Today, as I was starting to think about what to make for Sean for lunch, I realized I didn’t have any veg for him to eat (not that he’s usually all that willing to to eat it—the veg—when I do have some).

But we just bought a new Aroma rice cooker, and I remembered that it has a steamer basket and that we have some yummy carrots in the fridge (of course; everybody has carrots in their refrigerator, even if they’re weeks old). Glancing in the manual, I saw that it should only take about 15 minutes to steam the carrots. Score!

And he ate them! And he ate the rice and chicken-and-apple sausages!

I am way too excited about this!

So, now that I’ve tried Starbuck’s attempt at instant coffee a few times, I’m ready to offer some opinions. They sent me two vaieties: Italian roast and Colombian. Bad news first: The Italian roast tastes bitter and burnt. It is not good coffee.

Now the good news: the Colombian brew is actually quite good. Obviously, it’s a lighter roast, and I think that’s what helps preserve the coffee flavor and aroma. The Colombian has a nice richness to it, a fullness that’s almost milk-chocolate-y. I actually like it better than most varieties of drip-brewed Colombian coffee I’ve experienced.

Now, in general, I prefer a darker roast, which is maybe why I’m such a huge fan of Starbucks in my personal life. So I was dismayed by the Italian roast. But the Colombian is dark enough, I would think, for the average Starbucks customer’s palate.

Starbucks says this product is for the times when you can’t get to a coffee pot or a coffee shop: when you’re rushing to a meeting, or you’re on a plane, or you’re camping, perhaps. For me, someone who takes his coffee very seriously, this is a product I wouldn’t mind seeing in my hotel room, but, in most other cases, I think I’d be more likely to just use the GPS on my phone to hunt down the nearest Starbucks location.