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There's a movement of sorts in the coffee and espresso business - not news to aficionado's or cognoscenti but some of us in the hinterlands (me!) are slow getting exposed to such things. The growing emphasis in recent years on recognizing the value of single varietals vs. blends in drip coffee has evolved into recognizing the importance of the terroir concept. This notion seems to have gained popularity in relation to wine but is equally applicable to coffee varietals. For example... in any given year there may be beans or even a specific lot of beans from a particular estate (or even a section of that estate) that have unique and desirable characteristics. Rather than getting shipped off to the growers co-op and getting lumped in/mixed with beans from other growers, subsequently to be sold under a generic varietal name (e.g. Guatemala Antigua or Ethiopian Yirgacheffe), these better lots are more increasingly becoming available in their undiluted form. Parallel to this development is a growing interest in appreciating the subtleties of such beans by producing espresso shots from a single varietal. There is a long standing tradition of using specially created blends for espresso. Various beans are combined to achieve certain characteristics that may include chocolaty undertones, fruitiness, floral notes, redolence of spices, a certain desirable bitterness etc. More recently there's been a move towards producing espresso from single varietals. If, as Caffe Vivace's David Schomer states it, "espresso should taste the way good coffee smells", we might expect to see enhanced and noticeably distinct characteristics by getting the essence of a single bean in concentrated form. Having read of these trends but being immersed in a cocoon of constant work (both my day job and my coffee job) and routine, I had not gotten around to trying Single Origin Shots. Last week, prompted by a desire to use up some of the beans in my home green bean stash, I dug out my little 1/2 lb electric Alpenroast drum roaster and did up a batch of Ethiopian Harrar and also some Yemeni Moka Ismaili. I had fully intended to roast some additional varieties and do an espresso blend but when the weekend arrived and I had a rare Saturday morning at home with no obligations attendant... I turned on the espresso machine and settled in with a good book to enjoy a few shots. In another happy accident, I found the only milk on hand to be spoiled but had a full container of fresh half 'n half. Rather than making a short cappuccino as is my wont.... I decided to foam some half 'n half and make a breve machiatto. That is... a double espresso shot topped with a bit of half 'n half foam. Wow. I'm sure that not all varietals will be as appealing in this format but the Ethiopian blew me away. The "blueberry flavor notes" that others describe from this bean but have thus far eluded my less-than-silver-palate were overwhelmingly abundant. Likewise, the sort of winey, spicy wildness of the Yemeni bean was also very distinct. If you have an espresso machine and have been happily pulling shots with blends -try some SOS for a pleasant surprise.

Fortune Elkins is a coffee and espresso aficionado in the NYC area and tireless volunteer for the SCAA consumer outreach program. Among her many activities has been spearheading efforts to get a group together for regular coffee related meetings and activites in NY. They have some cool donated door prizes at many of their functions and offer a chance to get exposure to such things as coffee cuppings etc. New York City Coffee Meetup Group If there's no such organization in your metro area it might be worth starting one (hint hint). The NYC group has a fun event coming up on March 9th that will include shot pulling sessions on a La Marzocco two group machine and door prizes including a Gaggia espresso machine (among other items). To attend please see the eGullet Event Calendar info here

It's not really a trick question (at least I don't think so). I think I know the answer but hope there's a fix. It's also worth noting that not one single geek over at Coffeegeek Forums replied with an answer when I posted. Surely there's an eGulleteer with the expertise to help me I've been using the smaller version of the glass manual Bodum vac pot for about six months and absolutely love the results. I typically use about 40 grams of coffee to 25 ounces of water and allow the grounds to steep in the water for about 3:00 to 3:30 minutes after the water has moved north to the top of the pot. It then takes about another 00:30 to 1:00 minute for the water to return south to the serving vessel after heat is removed. A friend just gave me a Bodum Mini-Santos electric vac pot - the orange one that's made of Lexan or some such thing. It has the same capacity as the manual pot and I use the same amount of grounds and water. The water heats up more quickly, moves north faster and then it automatically shuts off and allows the water to return south after no more than two minutes or so of steeping. The result has very consistently been slightly underextracted and weak tasting coffee. I even tried bumping up the weight of the grounds to 50 grams but with little improvement. I love the convenience of the electric pot - I can just set it up and walk away until the coffee is done but I'm unhappy with the quality of the results. Is there a way to tweak/hack the automatic timing feature to lengthen the steeeping/brewing time? Yes I've read the directions and no mention is made of such an adjustment option.

