Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[pf778c]

Oh Lois,

 

I SWEAR by hot toddies for the inevitable winter-time crud!  Only thing that works!

 

Mine are a huge mug of brandy, a *big* blob of honey, and just enough boiling water to make it hot.  The steam helps me breathe, the honey soothes my throat and cough, and the heat opens my chest.  And the brandy soothes me to sleep.

 

Funny thing is, I should be getting at least a bit tipsy off these, but I never do.  Must be due to it being purely medicinal...

[mysty]

[Port Power]

22 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

It must be - I read it on the internet 😂😂😂🧐😉

 

https://coffeeaffection.com/australia-coffee-statistics/

 

Hard to believe given the number of coffee shops, carts and other outlets serving barista coffee - I guess it’s a generational thing and will evolve over time 

Some interesting statistics. “39% drink instant coffee” - all those jars of freeze dried coffee on supermarket shelves are there for a reason! “65% have a coffee machine at home” - Nespresso and the like have really made a place for themselves. But are they real coffee machines?  Not like my Jura!

[QueSeraSera]

2 hours ago, Port Power said:

Not like my Jura!

These machines do look interesting!  Williams-Sonoma has them, not sure what kind of coffee grind they take.  Wondering if they are like Keurigs?

& of course, no, you do not have to drink coffee to hang out here.  While wine is recommended (at least by one Virginian), it is hardly mandatory

Still too hot here to think about a hot toddy (as it will be in FLA when Lois returns), but it does sound good & I intend to try once the heat and humidity move to the Southern hemisphere

[jpalbny]

Enjoying the rain tonight. It's been stormy all afternoon and evening, with intermittent thunder, lightning and downpours. Good for the lawn, and the other crops I'm growing this year.

 

The tomatoes haven't yielded as much as last year which is probably good. I planted fewer and trimmed them back a month ago so I wouldn't be inundated with tomatoes. That seems to have worked.

 

On the other hand, the single pickling cucumber plant that I put in the garden has taken off like crazy. It's so dense that I sometimes don't find all of the cukes until they have grown too big and are barely suitable to eat. And we've been eating cucumber salad, and making dill pickles like crazy.

 

So this weekend I found a huge cuke that weighed in at 18 ounces. This isn't your average pickling cuke!

 

 

It was going to be too tough and seedy to eat in a salad. What else to do with it? I've heard that cucumbers can be cooked so I wondered if that would be a way to use an overgrown tough specimen. Since I was making spiced grilled short ribs with a vaguely Korean BBQ flavor, I found a recipe for sautéed cucumbers that is supposedly of Korean origin.

 

But first, the star of the dinner. Love this recipe for flanken-style short ribs! So simple to make; just put a dry spice rub of brown sugar, chili powder, coriander, and salt on them, let them sit as long as you can bear, then grill for a minute or so per side.

 

 

While the ribs rested, I scooped out the big seeds from the cucumber and sliced it thickly. Then I sautéed a bit of garlic in oil, and stir-fried the cucumber for about 2 minutes. To finish, I added scallions and sesame oil for flavor, along with a few sesame seeds. 

 

 

It was a nice accompaniment to the short ribs. And the leftovers were even better for lunch today!

Edited August 31, 2022 by jpalbny

[Host Jazzbeau]

Never had coffee from a pod – who knows when it was roasted/ground [except ... months ago].  After research based on The Google, I found a coffee aficionados website that recommended the Bonavita drip coffeemaker, because it heats the water to precisely 195º-205ºf (91º-96ºc) which gets it certification from some coffee institute.  I found that with this precise coffee making, I could drop the fancy single-vineyard coffee beans I was grinding and switch to [wait for it] Dunkin' Donuts Classic Medium Roast – and get perfect coffee every time.  The savings on coffee have already paid off the cost of the coffee maker!

 

[Back to my café au lait preference:  I make the coffee very strong, but only pour half a cup.  The rest is warmed whole milk (and lots of sweetener, but that's just my preference).  The point is, with this coffeemaker I can brew it as strong as I want without it ever becoming bitter.  It's an anti-Americano!!!]

