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I don't know what started me thinking along this line. But, I started today. I have two questions about press-pots that really cooked my noodle, and I think I have one of them answered (but not very satisfactorily). 1: Why do we press press-pots instead of lifting? 2: Why aren't there press-pots with finer filters? Here's the deal that makes me think it's worth my time to worry about. I really like press-pot coffee. The flavor is top-notch, but I don't have the scratch to spend on a grinder to do it justice. So I end up with more sludge than I can handle. Question 2 would address that. Also, in previous press-pots, I've noticed blow-outs from pressing too hard, etc. Lifting, depending on how speedily done, could take care of that. The ancillaries are that I work in an engineering college, and I think it would be really slick to take a couple independent study credits, and design, build, and possibly market/patent a different kind of press pot. So, I'm curious, why do we press pots of coffee the way we do? And, second, if you could change a press-pot, how would you change it and why?

Anyone have experience with this coffee maker? If so, whatchathink? As I recall, Cook's Illustrated liked it. Thanks, Sidecar Ron

Here's Chow Magazine's list of 5 of the best US independent roasters. [i don't see the article online.] Intellegentsia Gimme Coffee Counter Culture Flying Goat Blue Bottle I was sorry to see my roaster of choice not listed, Terroir, though it was nice to see a discussion on purchasing direct as opposed to purchasing from a broker. On a related note, I'm curious to see how much y'all are willing to pay for coffee. I was selling Terroir's coffee retail but I stopped because customers weren't willing to pay the price - starting at $10 for 12 ounces. (I still serve it by the cup in my cafe.) I know Intellegentsia, one of the largest of the independents, sells their coffee for even more.

article here from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (registration req'd) Your opinions? Will you drink more coffee based upon these new findings?

Here's a fascinating article I stumbled across that offers some insight into Yemeni Coffee Although popular myth suggests that Ethiopia is the "birthplace of coffee" the coffee bushes themselves appear to have originated in Yemen. Consumption of brewed coffee may well have first begun there as well. But it's so far back in the fog of early recorded history that the evidence isn't clear enough to confrim this. Have you tried a real Yemeni coffee on its own? Most people have unknowingly tried some either as a small component of a good espresso blend or as one half of the world's most famous and most classic blend: Mocha-Java. The "mocha" portion that makes up 50% of this blend is actually Yemeni "Moka" and described as such because the flavor profile has some subtle hints of chocolate. Drink a good Yemeni coffee as a straight varietal and you're more likley to find yourself using terms such as "wild... winey.... earthy". It's not for the faint hearted who look for a mellow, smooth and well balanced flavor profile but it's a fascinating coffee. The high cost of making a true classic Mocha Java blend (50% Yemeni and 50% Indonesian Sulawesi or Sumatran) often leads roasters and retailers to use 50% each of the cheapest Ethiopian and Indonesian beans they can source. But try the '"real thing" you'll taste the difference.

I had an experience this morning that just about threw me off of my feed. I went to my local cafe to get some coffee as I'm out of grounds at home. When I got there, at about 7:05 a.m., they did not have coffee made. No problem. I will just order an Americano and be on my merry way. So, the barrista goes and fiddles with the pods (I knew I was in trouble here) and then could not get the grouphead to attach to the outlet. Barrista then says, "!@#$$^@#%$! We got a new espresso machine and I don't know how to use it!" ??? Who gets a new espresso maker without showing their employees how to use it (either that, or said employee was on brain-break). Here's the rub, they make a durn good cup of coffee, even if it is sometimes in a dirty cup. I just needed to vent. Oh, they did end up giving me a large brewed gratis for my time and patience. But, as a former barrista, I am professionally offended.

