enough to assemble it back together.

After two-three weeks: Time to disassemble and wipe everything down, including the coffee oils that we have tried to so hard to cultivate.  Sometimes they just need to go.  They're probably getting a little stale.  Additionally, the whole pot needs a good once over.  This cleaning includes popping off the O-ring and the metal filter.  Take a blunt, flat knife, slowly working it under the O-ring, while trying to carefully not to damage it.  Use a lifting motion to pop it off.  Remove the metal filter.  It should come off right away as the O-ring was the only piece keeping it in place.

Flat, blunt knife, not a sharp one.  It could damage the O-ring!

The bottom of the collecting chamber w/o the O-ring and filter.

Now that everything is disassembled. Use a paper towel and wipe every inch of the pot.  I advocate using a paper towel than a rag.  A paper towel seems to absorb more coffee oils and "grime."  Additionally, you can see how dirty the Moka pot really was!  The only tricky part is getting the paper towel inside the spout of the Moka pot.  I use a small pencil or thermometer and wrap the paper towel around it, then inserting it into the grimy, small space.  Like so:

Insert Immature Comment

That is from just one week of moderate use. 

Two more cleaning ideas:  One can use the Moka pot as normal but not add coffee.  Thus as the water boils and the steam pushes the water upwards its helps remove some of the rancid coffee oils.  The second idea, and I haven't done this, but instead of using water in the above methods, use vinegar.  I would recommend a highly diluted concoction!  

That's it! If you have any other cleaning tips, email me at duderino102*at*gmail.com

Select links to articles and videos:

James Hoffman's Moka Pot Guide: Point of note: He states that one should not use cold water.  Instead, he argues that one should begin with hot water and then screw on the top chamber.

Coffee Nate's Moka Pot Guide:  Quite informative, especially his advice of boiling water and to dilute the strength of the straight Moka pot coffee.  It resembles a quasi-Americano(espresso with hot water).  Where Coffee Nate and I differ is that he makes a small mound of coffee after the hopper is full.  You can try this out, but I am generally against doing this as it can slow down the brewing process and can over-extract the coffee making it bitter. 

A Short History of the Moka Pot: Aluminum, Coffee, and Fascism: A fascinating history about the relationship between the Moka pot, Italian history, and modernity.  Check it out, you might learn something!

What not to do video: This moka pot was way over-packed and over-extracted.  Despite the aesthetically pleasing "crema," I bet a dollar that it tasted quite bitter.  Notice the loud hiss?  That is the pressure release valve going crazy!  The user ground the coffee too finely. *tsk tsk*

Bialetti's Replacement Parts Store:  When the filter and O-ring need to be replaced.  Be sure to check that you are buying the right parts for the correct version and size of your Moka pot.

There are plenty of other articles and videos on cleaning, brewing, and general information on Moka pot coffee, but I find that there advice is spotty at best.  While sites like ehow.com and ezinearticles.com are somewhat helpful, they can lead you astray on tips for size coffee grind and how to clean the pot.  If you stick with this guide and the links provided you should get most of what you need.  But, if you need more, post on some coffee forums.  There you will get a more thorough explanation of things rather than general, bland info.

Free Coffee Cupping At Counter Culture Coffee in Adams Morgan

Every Friday in February from 10 till noon, Counter Culture Coffee in Adams Morgan is offering free coffee cupping to the public.  What is coffee cupping you ask?  "Cupping" is a process in which you evaluate and compare different coffees in one setting.  Admittedly, I have not cupped coffee, but this is a great opportunity for coffee lovers in the DC area to get into coffee culture and build a community through active discussion about coffee!  For more information on coffee cupping, see the video below and Coffee Geek's guide on coffee cupping.  Also, here is CCC's DC website.

The Counter Culture Coffee Training Center is located at 1840 Columbia Road NW.


 

The Most Extensive Moka Pot/Stovetop Espresso Guide on the Internet

Source: Me! 

The purpose of this guide, besides making unattainable hyperbolic statements, is to touch on many aspects of making Moka pot coffee.  This post is broken into four parts: Introduction, Brewing/Tips, Cleaning, and More Information. I spent considerable time writing these set of posts so please leisurely read through them reflecting upon each section.  It will be broken into 3 posts over roughly seven days.  Please leave a thoughtful comment, if you have any questions, critiques, or revisions I should make.  Without further ado, here is the first part of the "Most Extensive Moka Pot/Stovetop Espresso Guide on the Internet."

Introduction:  First, one point on nomenclature.  When I refer to a Moka pot, stovetop espresso maker, or coffee percolator, I am referring to Bialetti's Moka pot, the most popular manifestation.  While there are other products that use the same principle of steam to make coffee on a stove, most people have some version made by Bialetti.  

The 5 parts of the Moka pot

How does a stovetop espresso maker work?  It is composed of roughly three components: the base with a pressure valve which holds the water; the basket which holds the coffee; and the "collecting chamber" which the coffee brews into.  Additionally, there is  the metal filter and the "O" ring which ensures a good seal for the pressure to build and that the coffee grinds don't infiltrate your end product.  The Moka pot creates stream by boiling water in the base that pushes water into the coffee hopper.  Then, the water comes into contact with coffee, brewing, and then goes through the filter above the hopper, and into the collecting chamber.  The whole process from heating the water to drinking the coffee is about 5-10 minutes.