 

[Port Power]

4 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

Still too hot here to think about a hot toddy (as it will be in FLA when Lois returns), but it does sound good & I intend to try once the heat and humidity move to the Southern hemisphere

It is a lovely winter day here in  Perth.  Bright sunshine and 22 degrees C (71F). Rain forecast for the weekend though, but still 20C.)  I''ll wait until evening for the wine, though. 😄

Edited August 31, 2022 by Port Power

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[zqtchas]

[zqtchas]

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[UKCruiseJeff]

On 8/31/2022 at 2:38 AM, Host Jazzbeau said:

Never had coffee from a pod – who knows when it was roasted/ground [except ... months ago].  After research based on The Google, I found a coffee aficionados website that recommended the Bonavita drip coffeemaker, because it heats the water to precisely 195º-205ºf (91º-96ºc) which gets it certification from some coffee institute.  I found that with this precise coffee making, I could drop the fancy single-vineyard coffee beans I was grinding and switch to [wait for it] Dunkin' Donuts Classic Medium Roast – and get perfect coffee every time.  The savings on coffee have already paid off the cost of the coffee maker!

 

[Back to my café au lait preference:  I make the coffee very strong, but only pour half a cup.  The rest is warmed whole milk (and lots of sweetener, but that's just my preference).  The point is, with this coffeemaker I can brew it as strong as I want without it ever becoming bitter.  It's an anti-Americano!!!]

 

 

For what it’s worth JB, I think it is one of the cheapest self indulgences to buy real coffee beans from a specialist local blender / roaster who buys direct and  has a relationship withe the grower and ensures that both growers and pickers are properly paid.  This sadly does involve a bit of engagement with your local roaster and paying much more for each cup.  I currently pay around £30 per kilo delivered.  But is this too much for such please?  But in the overall scheme of things the coffee isn’t the most expensive of self-indulgences.

 

I use  to buy green raw beans and had a roaster and blended and experimented.  That was short lived.  Specialist blenders and roasters are much more knowledgeable and talented than me.  

 

I have spent a packet over the years on coffee machines and all have ended up being given up for something that is new and shinier and smells newer and has glowing reviews.

 

Our current machine is the Sage Oracle Touch.It is a thing  of shiny beauty and even I will eventually learn how to use this fully automatic machine. 

 

 

 

Edited September 1, 2022 by UKCruiseJeff

[pf778c]

On 8/30/2022 at 9:38 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

I found a coffee aficionados website that recommended the Bonavita drip coffeemaker, because it heats the water to precisely 195º-205ºf (91º-96ºc) which gets it certification from some coffee institute.

Another great drip maker are the Dutch Technivorm Moccamasters.  They also quickly heat water to the optimal temperature and drip and the optimal rate to extract the desired flavonoids from the beans and dispense into a thermal carafe to keep the coffee hot without "cooking" it.  Despite all this, I have been lazy and must confess have been just picking up my coffee from Wawa...

[Rocchi]

6 hours ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

For what it’s worth JB, I think it is one of the cheapest self indulgences to buy real coffee beans from a specialist local blender / roaster who buys direct and  has a relationship withe the grower and ensures that both growers and pickers are properly paid.  This sadly does involve a bit of engagement with your local roaster and paying much more for each cup.  I currently pay around £30 per kilo delivered.  But is this too much for such please?  But in the overall scheme of things the coffee isn’t the most expensive of self-indulgences.

 

I use  to buy green raw beans and had a roaster and blended and experimented.  That was short lived.  Specialist blenders and roasters are much more knowledgeable and talented than me.  

 

I have spent a packet over the years on coffee machines and all have ended up being given up for something that is new and shinier and smells newer and has glowing reviews.

 

Our current machine is the Sage Oracle Touch.It is a thing  of shiny beauty and even I will eventually learn how to use this fully automatic machine. 

 

 

 

This may sound cheeky but is a serious question. In some areas of the UK they have hard water. If you are particular about your coffee could this taint the flavour. If so would you use bottled water?

[UKCruiseJeff]

11 minutes ago, Rocchi said:

This may sound cheeky but is a serious question. In some areas of the UK they have hard water. If you are particular about your coffee could this taint the flavour. If so would you use bottled water?

 

Not a cheeky question at all.

 

We use a water filter.

