How I take my coffee at home
Immediately after being roused in an unceremonious fashion by my loud clock-radio, I usually head straight for the toilet. After that, in a semi-conscious state and in my pyjamas, I would make my way downstairs.
“Morning Ma”, I greet my mother in a mumble. Occasionally, she would try to jump-start my consciousness by making me enunciate the words clearly, although it’s becoming increasingly rare lately. I think she has given up on that.
After obtaining a cup from the cup rack, I fill it with two centimetres of water. With the press of a button, levers unhook the microwave oven’s door. As internal springs propel it open, a dim yellow light illuminates the stark stainless steel interior. My cup, with its 2cm of water, is placed in the middle of the oven’s circular ceramic dish.
Due to my slight preference for symmetry, it had become a habit to put the cup right in the middle of the rotating circular dish. It might also be caused by an article I read reporting that the heating effect of microwave ovens is most prominent in the middle.
Having inserted my cup, I closed the oven’s door with a thump as its sprung levers catch to lock the door and the lamp extinguishes. After 3 button presses in rapid succession, the lamp is on again, accompanied by the dish slowly rotating in the stainless steel chamber and a persistent hum of cooling fans.
It is another habit of mine to heat my coffee-water for one minute and ten seconds. It just happens that in one minute, the cup ends up facing the other way, such that I would have to reach round the cup to find its handle. However, 70 seconds is just nice for the cup to face forward again, saving me from having to grope about or to force the turntable to rotate around.
In a large cup, add one teaspoonful of instant coffee, three quarters of a teaspoon of sugar, 2cm of hot water, and top up with cold milk. My day starts here.
“Morning Ma”, I greet my mother in a mumble. Occasionally, she would try to jump-start my consciousness by making me enunciate the words clearly, although it’s becoming increasingly rare lately. I think she has given up on that.
After obtaining a cup from the cup rack, I fill it with two centimetres of water. With the press of a button, levers unhook the microwave oven’s door. As internal springs propel it open, a dim yellow light illuminates the stark stainless steel interior. My cup, with its 2cm of water, is placed in the middle of the oven’s circular ceramic dish.
Due to my slight preference for symmetry, it had become a habit to put the cup right in the middle of the rotating circular dish. It might also be caused by an article I read reporting that the heating effect of microwave ovens is most prominent in the middle.
Having inserted my cup, I closed the oven’s door with a thump as its sprung levers catch to lock the door and the lamp extinguishes. After 3 button presses in rapid succession, the lamp is on again, accompanied by the dish slowly rotating in the stainless steel chamber and a persistent hum of cooling fans.
It is another habit of mine to heat my coffee-water for one minute and ten seconds. It just happens that in one minute, the cup ends up facing the other way, such that I would have to reach round the cup to find its handle. However, 70 seconds is just nice for the cup to face forward again, saving me from having to grope about or to force the turntable to rotate around.
In a large cup, add one teaspoonful of instant coffee, three quarters of a teaspoon of sugar, 2cm of hot water, and top up with cold milk. My day starts here.
posted by Tan Yee Wei at 5/06/2005 07:33:00 pm
<< Home