This discussion was split from the THE BEST: NYC Espresso topic in the New York Forum. As quality independent coffee houses and espresso bars become more widespread it's likely that more people will begin hearing terms like "ristretto". It refers to a "restricted pull" espresso shot - one with reduced fluid volume (relative to a regular shot). If properly made it will have an intensified flavor profile that may be denser and "sweeter" than a standard shot. The restricted pull is accomplished by using a finer grinder setting than one would use for a standard 26 - 28 second shot under the same conditions. The flow of pressurized water through the puck of grounds is "restricted" and a comparable shot time yields less fluid. If you go into a shop that does not use ristretto as their standard shot style and they honor your request for but don't adjust the grinder.... you may actually be getting a "short pull". Stopping the shot process prematurely will yield reduced fluid volume but the characteristics of the espresso don't change. The so-called "triple ristretto" is a bit of a misnomer but a widely used term and it's the way many of the leading edge cafe's pull their shots. La Marzocco espresso machines and other brands that can utilize the LM portafilter and basket assembly (such as some of espresso sculptor Kees van der Westen's machines) have the option to use a straight sided rather than partially slope shouldered basket. It's a bit deeper and has more cubic volume than a double basket. A "triple" basket allows up to about 21 grams to be packed into the basket vs the 15 - 18 that most independents use in a double basket. It can yield a slightly larger fluid volume that's as rich and dense as a double but usually it's only 1/4 to 1/2 oz larger in size. But you're so right about espresso being a fickle bride. On a bright note I think I finally stumbled on an espresso blend that's good with milk in a traditional cappuccino (i.e. a 1:2 up to 1:5 espresso to milk ratio) and also good when consumed as a machiatto or straight shot. That would make it a rare beast indeed - can't wait to blend a few more batches over the next month or so and see if it stays consistent or if it was a fluke.

Click Here for Caffeine-Fired Price Reduction Frenzy Info! "First shots fired in latte price war Last updated Jul 27 2005 01:08 PM PDT CBC News Small independent cafes across Vancouver are taking on Starbucks, offering $2 lattes in an effort to win over customers from the industry giant. Mike and Theresa Triggiano who helped start the price war, say business has been brisk at their Yaletown cafe thanks to their sandwich board on the sidewalk offering the cheaper coffees. "Mike just came up with the idea, and thought let's start promoting ourselves," says Theresa Triggiano. "I think people are getting tired of paying too much for their lattes " A few blocks away at the Cafe d'Azur ....." Please see article for remaing text. Edited for clarity and to conform to site policy as requested by Mod

Today, just like almost every other day, I made myself coffee/espresso in my Bialetti Moka Pot. The difference was, that it started to whistle at a very high pitch. I went over, and saw some bubbling around the area where the two pieces come together. Now, I just replaced the rubber ring about a month ago, after the original was in there for about a year and a half, so I doubt it's that. Once it was cool, I checked it out and nothing seemed out of place. Could the threads on the two pieces be wearing down? What do you all suggest?? Has this happened to anyone before?

If this has been asked and discussed endlessly before, someone pour some cold milk over me and point me in the right direction What's your best technique for frothing milk in a hand-powered frother? We've found semi-skim milk, heated just until it's too hot to keep your finger in but NOT boiling, then frothing for a minute and leaving to rest works pretty well. But I was in Bodum the other day and the guy there said he froths cold full-fat milk and then heats it. I know skim milk is no good but I'm not sure which wins out over semi-skim vs full-fat. I thought I read in a science book that semi-skim was best but perhaps I've gotten muddled? And I'd never heard of frothing it cold and then heating. Any other techniques out there?

I want to learn how to cold brew coffee. Thanks for any help.

I found mine by accident, and I absolutely LOVE IT! It's a Melitta. It's a Melitte Mill and Brew. It has a grinder built in. So all you do, is put in your beans. Water. Set the timer. And *presto*..... you've got an awesome brew waiting for you every morning. A wonderful addition to my mornings! I love making coffee at my house! Eric RestaurantEdge.com

In this thread concerning the "best Vietnamese in New York" several people have mentioned the coffee. I posted this there, but think that the subject will get more input here: OK, CoffeeBoy, what makes it great? I know it when I have it (I had some at lunch at my favorite pho joint, Pho Bang, here in NO), but just what sets it apart from run of the mill? I have several of the little rigs, and I have tried and tried to get it right at home, and I can't-it's good, but it's not perfect. I do it all of the time, but can't seem to perfect the technique Hints? Degree of grind? How hard to screw that thing down? I want to be able to make the stuff right.

Hey eGullet, Are there real coffeeshops in your city? To start things off, I humbly submit Coffee Exchange, in Providence. They roast their own beans. They have ibriks (Turkish coffeepots) for sale, hanging hanging from the rafters. They are hard-core. What news? By the way, a few guidelines; ignore them happily. Please no "Starbucks; I love their Frappucinos." What I'm talking about is a totally different animal. A serious, independant coffeeshop run by artisan-level roasters and baristas, or those who aspire to be on that level. Purists. It really helps if they roast their own beans, but this is not necessary. They also might pull a single-origin shot once in a while, grind their espresso by the shot, to order, and maybe keep some French presses around. And they will never, never, say the word "expresso." Two nominees that I have never been to are Peet's in California, and Intellegensia Coffee Roasters in Chicago. Thanks, much.

