You don't need expensive gear, that is for the specialists for when they wish to make espresso coffee; all you need for half decent coffee at home is just a cafetière (French press) and some (good quality, recently roasted) ground coffee.
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Espresso Enthusiasts
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You don't need expensive gear, that is for the specialists for when they wish to make espresso coffee; all you need for half decent coffee at home is just a cafetière (French press) and some (good quality, recently roasted) ground coffee.
Pretty sure we have a cafetière somewhere from our dinner party days.
Maybe I'll pick up some coffee for it. My trouble is I drink it so infrequently that it would mostly end up in the bin.
Even my instant coffee mostly gets thrown out as it goes off before I've consumed a third of it.
A perfect brew.
This afternoon I am now relaxing with this and my Sunday paper (Times). This morning I cut the grass at front and rear of house. It was very muggy and towards the end it began to rain and the lovely feeling of cool rain on my face was bliss!
This afternoon I am now relaxing with this and my Sunday paper (Times). This morning I cut the grass at front and rear of house. It was very muggy and towards the end it began to rain and the lovely feeling of cool rain on my face was bliss!
Try to find your cafetière and get a small packet of ground coffee, - good quality beans - (my preference is for lightly roasted Ethiopian, but others may prefer other styles, such as more darkly roasted beans) and make sure it has been recently roasted. That way, it won't break the bank if you don't finish it and have to throw it out.
[doublepost=1469367126][/doublepost]
I am not a fan of muggy rain, or of 'rain on face'.
Personally, I prefer that wall of warm balmy air you get in hot climates, and sitting out, at a table, sipping a cup of coffee, shaded by the embracing spread of leafy trees in summer.
Time to pour another cup of my own coffee, a blend of Ethiopian, Kenyan, and Rwandan. (Will beef up the Kenyan and Rwandan a little more, the next time).
And, The Observer awaits me.
I'd kill for some proper rain about now. Usually, when it rains in the summer here in California, the sun comes out with clouds in force and makes the next day days warm, thick and sticky humid. It's been rather mild here this past summer save for a few weeks here and there. The end of August is usually the most brutal period.
Well, I'll swop. It has been raining here on and off for several days, with overcast skies.
Now, I'll grant that this is superb for the plants, which are bursting with rude, good health, and are brimful of bushy growth.
Looking at rain drops on the window, I think a nice cup of coffee would be in order.
Now, I'll grant that this is superb for the plants, which are bursting with rude, good health, and are brimful of bushy growth.
Looking at rain drops on the window, I think a nice cup of coffee would be in order.
I'm not at all sure how the word highlighted in the post above slipped past the MR Obscenity Filter.
As this is a thread devoted to the topic of coffee, the substance referenced above is off-topic buy a mile. The only resemblance between coffee and the substance referenced above is that they both fall in the brown section of the color wheel, and both are often hot. However, there are other substances, one which I have in mind but cannot be mentioned due to good taste, which much more resemble the substance referenced above… they are both hot and brown.
I would humbly request that references to the substance highlighted in the post above cease and desist in this thread. Even though we occasionally drift slightly off-topic, this substance bears no discernible relationship to actual coffee and takes the thread too far off-topic.
Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
I'm not at all sure how the word highlighted in the post above slipped past the MR Obscenity Filter.
As this is a thread devoted to the topic of coffee, the substance referenced above is off-topic buy a mile. The only resemblance between coffee and the substance referenced above is that they both fall in the brown section of the color wheel, and both are often hot. However, there are other substances, one which I have in mind but cannot be mentioned due to good taste, which much more resemble the substance referenced above… they are both hot and brown.
I would humbly request that references to the substance highlighted in the post above cease and desist in this thread. Even though we occasionally drift slightly off-topic, this substance bears no discernible relationship to actual coffee and takes the thread too far off-topic.
Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
Ah. I had wondered when the Guardians of the Thread would spot this.
