I realized that I didn’t address cold brew in my last post! Cold brew is my favorite form of cold coffee (specifically, the New Orleans Iced Coffee from Blue Bottle) and guess what? It’s SO easy to make at home. Cold brew is perfect for someone who wants to put forth minimal effort to have a lot of coffee on hand anytime they’re in the mood for a cup. (Honestly, only drip coffee is easier to make than cold brew, in my opinion.) You can make any amount of cold brew concentrate (I’ll give you some general ratios to follow) and keep the concentrate in the fridge for up to a week.
Coffee
Water
4 oz / 0.25 lbs
2 2/3 cups
8 oz / 0.5 lbs
5 1/3 cups
12 oz / 0.75 lbs
8 cups
16 oz / 1 lbs
10 2/3 cups
It’s easiest if the coffee is coarsely ground — like for a french press, but you can use finer grinds if that’s all you have. To create the coffee concentrate, soak the coffee and water together for 12-24 hours and then strain through a cheesecloth (you can also use a flour sack towel, coffee filter, or fine mesh strainer lined with paper towel — get creative!) You could also combine the coffee and water in a french press and plunge it after the 12-24 hours as well (so easy!)
The coffee concentrate should look a bit like motor oil once strained, and you can store it up to week in the fridge. For New Orleans style, serve it with milk of your choice and simple syrup (combine equal parts sugar and water and heat on the stove until fully melted/combined. Cool and store in the fridge.) I personally like about 2/3 coffee to 1/3 whole milk with just a little simple syrup. If you don’t like cream or sugar, make sure to cut it with some water as it’s pretty strong!
Throwback to our Amsterdam flat. I miss the city (but I don’t miss the mice).
How are you guys doing? Hanging in there? We’re doing our best over here — meal planning two weeks in advance, trying to get everybody on board with kids yoga, and FaceTiming friends and family like our lives depend on it.
Some of you might not know that my very first job was at Starbucks. I worked as a barista for 6 years — from age 16 all the way through college. (Fun fact: I hated coffee and didn’t even drink it until I started going to UCLA and discovered Coffeemate French Vanilla creamer — oh, college.) Because of all those years of slinging espresso, I’ve always played around in the kitchen to try and recreate my coffee drinks of choice at home, A. Because I’m frugal, and B. Because sometimes I just don’t want to wait/explain all the modifications I want.
Ok, buckle up for this one guys, cuz there’s a lot of info in this post. But we’re in quarantine so we’ve got all the time in the world to master a new skill right? Right!
To start with, let’s cover the basics. Obviously if you want to make an espresso drink, an espresso maker is preferred. Stovetop versions are the most economical, Nespresso machines are a nice mid-range option (we have an ancient one that works great!), or you can go nuts and be a real pro with something like this.
A standard espresso shot is around 1-1.5 ounces and here’s the size and shot breakdowns from Peets and Starbucks:
Peet’s Size
Total Ounces/Shots
Starbucks Size
Total Ounces/Shots
Small
12oz / 2 shots
Tall
12 oz / 1 shot
Medium
16 oz / 2 shots
Grande
16 oz / 2 shots
Large
20 oz / 3 shots
Venti
20 oz / 2 shots
Cold Venti
24 oz / 3 shots
Once you have the general size/shot breakdown, you can move onto the next most important part: milk and foam. If you’re just heating up milk, you don’t need any special equipment, but if you want to make a “real” latte, cappuccino, etc., you’ll need some sort of milk frother. Here’s a budget option, this is a good mid-range and easy-to-use option, and then of course there’s the big kahuna again: this guy. You could try using a hand blender, but it will likely be a bit clunky.
There are a few different types of milk foam, which, without getting too technical, have to do with how much air is introduced into the milk as it’s heated. Basically, if you’re using the budget or really expensive frother options linked above, you’ll be able to control the type of foam you make by where you position the frothing wand — closer to the surface of the milk means lighter, more airy foam, while just below the surface (a sort of slow introduction of air into the milk) means denser, more velvety foam. (I don’t want to get too into the weeds with this, so feel free to look up a youtube video on this — it’s easier if you can visualize it.) The mid-range option above makes foam for you with the touch of a button, so while you won’t be able to control the type of foam you get, the ease of use is pretty nice. Below is how to make the sort of “basic” espresso drinks offered at just about every coffeeshop:
Macchiato
espresso + 1 ounce steamed milk and/or foam
Gibralter / Cortado
espresso + 2 ounces milk and foam
Flat White
espresso + 2-4 ounces foamed milk*
Cappuccino
espresso topped with roughly half milk and half foam
Latte
espresso with milk, topped with a small bit of foam
*A flat white requires a bit more finesse, as it’s generally two ristretto (long pull) espresso shots and milk that has been steamed in a specific way to create a very velvety texture. Definitely doable to recreate this at home, but it might require googling some tutorials to get it just right.
