Espresso Enthusiasts

[mobilehaathi]

Indeed. Roasting on the stove is barbarous but beautiful. Takes massive skill, and you have to pretty much depend on smell and color, not temp or time. I also think it is virtually impossible to fine tune a roast, especially a light roast (e.g., knock 5 seconds off the time fan #4 turns on in stage 9 of the roast).

If you just wanted to burn the **** out of the coffee until there is virtually no flavor remaining (what some call French Roast (grin)), stove would work just fine.

Nice to see you pokin' around, bud.

 

[0388631]

Nasty weather at the moment. Very hot, very humid, disgustingly sticky outside. Thank goodness for AC.

Edit: Darn. Cold coffee. Pressed hot, let to cool and over ice.

Edit: Now wondering why I didn't make cold brewed coffee in the first place...

Edit 3: In case anyone cares... Outside is 87* but feels 92*, overcast, on and off drizzle, around 97% humidity. Cannot walk down the street without feeling as if you're suffocating.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just brewed a cup of Rwandan in the LC!

Do enjoy it.

In recent years - and somewhat influenced by our friend @Kurwenal - I must say that I have come to love and really appreciate the coffees from Africa, Kenyan, Ethiopian, and Rwandan.

Indeed. Roasting on the stove is barbarous but beautiful. Takes massive skill, and you have to pretty much depend on smell and color, not temp or time. I also think it is virtually impossible to fine tune a roast, especially a light roast (e.g., knock 5 seconds off the time fan #4 turns on in stage 9 of the roast).

If you just wanted to burn the **** out of the coffee until there is virtually no flavor remaining (what some call French Roast (grin)), stove would work just fine.

Great to see you back - and posting learnedly on matters relating to coffee.

Nasty weather at the moment. Very hot, very humid, disgustingly sticky outside. Thank goodness for AC.

Edit: Darn. Cold coffee. Pressed hot, let to cool and over ice.

Edit: Now wondering why I didn't make cold brewed coffee in the first place...

Edit 3: In case anyone cares... Outside is 87* but feels 92*, overcast, on and off drizzle, around 97% humidity. Cannot walk down the street without feeling as if you're suffocating.

Even though I use them, recognise their technological worth, appreciate what they can do for one's quality of life, I still dislike - at a physical level - AC.

 

[decafjava]

Do enjoy it.

In recent years - and somewhat influenced by our friend @Kurwenal - I must say that I have come to love and really appreciate the coffees from Africa, Kenyan, Ethiopian, and Rwandan.

Also glad to see Kurwenal posting again, and still missing two former regulars.

Interesting I had a Brazilian coffee this morning (I have to find out the exact provenance) and it was a change from my usual African blends, even my South American at my favourite coffee shop tends to come from Columbia. I found the flavour quite mild to my taste.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Also glad to see Kurwenal posting again, and still missing two former regulars.

Interesting I had a Brazilian coffee this morning (I have to find out the exact provenance) and it was a change from my usual African blends, even my South American at my favourite coffee shop tends to come from Columbia. I found the flavour quite mild to my taste.

I know the two former regulars to whom you refer, and yes, agree that they are both much missed.

But, delighted to see @Kurwenal posting here about coffee again.

I must admit that I have yet to have a Brazilian coffee that 'wowed' me, and, as my tastes have run to African coffees in recent years, it may take some time before that changes.

Nevertheless, don't let that detract from your enjoyment of some South American coffees; I have enjoyed some excellent coffees from El Salvador (courtesy of Intelligentsia).

 

[decafjava]

Well you just reminded me, I have seen Salvadoran coffee on offer at "my" coffee hangout both for drinking in house and to take home. I think I'll try getting some for home. Although I am preparing for a return trip to Central Asia next week so will be back to drinking tea, it will be a nice change for my return.

 

[Kurwenal]

I

I must admit that I have yet to have a Brazilian coffee that 'wowed' me, and, as my tastes have run to African coffees in recent years, it may take some time before that changes.

