Born on this day!! Singer Tommy DeVito of The Four Seasons is 92. Actress Gena Rowlands is 90. Singer Spanky McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang is 78. Actress Phylicia Rashad is 72. Singer Ann Wilson of Heart is 70. Keyboardist Larry Dunn (Earth, Wind and Fire) is 67. Actress Kathleen Turner is 66. Country singer Doug Stone is 64. Singer Mark DeBarge of DeBarge is 61. Singer-dancer Paula Abdul is 58. Actor Andy Lauer (“Caroline in the City”) is 57. Singer-guitarist Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe is 56. Actress Mia Sara (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) is 53. “Good Morning America” host Lara Spencer is 51. Guitarist Brian “Head” Welch of Korn is 50. Actor Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”) is 48. Actress Robin Tunney is 48. Actor Bumper Robinson (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch”) is 46. Actress Poppy Montgomery (“Unforgettable,” ″Without a Trace”) is 45. Singer-banjoist Scott Avett of The Avett Brothers is 44. Actor Ryan Hurst (“The Walking Dead,” “Sons of Anarchy”) is 44. Actress Zoe Saldana is 42. Actor Neil Brown Junior (“SEAL Team”) is 40. Actress Lauren Lee Smith (“CSI”) is 40. Singer Macklemore of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis is 38. Actor Paul Dano is 36. Actor Giacomo Gianniotti (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 31. Actor Chuku Modu (“The Good Doctor”) is 30. Actor Atticus Shaffer (“The Middle”) is 22.
THIS DAY IN GENIUS HISTORY
1862 – Congress abolished slavery in the U.S. territories.
1865 – Gen. Gordon Granger informed the citizens of Galveston, Tex., that the slaves were freed. The celebration of the day became known as Juneteenth.
1867 – The first running of the Belmont Stakes.
1934 – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was created.
1964 – The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was approved.
1977 – Pope Paul VI proclaimed John Neumann, the first male saint from the United States.
1987 – The Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana law requiring any public school teaching the theory of evolution to teach creationism as well.
2002 – Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai was sworn in.
Today Is: Dollars Against Diabetes Day(s), Free BSD Day, Garfield the Cat Day, International Day For The Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, Juneteenth, National Flip Flop Day, National Watch Day, Take Back The Lunch Break Day, Ugliest Dog Day, Wear Blue Day, Work@Home Father’s Day, World Sickle Cell Day, World Sauntering Day
TODAY ON TV!
Primetime TV (All Times Eastern)
CBS – 8:00 – MacGyver / 9:00 – Magnum PI / 10:00 – Blue Bloods
NBC – 8:00 – World Of Dance / 9:00 – The Wall / 10:00 – Dateline NBC
ABC – 8:00 – Shark Tank / 9:00 – 2020
FOX – 8:00 – Friday Night Smackdown
CW – 8:00 – Masters Of Illusion / 9:00 – Whose Line Is It? 9:30 – Whose Line Is It?
TV Talk Shows
Lilly Singh: Larry Wilmore, Quinta Brunson (R 5/5/20)
The Talk: Jason Mraz
Live with Kelly and Ryan: Lonnie Chavis
Ellen DeGeneres: Ellen reminisces about some of her most inspiring guests throughout the years
The Real: Tiffany Haddish, Tiffany Boone (R 3/20/20)
Kelly Clarkson: Kevin Costner, Nicole Byer
Tamron Hall: Nathalie Kelley, Victor Rasuk (R 4/20/20)
WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN’ ABOUT? Here are today’s PPM-Friendly Topics!
QUESTION: Are you ready to try your luck with a HANDS-FREE MUSTANG?? Watch out, Tesla… this will be Ford’s first autonomous electric car!!!!!!!!!!
QUESTION: How did this teenager fight off an ATTACKING BEAR?? She did it with the only thing she had available… her LAPTOP COMPUTER!!! (It worked!!!!!!)
QUESTION: WHY is JAMIE FOXX putting all that muscle??? Who will he be playing in his next bio-pic?? That would be MIKE TYSON, and Jamie’s got the look!!!!!!
QUESTION: Should these NETFLIX movies BE REMOVED?? Or have WARNINGS? “365 DNI” and “White Lines” are accused of “romanticizing abuse!!” (Female appeal?)
QUESTION: HOW OLD IS SHE, ANYWAY??? Liz Hurley is 55!!! Wearing a metal swimsuit and wishing for lightning!!!! You’re welcome!!
