On Coffee Makers

Sorry, I believe in KISS (keep it simple, stupid). The more different things a machine is supposed to do, the more chances there are for something to break and render the whole unusable. I'd put the money the machine costs into buying better coffee beans.

I grind my beans in either a burr-type grinder or a little Braun (the kind that's good for spices, too). Then I either drip in a Melitta, or use a French press. Sometimes a stove-top espresso pot, but that doesn't make real espresso -- can't get enough steam for good crema. The electric espresso machine has long since been packed away, for the same reason.

BTW: What's an ibrik? Please describe.

Ah, so THAT's the name for that pot. Yes, I've got that too, but haven't used it in a while.

You just made me realize how spoiled I am here. :( As long as I can control my cravings to daytime only, I can take a short walk and get a great espresso -- and NOT at a Starbuck's, you can be sure! :rolleyes:

But to get back to your original question -- I've heard very good reports about the Francis Francis machines. Are they available there? The main necessity, according to an Italian chef I was asked, is the pressure of the steam. You need a really good head of steam (high psi) to extract the best of the coffee AND make a good crema. I just found a clipping from Food and Wine magazine, September 2001, recommending a couple of machines by Gaggia, including their "Synchrony" that does exactly what you're looking for. Steep price, though -- US$1200! What is that in rands??

I'm with you, Susanne, except that I like using freshly ground beans in a Chemex (more handsome than Melitta). Personally, I like an occasional espresso - out.

GSquared, how can you poke through FP? It's a marvelous mystery story! Wonderfully intricate. When you do finish it, check out Georges Perec's A Void, another funky mystery story.

Crema from an IBRIK

I get the best crema from an ibrik, better that any espresso I ever drank in Berkeley and North Beach. With an ibrik the trick is NOT TO BOIL THE MIXTURE. Just heat slowly and gently to allow the crusty head to rise; let it fall and reheat gently to rise again. Then serve. An ibrik is the simplest way to go. The best flavor is achieved using Arabian Mocha Sanani from Peets (NOT Starbucks) ground superfinely with your own Turkish coffee grinder, by hand.

GSquared,

Welcome to Cheftalk,

While these do not directly answer your question, you may find my post under the "Three Star Coffee thread insightful.

Chef Patrick also has articles on coffee here at ChefTalk.

So you like turkish coffee kokopuffs :)

Sorry cchiu but CAPE CHEF did you know that the deposit of turkish coffee is very good " food" for gardenias and the coffee deposit in general is good for flowers that live in pots?
I always keep mine, even from filter coffees.
My flowers are caffeine addicts :):):)

edited to add.

Have you tasted Lebanese coffee??
It's a kind of turkish coffee with cardamom!!
It's the best cofee you make it in a ibrik as well.

Well, A, to be politically correct: It's all middle east style coffee! But I am verrry particular about the beans I buy. They'll make or break the brew.

Dear Athenaues,

Thanks for the coffee tip with gardinias, I have had little to no luck with them flowering..I have to believe they are the most tempermental plant I have ever seen..But the aroma is so worth the effort
BTW...my grinds go in my compost,,works like a charm

Cape Chef gardenias need to grow under the shadow of big trees and they love huge barrels instead of pots.
I have two huge ones and the live hapily in half of a wine barrel each.

As for being moody, I think you are right. I once had the bright idea to change the place of the one of them and place it next to a bigger plant.

I think she thought that I was making a beauty contest or a comparison because the poor thing almost died until I put it back to the previous place...

Thank you Athenaues,

I think that I did not put enough hummis in my soil, I have a perfect place to try a couple, in my back I have a nice mostly shade garden which is flanked by a huge rodi and mountian laural. I think they will enjoy that spot :)

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer coarse ground beans in a French Press. I can really discern the smooth, rounded flavor of coffee steaped in a press. Just my preference.

Okay

You're old fashioned. :D

Me, I like all kinds of coffee except BAD.

Suzanne, I knew it would be you!!!!!!!

Press Pots

For several years I used a press pot to no avail. My results were very inconsistent and the coffee flavorless. So I went back to both my ibrik as well as my Chemex maker which I really like. So I have a plunger pot if anyone's interested. Just email me personally if interested.

HI, everyone. Unfortunately for me, I joined the group at the same time that these other colorful posters did. But that is the first and last reseblance between us. I discovered this wonderful forum through Athenaeus, so now it will be two people from Greece here, although I am not a professional culinary person, just in love with cooking.

I noticed that in the description of how to make the so-called greek or turkish coffee (name varies depending on whom you are talking with) it was said that the coffee biols twice. Actually, that is not correct. The coffee must come to a slow boil and as it does that you see the top layer slowly "inflating" and at the moment this layer breaks into bubbles it must be removed from the fire and poured carefully into the cups. The secret lies both in the timing of removing it from the fire as well as in the slow pouring into the cup so that the top layer will retain its heavy consistency.


A little note for gardenias: they like iron, so add a long nail into the pot or barrel.
Another little note on coffee grounds: 2 weeks ago I saw that starbucks here in Houston started selling their used coffee grounds to garden buffs. Of course the grounds don't come in a packet with instructions as to how to use them, the fact that they acidify the soil, the fact that they are not good for all plants, how often should one administer them etc...


Now I go back to my quiet corner.

A warm welcome zouzouni!!!

Nice to have you with us...and thanks for the tip on gardenias :)

Any friend of Athenaues is a friend of our's

Tell us alittle about yourself in the welcome forum. I see you are a graduate student

GG -- That's some machine!

It looks like it's Internet-ready ;) Have you used it yet? Is it all you dreamed it would be (I hope so!). More to the point: how's the coffee you made with it???????

Jim: is that good or bad :confused: ;)

Middle Easet Coffee

Zouzouni:

My technique resembles your instructions. Search the forum and I think that you'll see that I posted very similar instructions. I'm self taught in making M.E. coffee and pride myself on that fact. Not bad for an American especially of Polish descent.

My preference is not to allow bubbles to break the surface - a gentler brewing method methinks is better. I prefer the Mt. Saint Helens effect: allow the crust to bulge and receed twice before serving.

...now if I could just learn to make dolmas, I'd be in heaven, or at least atop Mt. Olympus. Next stop, Mt. Atlas! All aboard.

GSquared ,
You're welcome. :)

zouzouni ,
Welcome to the ChefTalk Cafe! You can view kokopuff's method for brewing Middle East Style Coffee here.

;)

Gardenias are also warm weather plants. They flourished in our yard in Fl. We had both the big bushes with the flourist size blooms and the smaller creeping ones with the little blooms. My mistake was in trying to grow them in a cool climate.....

:confused:

Kimmie, love, back up and read the digressionary (?) bits about coffee grounds and gardens. Then it makes perfect sense.

Gotcha, Suzanne dearest :D