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Espresso Enthusiasts
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I've prepared a flask full of coffee to take to my morning German class. It's Vietnamese coffee made in a caffetiere (French press). I need the caffeine hit that only a flask full of Robusta can give.
Teaching German or studying German?
In any case, I agree.
Either way, a German class requires coffee (and sometimes, even, Robusta).
Do enjoy.
Now, Vietnamese coffee is something that I have yet to make the acquaintence of: What is it like?
Very far away from being able to teach it - I've just started the "B2" level.
Vietnam is a large producer of coffees - Robusta and Arabica - so there are various types. The best seems to come from Dalat (often written Da Lat) because of its altitude and traditional farms. I was there years ago, and the roads were all covered in blankets covered in coffee seeds dryig in the sun.
Most of the coffee drunk in Vietnam consists of rather generic blends of local beans which focusses on the caffeine content rather than flavour, especially as it's often drunk with condensed milk.
I don't know how their Arabica compares - probably nothing special - but as one of the few places to focus on growing Robusta (which, imo, is slowly coming into fashion, especially blended with Arabica for espresso) they do really well with those. I find it chocolatey and slightly bitter. Goes well with dark chocolate on the side. Despite all my typing, I'm no expert in this area.
Fascinating.
Actually, I have seen rice drying while laid out on blankets on (rural) roads in rural parts of southern Kyrgyzstan.
However, I can well imagine the need for coffee while studying (online? or, in person?) a language.
During the pandemic, the Government funded a year of online French classes (with the Alliance Française) for me, and, I must confess that the study of French was greatly enhanced by the mere fact of a mug of coffee (in my Le Creuset mug) to hand.
Aaaah.
A (most welcome and warming) mug of coffee (from El Salvador) sits near my hand, served with organic hot milk.
A (most welcome and warming) mug of coffee (from El Salvador) sits near my hand, served with organic hot milk.
As I selected the coffee for this morning I decided it's time to consider what I might buy to replenish the supply as that time is clearly approaching.....but for this morning I picked some Hawaiian coffee that's from the Ka'u growing zone
Sounds wonderful.
When do you expect to receive this coffee?
How does this coffee differ from other coffees that have been grown in Hawaii?
oooh..... I wasn't clear in my post...the Ka'u coffee is somethingthat I currently have. It's this month's selection from the subscription that I share with a group of other coffee folks.
After posting I spent a pleasant hour looking at different coffee sites to see what I might buy for December's supply...... alas, so many tempting choices! I'm seriously thinking I might get some more of the Columbian Black Honey coffee that I currently have. I'm really enjoying it...but who knows... I'll be buying next week.
In response to your question about how Ka'u differs from other Hawaiian coffees, and mostly that means the Kona district, although there are some interesting coffees being grown elsewhere on the islands....but here's some explanation of Ka'u vs Kona from a coffee website;
Kona Coffee vs. Ka’u Coffee - Paradise Coffee Roasters
Learn about the differences and similarities between Kona and Ka'u coffee, their growing conditions, taste profiles, and more.
paradiseroasters.com
Ka'u is a relatively new growing zone, its growth is a development that parallels the rise of the specialty coffee world. It's adjacent to the Kona district, but previously its was planted with sugar cane instead of coffee. It shares the same volcanic soil, elevation and climate as the Kona district, so there are definite similarities. Notably a wider variety of coffee plants are grown in the Ka'u district as opposed to the Kona district
An exquisite large Espresso are incoming to wake me up.
Almost bought some more beans yesterday, but I have enough for awhile.
So I put them on the list for purchases to come.
So much good beans to test, try out and enjoy. ☺️
Almost bought some more beans yesterday, but I have enough for awhile.
So I put them on the list for purchases to come.
So much good beans to test, try out and enjoy. ☺️
This is a fascinating and instructive read; thank you for sharing it.oooh..... I wasn't clear in my post...the Ka'u coffee is somethingthat I currently have. It's this month's selection from the subscription that I share with a group of other coffee folks.
After posting I spent a pleasant hour looking at different coffee sites to see what I might buy for December's supply...... alas, so many tempting choices! I'm seriously thinking I might get some more of the Columbian Black Honey coffee that I currently have. I'm really enjoying it...but who knows... I'll be buying next week.
In response to your question about how Ka'u differs from other Hawaiian coffees, and mostly that means the Kona district, although there are some interesting coffees being grown elsewhere on the islands....but here's some explanation of Ka'u vs Kona from a coffee website;
Kona Coffee vs. Ka’u Coffee - Paradise Coffee Roasters
Learn about the differences and similarities between Kona and Ka'u coffee, their growing conditions, taste profiles, and more.
Ka'u is a relatively new growing zone, its growth is a development that parallels the rise of the specialty coffee world. It's adjacent to the Kona district, but previously its was planted with sugar cane instead of coffee. It shares the same volcanic soil, elevation and climate as the Kona district, so there are definite similarities. Notably a wider variety of coffee plants are grown in the Ka'u district as opposed to the Kona district
I'd say a latté has too much milk by definition, but that's just IMHO. I prefer cortados or flat whites, which have a better balance of espresso to milk for me.
Rebel against lattes with an espresso macchiato.
However, if I just want to sit somewhere comfy with a warm drink, I don't mind a latte. As long as you approach it as a caffeinated warm milk drink, you're less likely to be disappointed
I love milk, (and love milk in coffee), but a latte is too much for me.
However, as others have remarked, I'm not sure that it is possible to prepare a latte with too much milk.
Exactly.
Likewise, and for the exact same reason.
The perfect coffee beverage.
Actually, when having a coffee out, if I choose not to treat myself to an espresso, (or espresso macchiato), I think that a flat white meets that sweet spot which is a perfect balance between amounts of coffee and of milk.However, if I just want to sit somewhere comfy with a warm drink, I don't mind a latte. As long as you approach it as a caffeinated warm milk drink, you're less likely to be disappointed
Actually, I enjoyed a flat white while meeting a friend for coffee this morning.
I'm just glad you can get flat whites in America at all nowadays. I travelled around Australia extensively in the mid-90s. I was already a coffee aficionado at the time, so I marveled at the coffee culture in Australia and these strange "long blacks" and "flat whites" I had never encountered in even the nerdiest cafés I'd been to in America, and I was quickly hooked on the way they did things.
For quite a few years afterwards, I could only return to the flat white when I visited New Zealand or sometimes London. I'd ask American baristas about them, and they would have no idea. Finally they started appearing on the menus at your better American cafés maybe 10-15 years ago, but they're still not totally ubiquitous.
For quite a few years afterwards, I could only return to the flat white when I visited New Zealand or sometimes London. I'd ask American baristas about them, and they would have no idea. Finally they started appearing on the menus at your better American cafés maybe 10-15 years ago, but they're still not totally ubiquitous.
Nowadays, I far prefer them (a flat white) to either a latte, or, a cappuccino, when having a coffee out, or, when meeting someone for coffee.
Abroad, I will usually take an espresso, or an espresso macchiato, but, then, I frequently work in countries where there isn't a significant dairy industry, and hence, there is a limited availability, and/or, a pretty poor quality, in whatever milk one can actually obtain.