Kim Kardashian Working With Spotify
Kim Kardashian has inked an exclusive deal with Spotify to release a podcast series centered around criminal justice reform. A spokesman for Spotify confirmed the deal with Kardashian and television producer Lori Rothschild Ansaldi to Variety. The podcast will appear exclusively on Spotify. The show is being co-hosted and co-produced by Kardashian and Rothschild Ansaldi with Spotify’s studio also producing. Spotify has continued to focus on podcasts and has signed exclusive deals with Joe Rogan for The Joe Rogan Experience, Bill Simmons’ for his stable of The Ringer podcasts and with former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama to produce podcasts.
******Finally!! She was the only one left in America who DIDN’T have a podcast!!
*****Her podcast will be called “The Mind of Kim Kardashian!!” It’ll be an hour of dead air!!
******Her foundation is called “Get My Butt Out of Jail!!”
That 70’s Show Actor Arrested
Danny Masterson has been arrested and charged with raping three women between 2001 and 2003, authorities said. He was charged Wednesday with three counts of rape by force of fear, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. The actor best known for playing Steven Hyde in That ’70s Show from 1998 to 2006 was arrested at around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday and was released on a $3.3 million bail hours later, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. His attorney Tom Mesereau said his client was “innocent” in a statement to CNN, stating, “we’re confident that we will be exonerated when all the evidence finally comes to light and witnesses have the opportunity to testify.”
*****Well, gee… this isn’t a fun story, is it???
Kristen Stewart Playing Princess Diana
Kristen Stewart is set to play Princess Diana in an upcoming film titled “Spencer” directed by Pablo Larraín. She will start production on the project in early 2021 and the film will cover a life-changing weekend in the early 1990s around the Christmas holiday at the Windsor family’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, when Diana decided her marriage to Prince Charles was over and she needed to step back from life as a royal family member. Royal family experts say that the news of an American star taking on the portrayal of a British icon has garnered mixed reactions. “Ms. Stewart has a built-in fan base from her ‘Twilight’ movies, so the producers may be counting on her name recognition to draw viewers. It might be interesting to learn whether she was auditioned for the role against other actresses and was deemed the best fit, or whether she was offered it,” said Leslie Carroll, author of “Diana and Charles: Royal Affairs and Notorious Royal Marriages.” “If she can embody Diana’s body language and convey her famous breathy, posh Sloane Ranger voice, it won’t matter where she was born,” Carroll added.
*******She’s weak and strong, as only a woman can be!!
*****If Prince Charles finds her repulsive, she’s perfect!!
*******The film will show her catching Charles in the stable with Camilla. That’s where Camilla was living!!!
*****A lot of people can’t figure out why Charles would dump Di for a woman who looks like Camilla. We’re with them!!
Soap Opera To Use Blowup Dolls
“The Bold and the Beautiful” filmmakers are getting creative when it comes to meeting new production guidelines as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The soap opera, which temporarily resumed production on Wednesday, will be making use of one of its old blow-up dolls on set to film sex scenes moving forward, one of the producers has revealed. Bradley Bell, executive producer and head writer of the long-running soap series, told the New York Post the decision was made with social distancing measures in mind. “When we were reviewing the scripts we started taking out all the romantic scenes and [the scripts] just fell flat,” Bell said. “We put our heads together trying to figure out a way to make these scenes work without breaking the eight-foot [distancing] rule…and we brought out a doll we used years ago as a corpse.” Bell said the production team gave it a shot and it resulted in a “very convincing” take. “It’s a great doll and we’ll be using her with hair and makeup as a stand-in to match some of our leading ladies,” Bell added. The idea comes after the production team wrestled with how to film its most intimate scenes. Another approach that was considered involved the real-life spouses of the actors standing in as stunt doubles. “Some” were interested, he said. If spouses do step in for future roles, Bell assured they too would be tested for COVID-19. Kissing doubles would be a first for the show, he added.