I forbore to draw attention to that statement, partly because I assumed (correctly, as it turned out) that others would deal with it, and partly, because I suspect that @Apple fanboy was deliberately teasing us.
Anyway, that is why I gently tried to steer @Apple fanboy in the direction of pain proof - but real - coffee - a French Press, and a small amount of ground coffee. We all have to start somewhere.......
Thank you for trying to steer@Apple fanboy in a more appropriate direction. Your much more subtle response to the infecting of the thread with the unfortunate reference was noted and appreciated
1.) Why is this thread not showing up when I see the Community Discussion board?!
2.) Because: WOAH! Shrink is back!?
Good to see you still spreading the coffee-knowledge!
I think I need an espresso to process all that...
...but if someone knows about 1.) I'd still be grateful.
[doublepost=1469447184][/doublepost]hmm, could it be because I have the thread starter on my ignore list? But then this was changed at some point because I clearly saw it before (albeit a long time ago I'd guess).
2.) Because: WOAH! Shrink is back!?
Good to see you still spreading the coffee-knowledge! I think I need an espresso to process all that...
...but if someone knows about 1.) I'd still be grateful.
[doublepost=1469447184][/doublepost]hmm, could it be because I have the thread starter on my ignore list? But then this was changed at some point because I clearly saw it before (albeit a long time ago I'd guess).
1.) Why is this thread not showing up when I see the Community Discussion board?!
2.) Because: WOAH! Shrink is back!?
I think I need an espresso to process all that...
...but if someone knows about 1.) I'd still be grateful.
I think you might need to click on 'watch thread'.
I know that in some of the threads to which I respond, unless a post of mine is quoted, or 'liked', unless I have clicked on 'watch thread' I won't receive any notifications, or alerts.
This particular form of development has only happened in the past few weeks. Moreover, I had to disable 'email notifications' as I was inundated.
Then, as you post, there is the curse of the 'double post' because it hangs, and stalls, and freezes as you try to press 'post'. Grrr.
I just did that (watching this thread) but he's nowhere to be seen. Strange. I got your notification so that's what brought me here. I saw Shrink's avatar at the sideline and was quite surprised - that's what brought me here in the first place.
I don't watch many threads, but it worked flawless so far for me (for what I can tell).
Feel like I've been named and shamed!Thank you for trying to steer@Apple fanboy in a more appropriate direction. Your much more subtle response to the infecting of the thread with the unfortunate reference was noted and appreciated
1.) Why is this thread not showing up when I see the Community Discussion board?!
2.) Because: WOAH! Shrink is back!?
I think I need an espresso to process all that...
Thanks Mate.
It's good to be back.
Feel like I've been named and shamed!
We are extremely tough on this thread!
Kickin' ass and takin' names!
Do you 'follow' @Shrink?
I get notifications if people I follow post, or, if a post of mine has been replied to, (or 'liked'), or, if I have been mentioned, or, if I have clicked 'watch thread'; otherwise, I think that I do not receive notifications.
For example, there are a few rather heated threads in a certain area of this forum - you have replied to some of them, so, you know the threads to which I refer. I haven't clicked on 'watch thread' on a number of them, which means - unless I receive an alert for one of the reasons mentioned above - or remember to look in on them, sometimes, pages of stuff has been posted by the time I get back to them.
Feel like I've been named and shamed!
Yes, you have.
And you knew perfectly well that posting about such foul stuff - the prohibited 'i' word - in this thread was - inevitably - going to provoke a reaction.
I have half a mind to hand out a thread ban to @Apple fanboy due to the use of the "i" word. He knows its not allowed here and did it anyway therefore he must be trolling us.
Well, yes. To "follow" is what was being "friend" with before, right?
But in case we misunderstood each other: the whole thread is not present when I see the Community Discussion board. It's just not there/shown. Probably because I put /eric on ignore at some point. That may be the cause (although I think it shouldn't be handled that way). I'll investigate...
And I also haven't got those threads on my watchlist - and for good reason so - but just can't help myself and go over checking too often anyway..
