Coffee Appreciation

Amazon.com: coffee: Books

Enlighten me,...

yes. see my post further up there somewhere.

Tasty coffee, friendly and helpfull too, the staff and owner that is...though I guess the coffee is too. The owner has a track bike too, so is happy talking about bikes. Just got a free one for showing him a nicer cycle route last night. Oh and the place is tiny, espresso room is a very apt name, charming though.

got my first cafetiere today as sick of instant. got some sainsburys taste the difference nicaraguan coffee. anyone recommend a cheap nice strong coffee?

thx

Can anyone help me find the definitive coffee book.

I was hoping there might be a Hugh Johnson of coffee?

I have a Krups Pro Aroma filter coffee maker up for grabs - 10 cup jug, warmer plate, brushed metal finish...

I did have it in the office, but since a coffee shop opened opposite I have barely used it. Having now been made redundant, it's just sat in the spare room looking sad.

In all honesty it's been used maybe 5 times, so is practically 'as new'.

Looking for £25 but open to offers. Collection from E3, but willing to post for a little extra.

Are there any really excellent coffee shops I can get a take away from around Chelsea cinema on The Kings Road.

I feel there must be and can't standf anymore Starfucks.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FAEMA-FAEMINA-BABY-70s-RARE-VINTAGE-COFFEE-MACHINE_W0QQitemZ320453361308QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Home_Appliances?hash=item4a9c823e9c

this any good? i've been using a stove top espresso machine for some and feel the need for a new toy

I've got La Pavoni Europicolla. It looks lovely, but requires much finer grind than ground coffee sold in supermarkets. For years used to buy Santos & Java from Wittards (ground to 3.3 on their grinder) but recently invested in a Mazzer Super Jolly. You can get the exact grind that makes rich crema. Tried Illy coffee and all other supermarket varieties but found that a small Italian delicatessen in Old Compton Street does a superb Italian Espresso blend for £9/kg in bean. Really smooth and strong without any acidity (that I don't like). Some people might find this coffee over-roasted, but for me it's superb...

I've got La Pavoni Europicolla. It looks lovely, but requires much finer grind than ground coffee sold in supermarkets. For years used to buy Santos & Java from Wittards (ground to 3.3 on their grinder) but recently invested in a Mazzer Super Jolly. You can get the exact grind that makes rich crema. Tried Illy coffee and all other supermarket varieties but found that a small Italian delicatessen in Old Compton Street does a superb Italian Espresso blend for £9/kg in bean. Really smooth and strong without any acidity (that I don't like). Some people might find this coffee over-roasted, but for me it's superb...

2.5 on an 1-10industrial/professional grinder haha Im sucha coffee nerd.

Monsoon Malabar or Blue Sumatra FTW!

I've got La Pavoni Europicolla. It looks lovely, but requires much finer grind than ground coffee sold in supermarkets. For years used to buy Santos & Java from Wittards (ground to 3.3 on their grinder) but recently invested in a Mazzer Super Jolly. You can get the exact grind that makes rich crema. Tried Illy coffee and all other supermarket varieties but found that a small Italian delicatessen in Old Compton Street does a superb Italian Espresso blend for £9/kg in bean. Really smooth and strong without any acidity (that I don't like). Some people might find this coffee over-roasted, but for me it's superb...

hmmmm what was it called? Formula Bar, Formula Rossa or Miscela Bar.

http://www.passalacqua.com/default_eng.asp perhaps?

hmmmm what was it called? Formula Bar, Formula Rossa or Miscela Bar.

The shop is at the west end of Old Compton Road on the south side. The coffee is one the varieties they've got in large clear containers/not prepacked ;-)

The shop is at the west end of Old Compton Road on the south side. The coffee is one the varieties they've got in large clear containers/not prepacked ;-)

whats it called??? Im trying to think of which shop, as there are quite a few, not the Algerian coffee store?

This travel espresso gadget actually looks pretty awesome. Could even be better than a lot of home machines and fits in a drawer. Looking forward to the rest of the review.

