Congdon Has Firm Grip on "The Handshake"

First time writer and former miner, Robert Congdon, is underway with a ruthless and cunning chase of wit and action with "The Handshake." Based on historical events, the story delves into the depths of human nature -- greed, avarice and duplicity percolating just below the surface -- when a rich mineral deposit is discovered during a mining exploration.

When brewing, use water just off the boil. The time it takes to walk the kettle to the grounds is enough time for the water to cool down. If you are using a machine, this step does not apply."The Handshake" mixes the cleverness of "The Sting" with the adventure of "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid" -- an authentic Western that conveys the corruption of greed and the true power of humility.Select the correct grind size for your apparatus. Coarse grind is best for cold water brewing in a percolator. Medium grind is the most useful. This is used for drip methods and French presses. Fine grind is used for vacuum and Neapolitan flip methods, popular in Europe. Extra fine is used for espresso machines.Beans should be treated like most other perishable goods, kept in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. Do not put beans in the fridge. This exposes them to moisture, and that ruins the flavor. Beans can be kept in the freezer, but only for 2-3 months.Add to Digg Bookmark with del.icio.us Add to NewsvineAlso very vivid in my mind is the face of a family friend, brought to tears from laughing so hard at the sight of my father trying to fit the too-large Christmas tree through our kitchen to its spot in the living room. For some reason that year, we had delayed purchasing a tree. As it was already December 23, our friend had felt compelled to take matters into her own hands. The tree eventually made it into the living room, but, of course, it was too tall, the trunk didn't fit into the stand, and even after we managed to stabilize it somehow, it took up more than its share of space. Decorating it was a fiasco unto itself. As the season progressed, the under-watered tree dropped needles as if it were auditioning for the next Charlie Brown Christmas special. Whenever our friend popped in for coffee during the holidays that year she asked after the tree, watched my father roll his eyes, and then they would both burst out laughing.

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