Milk is generally steamed to somewhere between 145 – 165 degrees (Blue Bottle goes lower, around 145-150, Starbucks and Peet’s tend to go higher, around 160-165). I think 155-160 is perfect, but I honestly never use a thermometer and just eyeball it.
So, based on the above, if you generally order a grande latte at the coffee shop, you would put 2 shots of espresso into a 16 ounce glass, top with steamed milk and finish it with a bit of foam. Want to make a small cappuccino? If you like Peet’s version use 2 shots espresso, 1 shot if you like Starbucks version, and add it to a 12 ounce mug. Top it with half steamed milk and half foam and voila! Cappuccino!
If you’re looking to make a cafe au lait (called a “misto” at Starbucks), just combine 1:1 regular coffee with steamed milk and top with foam.
Want to make a flavored latte? Make a flavored simple syrup and add it to your drink of choice. Combine equal parts sugar and water into a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves, then add in your flavoring. Vanilla bean or paste works great for this, though vanilla or other extracts work as well.
The general ratio for syrups are below. Please note that “flavored syrups” are things like vanilla, hazelnut, cinnamon dolce, etc. “Mocha syrup” is not simple syrup based (it’s more along the lines of Hershey’s Syrup) and the ratios below are for both regular and white chocolate mochas.:
Size
Flavored Syrup Amount / Mocha Syrup Amount
12 oz (Small / Tall)
0.75 oz / 1.5 oz
16 oz (Medium / Grande)
1 oz / 2 oz
20 oz (Large / Venti)
1.25 oz / 2.5 oz
24 oz (Iced Venti)
1.5 oz / 3 oz
I like mine less sweet, so I generally go with 1/4 – 1/2 oz in a 16 oz for regular syrups and around 0.5 – 1oz of mocha syrup.
My usual go-to is some form of mocha. You can use Hersey’s syrup for this, but I think regular chocolate actually tastes better, so I use that. Right now I’m obsessed with the Dark Chocolate Orange Mocha from Peet’s, and so recreated it at home with this recipe:
Dark Chocolate Orange Mocha
2 pieces orange-flavored dark chocolate (I use 2 wedges of the Terry’s or Trader Joe’s dark chocolate orange)
small pinch of salt
2 tsp sugar
1 cup milk (I use whole)
3 Nespresso pods (I use 1 lungo + 2 regular pods) — ends up being roughly 6-8oz of coffee
Finely chop your chocolate, then add it to your milk, along with salt and sugar. Heat it together in a small pot while espresso shots pull. Once milk is warmed and chocolate is dissolved, add milk mixture to espresso and ta-da! Dark chocolate orange mocha. (You can use this same recipe to make a standard mocha, just replace the orange chocolate with regular chocolate of your choice — one with a mid-range cocoa content, around 40-60% cacao, works well.)
Looking for something time-consuming to pass the time while quarantined? May I suggest: breastfeeding.
Here are some ideas for adults and kids to stay sane amidst the insanity (please note that I have two toddlers, so a lot of the “kids” ideas are geared toward that age range):
For Adults:
Baking/Cooking: with or without your kids! I make dinner every night sans children, but am planning on having the girls help me make blueberry pancakes, oatmeal, zucchini muffins, and chocolate almond milk, among other things. (We love the book Pretend Soup for easy recipes to make with kids.)
Date Nights at Home: use this time to reconnect with your partner on the cheap. Maybe drink that nice bottle of wine you’ve been saving, or break out a board game!
Getting Moving: I’m feeling really pumped about the fact that we quit our gym at the end of last year in favor of setting up a small home gym. I’ve subscribed to Bar Method Online and this pregnancy/postpartum workout for years now, and recently purchased a barre off craigslist (though I used the back of a chair or edge of a table to do the workouts forever).
Organizing/Cleaning: this is a great time to clean out your closets, weed out unused books and toys, organize the fridge and pantry — the possibilities are endless!
Go Green: maybe it’s time to revamp your cleaning materials and figure out how to ditch the chemicals while saving on cost and packaging! Here’s what we use for laundry detergent and our everyday cleaning supplies. I should note that I recently made my own disinfectant spray as well, since vinegar hasn’t been tested on . I added 2 tbsp bleach to 4 cups distilled water and spray it on commonly touched surfaces then let it air-dry. (Please note that it shouldn’t be sprayed on fabrics — because, BLEACH — so I stick to spraying it on faucet handles, doorknobs, toilet flushers, cabinet pulls, etc.)
Helping Others: If you’re looking for a way to do good during the quarantine, consider supporting local businesses by buying gift cards, or by ordering coffee or food from a local cafe or restaurant and having it sent to a nearby medical facility (call ahead to facilitate with the medical center first). Many small exercise studios are offering web-based streaming classes at a reduced price. You can also have your kiddos write letters or draw pictures to send to nearby senior centers or nursing homes — get creative!