Mine is kept in the cupboard. But I now have an air-toight container for a bag o' beans. It's about as good as you can get I fink.

My machine is working great guns again after the descale. Massive crema on the new bag of Monmouth SomethingorOtherBeans.

I have a minute to kill, so here's my impression on storing coffee:

I'm told it's pretty unnecessary to worry about airtight containers for for whole bean, because the oils should keep the insides of each bean fresh. I believe it, as my beans are very "wet" looking, and i can't imagine much air getting in there. The local shop here roasts their own beans in house and take their trade pretty seriously, so i trust them when they say it's unnecessary to keep your coffee in a sealed container at home. That said, it's fun ot have cool shit in your kitchen and a sealed container for coffee can be one of those items. I do it because it can't hurt and it looks better than a brown bag.

Hippy is right that putting your coffee in the fridge is a terible idea. It just makes the beans wet. The air in a fridge is incredibly humid, and further more when you open the fridge 9 times a day, you insantly send in tons of fresh water particles to condense on beans. Then you shut the door and it just sits there.

If you must store your coffee for longer than a week put it in an air tight container and put it in the freezer. You shouldn't thaw/open/look at/think about this coffee until you are going to use it within a week.

Finally, I've learned that, for a french press, if you're using truly fresh coffee beans, you should expect the grounds to bubble up to a foamy "head" or "bloom." If your coffee is past it's prime, it just sits there like a wet towel. It it's fresh you literally see bubbles form and pop. Once you look for this, you can't miss it. It's pretty remarkable.

This travel espresso gadget actually looks pretty awesome. Could even be better than a lot of home machines and fits in a drawer. Looking forward to the rest of the review.

3 questions.

1.what was that other one that was portable, and was supposed to be awesome?

1. peoples opinions on nespresso
   
2. seriously, i'm desperate for a decent coffee.
   i work on the Kings road, next to chelsea cinema, are there any really good coffee shops there?
   
   
   

much thanks.

3 questions.

1.what was that other one that was portable, and was supposed to be awesome?

1. peoples opinions on nespresso
   
2. seriously, i'm desperate for a decent coffee.
   i work on the Kings road, next to chelsea cinema, are there any really good coffee shops there?
   
   
   

much thanks.

This one?
http://shop.handpresso.com/en/index.php?act=detail&id=11&no_page=0

yes. thanks!

I have never tasted nespresso, but anything which locks you into a proprietry pod system is probably not worth investing in.

Unless george clooney delivers them personally. In which case go for it.

Nespresso is reasonably tasty. Better than badly made espresso and conveient in the kitchen. Saw a gadget on ebay allowing you to use your own choice of fresh coffee in one of the other pod type machines, Dolce Gusto or something, wouldn't give it houseroom personally. I'd recommend putting the money towards a small grinder and a caftiere.

I've been drinking LOADS of coffee just recently. I'm helping to paint my landlady's flat and she's got a really nice espresso maker which has been left to us whilst we work, and then a kilo of Monmouth freshly ground per week!!

I'm drinking instant and iced coffee. That is all.

Technical advice please.

I have a Gaggia Cubika that I bought around a year or so ago. Always kept clean, I descale it every two months or so. Just recently, when the boiler is heating up or cooling down it makes an awful bubbling water type creaking noise. There are no leaks, and the machine still makes good espresso at good pressure.

I know it sounds like I'm being picky, but it didn't make the noise before, and when cooling the noise is loud and horrendous.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Can't really conjure that noise up in my imagination, but it sounds like it could be an airlock. I don't know specifically about Gaggias but I think most machines have a vacuum breaker valve which may have got bunged up or failed. Get into the machine and see if you can locate it (attached to the boiler) and free it up.

Unplug it first.

Second thoughts, could be easier than that, might just need to open the steam valve while you warm the machine up. When you see a good bit of steam coming out of the wand, close the valve and you should be nicely air-free.