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?

article from Food Navigator This of interest to you coffee drinkers out there? Or will you continue to drink your java pretty much as you already do now?

I have been getting more into tea lately. Today, while trying to kill some time at the mall, I wandered into the Coffee Beanery and discovered they have a nice setup of 'Republic of Tea' teas, which I have heard good things about. Well, most were pretty plain and boring looking, earl grey, green tea, honey and ginger, etc, stuff you can find anywhere. Well, one then caught my eye, a tea called 'Lapsang Souchong' which is apparently fermented and smoked over pine wood according to the blurb on the back. I also had to pick up a tea-ball as this didn't seem to come in bags. I just had a glass, and my first impression is I really like it. It has a fully, smokey, tangy taste. I added a bit of splenda to it, but I had a few sips without and it was almost as good that way. Has anyone else had this stuff before? Are there other similar teas out there?

A couple years ago, my husband bought me a Cuisinart Grind & Brew coffeemaker. The thing made great coffee - but what a serious pain in the ass to clean up. I really hated that thing. I bitched about it constantly. Then last Christmas I got a Hamilton Beach Brewstation Brewstation The kind where you put your cup in to get the nectar. Yeah! Happiness! Then one morning I put my cup up and it would not stop giving me coffee. Coffee all over the counter and onto the floor. EEEK! Reese diagnosed that a coffee ground had become stuck in the delivery apparatus and cleaned it out. Voila - all fixed. Ha! Instead it was leaking, every brew cycle. It got to where I'd put a paper towel under it every time I made coffee. 8%$*!$##!! :angry: Last month for my birthday, Reese surprised me with a Mr. Coffee. Simple, easy, works like a charm. But then we noticed a small problem. The plastic holder where you put the ground coffee in (swing out, coffee in - swing in to brew) wouldn't close completely. It wouldn't latch right for some reason so by the time it finishes brewing the brew holder thingy starts to swing out. This morning, not awake, make coffee, sit down on computer. Here the beeper, go look for coffee and see coffee all over the counter and almost to the floor. Sigh. Even worse, the circuit board switcher thing got wet and the on/off switch doesn't work now. (all the buttons on the right side) But I did get coffee this morning. I used the delay brew button on the left, switched the time to a couple minutes later and prayed. Does anyone else have these issues or is it just me? Any suggestions for a new coffee maker? Help!!!

Experimenting lately with a couple old vacuum pots, I've learned something about myself. And that is that I'm pretty limited in my appreciation of coffee. My first truly great experience with coffee was 30 years ago in the Canary Islands, where I was first exposed to the variety and intensity of espresso drinks to be had in Spain. The taste of this coffee became my "mother" and I've been seeking her out ever since (to no avail, by the way). I suspect, however, that over time I have been looking more for the nose-punching thrill and have missed the subtleties to be enjoyed in the world's wonderful varieties of coffees. As it turns out, vac pots are great for those lighter roasts and flavors, while I have been seeking out smoky, French-roast experiences. Now that I have these two old pots, I want to not only enjoy the great show watching the coffee go "north" and "south," I want to enjoy the results. So my question is two-fold: 1) What gentle steps might I take away from the nose-punching in order to teach my palate the finer things in coffee? 2) What beans and roasts, specifically, should I try, in what order, to wean myself from my current addiction? Thank you! Lonnie

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?

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

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?

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.

Is anyone familiar with this brand from Jersey City? I haven't been happy with the coffee I've been getting from Starbuck's & local markets, so I was thinking of ordering a few pounds from Kobrick's. According to the website, they sell to restaurants, but also do retail. Is there anyone here who's sipped a cuppa or has any feedback? Thanks!

Feeling a little drowsy before heading out for a late dinner engagement, I decided to make myself an espresso. In the mornings I use a double shot insert, but for this job I figured I only needed the strength of a single shot. So I switched out to the smaller one. . . but as I pulled the shot I started thinking. The proper shot of espresso requires (among other things) a proportionate relationship between an amount of coffee and the amount of water that’s run through it. I think, and herein lies the reason for this post, that the manual Pavoni always runs the same amount of water regardless of the size of the insert—single or double shot. While it doesn’t so much seem to effect the quality of the shot, I can only conclude that the machine will pull only a single single and a single double or a double single and a double double. Anybody know which it is?

