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Coffee

God I love coffee. But currently takings break to help with sleep routine .

How I make it depends on what time of day and if it’s just me or not.

First things first - sorry US folks - I detest creamer - that stuff is vile.

My short coffee for afternoon or evening is a macchiato over an espresso usually, A cappuccino a morning indulgence ( though I calm it something slightly different- a regional thing) and a more normal morning is a latte .

For just me I use what American English call ‘french press’ and Anglo English call cafetière to make day time coffee - to have with a splash of milk and if I am indulging- a third of a teaspoon of local honey .

For espresso, for more than me I use a traditional stove top macchina which we have in various sizes , from one cup to 12 cup .


The process of stove top coffee is measured and ritualistic.

We both buy ground coffee ( dh needs illy to stave off home sickness, or at a push lavazza) and buy small amounts of beans which we grind in a small electric coffee grinder . Since the pandemic we have only had ground coffee because going out for beans would be a luxury we won’t risk health for.

I also love cold brew, and in the heat summer will make a large jug in the evening for the next day . It’s such a beautiful result.

I enjoy the simple ways of makings decadent drink - Beyond my grinder nothing electric and no aching more complicated than my stove top or french press . I enjoy the fragility of the glass of the press and the ritual of the steps of grinding and filling and the importance of the useful but meditative time of brew- short but enough to clean work tops, put together a breakfast , or unload a dishwasher or put a wash load on, or sweep a floor. Racing the stovetop especially in fact is a pleasurable way to get a spurt of little achievements- like racing the kettle while making tea.


Choosing the actual coffee is a bigger deal. My breadth of palate is smaller than my husband’s. He gets his illy with no problem- but I get to choose the beans . Duff choices get to be adulterated with a grind of Carfomon, or the addition of flavours ( like honey).

I used to drink my coffee black but I don’t think I ever do now, And while I will drink cream ( not creamer!) I prefer Milk , and can make a pretty darn great foam for cappuccino from fat free milk.
 
I’m an extreme coffee addict to where I can almost live without food except for the heartburn. Now I’m older and no more hard stuff like even the smell of Starbucks gives me heartburn . No afternoon coffee either, can’t do it. Now I buy cold coffee at bjs but I supplement with hot cups from dunkins because I just can’t make it at home . I’ve done everything I could think of to make decent coffee at home they won’t give me instant heartburn and I’ve concluded for me anyway it can’t be done.
 
Is that the same as a moka pot? I can't find much mention of a maccchina on google.

I like the sound of the ritual of it all. :) will see if it becomes one for me :)
Yes, It’s the same thing . Macchina just means ‘machine’ here. My coffee stove too machine - as opposed to a coffee maker that plugs in 😊
 
MMM...Coffee. Yes I love my coffee. Strong enough the spoon dissolves. I used to love Sumatran coffee but since the earthquake and tidal wave it just isn't the same. Kenyan, Kona, (Hawaii) and other dark roasts are preferred. Cream and sugar please. How much depends on the coffee and roast.
Cream for those that take it is a massive influence on flavor. Canada's favorite coffee franchise uses 30%+ milk fat cream in their coffee for a really smooth taste. Lots of people cant understand why it doesn't taste the same from home....

As for making it:
-Burr Grinder - Nothing just nothing is as good as fresh ground beans. One that doesn't raise the temperature as it grinds is preferred. High temps affect the oils and make coffee bitter.

-Aeropress - a fascinating device that makes really nice coffee, one cup at a time. Taste is stronger than french press and it adds a little crema. Very simple and easy to use. Filters are about the size of the mouth of a mug. Cleaning is simple too.

-French Press - More then one. My favorite is my Stanley Classic Travel Mug 16 oz. Where I used to work I could be very busy the second i walked in the door. The Stanley would keep it warm all day - if needed.

-Drip Automatic - Least used. I'm the only coffee drinker in the house so making a whole pot is a bit of a waste.

No decaf coffee here. I don't get it. It's like alcohol free bourbon. Whats the point?
 
My grinder arrived today. I just need to get some beans for it. Enjoyed a few youtube videos by James Hoffman, including this one on someone else's channel.

I've yet to discover what type of coffee I like. It would be good if I could buy sample sizes of quite a few but anyway.

I shall have a look see what I find.

He keeps talking about freshness making such a difference and how the stuff from the supermarket isn't fresh... seems to do for most people. Am curious to try summat specialty and fresh though... wonder if I can find a fancy coffee shop anywhere just to try a cup or 2.

Whats the point?
Well, for me for many years I would get a vestibular migraine if I had even the tiniest amount of caffeine. Different strokes for different folks eh.
 
