[PowerPainter]

I've only recently got my own coffee machine which makes both espresso and filter coffee.
After going through all the stale crap brands on the Supermarket Shelves, I bought some freshly ground beans from a local independant coffee shop a few weeks back and there really is no going back.

I want to take the plunge and buy a grinder myself, but after reading around the net it seems they can be a little pricey if you really want the perfect cup of coffee.

Do any of you use the cheaper blade grinders and if so which ones?
How are they in terms of grind for both espresso and filter use?


Also any beans you recommend?

I'm currently drinking Grumpy Mules Organic Sumatra, lovely rich dark chocolate flavours and you end up pretty wired after a few cups.

This post has been edited by PowerPainter: 30 April 2012 - 12:25 PM

[cf]

Lavazza is my poison

I used to go out with an Italian girl and she showed me her way of making the best espresso.

I use one of those 2 cup stove top espresso makers and load it up with Lavazza, when the first little bit of coffee starts coming out of the spout inside you quickly remove the pot from the heat and pour this first dribble , less than a teaspoon ( she called it the 'oil' and it is thicker than what follows ) into a cup with a couple of teaspoons of white sugar.
Return the pot to the stove so it fills up and in the meantime whisk the oil and the sugar together really vigourously with the wrong end of a spoon until it becomes really white and creamy.
Then divide the sugary stuff into two espresso cups and pour on the coffee thats now filled the pot.
Give it a quick stir and you have the most delicious espresso on the planet.
Use a gentle heat and be patient so the coffee doesnt come too quickly so you can catch the oil ...and also you dont want to 'burn ' the coffee.

I havent come across anyone in this country who does this and I havent seen it done in Italy either but I cant drink most espressos when I'm out because they are so bitter even with sugar.

[wildbill]

Another vote for Lavazza, been drinking it for over 20 years. The Black (espresso blend) is my fav, the gold is nicer once in a while but I quickly tire of it.

As regards the "blade grinders", they are pretty crap really but better than nothing. They smash rather than grind the beans and wake everyone up with their noise..

So what I do is either buy Lavazza, or got to my local coffee merchant & buy just 100g ready ground (fine). It is getting stale by the time I finish it, so it's not worth buying more.

One other point is don't keep you coffee in the fridge, it makes the oils flocculate or coagulate(can't remember) anyway it ruins the taste imo. Either freeze it ready ground & use it straight from frozen, scoop out just what you need from the freezer.

cf's espresso method sound exactly like an old arab guy told me is how they used to make it "back home" when he was a kid. Thanks for that cf, he was quite vague about the specifics so I never tried making it.

This post has been edited by Owderb: 30 April 2012 - 02:23 PM

[Hiphip]

Hi cf, could you please tell me how you clean those stove top pots? I had one but it went all manky.
Sorry for the hijack PP.

Cheers

This post has been edited by Owderb: 30 April 2012 - 02:22 PM

[bizzaro]

speak to our mucker organic jim...the dude loves his coffee.

[cf]

Manky espresso pot , yeah I don't know what it is with the alloy ones but if you don't scrub them and make sure they are totally dry afterwards they seem to attract a sort of unpleasant growth ...I have no idea what it is but you just have to accept that if you use one then it needs a good scour out and drain so that there's no water left sitting in it every time you use it .
They make good coffee when they're clean and they're really cheap but if you have a few quid then there are several stainless steel stove top pots available and they don't have the problem that you get with the alloy ones .

I just have one of the cheap ones but its not a problem for me coz I like washing up!
Nothing better than radio 4 and a bowl of hot suds

[cf]

@ b.wild

Totally agree with you about the grinder ,I bought what I was told was quite a good one but I use it to smash up sunflower and pumpkin seeds for my porridge and buy lavazza ...my fav is the red one tho

[Degsy]

Nice one cf , I've never heard of that method before but I'll give it a go next time

[Lake Palmer]

PP, if your budget stretches, I cannot recommend Nespresso enough. I don't like Nestle and I don't like the cost, but the coffee is absolutely out of this world, every cup is perfect. I bought a very expensive machine about 5 years ago though the £99 are fine. The coffee is first class and you don't have to arse about. They reckon they take the top 10% of coffee in the world at any point in time and roast, grind and put into the little foil cups. These are pierced by the machine and boiling water is pushed through it.

They have guests coffee each month. Its my wife who loves coffee and its her number 1 luxury, she would rather not by make up if times are hard.

[ratdog]

I found grinding beans daily was the best, used to but them in the next town, but then i was on a minimum of two large expressos before i left the house, i was a jibbering wreck till eleven, but it tasted bloody lovely

[charas]

I like the red one too CF. Illy also make nice smooth ready ground.

C

[conky]

Jamaican Blue Mountain.
Preferably consumed in Montego Bay, early morning with
a lambs breed spliff.

sorry, no one like a show off!!

I find lavazza is a real nice taste.
We have a local brand were i work, but alas
i only drink a max of two a day!
its fresh and free but after 4/5 your almost gurning!!

[audioaddict]

I drink far too much coffee, it probably isn't doing me any good.

I don't have any fancy ways of making it, am way too impatient even to use a cafetiere properly, I use the glass part to brew the coffee, then just pour it through a tea strainer into my mug.

I only really buy it from a local coffee shop, it has been part of a local shopping centre for generations and has about 20 different types of coffee that they will grind up for you.

My favourite bean is usually peaberry, but I love 'em all.

[EnigmaticOne]

I have a cooker top pot and used to love it, (never did it the way you describe though CF) My preferred brand is lavazza (the black one)
Although I have tried the Illy one and think it's smoother than the lavazza, but at £6 odd a tin I want it to sing and dance to me too.
I had a DeLonghi coffee machine bought for me at christmas and absolutely love the espresso it makes. I prefer it to the one from the stove top pot now.

[NMW]

i only use the Aero press these days it make a nice brew too
taylors of harrogate colombia excelso beans