Start a new hobby: or hey, maybe resurrect an old one — like your blog that you started 10(!) years ago!
For Kids:
Send mail: set up a weekly “mail day” where the kids draw pictures to mail to friends and relatives. My kids love to send and receive mail, so we will definitely be sending out some pictures to grandparents, family and friends (I love to ask them what they would like to say to the person and then transcribe it on the back of the picture they drew. A lot of the time it’s random and hilarious tidbits like “This is a cat holding a sword and red is my favorite color.”)
Wash toys outside: fill one plastic tub with soapy water and another with clean water and let the kids “wash” things like legos, metal kitchen toys, bath toys, etc.
Pool party: put on swimsuits and hop in the bath in the middle of the day. (This is especially good on really hard days when everyone is falling apart.)
Get outside: go for a hike, ride bikes/scooters outside, go for a walk down the block
Nature scavenger hunt: send kids outside with a list of nature items to find. Draw pictures for kiddos who don’t read yet (make it simple, like “find one green leaf”, “find a rock that looks like an animal”, etc.)
Dance party: put on special dance clothes (whatever the kids deem that to be) and put on your favorite Pandora/Spotify station (the ABBA Pandora station is fun for this)
Audio books: our kids are obsessed with audio books — so much that we gave them an old iPhone and a bluetooth speaker so they could listen to them whenever they wanted. I made this playlist for Prim to listen to at rest time, and it’s become a favorite for all day.
Decorate delivery boxes: if you’re anything like us, you’ll be getting quite a few deliveries in the coming weeks. We give the boxes to the kids to decorate with crayons, paint, etc. and they turn them into a rocket ship or school bus before we toss them into the recycling.
Afternoon tea: serve tea (herbal, with honey) or hot chocolate (or whatever!) with a fun little snack (maybe tiny, crustless sandwiches and cookies). Teach kids to drink with their pinky up. Speak in a British accent. Pretend you’re royalty and ask, “What is a week-end?“
Library hour: set a timer and tell kids to explore books quietly. Tell them they can choose a certain number of books (maybe two each) that you will read to them aloud when the timer goes off. (Good for days when you’re losing your mind and need a little silence.)
Pull weeds: fun after it’s rained (plus, free child labor!) Tell them they can look for worms and slugs too.
Ooey-Gooey: (this was a favorite of ours as kids) — combine cornstarch and water in a plastic tub and let kids play with it outside. It goes from feeling like a solid to a liquid — fascinating!
Blind taste test: cut up pieces of fruit, veg, whatever, and feed it to the kids with their eyes closed and see if they can guess what it is. Have them do it to you too (it’s funny for them to see an adult get it wrong!)
Circle/sharing time: have dedicated time each day to sit together, sing a song, and talk about today’s activities. Allow them to “share” something: they could talk about a special toy, or how they’re feeling that day, something they’re looking forward to, etc. Structure is really helpful for young kids, and they may be missing this aspect of school while stuck at home.
Weather/day of the week/date report: in the same vein as #15, designate one kid to ask Alexa (or google, or the internet) about the weather, then have them “report” it to the family. Have another kid ask about the day of the week and date and report it.
If you have more suggestions, please feel free to add them in the comments!
My usual state: unkempt hair, zero makeup, workout clothes, with a cute babe on my hip. It’s like I was BORN for quarantine.
In case you’re looking for a way to structure your days at home, I thought I’d post the rough outline of the schedule we’re following for the time being. Keep in mind that, like everything else with children, some days are unpredictable and it’s good to leave a little wiggle room and give yourself and your kids a break when everyone is just falling apart. I’ve built in some options for screen time, even though we generally limit screen time to pizza/movie night (Thursdays) and here and there on the weekend. This is unprecedented territory, so everyone deserves to be given a giant break on the “rules” — even kiddos. Remember that this is temporary and going back to “real” life is going to be an adjustment for everyone no matter what, whether the kids have been having ample screen time or not, so make sure to keep that in mind if you’re falling into the “I’m rotting my kids’ brains” mindset. Say it with me: this is TEMPORARY and they will be FINE.
We stick to bedtime and mealtimes strictly, rest/quiet time is non-negotiable, but the start and end times tend to vary a bit, and the other activities are more suggestions and a way to guide the day. (It’s also nice to have an answer for the inevitable “I’m bored.” Well, guess what? It’s creative time! So you can draw, paint, play with playdoh — whatever!)
