Coffee
March 27th 2009 16:23
Rich, Dark, Wonderful Coffee Beans
It does however, appall me somewhat, at how many people don't know good coffee from bad. Oh, sure, we all have our drip coffee makers, some with timers so they come on before we have to get up and hence a fresh, hot cup of coffee greets us in the morning. Hell, I have one of those and I frequently remember to use it. But these don't make the best of coffee in the world, not bad as they have improved but not great, regardless of the coffee used.
But the real culprit, the coffee used. Most people use coffee bought at a grocery store, already ground, already bagged, boxed, canned, or put in plastic containers for our convenience. You see the problem is, the minute coffee is ground it starts going stale. So, what do people do, they put the coffee in the freezer to keep it fresh, but if it isn't already too late, the freezing of coffee, whether beans or ground, is not good, the oils don't like freezing. Refrigerate your coffee, that's all right but please don't freeze it.
Now, the coffee itself. Whether regular roast, dark roast, Columbian best beans, or what, if it is prepackaged ground it is probably stale by the time it leaves the store. I love fresh ground coffee, yeah, it is an extra step, but it makes the coffee so much fresher. I will grind enough for three days, and put what I don't use immediately in a vacuum bottle in the fridge. It doesn't have a chance to go stale.
The beans, where do I get the beans you ask, not at the grocery store I answer, those could have been sitting there for ages and they cost way too much. Nor do I buy Star, well you know who I mean. They are too expensive for a not really great coffee. No, I buy mine in mini-bulk, forty ounces at a time at Sam's Club. Their house brand, French Roast. It's a good dark and rich coffee. When they have it at the store I buy the espresso roast, because I love espresso at any time of day or night, who cares about sleep?!
Earlier I name dropped Kona coffee, besides buying from Sam's, I also belong to this expensive but lovely little coffee club on the internet, not the one we all know, the one where you can get coffee pots, mugs, etc., for signing up, no this one is called Boca Java, it is out of Florida, and every couple of months I buy a combination of coffees and teas from them. You see I love tea too. According to their literature, which I tend to believe because it can be checked, they grind the coffee when you order, not before. If true, yippie! If not, I can live with it because the coffee is very fresh tasting and delicious. Oh, they have had a few that I didn't find impressive, but this past month they had a special on Kona coffee and it is wonderful. They also had Jamaican Blue Mountain, but who has that kind of money to spend on eight ounces of coffee? Not me, but one day, I'll try that famous or maybe infamous coffee and judge for myself if it is any good. I had a friend who says it's not good, but who knows did she get it fresh ground? Made with a French press, or a drip pot? All these things matter.
This will be my last work on coffee, at least for today, the way you make it matters. I make mine, normally, in a drip coffee maker, with a timer, which I sometimes remember to use. But when I have guests and want special coffee, really, really special, I use a French Press. To me this makes the best of coffees, it's hot, fresh and you know exactly how the coffee is going to taste because you can see it, as you squeeze the grounds out of the water and the coffee comes out rich, aromatic, and perfect, you know you are serving a great cup of coffee. Add this to fresh ground beans, and good water, you have a cup of coffee you and be really proud of and happily serve to your favorite guest.
Wow, have I ranted on about coffee, too much? Sorry, I didn't realize I had so much to say. And there is more that could be said, but I'll stop. Later, maybe today, maybe not, I think I'm going to write about an old American favorite, the hot dog. Not a food I love but one that can be really fun to write about. Later folks have a great day, enjoy our morning, afternoon, or evening coffee, tea or chai.
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