And, well, frankly IMHO, any canteloupe or muskmelon that doesn't thrive, really thrive, and make full sized, quality fruit with appropriate netting, ribbing, etc. for its variety generally isn't going to have a good flavor. The smaller, scrubbier, and worse the plant and fruit, the more likely it will have poor flavor, sometimes cucumber-like, and often not sweet.

Hey guys. I've actually had a good year. I harvested almost every week, to keep a supply to sell at the weekly markets I sell at. My last harvest was in Mid August, and I would have run out in another week or two, but I pulled in all the supers at a farm about a mile away, and some are not capped well, and they're all goldenrod. Nonetheless, I extracted two shallows or so, and got nearly 5 gallons. I have to extract the rest in the next day or so while the temps are up... then pull the supers in my own backyard... probably 15-20 supers. Last year, sales were lower, and I ran out by Christmas. This year, up to Friday night, my sales for this year to date are 40% above the entire year 2006. I may still run out before spring, but with sales so much better, I've really done ok. weather is drought punctuated by spotty rains, but hey, almost every downpour has been right over my head! Not everyone around here is as happy. A farmer 12 miles away says they've had no rain since mid august.

Cinnamom can be sprinkled on top the grounds before brewing... to your taste. About a quarter teaspoon per pot is my dose. Cardamon! Sprinkle a pinch over the coffee grounds before brewing. Cardamon is fairly expensive but a small jar last a long time for me... also sprinkle it on burgers and it gives nice scent to my bread. No mixing required. Make a flavor when you feel like it and straight coffee when you don't. I get flavor worn easy so I switch things up. : ) lyra

"Strange flavor" is pretty subjective.... It will depend on the amount in the mixture, and I bet it's not a lot if it was fairly low on the list of ingredients. Some early versions of stevia had a licorice-like taste, but today's highly-processed powdered and liquid versions generally don't. I grew stevia in my herb garden this past summer and I actually liked the dried crushed leaves, so maybe it's the the plant leaves, not the highly-processed sweetener in the mixture. It is, after all, an herb. It is also called sweetleaf. When it comes to large amounts of stevia (when used in baked goods and candies), you are more likely to detect something that is a mouth-feel or an aftertaste. "Stevia's taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar" and that is one of the sensations you can experience that is different than sugar-sweetened foods that is hard to explain, but easy to notice. -Grainlady