I should also note that we have a newly-3 year old (Lark) and 4.5 year old (Prim), who generally go to 2 and 4 days of half-day preschool when not quarantined, respectively, and an almost 5 month old baby (he’s exclusively breastfed and hasn’t started solids yet). Those of you with older kiddos might want to structure in some more dedicated “academic” time — I personally don’t think this is necessary for a 3 and 4 year old. We will be “learning” via cooking and baking activities, getting outside to explore nature, and we will continue to use our words to explore our feelings and solve problems with parents and siblings, as they will (inevitably!) crop up during this weird, weird time.
Time
Kids Activity
Time
Mom Activity
7:30am
Kids wake up / independent play
7:30/8am
Wake up / nurse baby
8am
Breakfast
8am
Kids’ Breakfast
8:30am
Creative time (drawing, painting, playdoh, kinetic sand, etc.)
8:30am
Clean up kids’ breakfast / make adult breakfast + coffee
9am
Coffee + FaceTime family and friends
9:30/10am
Snack + FaceTime
9:30am
Baby Nap 1 (nurse) / House tasks
10/10:30am
Active time (backyard) or active screen time (kids yoga, etc.)
10/10:30am
Workout (can move to 12:30/45pm if busy with kids)
11:30am
Lunch
11:30am
Kids Lunch
12pm-2pm
Rest/Quiet Time: nap (Lark 3yo) / art + audio books (Prim 4.5yo)
12pm
Put all kids down for rest/quiet time (nurse + Baby Nap 2)
12:15pm
Mom lunch
12:30/45pm
Relax / Workout / House tasks
2pm
Snack + activity
2pm
Kids snack + activity (see upcoming “Quarantine Activities” blog post)
3pm
Active Time (backyard)
3pm
Clean up / House tasks / Catch-up time
4pm
Kids choice / independent play (screen time if crazy)
4pm
Baby Nap 3 (nurse) / Cook dinner
5pm
Dinner
5pm
Dinner
5:30pm
Active time (go for walk outside, ride bikes/scooters, etc.) / Possible screen time if kids are losing it
5:30pm
Take kids out for active time
6:00pm
Clean up toys
6pm
Clean up dinner
6:30pm
Treat (if doing dessert)
6:30pm
Nurse baby
6:45pm
Bath time / jammies / stories / songs
6:45pm
Start bedtime routine
7:30pm
Bedtime
7:30pm
Kids bedtime (nurse baby)
PS: If you’re wondering more about the kids or my schedule (my day is very exciting and involves LOTS of laundry), feel free to ask. I usually workout at home (we quit our gym after Sky was born), so this isn’t a huge adjustment from that perspective. I have been doing Bar Method Online and this pregnancy/postpartum workout series for years (I signed up after I had Lark in 2017 when I realized that my core was wrecked from back-to-back pregnancies). We also recently purchased an elliptical, which was an investment for sure, but it has been such a lifesaver for both KC and I.
List of fun quarantine activities for kiddos coming up next! Stay tuned…
Just doing the best we can with what we’ve got over here.
How are you guys doing? I realize it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been on here, but since we’re supposed to only connect digitally for the foreseeable future, I thought now was probably a good time to pop back on here and check in with you all.
I hope you’re all managing the Covid stress and making the best of this crazy time. (Honestly, if I didn’t have kids I would kind of be stoked about a few weeks of telecommuting and hanging at home — haha.) Our preschool has not cancelled classes yet, but we made the decision to keep the kids out starting last Thursday and will continue to do that for the foreseeable future. We’re all just trying to think of the greater good right now! And we’re very lucky that this doesn’t impact our lives too much since I’m not working right now, so I can do my usual job of watching the kiddos while KC gets through the last few weeks of busy season (yes, in case you were wondering whether it’s a total luxury to have a stay-at-home wife, let me assure you — IT IS.)
We’re only on day three of social distancing over here, but I thought I would put up some of the few things we’re doing to keep from going isolation-crazy. First, I should note that we are “social distancing” in tandem with my sister and her kids. We decided that we would be each other’s lifeline through this, since our kids go to school together and we’ve all been pretty much exposed to all the same germs up to now. We’re shuttling the kids back and forth between our two houses so we can all have a change of scenery now and then. It’s helping us from a sanity and logistical perspective too — because I’m tackling dinner for everyone one week, and she’s doing it the next, so we can go a full two weeks (maybe longer!) without having to hit the grocery store.
I’ve put together a schedule for the kids that we’re doing out best to follow. I’ve kept a lot of things flexible (and built in wayyyy more screen time than they’re generally allowed during any given week) to account for changes in weather and attitudes. I’ve also put together a schedule for myself to try and adhere to, so I don’t just start drinking everyday at noon in an attempt to survive until bedtime.
I’ve also got a running list of fun activities to do with the kids in the afternoons or when the wheels are falling off. I shared it with my best mama friends who were nice enough to add their ideas alongside (BECAUSE WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, GUYS.)
I’ll write up our schedule and activity ideas on another post, so keep an eye out — it’ll be coming shortly!
