HOW DO YOU DO YOUR COFFEE?

For a long time I used to use a cafetiere with a plunger. well, a number of them, in fact, because they were always breaking. The thin glass or whatever cylinder seems to be equipped with an autodestruct mechanism so that after a couple of years one has a whole collection of useless plungers and is wondering whether to invest in yet another. So I was so wondering while wandering round the supermarket when I saw that you can get a complete coffee making machine quite cheaply. Cheap proved to be the operative word since, on arrival home, I managed to break one of the plastic bits getting it out of the box. The damage was not fatal. The things still works if one is careful with it. However, the coffee that came out was definitely weaker than I was used to with the previous system.

When sophistication does not work, go back to basics. Remembering my childhood in Cyprus I have resorted to boiling my coffee in a copper saucepan straight on the gas. It takes a bit of watching as it has a wont to boil over with black splashes everywhere, but it certainly gets the best taste out of a given quantity of coffee, so for the moment I’m sticking with it. The drawback is that there is a residue in the bottom of the cup. To minimise this I put it through a fine strainer when I pour it from the saucepan into the jug. Most of what gets through the strainer then stays in the jug and never gets to my cup, so a small black deposit is not problem really. So, now I’ll go back to my perfect cup of coffee. What do you do?

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  • Ah, reminds me of Cyprus.

  • That's how traditionally turkish/arabic coffee is served. In one cup there's coffee, water and a sweet (turkish delight)

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    David Brazier said:

    Ah, I'm used to tea with spices - but what spices go well in coffee?

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  • Here, interestingly they use cardamom and saffron. The after taste is bit strong and aroma very good - if you enjoy these spices.  

  • Ah, I'm used to tea with spices - but what spices go well in coffee?

  • I love Arabic coffee a lot here in Dubai. Very tasteful with spices.

  • Yes, that is more or less how I do it. If I'm short of time I use a paper coffee filter instead, but you get weaker coffee that way.

  • Your post brought back some memories of my mother. When I was very young and she had friends over for a meal, she usually offered coffee afterwards. My memory is of the coffee grounds floating in a pot filled with water. She would bring it to a boil (at least I think this is how she did it). The coffee grounds would sink to the bottom and she would pour the coffee carefully from the top of the pot, taking care not to disturb the coffee grounds now at the bottom. I am not sure I have the description of the technique quite right but it is what I remember. I wish she were still alive so that I could ask her.
  • Yes, I remember the tiny cups of intense coffee in Italy. The coffee I like best at the moment is Brazilian - there is a variety called Bahia you can get locally in the supermarkets here. There are also some Italian brands I like. They have a sharper taste than the Brazilian which is quite smooth.

  • Here in Italy we use to make a little coffee, if you go to the bar you'll have a little cup with two sips of coffee...but very intense. Nowadays almost all families have an espresso machine at home, but I like my old "caffettiera moka". I also use to buy coffee toasted by prisoners in Torino....it has a very good taste and it's a social cooperation.

    I can bring my caffettiera when I'll come!

    Have a good weekend!

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