I am from NY and I am opening a restaurant in Michigan. I was wondering if anyone knew where to get thoes coffee cups " We are happy to serv you" Any help would be appreciated. Regards

Following a (too) brief trip to Portugal this past summer, I became hopefully addicted to Delta coffee. It's not particularly special, but the taste balance works perfectly for my taste buds. Now, I've since given up caffeine (it's health related, as prescribed by a doctor, so no yelling), and I've become again addicted to this coffee, particularly, the Delta Café Lights - Café Descafeinado. My question to you is, does anyone know where I can purchase this coffee, along with other Delta coffees, online? (I also really liked the East Timor coffee I purchased to bring home while in Oporto.)

HI all, I'm appealing to your expertise as I'm unable to find a coffee we like. Most coffees are (for us) either overroasted (the Peet's or Starbucks kind) and/or too acidy. The coffee we are looking for can be sometimes tasted at expensive French restaurants (but not a French roast); the last time I had what we think is the best was at Fleur de Lys in San Francisco. It was smooth and a bit sweet, when compared to the Peet's kind. Any suggestions???

Have you every deep-fried green coffee beans instead of roasting? If not, won't you try that? Me? No. I don't want to try that. According to the following site, deep-drying green coffee beans in oil at 180 degrees centigrade allows them to be heated uniformly, resulting in good-tasting coffee. The oil in coffee beans will not dissolve in water, so the coffee will not contain any oil. http://www.ntv.co.jp/megaten/library/date/01/02/0218.html (Japanese only. This is the website of a Japanese TV program.) EDIT: Sorry, not 'young' but 'green' coffee beans.

I don't frequent this forum 'cause I can't do caffeine (and the idea/taste of decaf is just...not the same)...but when this makes it onto the market, I'll be able to guzzle with abandon! Cool - it was just hanging out wild in Ethiopia...

Very nice article from Wine Spectator

I arranged with Alan Geddie at the new Dunn Bros Coffee house in Addison (Dallas area) to do a cupping for our members. Thought that some of you might be interested in doing something similar in your part of the world. Here's the thread: Dunn Bros Coffee Cupping for eGullet Alan roasts on site and labels his coffee with the roast date, as you will see on the thread. The demo roasting and cupping is about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour event. I think that there will be more interest in this over time, so we may do this once every month or two. It's a learning experience that will make for an interesting discussion on the forum each time we do it.

Is this something new?? Starbucks chain hopes to broaden its 'concierge services,' including music, wireless, movie sales ... does this seem to be a smart move business wise? Are you interested in this extra amount of service or just enjoy their coffees? Or is this more of "you gotta have a gimmick if you want to get applause"? Gypsy revisited ...

Frappucino fattening ?? Some people automatically assume their coffees have few calories .. add a little milk, a little half-and-half, sugar and the totals rise dramatically ...

I was nosing around on the Trung Nguyen Coffee web site today and stumbled across this info on their new Legendee Blend For those unfamiliar with it, "Kopi Luwak" coffee (sometimes spelled Luwat) is thought by some to be total hype and others consider it to be real. In various parts of Southeast Asia and Indonesia an animal, in some cases the civet cat and in others said to be a variety of fox, eats ripened coffee cherries that have fallen on the ground and excretes the inedible part - the coffee bean itself. The various enzymes that are part of the animal's digestive system are supposed to affect the bean in some way that produces a tantalizing and unusual flavor in the roasted and brewed beans. There's unquestionably plenty of fake cat-poop coffee sold in various places because the high price of the beans (it is the world's most expensive coffee) leaves it open to such practices. Trung Nguyen is the "Vietnamese Starbucks" with over 400 franchised locations serving their coffee. I've had their regular coffee in iced form with condensed milk here in the US and found it to be excellent. The "Legendee" coffee, also referred to as Fox-Legend coffee, references that story and describes using Two questions: 1) By chance have any of you tried it? 2) If there is a chemist among us... what enzymes or substances would be used?

Anyone else tried the new Starbucks Chantico? I was at a drive through last night waiting for my standard raspberry mocha and saw the ad. The barista told me it was a "thick, rich hot chocolate" and he was pretty correct. It was both thick and had a dark chocolate flavor, served in a fairly tiny cup-- smaller than a tall coffee. I liked it, and will probably experiment with adding a flavored shot. Neil