*******Blow up dolls are hard to work with. Their egos are so inflated!!
*******A lot of guys don’t like making love something that doesn’t move. It reminds ’em of their wives!!
*****We just wanna see a the production assistant take these things to the gas station to blow ’em up!!
*****Plastic women… they sometimes spring a leak!!!
Gabrielle Union Goes After Simon Cowell
Gabrielle Union called out Simon Cowell and NBC over the way they handled her abrupt exit from “America’s Got Talent” and the subsequent investigation into her claims of racism. She appeared on a recent episode of “The Daily Show” where host Trevor Noah asked her about her experience with systemic racism in light of the ongoing protests sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd while in police custody. She explained how hard it can be for black workers to speak up to people in positions of power. Specifically, she called out Cowell for thinking he’s above the law by allegedly smoking indoors on the set of the show. “With ‘AGT,’ trying to work within a system of… I thought it was the easiest show! How hard is it to, you know, watch jugglers? That’s what I thought I signed up for. Day one, you know, Simon Cowell is smoking cigarettes inside. I’ve worked a long time, I’ve worked with all kinds of people, I’ve never experienced that,” she told the host. “So, when your boss, the person who has the ability to determine who gets opportunities and who doesn’t, doesn’t believe the law applies to him or the rules apply to him and he does it in full view of NBC, Fremantle and Syco and no one cares about Simon Cowell, you know, exposing all of these employees to second-hand smoke. That’s day one, that’s within the first hour.” She added: “What message do you think that sends to anyone that has an issue with the very real racism and the lack of accountability? And it goes on and on and on.”
********Sounds like she just wasn’t going to fit in, no matter what!!
******She should have held up a sign that said, “Only Racists Smoke!!”
******It’s hard to believe she didn’t know Simon was an a-hole before she signed up!! Not a big secret!!
Will There Be A Kobe Bryant Safety Bill?
Kobe Bryant’s widow called on Congress Thursday to pass a helicopter safety bill named after him in the wake of his tragic chopper death, according to a report. Vanessa Bryant touted the proposed legislation — which would force choppers with six or more passengers to carry equipment such as a terrain awareness system — saying it would “save lives,” according to CNN. “I strongly urge that the United States Congress pass a federal law that would improve the safety of helicopters operating in this country,” said Bryant, who also lost her 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, in the deadly crash. “I believe there is a chance that Kobe and Gianna would still be alive today if their helicopter had been equipped with the safety equipment required by this pending federal legislation,” she said in a statement, according to the outlet. Her comments came after Democratic lawmakers on Thursday introduced the bill, dubbed the “Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act,” which would also require helicopters carrying six or more people to have a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder.
******It’s hard to believe this isn’t already a law!!
Harry and Meghan Lose Trademark Deal
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hit a stumbling block in their post-Megxit plans to run a nonprofit — after their trademark application was rejected over a series of blunders, according to reports. They had applied to the United States Patent and Trademark Office on March 3 for Archewell, the organization they announced just days after officially starting their royal-free lives in April, according to the Sun. But their application was rejected earlier this month — because it was too vague, was not signed and had not been fully paid for, the UK paper said. They were sent a Non-Final Action on June 2 — a rejection that still allows them to make the necessary changes, according to the paper. The couple’s attorney in the matter, Marjorie Witter Norman, now has a final deadline of Aug. 22 — after which the application would be listed as “abandoned.” A source insisted to the Independent that it is “part of the normal back-and-forth of the trademarking process” and is far from a final rejection. The trademark for Archewell was to replace earlier applications under Sussex Royal, a name they had to stop using after Megxit was finalized. The couple previously told the Telegraph they wanted Archewell “to do something of meaning, to do something that matters.” They said it was inspired by “the idea of ‘Arche’ — the Greek word meaning ‘source of action.’”
*********Their alternate name is “Greedypants Foundation!!”
*******Harry’s having trouble doing business in a country where his grandma isn’t the Queen!!
*****He asked Meghan, “Is it too soon to ask Trump for a pardon??”
Ripping The Tabloids (Throughout the week, we’ll give you the stories from that weeks tabs!)
**Please Credit Publication!
Ben’s Beard Grows Darker!-(National Enquirer)
While Ben Affleck’s mood gets lighter in his new relationship with Ana de Armas, his beard has been getting darker! “The gray hairs in Ben’s beard have disappeared-he must be doing it himself at home!” squealed a source. “Ben is very aware he’s being photographed whenever he leaves his house and didn’t like what he was seeing. Thus he did a little at-home grooming-and poof!” the source suggested Ben start his own grooming business. “He’s doing a great job!”
Things You Don’t Know About: Pat Sajak-(Globe)
Snarky Pat Sajak made his debut on “Wheel of Fortune” in 1981 after series creator Merv Griffin hired him for “odd” sense of humor-and he’s anchored more than 7,000 episodes since! The Chicago-born host is now set to add even more to that impressive number because he’s signed to stay on through 2022. Here are things you don’t now about the 73-yer-old game show legend.
