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Espresso Enthusiasts

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
Scepticalscribe said:
I checked the details and realised that I had written "celebration" coffee (my mistake, mea culpa, now corrected) when it should have read "competition" coffee.

Anyway, as the buyer explained to me yesterday, this particular "honey" coffee has been grown on a special lot (and treated with extraordinary care, and meticulous attention - "In terms of taste the Competition lots have more focus and clarity than you might find in the more "normal" lots...it's like a magnifying glass has been put on the coffee," the buyer wrote to me yesterday) with a view to entering it into coffee cupping competitions (I know from previous communications that this grower - the same grower who has produced the "natural" coffee I also have my eye on - has won quite a few coffee cupping competitions over the years).

I realise, of course, that all I am doing (both here, online, and in the murky depths of my mind) is trying to persuade myself (or supply a justification to myself) so that I can justify the purchase of all three coffees.
Click to expand...

looking forward into the months ahead........you'll likely be consuming coffee at your usual rate and need to be restocking at some usual pace, so in buying 3 bags now, all you're really doing is buying coffee you'll be buying anyway.....you'll just have a slightly longer amount of time until you need to restock.

There! Did that help convince you convince yourself?
 
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Macky-Mac said:
looking forward into the months ahead........you'll likely be consuming coffee at your usual rate and need to be restocking at some usual pace, so in buying 3 bags now, all you're really doing is buying coffee you'll be buying anyway.....you'll just have a slightly longer amount of time until you need to restock.

There! Did that help convince you convince yourself?
Click to expand...

Your arguments are ominously persuasive.
 
I don’t always drink up my made large Espresso’s at the start of the day.
Much of the leftover espresso’s gets poured out unfortunately.

But I found a vegan protein with the taste of caramel latte. So my leftover espressos goes into that and makes it even more tasty.
What a great way to use those precious espresso leftovers.
 
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The Thai black honey coffee is nearly - but not quite - finished, and is quite excellent.

Usually, I have served it - and consumed it - with organic hot milk.
 
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Alright, please pardon me as I'm a former heathen (mostly Starbucks, sometimes instant coffee) entering into civilized territory. Quite likely I'm still a heathen. Or may experience heathenacious regressions in the future.

And only now am I coming around to appreciate espresso!


So, I just bought my first espresso machine. After dabbling in retail chain espresso for the past year, like Starbucks or Peets espresso drinks to order.... I came to the conclusion that I really do like it, and I should be making my own at home.

So I'm starting modestly with a Nespresso Vertuo machine. Yes, it's entry level I know... but still an espresso machine. The Vertuo line also makes coffee (mug sized), in addition to pre-sized espresso solo, double espresso, lungo, etc.

Three days into this, and I've learned a lot about espresso. Although some concepts still elude me.


Scepticalscribe can you please tell me what "fold the crema" means? I know what stirring your crema means (meaning to stir the crema foam and mix it into the espresso, as opposed to imbibing the layers separately.)

But folding the crema? I searched Google and even Google cannot tell me. Maybe Siri can tell me? LOL 🤣
 
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Solomani said:
Alright, please pardon me as I'm a former heathen (mostly Starbucks, sometimes instant coffee) entering into civilized territory. Quite likely I'm still a heathen. Or may experience heathenacious regressions in the future.

And only now am I coming around to appreciate espresso!


So, I just bought my first espresso machine. After dabbling in retail chain espresso for the past year, like Starbucks or Peets espresso drinks to order.... I came to the conclusion that I really do like it, and I should be making my own at home.

So I'm starting modestly with a Nespresso Vertuo machine. Yes, it's entry level I know... but still an espresso machine. The Vertuo line also makes coffee (mug sized), in addition to pre-sized espresso solo, double espresso, lungo, etc.

Three days into this, and I've learned a lot about espresso. Although some concepts still elude me.


Scepticalscribe can you please tell me what "fold the crema" means? I know what stirring your crema means (meaning to stir the crema foam and mix it into the espresso, as opposed to imbibing the layers separately.)

But folding the crema? I searched Google and even Google cannot tell me. Maybe Siri can tell me? LOL 🤣
Click to expand...
If you’re interested in learning more about actual Espresso and your machine, you won’t find much in this thread unfortunately.

