Coffee

[Coffee]

I will miss Kaladi Brothers when I leave Alaska, but I'm sure there's local joints in a lot of places, so... huzzah for new discoveries.

[MTGuru]

When they start with the "Venti" and "Grande", etc., I start speaking to them in Italian (which I know enough to place a coffee order), then wait for the deer-in-the-headlights look.

[Nanohedron]

A fine amusement. Does it soften the blow of shelling out for a cup of yuck?

[MTGuru]

A fine amusement. Does it soften the blow of shelling out for a cup of yuck?

Only if you can also convince them that their prices are in Italian lire.

[benhall.1]

A fine amusement. Does it soften the blow of shelling out for a cup of yuck?

Only if you can also convince them that their prices are in Italian lire.

Ah yes. And that we're living in the late sixties. And that coffee always comes with a plate full of complimentary Italian breads.

[Nanohedron]

You people. Throw in a bargain, and (so much for principles) suddenly you're willing to drink swill. *shudder*

[Coffee]

As you can probably guess, I do take my coffee somewhat seriously. No Charbucks for me.

[ytliek]

I'll agree that US Navy coffee mess coffee teeters on undrinkable and that was everywhere I travelled. I can't speak about current messes.

I'll also agree that $'bucks is burnt blend. I won't touch the stuff. Not even force fed.

I am mostly a tea drinker and prefer it to coffee, but, I do enjoy a good cup of coffee. Here in the northeast US Dunkin Donuts rules the chain gang with Green Mountain close behind. The marketeers will claim $'bucks is king, while that is just youthful and inexperienced non-discriminating palettes roastful boasting. Dunkin Donuts does it right keeping a fresh pot in glass on the burner and if the pot sits too long it is dumped and a fresh brew is made. As Dunkin Donuts brand grows the expansion into DIY gas stations, convenience stores, supermarkets, etc., the brand begins to slip with me because they brew the coffee and they transfer into plastic thermos or some such storage contraption. The flavor changes for me, if the coffee isn't coming from fresh brewed glass pot it is out for me.

Old style 1950s-ish diners usually serve a decent blend of coffee, while restaurants run the gamut around here.

I do like percolator coffee with my own fresh grind too when at home, however, at home I prefer tea.

I see coffee houses mixing in the tooty-fruity flavors (beyond Oct. pumkin spice) with coffee to mask the blend similar to the liquor industry tactics. Whatever happened to being served "neat"?

[Nanohedron]

...they brew the coffee and they transfer into plastic thermos or some such storage contraption. The flavor changes for me, if the coffee isn't coming from fresh brewed glass pot it is out for me.

I don't get this issue some people have with thermos storage. I think it's completely psychological. Regardless of outer appearance, in a thermos the actual contact space that the coffee sits in IS glass. It's what the Dewar flask (yer thermos innards) is made of. Glass. So if it's glass on the burner, it's still glass off the burner either way. If you didn't see the thermos container, on tasting I'll bet you'd think your coffee was totally on point.

But I'm not insensate. I totally get the recoil against thermos containers, because in the main they're ugly and look like Daleks. Anyone remember this dingy thing found in every greasy spoon in America?



Sure, it screams mundane cheapness. But inside it's pristine glass. I'd still rather have that than risk too long on the burner.

[BigDavy]

Manhattan Transfer

David

[ytliek]

Yes, preference may be psychological. And here is my daily preference and never touches plastic, kettle to pot: https://www.harney.com/

DD did I mention perks? the perks! http://www.dunkindonuts.com/dunkindonut ... hpage.html
And they smile while serving, drive-thru for the lazy is the morning ritual.

Global: http://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dun ... lobal.html

Plan, every four-way intersection everywhere. period

This is NOT a commercial posting... just a preference.

[an seanduine]

Today I took the family bus (a 2001 Honda Accord with 230,000 miles) in to the dealership for a recall repair, and was confronted with the exact opposite coffee/consumer interface :http://www.potogoldcoffee.com/ totally computerized.
We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto!

Bob

[Tor]

When they start with the "Venti" and "Grande", etc., I start speaking to them in Italian (which I know enough to place a coffee order), then wait for the deer-in-the-headlights look.

Starbucks in Japan use the "Venti" and "Grande" too, and no they don't understand Italian there (I've tried..), well, not English either. So I don't see why they couldn't simply use Japanese on those menus.
And yes 'charred' is what the coffee tastes like. I've given up of finding a good brew, so now it's caffe latte for me (grande or venti..). There are lots of good coffee shops here, but very few with wi-fi and sandwiches. So I often end up in Starbucks.

My father has a horror story about coffee. When he was around 17 he worked all winter (*long* winters where he's from..) at a place with sleeping quarters, outdoor work, and a canteen where they all had breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The coffee was awful, and seemed to get worse over time. People started to complain about stomach pains and generally not feeling well.

Finally, after some months, somebody took a look inside the coffee boiler (this was boiled coffee, nobody had started using filter coffee back then). The reason they looked inside was because it seemed to get empty of coffee unreasonably quickly. It turned out that the cook had never emptied the boiler, she just kept adding grinded coffee.. so now it was choke full of old coffee, being constantly re-boiled with a dash of new coffee.

[I.D.10-t]

Personally, I drink coffee in a ritualistic way formed over years. I'll skip the history of gas stoves and perks automatic drips and the like and tell you what I have found to be my liking.

Pour an 8 oz. mason jar into a coffee cone that has appropriate filter. Rinse the jar three times with minimum water to get the last grounds out. Wash the jar.

At the store I will have bought, light roasted coffee, grind for a drip or a slightly larger grind, and I will put 3 scoops (or about 30g) of it into the washed jar. Cover the coffee gently with water (or stir and shake it). Then pour the 8 oz. mason jar into a coffee cone that has appropriate filter.

Heat as needed.

[s1m0n]

All coffee is rubbish.