- He served in the U.S. Army as a disc jockey for the American Forces Vietnam Network.
- He was parodied in a “Sesame Street” sketch with a Muppet Named Pat Playjacks, who hosted “Squeal of Fortune”-a game show featuring a noisy pig.
- He typically shoots “Wheel” 35 days a year, spread over nine months-and reportedly makes $15 million annually.
William’s Little Helpers-(Us Weekly)
Norfolk, England, June 6
In honor of Volunteers Week in the U.K., the royal family shared a sweet photo of Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince George, 6, delivering food to the elderly with their dad, Prince William.
Gettin’ Cheeky-(Star)
May 23
Mario Lopez’s dimples have always served him well-and it looks like his 11-month-old son, Santino has been blessed with the same cute feature! The TV personality, 46, shared this adorable shot with the tot as the pair got ready for some Saturday shenanigans. The doting dad has a bit of downtime before Peacock’s Saved by the Bell reboot-in which he reprises his character, A.C. Slater-resumes production. Until then, he’s taking advantage of the extra family time in quarantine with wife Courtney and their kids, including Gia, 9, and Dominic, 6. Well, for the most part; he joked on Access Hollywood that he was giving his little ones melatonin to get them to sleep-so he and his wife can indulge in some alone time!
Gwen & Blake’s Trust Issues-(Life & Style)
There’s no doubt that Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are in it for the long haul; however, she’s still having trouble trusting the country singer, 43. The 50-year-old rocker ended her marriage to Gavin Rossdale in 2015 after she allegedly caught him cheating with the family’s nanny-and insiders say she won’t let it happen again. Gwen and her boys, Kingston, 14, Zuma, 11, and Apollo, 6, “have been staying at Blake’s Oklahoma ranch, and twice she’s had to fly them back to LA to see their dad,” notes an insider “Instead of spending the night, though, she hops right back on the plane to be with Blake!” While his friends “find it weird,” the Voice coach, who’s hinted that his ex-wife Miranda Lambet cheated on him, too, “just kind of shrugs it off,” the insider shares. “He’s got nothing to hide.”
Christian Hangs Ten-(People)
Los Angeles, June 7
Christian Bale traded his Batsuit for a wet suit, waxing his surfboard before catching some waves at the beach.
Last Laughs-(In Touch)
“Bri Strauss and Chris Watson won the first season of The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart. Some say they cheated by using a stethoscope.”-David Spade.
“The film version of the Broadway musical Hamilton will premiere on Disney+ in July. The folks at Disney are promising that Hamilton won’t be a play at all, but rather a ‘true cinematic experience.’ Oh, please tell me that it’s going to be Hamilton 3D: 2 Fast 2 Federalist.”-Stephen Colbert.
“A British politician said that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent $53 million in two years as royals. Fifty million of that was spent on sunscreen for Harry.”-David Spade.
STUPID NEWS
Old Pair Of Nike Shoes Up For Auction
A pair of handmade shoes created by the co-founder of Nike for a University of Oregon runner in the early 1970s is expected to sell for up to $150,000 at an upcoming auction, the selling firm said. Auction house Sotheby’s said the shoes were handmade by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman when he was serving as track coach at the University of Oregon in the early 1970s. The shoes, which have spikes on the soles as well as the first instance of Nike’s iconic waffle design, were made for John Mays, who was then a runner on Bowerman’s team. Mays has possessed the shoes ever since, the auctioneer said. “Oftentimes, Bill would talk to me about a new company he was involved with. I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time. One day, he asked me to help test a new sprint spike shoe he was designing. Of course, I agreed and was excited to be chosen,” Mays said. Bowerman and Phil Knight founded Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964, and they renamed the company Nike in 1971. Bidding will close June 26th.
********They come with the original fungus!!!
*****If he had only knelt for the national anthem, those shoes would go for a million!!
*******In 1971, it was much harder to find little Chinese kindergartners to make the shoes!!
Cows Take Over Beer Garden
A British hotel and restaurant temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic shared video of the beer garden being overrun by some unusual premature customers — a herd of cows. The Motat House in Acton Trussell, near Stafford, England, said workers preparing for the business’ planned reopening looked outside Tuesday and spotted a dozen cows wandering through the outside seating area. “We had spaced out the tables and chairs to try our meter or two-meter social distancing, but they showed no respect for that. We wondered if they thought they had herd immunity,” Chris Lewis, managing partner of Moat House owner Lewis Partnership, told the Express & Star newspaper. Lewis said the herd wandered over from a nearby farm. “They had a look at all our outside wedding facilities and at one stage they looked like guests at a wedding,” he said.