But Reddit however cover plenty, and even have subs for particular machines etc.
Here’s for yours: https://www.reddit.com/r/NespressoVertuo/

Folding/scraping off the Crema:

Should we be scraping off the crema off our espresso? – IfYouLoveCoffee

blog.ifyoulovecoffee.com

www.foodandwine.com

Why Coffee Experts Think You Should Scrape the Crema Off Your Espresso

More and more baristas are suggesting that drinkers scrape the crema off before drinking their espresso. This is sacrilege for many coffee drinkers around the world as the crema is considered an integral component of a classic espresso. Does crema make coffee better, or is it simply a tradition...
www.foodandwine.com www.foodandwine.com

Test and trial is the way to go, what tastes best to you on your particular machine?

My own experience is that I don’t mind it, if the quality of beans and machine is good enough.
 
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Solomani said:
Alright, please pardon me as I'm a former heathen (mostly Starbucks, sometimes instant coffee) entering into civilized territory. Quite likely I'm still a heathen. Or may experience heathenacious regressions in the future.

And only now am I coming around to appreciate espresso!


So, I just bought my first espresso machine. After dabbling in retail chain espresso for the past year, like Starbucks or Peets espresso drinks to order.... I came to the conclusion that I really do like it, and I should be making my own at home.

So I'm starting modestly with a Nespresso Vertuo machine. Yes, it's entry level I know... but still an espresso machine. The Vertuo line also makes coffee (mug sized), in addition to pre-sized espresso solo, double espresso, lungo, etc.

Three days into this, and I've learned a lot about espresso. Although some concepts still elude me.


Scepticalscribe can you please tell me what "fold the crema" means? I know what stirring your crema means (meaning to stir the crema foam and mix it into the espresso, as opposed to imbibing the layers separately.)

But folding the crema? I searched Google and even Google cannot tell me. Maybe Siri can tell me? LOL 🤣
Click to expand...
Ah, welcome to our cosy little corner of this forum; in my experience, this thread is a lovely (warm and welcoming) place to spend some time.

Enjoy your machine, and the key is not to take this too seriously but to enjoy yourself, find what you like, but continue to explore new coffees and tastes, textures and taste sensations.

For a variety of reasons, a number of the passionate espresso (as opposed to many of the other forms of coffee) drinkers, who were serious experts on the topic of espresso, such as @Shrink, @SandboxGeneral, @Kurwenal, and @mobilehaathi, among others, rarely post here these days.

However, these serious experts always advised - recommended - that you spend money on a good grinder, at least as much money as you would have spent on an actual espresso machine.

Now, I'm not an expert on Nespresso, I've never had one, nor ever used one, so I cannot offer any advice on that topic.

"Folding the crema" is something I have never heard of.

However, what I have seen done (and tasted it, and it was excellent), was what an Italian colleague who was preparing coffee on a moka pot, once did.

She added a little sugar to each cup in advance, poured the tiniest amount of (hot) coffee from the moka pot (less than a teaspoonful) onto the sugar, and then stirred it briskly for at least a minute or so. Then, when the moka pot coffee was poured into each cup, they each had a superb crema.
 
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Solomani said:
Alright, please pardon me as I'm a former heathen (mostly Starbucks, sometimes instant coffee) entering into civilized territory. Quite likely I'm still a heathen. Or may experience heathenacious regressions in the future.

And only now am I coming around to appreciate espresso!


So, I just bought my first espresso machine. After dabbling in retail chain espresso for the past year, like Starbucks or Peets espresso drinks to order.... I came to the conclusion that I really do like it, and I should be making my own at home.

So I'm starting modestly with a Nespresso Vertuo machine. Yes, it's entry level I know... but still an espresso machine. The Vertuo line also makes coffee (mug sized), in addition to pre-sized espresso solo, double espresso, lungo, etc.

Three days into this, and I've learned a lot about espresso. Although some concepts still elude me.


Scepticalscribe can you please tell me what "fold the crema" means? I know what stirring your crema means (meaning to stir the crema foam and mix it into the espresso, as opposed to imbibing the layers separately.)

But folding the crema? I searched Google and even Google cannot tell me. Maybe Siri can tell me? LOL 🤣
Click to expand...

One other thing I have learned to do - okay, this is not always necessary during the middle of a hot spell in summer, but otherwise, in my experience, it is very necessary - but, I always, but always, heat my cups, or mugs, or elegant espresso cups, (with boiling water) in advance, tossing the water out immediately just before I pour my (freshly prepared) coffee.

Otherwise, you will have luke-warm coffee (or espresso) once the warm liquid of your freshly prepared coffee meets cold crockery, be they cups or mugs.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
One other thing I have learned to do - okay, this is not always necessary during the middle of a hot spell in summer, but otherwise, in my experience, it is very necessary - but, I always, but always, heat my cups, or mugs, or elegant espresso cups, (with boiling water) in advance, tossing the water out immediately just before I pour my (freshly preapred) coffee.

