saadmin
BY BILL DANTE
The first thing I do in the morning after coming downstairs is hit the button and grind the beans!(Remember this thought for later.)
It wasn’t until I joined the Air Force at the age of 18 that I started drinking coffee. That’s what you drink in the mess hall first thing in the morning.It helped wake us all up since it was 5am. I have to admit that it really was the worst coffee in the world! But I didn’t know what I know now. All I knew was that it tasted really, really, bad.
I was stationed in Germany and I must admit I did a lot of traveling over three and a half years. That’s when I started to appreciate the wonderful bold and delicate taste of COFFEES. I drank coffee in Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Salzburg, Bavaria and of course Florence. WOW, what a learned appreciation and wonderful lesson in tasting . Europeans were always ready to explain their favorite coffee, insisting you try another and another.
Very few people, including me, can afford to be a wine connoisseur with an unlimited budget. Good or great wines can sometimes be expensive. BUT you and I can be a coffee expert. Well sort of an expert.
Let’s talk and have a cup together…..I’ll wait. A pound of coffee is reasonably priced. Let’s agree on that. It’s primarily your taste buds and the different roasts that matter. Medium, dark, bold and really bold are some of the basic roasts. The secret, at first, is to try different roasts. I suggest you purchase by the cup, rather than beans by the full pound. This way you can establish what you personally like.
When I buy a cup, given a choice I always choose the bold. It’s what I like. So, let’s get to the beans. Most coffee houses, restaurants and baristas grind their beans at the same time they are going to serve you. Now let’s talk about coffee in your home.
PRE-GROUND BEANS vs. WHOLE BEANS
First of all, pre-ground beans are easy and convenient. You go home, open that bag, you hear that pressurized sound, smell the explosion of fresh coffee and sometimes you even say to yourself, “ WOW smell that fabulous coffee!” If you’ve done that confess and raise your right hand. Ok….now trust me, STOP buying pre-ground beans.
A pound of ground coffees freshness lasts about a week. Why? Because you opened the bag and it starts to dry out. The natural oils were released from the beans the minute they were ground. Then they sealed the coffee for you but you unsealed it. If you have numerous coffee drinkers in the house then you’re probably good for a week. But after a week as BB King sang, “The Thrill is Gone.”
That original taste gets weaker in aroma and maybe a little stale in flavor and taste. But you drink it. Think about it, you wouldn’t buy a cup of coffee from your favorite place in the morning and drink half and finish the other half two days later. Would you….tell me why? (This is a interactive article so you can speak to me but not out loud.) Because it has lost the initial flavor! Of course…
Then there are the pod machines with lots of different flavors. Convenient, good flavors and you’re out the door or sitting at your desk not wasting a minute. The pod machines were initially made for the work place or car dealers waiting rooms. Now they are everywhere. They are not for me.
Now let’s talk about buying WHOLE BEANS. I just mentioned that the baristas and every coffee house grind the beans while you wait. They want you to have the fresh aroma and want it to be fresh in flavor with your first sip.When they take your order does it take long? Not really, unless you order a triple caramel latte with dark chocolate sprinkles. But a regular cup of your favorite coffee doesn’t take long for them to grind it. Plus, there are a lot of excellent choices to choose from like espresso, cappuccinos and others.
Just think if you could have that fresh taste at home everyday or especially when you’re home on the weekends. Fresh, great aroma, with that robust burst of flavor. How about the holidays or when one to ten friends are allowed to drop by….. (not funny)
I learned how to make great coffee by asking a lot of questions, reading articles and trying different things. If I found a coffee I really liked I sometimes went to their website and read what they had to say. Sometimes I would find other varieties on the same website. In addition you can buy loose coffee beans in small bags sold by weight. Ask for the bulk coffee section of the store.
EQUIPMENT
With whole beans you need a grinder. You knew that…of course.
Grinders are not expensive and they can last forever. What you don’t want is one of the ten or fifteen dollar grinders that you hold down with your hand. The problem is you will burn beans fifty percent of the time if you hold it down too long.
Burnt beans happen even at the company that roasts the beans. You can smell the burnt smell the minute you open the bag of coffee beans or pre-ground coffee. To me it’s the same reaction as when you open a bottle of wine for dinner that you just bought that day, and it’s bad, not even on the edge.
The type of grinder that you want to buy is called a BURR grinder. That’s not a brand name just the type. It allows you to grind your coffee beans “fine” for espresso, cappuccinos and lattes or the other end of the spectrum with “course” grinds for the French press or your regular drip machine. Now some machines are all in one. They have the grinder, coffee maker and water holder with a timer. So when you wake up in the morning your favorite ground beans are freshly ground and your favorite cup is ready as you enter your kitchen.
My grinder is separate. You can find them on line or even in supermarkets. I do have an espresso/latte/cappuccino machine that I found that accommodates all of the fine ground coffees. It has an attached water tank and you slide the cold milk attachment onto it and it makes the beautiful foam automatically. It’s impressive and everyone will give you a “wow” and a “thank you.”
Espresso machines can cost thousands in some cases. But there is absolutely no need to break the bank for a good machine. Have you ever walked into an expensive Italian restaurant and that huge espresso machine that looks like it belongs in a church as an organ is not working. Not funny, but I’ve witnessed it many times.
I’m not getting paid to mention names but I bought a Mr. Coffee Barista. I know, Mr.Coffee? I said the same thing when I saw it for the first time. Had it for three years and just bought another on Amazon. Even gave one to my grown son, last Christmas. He loves it too! It’s very reasonably priced.
One other way of making coffee that I recommend is a French Press. This is, if you really like coffee, the ultimate cup of coffee. Your bold or dark beans are ground on the coarse setting. You then measure approximately six tablespoons of your ground coffee into the glass French Press. Meanwhile you should be boiling a bottle and a half of water. I’m talking about a 16oz drinking bottle of water. Do not use softened water, well water or city water in your coffee French Press or in any one of your coffee makers.
Pour the boiling water into the French Press about three quarters full over the coffee grounds. Stir with a large spoon and then put the top on the carafe holding the coffee and water. Wait at least four minutes then push the plunger down which pushes the grounds to the bottom and keeps them out of your cup. Now, you can pour into your favorite cup and taste a mouthful of pure heavenly coffee. Add a spoonful of turbinado sugar, if you prefer, to your coffee per taste. A hint, try heating your coffee cups for thirty seconds in your microwave before adding the coffee.
I hope you enjoyed the visit. If we meet in person at our favorite coffee house, it will be your treat!
Ciao!!
//SA