I will focus on the "3 cup" Moka pot which I own as the basis for this guide.  Remember, the designation of "3 cups" means three small espresso cups resulting in ~6-7 oz of liquid in total.  It does not make 3 American-sized cups of coffee.  If you want 3 large cups of coffee, the Moka pot is not for you, unless you buy the 12 cup Moka pot, which makes 25 oz of coffee. For a breakdown of all the different sizes of the Moka pots, look here.

Unfortunately, I must disabuse you of the notion that the Moka pot makes espresso.  It does not.  Let me repeat that.  Stovetop espresso makers do not make espresso.  They make strong coffee.  Let me explain why.  Espresso is brewed using around 9-10 bars of pressure.  The Moka pot is capable of around 1.5 bars of pressure.  This amounts to a difference in consistency, taste, and appearance, principally the lack of "real" crema you would see on good espresso.  Additionally, the temperatures involved are different.  Since Moka pots rely on steam to push water up, it requires the water to reach boiling, 212 Fahrenheit.  Espresso machines, ideally, keep the water temperature around 202-5 Fahrenheit.  What is the difference you may ask?  Boiling water can burn the coffee damaging the delicate flavors of the coffee you just spent 20 dollars on.  A rule of thumb for most coffee preparations generally advise to never allow boiling water touch coffee.  Technically this is true for the Moka pot as the steam pushes non-boiling water into the coffee grounds (I think), but nevertheless a higher temperature is involved than in making traditional espresso.  While espresso machines and Moka pots use pressure, the difference in pressure produced is significant.

Stainless Steel

Aluminum

If that wasn't complicated enough, there are two different versions of the Moka pot (besides the different sizes): aluminum and stainless steel.  The aluminum version is the first Moka pot made by Bialetti and appears to be the most popular version, probably due to tradition, modern aesthetics, and the cheaper price.  Unfortunately, there is one large issue with the aluminum version.  Aluminum can impart a "metallicy," bitter taste to the coffee.  To counter this, people "season" their pots by allowing a film of coffee oil cover the top chamber by not thoroughly washing it.  I will address this later, but its an important issue to remember.  The stainless steel Moka pot generally does not impart the aforementioned metallic taste. [Source for the two pictures is Bialetti's website]

In addition to the aluminum and stainless steel Moka pots, Bialetti makes one's that steams milk and brew coffee resulting in a cappuccino, and ones that are electric. If that wasn't enough, other companies like Bellman have ones with steam wands!

Brewing Steps and Tips:
First, let me walk you through how to brew with the Moka pot.  At each step, I will introduce some helpful tips and hints to improve the end product.  If you want a quick "how to," search James Hoffman's video on the Moka pot, and watch it.

0.  Quickly wash out the base part with tap water and wet the the metal filter and O ring on the collecting chamber.  I think it helps reduce the "metallicy" taste, especially if the Moka pot has been sitting for a few days with use.

1.  Pour water into the base stopping where the pressure valve is.  Any more and the water will prematurely contact the coffee grounds.

At this point, there are two "schools of thought."  The first school of thought is to use cold water.  The reasoning is more of habit than anything else.  Reconsidering this reasoning, it really is not a "school," but that of uncritical thinking.  The second school of thought is to boil the water in a teapot and pour this into the base.  In doing so, this prevents the the stove from heating the whole Moka pot to an unpleasant temperature for the coffee which might cause it to burn.  I'd recommend this method.

Be sure to use quality water!  Water right out of the tap is drinkable, but it can also introduce unwanted tastes into your coffee.  I suggest using a water filter to minimize the introduction of foreign elements into your perfect brew.  Consider using a Brita filter or the like

2.  Grind the coffee.  Try to ensure an even distribution and flat surface.  The hopper must be filled completely for the Moka pot to function properly.  If it isn't, wonky things will happen...

Like so!

This is sticking point for me.  I have read and heard that the grind for Moka pot coffee should be just above an espresso setting on your grinder.  They have forgotten that we are making strong coffee not espresso.  From my experiences, a medium grind has produced the best results avoiding the bitter, over-extracted coffee that plagues the Moka.  If you want to experiment with different grind settings, please do!  I have found that the finer one goes, the more bitter the coffee tastes.     

3.  Screw on the top chamber with a dry towel (if using hot water).  Make sure it is tight enough as the coffee can seep out where the base and the top chamber meet.  Turn the stove to low-medium heat.  On my gas stove, I ensure that the flame isn't touching the pot.  Don't want it to burn or melt.

4.  After a few minutes, the coffee will begin to come out of the spout in the upper chamber.  After about half the chamber is filled, I cut the heat and remove the pot from the stove.  I try to limit the watery end of the brew from diluting the quality coffee brewed in the beginning.  However you do it, please do not leave the Moka pot unattended!  This could lead melting, but more importantly the more the coffee is heated after brewing the bitter it gets.

5.  Pour the coffee into your favorite coffee receptacle.

6.  Before drinking, quickly run water over the collecting chamber to prevent coffee oils globbing all over the aluminum.  By doing so, this ensures a nice uniform oily film to prevent a "metallicy" taste in future brews and doesn't allow the pot to get too dirty and gross.  Proper "seasoning" of the pot should look something like this:

A "Seasoned" Moka pot: Notice the light and even coffee oils.  Any thicker it may be time to clean it.

End of Part One.  Please come back in a few days for Part Two: "Cleaning the Moka pot."  I hope you enjoyed reading it, if there are any errors on the science of it, please comment below, or if you simply want to leave a pleasing message.  For Part Two, click here.

Best,
Jack