Oooh!
Somebody is in big trouble.
Take care @Apple fanboy...our thread denizen @SandboxGeneral is a man of infinite power!
I try not to flaunt it too much.
Well, yes. To "follow" is what was being "friend" with before, right?
But in case we misunderstood each other: the whole thread is not present when I see the Community Discussion board. It's just not there/shown. Probably because I put /eric on ignore at some point. That may be the cause (although I think it shouldn't be handled that way). I'll investigate...
And I also haven't got those threads on my watchlist - and for good reason so - but just can't help myself and go over checking too often anyway..
Yes, I think that the verb 'to follow' - in current usage - is much the same as being 'friends' before was.
Oh, if this thread is not present when you check the Community Board, maybe 'unblock' /eric (I think he may have been banned, so it is moot) and check with @SandboxGeneral why the entire thread might not be showing up.
(While I don't do FB ever in real life, I can only assume that this terminology comes from there).
However, I do think that you have to click on 'watch thread' and it should feature. On this thread, the relevant command invites me to 'unwatch thread' which means that I am already 'watching' (i.e. following) it.
Back on topic, I must say that I cannot begin to count the number of times in recent days/weeks/months when I have a lovely steaming mug (of coffee) beside me - and the doorbell rings, with a nurse, or someone else from the medical world, whom I must attend to, and need to keep an eye on what is happening - Mother not being in a position to articulate what she needs - and, by the time I get back to my coffee, it is no longer piping hot.
Anyway, just now, I tweaked things. A coffee with more Kenyan and yet some more Rwandan, and somewhat less Ethiopian.
This is 'sharper' in taste, and somewhat 'bolder'; it was also somewhat more bitter. The clean, clear notes of the Ethiopian still shine through, along with some smoothness, but not that soft - and sometimes - rich sweetness.
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It's lovely to read about your blending experiments. The only time I blend is when I have a small amount of coffee left in my three blend rotation and I just mix together to the blends to make up my requisite 40grams of beans.
This morning's first cup was Intelligentsia El Diablo, and a second cup, to be prepared momentarily, will be Atomic Cafe Black Velvet blend. I must say I'm very pleased with the Atomic Cafe's dark roast blends when prepared in a French press.
As I am finishing up my current beans, it is likely that my afternoon cup may be a blend of the Intelligentsia and Atomic Cafe beans.
I try not to flaunt it too much.
I have always noted your humble and incredibly subtle use of your massive power.
(***Kissy...kissy...nose turns brown***)
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Well, as I hear already mentioned, the blending experiments started for the exact same reason that you have blended - to use up stuff, and - sometimes with impatient anticipation - to wish to dive straight into a new, and wonderfully aromatic coffee.
Now, naturally enough, curiosity and the interest to see what might work well with what else, is what drives me.
These days, I try to drink coffee without sugar - something I find difficult with the more bitter espressos.
Today's coffee had that lip puckering bitterness (and I am someone who willingly prepares and consumes a very large glass - say, a highball glass - of lead cut crystal naturally - of freshly squeezed citrus juice virtually every morning, which means that I cannot be said not to like bitterness as a taste), that had me thinking - briefly (until the doorbell rang with various medical professionals) of the delights of organic sugar. Brown.
Now, naturally enough, curiosity and the interest to see what might work well with what else, is what drives me.
These days, I try to drink coffee without sugar - something I find difficult with the more bitter espressos.
Today's coffee had that lip puckering bitterness (and I am someone who willingly prepares and consumes a very large glass - say, a highball glass - of lead cut crystal naturally - of freshly squeezed citrus juice virtually every morning, which means that I cannot be said not to like bitterness as a taste), that had me thinking - briefly (until the doorbell rang with various medical professionals) of the delights of organic sugar. Brown.
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I might suggest that citrus juice represents gustatory stimulation of sour taste bud receptors, while coffee can, under some circumstances, be bitter.