Low acidity, caused I think mostly by the lower altitudes at which most Brazilian coffees are grown.

In other words, you like acid!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Low acidity, caused I think mostly by the lower altitudes at which most Brazilian coffees are grown.

In other words, you like acid!

No, I realise that as I ease into the distinguished mellowness and maturity of middle age I have come to like the quality of "smoothness" in my wines, beers, sherries, ports, whiskies, cognacs, and, er, um coffees......something which definitely excludes "acid".

However, I do like my fruit (citrus fruits especially) to come with a fetching element of acidity.

 

[Kurwenal]

No, I realise that as I ease into the distinguished mellowness and maturity of middle age I have come to like the quality of "smoothness" in my wines, beers, sherries, ports, whiskies, cognacs, and, er, um coffees......something which definitely excludes "acid".

Indeed! Well said.

I prefer to think of it as a more measured, intentional, distinguished approach; akin to a subtle scotch, which takes 3 mouthfuls to discover and a lifetime to understand, as compared to a shot glass of illiterate, banal tequila. Wordsworth said it best, in that great poem that has been quoted several times in this thread:

Nor less, I trust,
To them I may have owed another gift,
Of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood,
In which the burthen of the mystery,
In which the heavy and the weary weight
Of all this unintelligible world,
Is lightened:—that serene and blessed mood,
In which the affections gently lead us on,—
Until, the breath of this corporeal frame
And even the motion of our human blood
Almost suspended, we are laid asleep
In body, and become a living soul:
While with an eye made quiet by the power
Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,
We see into the life of things.

Perfect description of a great Kenyan coffee.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Indeed! Well said.

I prefer to think of it as a more measured, intentional, distinguished approach; akin to a subtle scotch, which takes 3 mouthfuls to discover and a lifetime to understand, as compared to a shot glass of illiterate, banal tequila. Wordsworth said it best, in that great poem that has been quoted several times in this thread:

Nor less, I trust,
To them I may have owed another gift,
Of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood,
In which the burthen of the mystery,
In which the heavy and the weary weight
Of all this unintelligible world,
Is lightened:—that serene and blessed mood,
In which the affections gently lead us on,—
Until, the breath of this corporeal frame
And even the motion of our human blood
Almost suspended, we are laid asleep
In body, and become a living soul:
While with an eye made quiet by the power
Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,
We see into the life of things.

Perfect description of a great Kenyan coffee.

A wonderful post (as you can see, we really did miss you, @Kurwenal) - after all, who else can so effortlessly introduce poetry (and what sublime poetry, too) as an apt note to strike in a discussion about coffee?

 

[0388631]

Fancied something special. So I ground a serving of beans into Turkish. Made a proper cup after spending a half hour finding the equipment. Now I can't find the cup I poured it into.

Edit: Freezer... Oh, well. Turkish coffee ice lolly tomorrow it is, after I cut off the grounds bit.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Fancied something special. So I ground a serving of beans into Turkish. Made a proper cup after spending a half hour finding the equipment. Now I can't find the cup I poured it into.

Edit: Freezer... Oh, well. Turkish coffee ice lolly tomorrow it is, after I cut off the grounds bit.

The freezer?

Oh, @Zenithal, dear, dear me.

Well, yesterday, - and yes, I know it was not the right time of the day according to the Italians - but I enjoyed, nay savoured - a quite delicious espresso.

And my first coffee of today was also quite tasty.

 

[0388631]

Yes. I must have been on the phone distracted while moving meat from freezer to refrigerator to thaw overnight. It's still there. Though I did knock off the grounds bit in one single piece.


Currently having a cup of earl grey, then a cup of coffee over breakfast and reading the paper. Have a wonderful day.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Yes. I must have been on the phone distracted while moving meat from freezer to refrigerator to thaw overnight. It's still there. Though I did knock off the grounds bit in one single piece.


Currently having a cup of earl grey, then a cup of coffee over breakfast and reading the paper. Have a wonderful day.

