Coffee Appreciation

I try to descale on a regular basis too. The best crema is produced (for me) by the freshest ground oily bean style coffee. I do not grind my own but buy fresh ground from Harrods ( number 7 option on their pre-printed list of goodies) and store in freezer.
Might spring for a half decent grinder one day...

I might have to pop by Harrods next weekend...

I've been using Illy grounds (in the round tin with the red band) since day one, and I feel I really ought to try something different to see what works. I know that crema isn't the guarantee of a good shot, but it's still good to see it there.

My problem is that the crema really isn't as 'thick' as the stuff I tend to get from a 'proper' coffee shop. They seem to have about a centimetre of the stuff, while I have half that - maybe less.

As I said above, I'm having a problem with blonding too. My shots were really improving until the machine needed descaling, and since then the machine's been flowing much faster. I've tried harder tamps, but as the shots are blonding sooner, maybe I need a finer grind too.

Shit - I'm turning into a coffee geek...