One of the great pleasures of morning is the aroma of fresh ground coffee as hot water drips through it, creating a rich dark ambrosia that promises a kickstart to the waiting day. And Folger's commercials notwithstanding, the best coffee is made with freshly ground Arabica beans.

My introduction into the world of all things coffee-related was through the determined efforts of a friend who started a small coffee shop. My eyes glazed over as he expounded on the pleasures of Arabica v. Robusta beans, French v. Dark roast, and gold v. paper filters. All I wanted was a cup of coffee. He convinced me that there was more to a cup than beans soaked in water. Just as a wine critic can pick out flavors of grapefruit, lime, and tangerine in a Pinot Gris (while I can detect only citrus), a coffee taster can describe the "bouquet" of brewed coffee with unerring precision. After countless tastings, I've found that my favorite beans provide a rich chocolaty flavor with strong body and a cinnamon aftertaste. It's good stuff. And, it requires the purchase of good beans by a reputable roaster.

I became the owner of my first Braun grinder when I realized that the quality of ground beans deteriorated rapidly. Even though I stored my coffee in the freezer, I soon realized there was a marked difference in the quality of coffee brewed an hour after grinding or a week later. So, the only solution seemed to be buying whole beans and grinding my own. Although my friend suggested a $65 burr-type grinder, I found a Braun KSM-2 Aromatic Coffee Grinder that fit my needs perfectly. Here's what I like about my Braun grinder:

It is small. Although I have very limited counter space in my kitchen, I get frustrated when I have to pull out frequently used appliances from a cupboard. My grinder sits right next to the coffeepot and is the one of the first thing I reach for each morning.

It is quick. It grinds enough for an 8-cup pot in less than ten seconds. And, the noise level is enough to wake me up in the morning without bothering the neighbors. If it would wake my sleeping teenager, I'd be even more impressed. For $10, I don't expect miracles. And, the short grinding time prevents overheating of the beans which can adversely affect the resulting flavor.

It is versatile. When my pepper grinder gave out in mid-recipe, I cleaned the Braun and threw in a handful of peppercorns. It worked beautifully for my BBQ pepper steak. Unfortunately, one can never go back. The next morning, my coffee took on a new flavor . . . one that was a bit much even for this sleepyhead. No matter how carefully I cleaned the grinder, a residual peppery flavor lingered. So, I bought a second grinder to use exclusively for coffee. I used the first grinder to blend spice rubs and mince parsley and other herbs. It was a great addition to my Cuisinart since I could use it for miniscule amounts.

It holds enough for a full pot of coffee. I can grind up to 2.5 ounces of coffee at a time. While I have used it for the larger commercial urn that I borrow for parties, it's really easier to take my beans down to the coffee shop and have them ground en masse.

The fineness of the grind can be controlled. Even though the lid is transparent, I do better by listening to changes in the sounds of the blade. I like a somewhat fine grind and at a certain pitch, I know the beans are perfectly ground. It's kinda nice to have a machine that sings to me each morning.

The machine is idiot-proof. The lid must be securely in place or the blades will not turn. As soon as the lid is removed the blades stop rotating. One would have to be determined in order to injure himself (or herself) on this machine. As soon as the beans are ground, I turn the entire unit upside down and rap it on the counter so that all the coffee falls into the lid. The next step is to dump the contents of the lid into the waiting filter.

While the blades are sharp, I occasionally use a small paintbrush to remove the few grounds that cling to the metal and cap. The cord wraps neatly around the base of the unit for storage.

This leads to my explanation of why I now have three Braun grinders. One of my neighbors tried growing horseradish last summer. He dried the roots in his countertop dehydrator but wanted to end up with a powder that could be added to his soups and homemade sausages. Since he had heard the story of my peppery brew, he knew that the Braun grinder would probably handle the dried horseradish. I wasn't home when he came to borrow it and my son gave him my new grinder instead of the one I'd earmarked for spices. I didn't know he'd done this until the next morning when I brewed my morning coffee. The overtones of horseradish took me from half asleep to fully wide-eyed in a split second. Now, I have one grinder for mild spices, one for wild spices, and one for coffee. It's clearly marked COFFEE. Although, the next time my neighbor shows up hinting for a cup of coffee, I might just forget which grinder is which.


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