******They were milking the situation for all it’s worth!!
*****The animals are taking over!! This just shows that they’re gonna have a BLAST when we’re gone!!
Opiates Delivered To Wrong Address
A California woman who was expecting a shipment of ink from Amazon opened a package left on her front porch and was shocked to find the box was filled with opiates and other prescription narcotics. The woman said she arrived home from work this week and found the box bearing the Amazon logo on her porch. The woman said she initially thought the box contained the ink she had ordered from the website, but she instead discovered bottles of oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine and other narcotics accompanied by an invoice from the Drug Enforcement Administration. “There’s morphine, there’s this, there’s that, this is really dangerous stuff — and there’s a lot of them in there,” the woman told KABC-TV. Bill Bodner, DEA special agent in charge in Los Angeles, said a preliminary investigation found the package had originated at a New York pharmacy that enlisted the services of a Texas pharmaceutical company to dispose of the drugs. Bodner said there was a DEA invoice in the package because the disposal process has to be approved by the federal government. “Let me be clear, this package was not sent by DEA and these drugs were never in DEA custody,” Bodner said.
********Surrrrrre…..
*****The address label said “Walter White!!”
******That’s ONE way to dispose of dangerous drugs… send ’em to a random address!!
Putin Has Disinfectant Tunnel
Visitors meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at his country residence must first pass through a walk-through device that sprays them with disinfectant to protect him from the coronavirus, officials said. The measures have provoked anger from some observers, given the authorities have ruled it is safe enough to hold nationwide referendum on July 1st. Putin has been self-isolating at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow under lockdown although he made a public appearance without a mask at an outdoor event on the June 12 Russia Day holiday. As part of precautions to protect the president, visitors walk through the device and get sprayed from above and the side, a video posted Tuesday evening on Twitter by Kremlin pool journalists from RIA Novosti state news agency showed.
********This sounds like the “disinfectant tunnel” at the Mexican border!! Good luck with that!!
*****If you piss him off, you’re “disinfected” with a flamethrower!!
******This isn’t exactly the “tunnel of love!!”
*****Now Trump wants a disinfectant tunnel!! But he wants it “bigger, better and longer!!”
STUFF THAT’S COOL AND VIRAL
VIDEO: OVERSIZED LOAD HITS OVERPASS!!
A LIST FOR FRIDAY
6 Easy Ways To Make Your Coffee Taste Like It Came From The Coffee Shop
Huffington Post
Gear up
Ideally, you’re going to need a burr grinder and a kitchen scale. Whether you brew your coffee with a drip coffee pot or a Chemex, one of the best pieces of equipment you can purchase to take your coffee to the next level is a burr grinder. Unlike a standard coffee grinder, a burr grinder allows you to choose the coarseness of your grind. Because of this, they tend to be a bit more expensive than standard grinders, with prices starting around $50, but they’ll last a while and immediately improve your coffee-drinking experience. “People should get a burr coffee grinder because that’s when you can start to experience a super personalized cup of coffee and tailor it to your needs, instead of just scooping three cups into the coffee machine,” said Gabi Ingersoll, a barista at Peaks Coffee Company in Syracuse, New York.
For example, if you’re brewing a cup of coffee in a basic coffee pot, you’ll want to set your grind to medium, while a coarse grind is ideal if you’re using a French press or making cold brew.
To ensure a consistent brew every time, Leticia Pollock, co-founder of Panther Coffee in Miami, likes to use a kitchen scale. “You’ll make a cup of coffee and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, this is delicious.’ But you can’t make it again,” Pollock said. By using a kitchen scale (which you can buy for less than $20), you can track exactly how much coffee went into the dream cup you finally concocted.
Make infused simple syrups
Daydreaming about the soothing lavender latte that only your favorite barista can make? Making infused simple syrups is easier than you think and a fun way to add flavor to your coffee. Ingersoll is partial to a strawberry simple syrup, thanks to a batch of strawberries that was once accidentally sent to the coffee shop. “You know how Hershey’s has that strawberry syrup in the bottle? It was like a homemade version of that,” she laughed.
