Thread: Coffee or Tea

Coffee all the way, wheeeeeeeee!

I don't do tea in any shape or form and I have tried quite a few over the years. I'm now wallowing in coffee after the pregnancy related caffine restrictions, how I managed on 3 mugs a day I'll never know!

I must admit Spike is the coffee guru out of the two of us but when we can get our hands on good beans we do grind our own.

Originally Posted by Elliette

Nice crema, Ambrose. I usually make my espresso in a stove top thinger. I love it. Recently I got an electric one (which does not boil over if you're distracted, as I tend to get at times), and Alicia - it makes a nice cuppa, but no crema to speak of.

Can you believe this is my current set up, with only minor modifications and a custom tamper. Sorry for the bad pictures and my dirty cup haha.

That's a fine setup, Ambrose- dirty cup makes it. Shows the love!

I worked my first job in a cafe owned by an Iraqi man and an Iranian woman who'd lost their spouses in the Iran/Iraq war. They taught me to make the strongest stovetop coffee on Earth, and also how not to fly into space while holding a very old steam-powered espresso machine's lever down for the count.

Then I worked in North Beach, San Francisco at a small, beatnick-infested cafe where I learned from angry Italians.

What I took away from it all: Make it how you like it. The equipment can be fancy, it can be cheep and ugly (which is not what I'm saying yours is, Ambrose!), but if it does what it needs to do, it's the right equipment.

I tend to like my coffee hands-on, so I generally go for Turkish (which, by the way, don't ask for in a Greek resturaunt - let me just say "yikes!"), or French Press. If I am feeling really fancy, I'll go full on sugar and spices for the Turkish. Maybe even wear a fez as I make it. Maybe even my fancy dancy pants.

There are sometimes time constraints, and so enter the French Press (but with a fine grind). I will speak with a very bad Maurice Chevalier accent as it is made. I lost my beret.

I like better beans, sure, but am not going to turn my nose up at a good cuppa just because I don't usually like the region from which the beans came. (And I do tend toward the African and Indonesian beans, but hey...)

I have had my best results in grinding with the little Starbucks (yes, Starbucks) blade grinder. I like the idea of a burr grinder, but am not so much into cleaning it. I used to like my little Krupps machine, but switched to the stovetop after a while. Really, though, I want my Ibrik back.

Originally Posted by Elliette

I tend to like my coffee hands-on, so I generally go for Turkish (which, by the way, don't ask for in a Greek resturaunt - let me just say "yikes!"), or French Press. If I am feeling really fancy, I'll go full on sugar and spices for the Turkish. Maybe even wear a fez as I make it. Maybe even my fancy dancy pants.


I want my Ibrik back.

Elliette, do you have difficulty getting the crema on your turkish with the ibrik? I usually get the foam going then at last seconds it breaks up.

Also have you used a vacumm pot, it really makes a smoother cup. One last comment, I really like to cold brew coffee also.

I am okay for crema - but it works best with a gas range. I have trouble with an electric stove. The crema seems to be strongest if the ending is slower - not such a quick re-boil and cool. I think if you remove it from the heat as soon as it reforms, then it hasn't a chance to form such big bubbles, but the reboil has to go slowly to keep them tight.

I don't know how to explain that well, I am afraid. (obviously) But it works well. Mine is not as good as my nice ex-boss-lady's, but it's all right. I need to re-equip and experiment. For you, of course, so as to give a better answer!

I have heard of the cold brew, but not done it - how does that work?

Originally Posted by Elliette

I am okay for crema - but it works best with a gas range. I have trouble with an electric stove. The crema seems to be strongest if the ending is slower - not such a quick re-boil and cool. I think if you remove it from the heat as soon as it reforms, then it hasn't a chance to form such big bubbles, but the reboil has to go slowly to keep them tight.

I don't know how to explain that well, I am afraid. (obviously) But it works well. Mine is not as good as my nice ex-boss-lady's, but it's all right. I need to re-equip and experiment. For you, of course, so as to give a better answer!

I have heard of the cold brew, but not done it - how does that work?

Thank you for the info, everyone I talk to gives me the same answer, to bring second and third boils slowly, but I still have problems.

Funny thing when I first made the Turkish coffee I bought some cardimin to put in it and recipe called for 2-3 seeds for the flavoring. I didn't realize that the pods contained many seeds and used 2 pods. Talk about nasty

COLD BREWING: Take 5 cups of water and add 1 lb. [ yes I said 1lb.] of coffee,
put in fridge for 24-36 hours. Use coffee filters or stockings and strain off coffee concentrate [will be a little over a quart]. Dilute with water or milk or both about 4 to1 and serve over ice. ot take same proportions and heat for hot coffee. This brew makes a very smooth coffee without the bitterness.

Depending on variety of coffee, it will have a chocolate taste.

Try it and enjoy

Originally Posted by paco

Thank you for the info, everyone I talk to gives me the same answer, to bring second and third boils slowly, but I still have problems.

Funny thing when I first made the Turkish coffee I bought some cardimin to put in it and recipe called for 2-3 seeds for the flavoring. I didn't realize that the pods contained many seeds and used 2 pods. Talk about nasty

That's where the Ibrik is so hands-on, I think - it really does come to lifting it a bit from the heat, no matter how low the flame. You have to have the kind of control only the human touch can bring. And wear a mit, because no matter how long the handle....

O! That cardamon mistake must have been positively antiseptic! I sometimes put a pod's-worth of seeds in my French press and think of a good friend.

Thanks for the cold instructions, I might try this now the hot weather's on its way.

Originally Posted by Elliette

Thanks for the cold instructions, I might try this now the hot weather's on its way.

lET ME KNOW HOW YOU LIKE IT WHEN YOU DECIDE TO BREW.

Originally Posted by paco

Funny thing when I first made the Turkish coffee I bought some cardimin to put in it and recipe called for 2-3 seeds for the flavoring. I didn't realize that the pods contained many seeds and used 2 pods. Talk about nasty

I made a similar mistake with garlic cloves/bulbs.
But I liked the meal!

I think pump-driven espresso machines are best, but I was given a Mokka Express for Christmas a few years ago. It looks like a toy but works very well for espresso or cappucino alike.

One thing that scares me about these stove-top espresso makers is that pressure-relief valve. I always think it will go off like a bullet.

my aeropress came today. I just made a double expresso(those are the default instructions ). I used some just average coffee, nothing special. not even a dark roast.

It came out pretty good. I added som hot water to make an americano and it still pretty good. I like it. Very easy to clean to.

May need to buy another one for work.