Well, it has happened again. We went to Amsterdam, had amazing coffee everyday, even good on the plane and now I'm back again and my coffee is just not as good. I love the coffee we had in Amsterdam. I've also had really good coffee in Provence, Italy (of course), and Switzerland. Although the styles were all different, they were all similar in terms of not being bitter, overroasted, and too hot. They were instead rich, flavorful, and incredibably aromatic. Why, oh why, can't I get this effect at home? At home I have a Grind and Brew, a percolater, and a Krups espresso maker. Should I pick up a French press? I use filtered water. I buy quality beans of medium roast and store them in airtight containers, purchasing only what I can use in a week. My espresso maker by far makes the best coffee but it is still not exactly what I am searching for. I live near Boston and am willing to travel into the city for beans. I've tried Peets, Polcari's (better), Star-yucks, and a bunch of other types from Whole Foods. We've dumped so many bags, I think my husband is going to clobber me! What do I need to do to get a great cup of coffee at home?

Coffee, coffee everywhere but none you'd like to drink. On a recent trip across the USA which started in New York City, went on to Newport, RI then over to Chicago and fianlly on to the left coast to San Diego it became patently obvious that you just can't get a decent coffee in at least 4 States. That celestial chain would have to rank amongst the worst culprit serving a beverage closer to the water left over after washing a stack of very dirty dishes in a lot of water (not that I've ever drunk any but it smells the same). Little wonder it's common to add sickly sweet syrups - anything to hide the taste. I tried brewed, espresso, cappuccino, filtered, regular, double and triple shots - all undrinkable for someone who comes from a coffee culture. Here in Australia we seem to have discovered what the Americans still don't know. You don't just burn the beans for flavor. You can't cook the bejeesus out of the aromatics and expect to end up with any taste you'd enjoy. What I will do next time I'm in the US is go to a roasting establishment, teach them when to stop roasting and introduce the coffee drinkers of America to the rich, deep noted taste of a wider range of aromatics than you can expect from near ashen beans. Good coffee is meant to be enjoyed. You stop. Sit down. Take in the complexity of flavors. Notice the chocolate notes. The toasty roasted characters with their hint of bitterness. There's a fullness of mouth-feel, almost a creamy texture which adds to the satisfaction of drinking coffee. It is certainly missing from the thin, lacklustre swampwater and what Americans call caufee. No wonder they buy it in a rush and swallow it while dashing to work or a meeting or just because life's always in a hurry. I suppose it's also recommended to drink and drive because if you spill some, you don't have to drink as much.

A couple of months ago, I got a Rancilio Silvia (and a Gaggia grinder). It took me about a day to get a good double espresso out of it, but I've never been able to get the same quality in a single, except of course, but splitting the double. The single usually tastes a little over-extracted, and the top layer is always thin and pale. (FYI, this is using slightly more coffee than half of that for the double, at a somewhat finer grind). Anyone have any thoughts? Help? Ridicule? Andrew

I need some advice and a little help. I have been asked to help open a small coffee bar in an art gallery. The owners of the gallery would like a place like the two famous espresso bars in Rome. So the concept is to be focused on everything italian. The espresso we could be selling is illy. After a little reading here, it seems to me that I might find a better product than what illy has. What espresso should I also be looking at, that is Italian ? I have also been having some difficulty in finding out any info on espresso bars in Italy that I can look at or what they sell. Where else can I look ?

I recetly picked up some Black Cat blend for the first time while I was up in Vancouver recently. My wife and I totally love this coffee and see the supply dwindling. I know you can order it from Intelligentsia online, but would like to find something similar and local. We used to use Vivace beans exclusively, but the Black Cat is so much better suited to our Drip Machine. Any suggestions for Seattle? Thanks! Ben