[Host Jazzbeau]

52 minutes ago, Rocchi said:

This may sound cheeky but is a serious question. In some areas of the UK they have hard water. If you are particular about your coffee could this taint the flavour. If so would you use bottled water?

I use bottled water.  Even after we let the tap water sit uncovered overnight, it still smells of the chemicals that the government is poisoning saving my life with.

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 hours ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

For what it’s worth JB, I think it is one of the cheapest self indulgences to buy real coffee beans from a specialist local blender / roaster who buys direct and  has a relationship withe the grower and ensures that both growers and pickers are properly paid.  This sadly does involve a bit of engagement with your local roaster and paying much more for each cup.  I currently pay around £30 per kilo delivered.  But is this too much for such please?  But in the overall scheme of things the coffee isn’t the most expensive of self-indulgences.

It was never about the cost of the beans – after I got the new certified coffee maker, I bought a sampler of all the different beans my specialist local blender/roaster offers.  And all of them proved to be either too bland or too bitter for my taste [even my previous fave blend of Yemen Mocha Mattari and Java Mountain Supreme].  In desperation I tried the familiar Dunkin' blend and discovered that I like that coffee best of all.  [Short of a fancy espresso-based  machine like the one you pictured, which requires way too much clean-up time for my measly two cups a day.]

[UKCruiseJeff]

18 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

It was never about the cost of the beans – after I got the new certified coffee maker, I bought a sampler of all the different beans my specialist local blender/roaster offers.  And all of them proved to be either too bland or too bitter for my taste [even my previous fave blend of Yemen Mocha Mattari and Java Mountain Supreme].  In desperation I tried the familiar Dunkin' blend and discovered that I like that coffee best of all.  [Short of a fancy espresso-based  machine like the one you pictured, which requires way too much clean-up time for my measly two cups a day.]

 

Oh … never thought or meant it a matter of cost, just really responding to your shared interest with me in the magic of the bean!

 

My time spent years ago buying different green beans and roasting and blending - I’m obsessive about learning how to do things - led me through the interest in all things espresso.  I’ve had many machines over the years.  One year for some reason I ordered an industrial strength fully automated Gaggia and they sent four and refused to collect three!  But ….

 

As you know too bitter can often mean to much robusta in the blend or roasting to dark and good flavour tends to come from a decent less roasted arabica.  You mentioned you buy bottled water and you left me wondering whether you’ve simply tried a filter.  

 

A few decades ago we were staying in a decent hotel who served  us our favourite tea and we couldn’t understand why it tasted so much better than exactly the same tea at home.  Of course we discussed it with them and it was the water.  

 

As a part of setting up a decent coffee machine you measure ph levels and ours was poor from the tap but perfect from the filter.  They also have an additional filter in the machine and a setting for the hardness level.   We had tried even distilling  but became concerned that we were removing the good as well as the bad in the water.  We can leave filtered water out for months as we use it in the iron as well and it never discolours or smells.  Might be a simple solution as it is my instinct that filtered might be better than bottled.  

 

The machine is largely self cleaning and what is left to do is no more work than making coffee in any other way.   

 

I feel like an espresso …….. 🙂

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

The machine is largely self cleaning and what is left to do is no more work than making coffee in any other way.

The water and coffee parts are, but the milk reservoir is the big magilla.  They have a wonderful WMF automated machine on Noble Caledonia [even cleans out the tubes for the milk on its own], but it requires plumbing for the water supply and drain.  That's a level of commitment I just can't go to!

[UKCruiseJeff]

37 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The water and coffee parts are, but the milk reservoir is the big magilla.  They have a wonderful WMF automated machine on Noble Caledonia [even cleans out the tubes for the milk on its own], but it requires plumbing for the water supply and drain.  That's a level of commitment I just can't go to!

 

Absolutely right. 

 

The WMF machines are intended for the public to use ie you just press a single button and your coffee arrives magicially in the cup.  So the milk sits inside the machine and although it flushes it still needs some more careful periodic and regular cleaning and can be a mess and needs more constant attention.  They use them in the Intercontinental in Vienna with the very good Meinl beans.

 

In the professional machines as you know the milk is steamed using the wand and on my one as soon as you finish frothing you simply wipe the nozzle with your rag and push the nozzle down and the machine then forces a few squirts and whooshes of steam down the nozzle and both the inside and outside of the nozzle is spotlessly clean and hygenic in a second or two. 