To make it, slice one pint of strawberries and toss them in a saucepan with one cup of water and one cup of sugar. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 20-30 minutes, making sure to occasionally stir. Once the liquid is bright red and the strawberries are cooked down, strain it into a jar or heat-safe bowl and chill in the fridge. You can use your syrup in hot coffee, but it’s especially great in iced beverages. Instead of just stirring it in, use a cocktail shaker. “It makes the drink kind of frothy, which I like that texture. And then you just get whatever flavor in every sip instead of just when you get to the bottom of the drink,” Ingersoll said.
Put ice, coffee and a half teaspoon or so of syrup in your shaker, shake it to your heart’s content and then strain it over ice into a glass.
Other syrups to experiment with include rosemary, orange and salted caramel.
Make coffee ice cubes
It sounds so simple, but the small act of freezing some of your coffee in an ice cube tray can make your cold coffee drinks more potent. Ren Doughty, outreach and customer support coordinator for Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters in Olympia, Washington, likes to make his coffee double strength before freezing it.
“You pop out the ice cubes, toss them in a Ziploc freezer bag, and now you’ve just got these strong coffee ice cubes ready to go,” he explained.
You can drop them into iced coffee, but Doughty’s favorite way to enjoy them is in a blended drink. Blitz three to four coffee ice cubes in the blender with about five ounces of milk and a teaspoon of honey. “It’s delicious, it’s cold and frosty in the summertime, but you get the strength of the coffee flavor that you want,” he said.
In a hurry? Skip the cold brew process
Making a batch of cold brew is great, but it needs time to steep ― at least 12 hours. Japanese-style iced coffee is quicker and the result can be just as jolting. Ingersoll makes hers by brewing a double-strength pot of coffee (just double the amount of coffee grounds you’d normally use) and then immediately pouring it over ice. “When it melts down, it doesn’t lose any of that strong coffee flavor, and it doesn’t dilute the coffee,” Ingersoll said. The key is to pour it over ice immediately to prevent acidity from developing.
Pay attention to your beans
How many times have you stood in line at the coffee shop wondering if this will be the day you step out of your comfort zone and try one of the specialty blends of coffee, only to stick with your usual? Now may be a good opportunity to step out of your coffee comfort zone and try something new. Coffee beans have different flavor profiles depending on where they’re grown, how they’re processed, how they’re roasted and how they’re brewed. Let’s say you like Pike Place at Starbucks (or your local coffee shop’s signature roast) with its nutty cocoa notes. Consider trying a coffee with a fruitier flavor profile, like the Apollo by Counter Culture, which has citrusy notes, or the Guatemala San Sebastian by Perc with notes of berries. Pay attention to which beans you like and how you like them (fruitier coffees are great for iced coffee) and you’ll be able to broaden your coffee drinking experience.
“It’s like wine ― one day you want to have Cabernet, one day you want a Sauvignon Blanc,” Pollock said.
Get fancy with your milk
If you prefer lattes and cappuccinos, it’s going to be hard to replicate them at home without dropping some change on an espresso machine. But a strong batch of brewed coffee and a simple milk-frothing tool will help you imitate that experience at home.
“I’ll put oat milk either on the stovetop or in the microwave and get it almost boiling and then put it in my French Press, actually,” Ingersoll said. “And just plunge it up and down and it actually makes a really beautiful frothy milk.”
Other low-cost options include whisking milk in a pot or buying a frothing wand.
Create a coffee ritual at home
Pre-pandemic, going to the coffee shop often offered a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of real life for a bit. At home, you can also design a coffee ritual that breaks up the monotony of the day. For me, that’s playing a coffee house-inspired playlist, snacking on some Trader Joe’s Speculoos cookie and trying to do a crossword puzzle before the baby wakes up from her nap. Doughty likes to start the day by brewing a French press to specificity using a digital thermometer. For Ingersoll, the ritual varies by circumstance. At home in Syracuse, she likes to take things slow by weighing her coffee and making it in a V60 pour-over, but for the time being she’s quarantining with her family in Maine, where they buy Chock full o’Nuts coffee and brew it in a drip coffee pot.
“And for me, being home, I enjoy that coffee ritual with my family, just waking up and drinking that coffee.”
The preceding material was compiled and edited by Brandon Castillo. The Editor-In-Chief is Gary Bryan. The Radio Genius Show Prep Service is licensed for use on-air only by subscribing radio stations. Other means of redistribution is forbidden.
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