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Espresso Enthusiasts
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Many of us on this thread have discussed how they prepare coffee, and various forms of coffee making equipment, as well as specific coffees that they have ordered, and usually liked.
My own personal preference re coffee tends to be the coffees from Ethiopia, (and I am also partial to coffee from El Salvador, and, perhaps, Colombia).
While I am always open to trying out something new - otherwise, I would never emerge from my personal coffee comfort zone, which lies in Ethiopia - and one always has the pleasure of discovering and encountering something new - there are also coffees that I have sampled and have not much cared for.
These include a few coffees from Guatemala, and, more recently, a coffee from Bolivia, which I must admit I didn't much care for, at all.
In any case, today, I have ordered some coffee.
My own personal preference re coffee tends to be the coffees from Ethiopia, (and I am also partial to coffee from El Salvador, and, perhaps, Colombia).
While I am always open to trying out something new - otherwise, I would never emerge from my personal coffee comfort zone, which lies in Ethiopia - and one always has the pleasure of discovering and encountering something new - there are also coffees that I have sampled and have not much cared for.
These include a few coffees from Guatemala, and, more recently, a coffee from Bolivia, which I must admit I didn't much care for, at all.
In any case, today, I have ordered some coffee.
Well, isn't coffee supposed to have originated from Ethiopia? The legend says a goat herder found his herd hopped up after munching on some coffee berries - he tried some and got pretty stimulated himself. When some Christian monks heard about it they thought this a perfect way to stay awake for evening prayers. I suppose they then tried different preparation methods for a drink, Arab traders found out, Ottomans adopted it and spread it to the Middle East and then Balkans and then to the rest of Europe and the world.
So the goat of coffee is an actual 🐐
So the goat of coffee is an actual 🐐
Yes.
And, I have discovered that I adore really good coffees from Ethiopia, preferably naturally processed Ethiopian coffees, and would very happily drink little else.
Fascinating.
Nothing - but nothing - (to my palate) compares with Ethiopian coffee.
Especially, naturally processed Ethiopian coffee.
And now, a gloriously steaming mug (Le Creuset) of coffee (a blend of my own devising - of coffee from Colombia and El Salvador served with organic hot milk) sits - on a coaster - beside me.
On the basis of reading something on the Internet (yes, I know, I know) I came across a SE Asian instant 3in1 coffee, with coffee, creamer and sugar. It's called Trung Nguyen G7 3 in 1 Instant Coffee.
Now this article did suggest that Nescafe Gold was the best general instant coffee, so one can gauge its accuracy from that.
However, it isn't bad. It is actually drinkable.
It's the sort of thing to take with one when travelling and staying in caravan parks.
My wife asked me what it looked like. I said "It's brown".
Now this article did suggest that Nescafe Gold was the best general instant coffee, so one can gauge its accuracy from that.
However, it isn't bad. It is actually drinkable.
It's the sort of thing to take with one when travelling and staying in caravan parks.
My wife asked me what it looked like. I said "It's brown".
The one on the right is the one you see everywhere, and can buy everywhere. The one on the left was given to me (well, a full box of it) by a Vietnamese friend. They're not too different, although the special edition Trung Nguyen one (Vietnam's Starbucks equivalent) has better coffee inside.
Basically, they're a caffeine-infused sweetish drink. It's a perfect pick-me-up and great to have a flask full when on a hike, for example.
Basically, they're a caffeine-infused sweetish drink. It's a perfect pick-me-up and great to have a flask full when on a hike, for example.
They have some similar qualities.....both are dry processed and described by the roasters as having flavor notes of sweetly tart fruit and cocoa nib, juicy acidity, with a plush syrupy mouthfeel and a long flavorful finish....and that's indeed what I find them to be.
I've found that the cocoa nib is a little more present in the Ethiopian and the fruit notes are a bit more forward in the Colombian, which has a nice tart strawberry note. The fruit note in for the Ethiopian isn't so readily identifiable for me, but it's sweet and enjoyable.
With hot weather ahead, I'm thinking the more fruit-forward Colombian will be pleasant as a cold coffee
Enjoying a blend (of my own devising) of coffee from Colombia and El Salvador, served with organic hot milk.
Just received a delivery of coffee that I had ordered on Thursday: This comprises coffee from Tanzania, some from Thailand, and some from El Salvador.
As I was almost out - have just now finished up my old coffee - and wasn't quite certain that today's delivery would arrive before next week, earlier this morning, I had treated myself to some well regarded and highly recommended Colombian coffee in a city centre coffee shop to see me through until next week.
Thus, for now, I am amply supplied with coffee.
As I was almost out - have just now finished up my old coffee - and wasn't quite certain that today's delivery would arrive before next week, earlier this morning, I had treated myself to some well regarded and highly recommended Colombian coffee in a city centre coffee shop to see me through until next week.
Thus, for now, I am amply supplied with coffee.
Enjoying a relaxed Sunday afternoon mug (Le Creuset) of coffee from El Salvador, served with organic hot milk.
Sipping a late afternoon (relaxed Sunday) coffee, this time from Thailand, served with organic milk.
A nice, smooth, sweet, and easy-drinking coffee.
A nice, smooth, sweet, and easy-drinking coffee.
I'm jealous. I just finished a crappy espresso. It was some old coffee I found in the freezer; I ran out of the fresh stuff. I'm waiting on a delivery.
Actually, the coffee from Thailand was part of yesterday's delivery of coffee, thus, it was (is) pretty fresh.
However, it is also a coffee I would recommend (if you like coffee that is smooth and sweet, lovely drinking), unlike the Bolivian coffee I had recently, which I did not care for, at all.
I only make espresso from beans roasted between 5 and 21 days ago. Older than that, and it’s pour over. Espresso is very particular.
Enjoyed a mug of coffee from Tanzania, earlier today, served with organic hot milk, and a dash of double cream.
Good advice. And, I know that theater in Alameda. My brother lived near there for years.
I'm not into elitism or any of that nonsense. When I began with espresso, I had a Nespresso machine, and I could definitely tell that it wasn't as good as Starbucks or Peet's, much less the local roasters who served really good cappuccinos.
I watched some YouTube videos, especially Hoons Coffee. Then, I took a class in espresso brewing. I buy coffee that has the roast date stamped on the bag, and use beans between 5 and 21 days of the roast date.
My process goes something like this:
I watched some YouTube videos, especially Hoons Coffee. Then, I took a class in espresso brewing. I buy coffee that has the roast date stamped on the bag, and use beans between 5 and 21 days of the roast date.
My process goes something like this:
- Weigh 17 grams of beans.
- Drop the beans into my grinder and grind them. No beans stay in the grinder.
- Attach a dosing funnel to my portafilter, pour in the ground coffee, and stir lightly with a WDT tool.
- Level using my finger or a leveling tool
- Tamp
- Attach the portafilter, put the scale underneath that, and put my cup on the scale.
- Tare the scale and start brewing.
- Brew for 17 grams X 2, or 34 grams, in 30 seconds.
- If I get 34 grams in less than 30 seconds, drink it anyway and adjust grinder for a finer grind next time.
- If I get 34 grams in more than 30 seconds, drink it anyway and adjust grinder for a coarser grind next time
- While brewing, I steam the milk
Sigh of relief; my coffee arrived. Old stuff back into the freezer to serve to guests (if they annoy me over dinner).
I suspect that most of us have a small "backup" supply of older beans that are there just to make sure we're never completely out of coffee; and it's always a relief when new supplies arrive before it become necessary to dip into the backup supplies