Otherwise, you will have luke-warm coffee (or espresso) once the warm liquid of your freshly prepared coffee meets cold crockery, be they cups or mugs.
Click to expand...
Good advice. Just within a couple days, I found this out already. Because espresso is such a small volume (in contrast to a 8-10 oz mug of coffee which I am used to) I quickly found out that my drink cools down very quickly. The "it gets luke-warm quickly" is even highlighted when I experiment adding some liquid cream/milk (even just an ounce of milk).

Nespresso espresso machines have been around for a few decades now, a global multinational brand (co-opted by Nestle) .... and so they allow several regional companies to actually manufacture their branded machines. My Nespresso Vertuo is made by DeLonghi, an Italian coffee giant.

The Nespresso machine, like similar modern "at-home" espresso makers, uses pods. The pods already contain the perfectly grinded coffee, and a variety of selections. The smallest pod would be for a single espresso shot (solo), the slightly larger one is for the double, an even larger one is for the lungo, etc. So I won't need to grind my own coffee beans.
 
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Solomani said:
Good advice. Just within a couple days, I found this out already. Because espresso is such a small volume (in contrast to a 8-10 oz mug of coffee which I am used to) I quickly found out that my drink cools down very quickly. The "it gets luke-warm quickly" is even highlighted when I experiment adding some liquid cream/milk (even just an ounce of milk).

Nespresso espresso machines have been around for a few decades now, a global multinational brand (co-opted by Nestle) .... and so they allow several regional companies to actually manufacture their branded machines. My Nespresso Vertuo is made by DeLonghi, an Italian coffee giant.

The Nespresso machine, like similar modern "at-home" espresso makers, uses pods. The pods already contain the perfectly grinded coffee, and a variety of selections. The smallest pod would be for a single espresso shot (solo), the slightly larger one is for the double, an even larger one is for the lungo, etc. So I won't need to grind my own coffee beans.
Click to expand...

And - of all of the forms that coffee takes, or, of all of the coffee beverages - to my mind, espresso must be served hot (better still, piping hot) in order to be best appreciated.
 
Macky-Mac said:
snow might require more than one or two biscuits
Click to expand...

You read my mind.

And you are, of course, quite right.

Coffee......and more than one or two chocolate biscuits may be called for this afternoon.

I am also perusing recipes for Pasta All'Amatriciana.....something soothing, and warming, and flavoursome, and seriously rib-sticking; that, or Carbonara.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
You read my mind.

And you are, of course, quite right.

Coffee......and more than one or two chocolate biscuits may be called for this afternoon.

I am also perusing recipes for Pasta All'Amatriciana.....something soothing, and warming, and flavoursome, and seriously rib-sticking; that, or Carbonara.
Click to expand...

I can but recommend McVitie's Dark Chocolate Digestives with coffee

854428-1-done_1024x1024.jpg
 
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never had coffee from Yemen before, but would buy it again
Yemen - Bani Al Areef
Bani Al Areef delivers everything you would expect form a Carbonic Maceration processed coffee, it pack plenty of fruity notes with orange and caramel flavours to round off the cup.

Flavour Profile: Blood orange, black tea with dried red fruits, cinnamon and caramel
Process: Carbonic maceration
Variety: Jaadi
Location: Harazi, Yemen
Click to expand...
 
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squawk7000 said:
never had coffee from Yemen before, but would buy it again
Yemen - Bani Al Areef
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I'm impressed and envious.

Actually, I've had coffee from Yemen once, quite some time ago.

In flavour, my experience is that it is not entirely unlike Ethiopian coffee, - they have some elements and taste notes in common - but with some subtle differences.

Their coffee is excellent, but adverse conditions, in other words, the conflict, the civil war, that has raged in the country since 2014, have meant that it has become increasingly very difficult to lay hands on their exceedingly good coffee, or to source it safely.

Historically, much of their coffee was exported through the port of Mokha (also spelt Mocha) which has given its name to what we know as Mocha coffee and chocolate.
 
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squawk7000 said:
never had coffee from Yemen before, but would buy it again
Yemen - Bani Al Areef
Click to expand...

I've also never had any coffee from Yemen, but as chance would have it, I have an order for some that's in the "out for delivery" status for today

It's cold and raining here, and it's Friday, which is a proven bad day for delivery services in my area......sometimes that means the package won't actually until arrive the following Wednesday
 
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