Grumble Thread

[Old Grumpy]

I usually manage by cutting across one corner of the upright bag at an angle of ~ 30° from the horizontal. I then decant the contents into a suitable container and keep it in the fridge.

This of course relies on there being space in the bag above the coffee, so it does not spill on cutting.

[gurnemanz]

One of our best culinary acquisitions ever was a DeLonghi bean to cup coffee machine. It was quite expensive (£300 +) but has done great service on a daily basis for about ten years. Coffee is always fresh ground and potential pre-ground packet opening hazards are eliminated.

[cria]

Start from the bottom - insert a drawing pin - hold above tin - withdraw said drawing pin - wait 1.25 hrs - pick up old bills & dental appt reminders that fell on the floor & repin

[Petrushka]

I usually manage by cutting across one corner of the upright bag at an angle of ~ 30° from the horizontal. I then decant the contents into a suitable container and keep it in the fridge.

This of course relies on there being space in the bag above the coffee, so it does not spill on cutting.

That's my usual method but the problem in doing it that way is that you usually end up with two openings on either side of the bag. Decanting the contents into a container then becomes impossible without spillage especially if you misjudge the angle of the cut.

I long ago came to the conclusion that coffee packaging is the most stupid yet devised.

[vinteuil]

Decanting the contents into a container then becomes impossible without spillage...

... hence my solution in # 2040 above : no decanting required

[Pulcinella]

Get a larger container?
We use an old airtight Douwe Egbert canister, which is wide and deep enough for the whole packet to fit in (either to tip in once open, usually completely across the top, or to have the corner snipped off inside).
Maybe handling the coffee is more awkward though if it's a vacuum pack you're dealing with.
No such problems with what we get from Aldi!

[Petrushka]

Get a larger container?
We use an old airtight Douwe Egbert canister, which is wide and deep enough for the whole packet to fit in (either to tip in once open, usually completely across the top, or to have the corner snipped off inside).
Maybe handling the coffee is more awkward though if it's a vacuum pack you're dealing with.
No such problems with what we get from Aldi!

I got a Helmut Sacher coffee canister from Vienna in 1986 and it's perfect for storage of the opened bag.

[oddoneout]

Get a larger container?
We use an old airtight Douwe Egbert canister, which is wide and deep enough for the whole packet to fit in (either to tip in once open, usually completely across the top, or to have the corner snipped off inside).
Maybe handling the coffee is more awkward though if it's a vacuum pack you're dealing with.
No such problems with what we get from Aldi!

I did wonder if it was vacuum packs that were causing the problem. It's understandable that should be used as a method of preserving quality, but it does mean that once the vacuum is broken the expansion of the contents may exceed the space available once the top is cut off?
An alternative approach is a little valve and inert gas(usually nitrogen I think), which means there is enough bag to open without spillage, as the space has had the oxygen replaced so the contents don't deteriorate as they would otherwise do, eg in a pack of fresh ground from a retailer. The Lidl ground coffee currently in my fridge has a little widget in the packaging near the top but also has enough "spare" packaging to rollover a couple of times and hold down with a rubber band.

[Old Grumpy]

That's my usual method but the problem in doing it that way is that you usually end up with two openings on either side of the bag. Decanting the contents into a container then becomes impossible without spillage especially if you misjudge the angle of the cut.

I long ago came to the conclusion that coffee packaging is the most stupid yet devised.

It works with Taylors coffee packaging, though I sometimes have to do an extra snip where the apex of my first angled cut remains attached to the top of the bag.

[Serial_Apologist]

At the end of today's The World This Weekend on Radio 4, the host Edward Stourton introduced a five-minute item on a newly discovered work by the young Mozart. What this had to do with the remainder of an episode otherwise given over to the Labour Party annual conference, was utterly beyond me and probably most people tuning in, although it is known for this programme to deliver unexpected subjects off-piste, often in depth as if the planner has by chance found an interesting book abandoned in the street offering useful fresh perspectives. However, my main reason for mentioning this matter here is that in those few minutes we, the (ostensibly) unprepared general listenership, were granted more detailed analytic information on a given piece of music than for more years than I can think of on Radio 3. I'm sorry to have to say much of this would probably have been lost on the audience.

[french frank]

At the end of today's The World This Weekend on Radio 4, the host Edward Stourton introduced a five-minute item on a newly discovered work by the young Mozart.

Just about to listen to this, starting about 24 minutes in, allegedly. Short but very sweet No grumbles over this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00236rk

[smittims]

Maybe it was on Radio 4 because it was judged too intellectual for Sam ot allow it on Radio 3. Analysis isn't very 'inclusive'.

There are of course many 'Mozart' works of varying degrees of possible or probable authenticity. I find it fasicnating to listen to them and speculate .

[antongould]

Now I know you haven’t had a “you couldn’t make it up” story for ages ……. with Lloyds Bank Lady Gould and I both take out 2 12 month monthly savers each year because of the very good interest rates. At the end of the year we move the money and interest out leaving accounts with nil balances. Now we both have lots of these clogging up our internet banking and when I tried to close them online I get a message saying you must come into the branch to close them …. !!!! So today I went on the messaging app and eventually found out that because we once had a security box this puts a marker against all our accounts which means they can only be closed if we go to the branch. I asked what about the cost and inconvenience of this and to cut an already long story short they have just paid me £40 to go to the branch 😧

[smittims]

It's an ill wind, Anton... all I can say is I've banked with Lloyds for 53 years and never had any trouble. I did get the 'Spanish Inquisition' from two very nice 12-year old Latvian girls, despite my having has mu account at that branch since their mothers were children, when I wanted to move some money to my solicitor to buy a house. But I couldn't complain as they were working very hard to protect my money!

[Pulcinella]

Now I know you haven’t had a “you couldn’t make it up” story for ages ……. with Lloyds Bank Lady Gould and I both take out 2 12 month monthly savers each year because of the very good interest rates. At the end of the year we move the money and interest out leaving accounts with nil balances. Now we both have lots of these clogging up our internet banking and when I tried to close them online I get a message saying you must come into the branch to close them …. !!!! So today I went on the messaging app and eventually found out that because we once had a security box this puts a marker against all our accounts which means they can only be closed if we go to the branch. I asked what about the cost and inconvenience of this and to cut an already long story short they have just paid me £40 to go to the branch 😧

Enjoy your trip.
Maybe you'll have time to do some shopping too.