Warm weather is finally here again in the northeast (although it will plummet into the 20's tonight!). After countless experiments in the past trying to duplicate but also do better than the Starbucks frozen frappuccino drinks... I'm trying a new approach. The clone of a frozen frappuccino involved use of extra strong coffee and/or espresso mixed with some sugar. A bit of pure vanilla extract, a small amount of chocolate syrup (not enough to really be tasted as chocolate) and a dash of salt were then added along with milk. Just before blending with ice, a tiny bit of carageenan was added as a thickener (about 1/8 teaspoon per 20 oz of liquid drink total). The drink was generally pretty good but it does not lend itself to commercial preparation and the consistency was difficult to control. I have tested the Jet brand liquid milk based vanilla drink base. It's better than some - uses natural vanilla, Parmalat style milk and has beet sugar as a sweetener. But it's too sweet and too expensive. Also has too strong a vanilla flavor and the milk is not quite right to my taste. It uses guar gum, locust bean gum and carageenan as thickeners and stabilizers. Also looked at the Big Train powdered mix used by many cafes. It has the coffee (powdered freeze dried) flavor already in it (yuck!). Also has high fructose corn sweetener, powdered non-fat dry milk, hydrogenated oils to add the mouthfeel/taste sensation of fat, and lots-o-artificial ingredients. The Goal: a low-fat frozen drink that tastes great, stays together and is easy to make on the fly. Possible ingredients: for the powdered base - powdered non-fat dry milk, vanilla powder, carageenan, tiny amount cocoa or chocolate powder for the liquid - regular milk and some Toddy cold coffee concentrate for the sweetener - either confectioner's sugar mixed in with the powdered base or possibly simple syrup added by the drink to taste Questions: - are guar gum and/or locust bean gum helpful or are they in the Jet concentrate just to help the liquid ingredients stay stable in storage and before blending? - is there a natural powdered sweetener other than confectioner's sugar that might be useful in the powdered base? Ideas and /or comments?

http://www.delocator.net from the website: Cafés are vital social outposts that have historically provided subjective, social, local, and at times, irrational interaction, inspiration, and nourishment to artists, hipsters, musicians, activists, intellectuals, radicals, and others alike. Currently, independently owned cafés around the world are under aggressive attack; and their numbers have been sharply decreasing for many years. delocator.net is a means to preserve these local businesses. Transnational corporations, like Starbucks, Diedrich, Gloria Jean's, and the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf are at the forefront of this assault. Delocate is a web-verb created for this project as a defense mechanism for independent business establishments.

There's a long tradition of good cooks in my family. Stories of and recipies from my great Grandmother, Grandmother, Great Aunts, Aunts, and a couple of cousins fill holidays and weddings. Unfortunately coffee has never been significantly considered. True, my parents like most had a perculator until drip machines came about and made the process easier. However, their coffee is terrible and I finally had to say something. Granted, my sister and I decided that a first measure without saying anything would be a thermal carafe which was a Christmas present this year. But after dinner on Sunday, I realized that didn't really help much. My question is: What can I do/tell them to do to improve the taste of their coffee. There are a few constraints: 1. Convenience/cost is more important than taste. 2. They will not grind their own beans or buy whole beans. 3. They store coffee in the cupboard. 4. They will not use filtered water. 5. They clean the machine regularly. Any thoughts?

Kathleen Purvis had an article in today's Charlotte Observer announcing that the Specialty Coffee Assoc of America will be holding their 2006 conference in Charlotte! The Charlotte Observer You must subscribe to see the article. Other exciting news for Charlotte - Counter Culture's regional sales manager David Haddock is opening a "coffee classroom" next month where they will give free coffee training and cuppings. Things are looking brighter in the Carolina's!

Hey Foodies :-) I thought some of you might be interested in having a look at my [french] website on espresso: http://www.caffecaffe.ca You will find amongst other things: tips and techniques on becoming a better barista and coffee shops to give a try (mainly in Montreal at the moment, although I have some pending recommendations from my last trip to Seattle and Vancouver). Hope you will enjoy! Martin

About ten days ago I spotted 2 lb bags of Jamaican Blue Mountain beans at my local Costco. It was a new item, packed in Michigan. I bought a bag, at $12.79 Can., and have used it every morning since in a Cuisinart grinder/dripper. Tomorrow, I'll use the Boda, even though I'm usually too groggy in the morning to bother. The reason for taking more care, is that the supply is going to end soon. The coffee is mellow, aromatic, fresh, with good length. I can't find any fault, and I trust the buyers at Costco to provide an authentic non-blended product. It appears as though they have made an exceptional one-time purchase, and when I went back today for more, it was still there, but with an asterisk on the price sign. A product coming to the end of sale period in the warehouse. I bought two more bags, but I will have to freeze or refrigerate them. Any suggestions for best keeping?