Well, for me for many years I would get a vestibular migraine if I had even the tiniest amount of caffeine. Different strokes for different folks eh.
It definitely makes a difference if you have a reason. I can relate somewhat. My recalled pain can start anytime I'm stressed and can wreck my head for days or weeks at a time.

He keeps talking about freshness making such a difference and how the stuff from the supermarket isn't fresh.
I would have a look round for local coffee roasters. Usually they are great to deal with and they can help you find a roast that works on top of the fact you can buy in smaller quantities. On top of all that their coffee is usually freshly roasted.

The problem with not fresh is bitter. It's the oils. The same as any oil it goes rancid when exposed to oxygen, and heat helps that process. That's why cold brew is becoming popular. It doesn't extract the oils or heat them so coffee has a less bitter flavor.
 
local coffee roasters
Yes there is one actually 25 miles away, I looked at their online shop and they sell full packs of different things, didn't even occur to me to go along and be able to buy smaller quantities and well there's nothing stopping me, so I'll go visit them.

Yes, bitterness isn't something I like, look forward to seeing if I like any of these fresh ones. I hope I do :)

Some of the videos mentioned the aeropress but said that it's really difficult to get right, how do you get on with it?
 
Some of the videos mentioned the aeropress but said that it's really difficult to get right, how do you get on with it?
Dysfunctionally. But on a good day, don't grind the coffee too fine. Make sure the filter covers the bottom of the cylinder so everything doesn't run through when you pour the water in. Be prepared and have the top (the press part) and a stir stick ready.

Then coffee, hot water, stir, put the press part in. The top will let the coffee steep while holding the water in with vacuum. When ready, press, slowly and evenly. I usually put the aeropress in the sink until I am done breakfast and then twist off the bottom and push the grounds and filter into the compost.

It is a little tricky until you get the hang of it and my choice of whether to use it is based on how well I am functioning. I do love the coffee it makes. It is very rich and flavorful but some days executive function makes it hard enough to get hot water, mug, and teabag together.
 
Yes, bitterness isn't something I like
- Look for medium & blonde roasts, rather than dark or French roasts. Oddly enough on the surface, “light” roasts can still be super bitter. Blonde roasting is the next step up past light, and the bitter/brash/young has been roasted out of it, but it’s not quite to the full or round feeling of medium roasts. Most commercial blockbusters are medium roasts, as they capture the full flavors of darker roasts, whilst mellowing out the young & harshness of light roasts. Every brand, major and minor, has a medium roast for that reason. Blonde roasts, meanwhile, are boutique.

French roasts -done right- are embracing the complex bitter flavors that develop with exceptionally dark roasts, on top of the existing coffee characteristics, creating a multilayer sense of smell/taste the same way that wines are appreciated. Whilst medium & blonde roasts are the base the bitter profile is added to. Even if you come to like bitter, later? It’s good to have a foundation of what’s being layered.

- Illy (Italian brand sold worldwide; I got hooked on when I lived in Rome, couldn’t face Starbucks except in an emergency after that once I found it readily available at home) makes a fantastic medium roast whole bean, red&silver can; but

- Kona coffee (from an island in Hawaii, rather than a brand) is the mellowist mildest coffee I’ve ever had. Kona is the expensive Pinot Noir, all quietly smooth silk, next to brash and loud zinfindels or spicy Shiraz.

- Peaberry, in any varietal, is very subtle/smoothe/prized. They’re a sport bean, that instead of being a split double, the way most coffee beans are? Are a single berry. They’re separated from the rest at harvest, because they command a higher price. Very worth the higher price. IF one likes smooth & subtle, with an innate sweetness to it. Even though I’m a dark/bold/bitter gal? I snag a pound of peaberry whenever I see it for sale, at any roast level (which is always designed FOR that berry, to best accentuate it’s flavors). On average, expect double the price for whatever varietal it is. Starbucks is the only company I’ve found to keep the price in line with the rest of their coffees, but they’re big enough to afford to take the hit, in exchange for the number of people who swarm their shops when they’ve got peaberry coffee in stock. Most coffee companies are barely managing the increased cost of production, rather than laughing all the way to the bank, by doublin the price. They’re also nearly always preground, for a specific kind of brewing, but sometimes whole, and worth it either way.
 
Buying beans is definitely best - dh would endorse Friday’s illy choice . It’s good to have something like illy in the fridge for days you don’t want to grind.

I’ve had aeropress coffee and it’s another type of ritual, huh? It’s very good- but not good enough to have made me buy one or challenge my own rituals 😂.


Regarding decaf- There are some excellent decaf coffees. I have a dark secret though - I keep a jar of instant orzo ( which I’m also abstaining from atm ) for late night speedy indulgence, if my body will not comply with ritual but years for something coffee - ish.
 
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