 

So far as the rest of the machine is concerned it tells you when it wants to have a bit of a flush and asks you whether you want it to get on with it and you shout "YES PLEASE!" at it ( ... oh ... alright ... you press the "yes" button on the touch screen!) and it thoroughly cleans itself.  Every so often it tells you to put a tablet in the head and it does a bit of a deeper clean all by itself.  It doesn't need plumbing in as it has a big reservoir that you fill up from your water filter jug when it needs more. 

 

My very first machine is still made and was a great introduction to real coffee.  It's the Gaggia Classic.  It's a single boiler machine with a hearty professional machine quality pump.  Single boiler simply means that it keeps the temperature just below the critical steaming point so you don't burn and ruin the coffee for the extraction - it uses pressure rather than steam to extract..  And then you switch it over to the wand to do the frothing and just wait a few seconds. Double boiler machines simply means you can froth the milk whilst it's handling the espresso shot at the same time.  Cheap machines tend to not use pressure pumps but rely on the pressure by steaming the water  above 100c so it's impossible to get a perfect shot but the machines are cheap.  The Classic  is a great first machine to learn with and takes no room and it does almost exactly what any good machine does that you'll encounter in the very best coffee shops.

 

I've as usual gone on a bit and bored for England, but I think most people that grudgingly by a decent coffee machine are always pleased they did and wish they'd done it earlier.  I just wish I could stop myself constantly buying shinier ones.

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

[Port Power]

9 hours ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Not a cheeky question at all.

 

We use a water filter.

I also only use filtered water (through a charcoal filter), but also have a filter in the Jura's water container. (I rarely replace that one.)  It is limestone where I live, so a filter is very necessary.  I don't use the milk frother part as I only like a touch of milk.  The machine is self cleaning, but the milk tubes still required a bit of extra TLC occasionally,  If I want frothy milk or have a visitor who does, I have a wonderful little jug with a spinning spring in it (a bit like the Nespresso milk frother).  It is stand alone, does a fabulous job, and cleans up very easily.

 

Regarding beans, I have also found a locally roasted bean that I really like: not bitter, which I find with many blends.  If I can get hold of it, New Guinea Blue Mountain coffee is delicious!

Edited September 2, 2022 by Port Power
All things coffee

[drron29]

Well I am definitely not a coffee fancier and most cheap options to me are a sufficient way to get my caffeine shots.

But when it comes to my G&Ts the quality of the 2 ingredients is very definitely important. As well as my secret ingredient - some finger lime pearls. Fortunately we have 3 trees at home.

[Rocchi]

Interesting coffee discussion and depending where you are from the water quality does matter.

We like to buy whole beans by the packet from Caffè Nero. Don't know what type of beans or where they are from, but is our flavour.

[UKCruiseJeff]

25 minutes ago, Rocchi said:

Interesting coffee discussion and depending where you are from the water quality does matter.

We like to buy whole beans by the packet from Caffè Nero. Don't know what type of beans or where they are from, but is our flavour.

 

Good Morning Rochi,

 

The most important thing is that you like it and it gives you pleasure.  My only argument against that is that you never know what you're missing until you venture forth and my own journey started with Illy and I loved that. 

 

What Gerald (my blender/roaster) has taught me is that the brands buy the cheapest bean they can source (ethical stamps mean nothing ....) and they never tell you what the bean actually is and where it actually came from and then it is all about the marketing and branding and making as big a margin as they can.  So by the time the manufavturer makes the profit and the supermarket makes their profit and all of that is completed at less than £20 per kilo it cannot add up to much by way of decent quality. Their descriptions are simply written in an elaborate romantic style to suck old gullible soppy romantics like me in.    They also rarely give you the "roast date" which is in a way more important than the "use by date".   So in my experience one has no idea where the bean is from and whether they were properly paid, what it is blended with and when it was roasted.

 

In a different post at some time I'll tell you a bit about Gerald and why he is so important and why I pay more for his travels.  And then ... well you can become a compulsive degenerate like me or be sensible and stick with where you are.  The key thing is to be discontent and try new things. Or not.

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!