Thank you. May you have an excellent and most enjoyable time, too.

 

[JamesMike]

Time for my first cup of Kenyan coffee even though it is suppose to get about 106 degrees.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Time for my first cup of Kenyan coffee even though it is suppose to get about 106 degrees.

Nothing wrong with a good cup of Kenyan coffee at any temperature......

Do enjoy....

 

[0388631]

Espresso with a side of chilled mineral water.

Dealing with a troubling Firefox profile issue. Something has corrupted and I'd rather pinpoint it than create a new profile and import stuff individually.

 

[0388631]

Christ on a bike I hate browsers. Eating that Turkish coffee ice lolly and an espresso sitting next to me to achieve that wonderful cold-hot effect.

Nothing was corrupt. Just me being careless and installing an extension that semi-permanently changes a browser's behavior. I went through and replaced files/folders from my old profile onto the new one until I figured out it was an internal setting through its configuration page.

Long story short: Don't ever install HTTPS everywhere.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Christ on a bike I hate browsers. Eating that Turkish coffee ice lolly and an espresso sitting next to me to achieve that wonderful cold-hot effect.

Nothing was corrupt. Just me being careless and installing an extension that semi-permanently changes a browser's behavior. I went through and replaced files/folders from my old profile onto the new one until I figured out it was an internal setting through its configuration page.

Long story short: Don't ever install HTTPS everywhere.

Elsewhere, - there is a thread about it somewhere on this very section of the forum - I argued against multi-tasking.

Basically, apart from the auto-pilot stuff (and I sometimes manage to make a mess of that, too) you need to concentrate when doing almost anything - that is, concentrate on that and not allow yourself to become distracted. For, therein lies trouble. Trust me....

 

[0388631]

Elsewhere, - there is a thread about it somewhere on this very section of the forum - I argued against multi-tasking.

Basically, apart from the auto-pilot stuff (and I sometimes manage to make a mess of that, too) you need to concentrate when doing almost anything - that is, concentrate on that and not allow yourself to become distracted. For, therein lies trouble. Trust me....

I would concur, especially when using a sharp knife or driving or at work, however, this was a simple "yes/no" conversation on the phone. It isn't so much the multi-tasking but not mentally noting what I'm doing. It's the little things where I do something and forget it. Meanwhile, I can recall a conversation verbatim from a week ago or even 20 years ago. What I wrote by hand. What I ate. Weather. The list goes on.

Once something becomes a secondary in that time frame, I'm bound to lose track of its importance.

 

[decafjava]

Multitasking. Sigh. My life right now it's been a real roller coster this year career and personal wise. This forum and thread and the nice long black (Ethiopian as the house blend is currently Brasil) is helpful. Perhaps one day I may tell the story at least in abbreviated form. For now coffee and zen.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I would concur, especially when using a sharp knife or driving or at work, however, this was a simple "yes/no" conversation on the phone. It isn't so much the multi-tasking but not mentally noting what I'm doing. It's the little things where I do something and forget it. Meanwhile, I can recall a conversation verbatim from a week ago or even 20 years ago. What I wrote by hand. What I ate. Weather. The list goes on.

Once something becomes a secondary in that time frame, I'm bound to lose track of its importance.

Oh, heaven's, yes, an enthusiastic amen to all of that.

I don't want to embarrass myself by recalling just exactly how many times (suffice to say it is well into double figures, if not triple figures), I have cut myself by driving a scissors into a toe when/while cutting toenails because I have allowed my mind to wander. Sometimes into the political sphere......

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I had a wonderful cappuccino made with something approximating to love. Divine.

 

[Lioness~]

Had a delicious double Cafe Creme Macchiato - antioxidant version (1 tsp coconut oil, a pinch of each green coffe extract, cinnamon extract & stevia).

Ps. I have a super antioxidant version too. Not today.

 

[0388631]

Pressed Kenyan AA. Heaven.