I cannot believe that I have just spent most of the past two hours re-reading this thread.......not, in its entirety, just from about page, um, fifteen, as I wished to check out references for obscure but worthy coffee producers, excellent espresso machines, and, of course, grinders.
I blush to record that I even made notes, with a fountain pen, something I find myself doing almost automatically, these days. So, a sheet of paper in an A4 spiral notebook has, at the top of the page, the gnomic comment 'nothing political' (a reference to a demonstration last week which I wished to analyse further and denotes the terse answer I received from the person I had asked to look into it); this is followed by references to several espresso machines, and a number of coffee companies. Grinders, including a reference to the handmade objets d'art made by 'orphan espresso' were also noted.
Re the endless discussion of buying whole beans, and 'freshness', granted, the internet has made large tracts of the world more accessible, but, while this applies to the western world, believe it or not, there are places where one still waits weeks and weeks for deliveries. Of anything. And so the debate concerning freshness is a bit moot at best in such locations. And those deliveries may come - at best - once or twice a week. Places where LavAzza and Illy are outrageous luxuries........
We shall see, and learn and continue to revel in the sheer obsessiveness and lavish attention to detail that this thread has revealed to date. An absolute classic of a thread......
