MakemineVanilla Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Can't stand tea but drink quite a bit of coffee at work. Normally around 3-5 cups a day. I'll drink any brand really but prefer the Milicano stuff from Kenco, it's almost like it's not instant. I agree it is better than most instants but its still most definitely instant, its close to filter coffee but even filter coffee is only a halfway house imo What do you mean by halfway house? Filter is where it's at. You might like your coffee dripped through a bag but to me its not a patch on coffee made in an expresso machine, made with steam at around 120psi. Do people really still make filter coffee? Even the caffetiere was a better idea than the filters but you thankfully only see them in France these days If you filter coffee through a £20 filter-machine from asda, it will taste just as vile as an espresso made from a £20 espresso-machine from asda. The problem is not the type of coffee, it's the utterly useless hardware people have in their homes. And most coffee-houses cheat by pouring water in an espresso and pass it off as coffee, (americano I think). YUCK! Use one of these and you get proper wonderful coffee If one prefers espresso, by all means, it's lovely. But prepare to pay for the hardware. I've never met a coffee drinker who wasn't convinced that if they only got the right kit they would make the perfect coffee. I remember the coffee percolator in the 1970s - I sure used like to watch that thing as a kid. It got junked, like every other kitchen gizmo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tegis Posted January 23, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted January 23, 2014 The flaw in your remark is that the machine above has looked like that for 40 years 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Dogg Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 The Aeropress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted January 23, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted January 23, 2014 Can't stand tea but drink quite a bit of coffee at work. Normally around 3-5 cups a day. I'll drink any brand really but prefer the Milicano stuff from Kenco, it's almost like it's not instant. I agree it is better than most instants but its still most definitely instant, its close to filter coffee but even filter coffee is only a halfway house imo What do you mean by halfway house? Filter is where it's at. You might like your coffee dripped through a bag but to me its not a patch on coffee made in an expresso machine, made with steam at around 120psi. Do people really still make filter coffee? Even the caffetiere was a better idea than the filters but you thankfully only see them in France these days If you filter coffee through a £20 filter-machine from asda, it will taste just as vile as an espresso made from a £20 espresso-machine from asda. The problem is not the type of coffee, it's the utterly useless hardware people have in their homes. And most coffee-houses cheat by pouring water in an espresso and pass it off as coffee, (americano I think). YUCK! Use one of these and you get proper wonderful coffee If one prefers espresso, by all means, it's lovely. But prepare to pay for the hardware. As Tegis says, you tell me the difference between that an a twenty quid one. It boils water and drips it through the ground coffee into a jug. That's what they all do. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 The obsession with coffee-making kit just reveals the metaphysical aspects of beverage preparation and consumption. This reaches its a apogee with the Japanese tea ceremony but can be definitely be seen in the whole afternoon tea ritual of fine china cups and even extends to the way you are supposed to hold those cups. The coffee machine is an essential part of the coffee ritual. Surely every coffee machine, no matter how grand or humble, references Moriondo's original machine and the Italian alchemy of turning coffee drinking into a manifestation of the spirit of La Dolce Vita? Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted January 23, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted January 23, 2014 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I actually did a barista course on the weekend, it was great fun! Learnt all about coffee from the growing, roasting, tasting right through to the grind size and crema texture, milk frothing etc. Got behind the espresso machine and learnt how to use it, was great but couldn't sleep Sat night after all the tastings I only drink coffee on the weekends so I'm a bit of a light weight but have a little espresso machine at home and love playing around with it. It's the missus who is the bigger drinker really. As for tea, I pretty much don't drink it at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 The obsession with coffee-making kit just reveals the metaphysical aspects of beverage preparation and consumption. This reaches its a apogee with the Japanese tea ceremony but can be definitely be seen in the whole afternoon tea ritual of fine china cups and even extends to the way you are supposed to hold those cups. The coffee machine is an essential part of the coffee ritual. Surely every coffee machine, no matter how grand or humble, references Moriondo's original machine and the Italian alchemy of turning coffee drinking into a manifestation of the spirit of La Dolce Vita? Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. This is it. I like coffee but I think I like the ritual of making it, all the preparation from bean to cup more than the actual drinking at the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 I worked at an independent coffee shop when I was in high school. They had a warehouse/roasting facility 10 miles away, and when the deliveries came in, it was heaven. Big burlap sacks of aromatic and still warm beans (having been roasted that morning). We had Hawaiian Kona, Jamaica Blue Mountain, Ethiopian, Sumatran, Brazilian, all kinds of wonderful coffee. We were all allowed a free pound per week to take home. It was a great little coffee business, the owner had about 16 stores in and around Boston, which was the last major market Starbucks hadn't entered. They bought him out for $28mill, back in the mid 90's. Starbucks was a massive disappointment to say the least. Crap coffee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I actually did a barista course on the weekend, it was great fun! Learnt all about coffee from the growing, roasting, tasting right through to the grind size and crema texture, milk frothing etc. Got behind the espresso machine and learnt how to use it, was great but couldn't sleep Sat night after all the tastings 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted January 23, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted January 23, 2014 The obsession with coffee-making kit just reveals the metaphysical aspects of beverage preparation and consumption. This reaches its a apogee with the Japanese tea ceremony but can be definitely be seen in the whole afternoon tea ritual of fine china cups and even extends to the way you are supposed to hold those cups. The coffee machine is an essential part of the coffee ritual. Surely every coffee machine, no matter how grand or humble, references Moriondo's original machine and the Italian alchemy of turning coffee drinking into a manifestation of the spirit of La Dolce Vita? Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meath_Villan Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 50/50! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris21 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Tea all the way... Hate coffee so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanBalaban Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Haven't read through the entire thread but must say that I love my Nespresso machine. I also drink a fair amount of different types of tea but can't abide milk in either drink. Why sully a great drink with milk?? YUK!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyShears Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I worked in a small independent coffee/wine shop on Broad Street back in the day, think it was called Talboys. He used to roast beans in the shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Haven't read through the entire thread but must say that I love my Nespresso machine. I also drink a fair amount of different types of tea but can't abide milk in either drink. Why sully a great drink with milk?? YUK!!! Liked for Nespresso love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qwpzxjor1 Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I prefer tea, but i drink more coffee for some reason. At work I'll drink 4-5 cups of coffee by 2 or 3pm. I'll then switch to tea, 2-3 cups. I don't really drink them in the evenings though, go with fruit juice, beer, wine or maybe from time to time one of those weird teas which aren't teas but are called teas because they come in a tea bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Filter coffee is generally quite rough tasting imo I also prefer espresso myself but as Mr Dogg says, there is supposed to be a revival in very good quality filter coffee at the moment. Single origin beans roasted more lightly than an espresso roast. Apparently it allows more of the flavour of the original bean and so you get all sorts of flavours in there depending on the country of origin. Espresso is quite a harsh way to get the solubles out of the bean, forcing hot water through like that, so you have to roast darker to keep more of the flavour, I prefer that richness though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I actually did a barista course on the weekend, it was great fun! Learnt all about coffee from the growing, roasting, tasting right through to the grind size and crema texture, milk frothing etc. Got behind the espresso machine and learnt how to use it, was great but couldn't sleep Sat night after all the tastings The course was a christmas present from the missus. Perhaps it was a subtle hint on the quality of the coffee I was making before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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