TaoMeow on Coffee

[thelerner]

I think I'll try this. I noticed Trader Joe's has ghee as well as Kerrygold butter. The article mentions Kerrygold, but I wonder if ghee would be tastier/better? I'll go w/ the Kerrygold and at some point experiment w/ ghee.

[Taomeow]

I think I'll try this. I noticed Trader Joe's has ghee as well as Kerrygold butter. The article mentions Kerrygold, but I wonder if ghee would be tastier/better? I'll go w/ the Kerrygold and at some point experiment w/ ghee.

Right now I'm drinking mine with ghee I made out of Kerrygold . Raw organic butter is the best but I realize it's not widely available (we have one store nearby that carries it, from a local source).

 

As for which is tastier, ghee or Kerrygold, I think it's a matter of personal preference. Kerrygold is perhaps one of TJ's big fortes, I buy it all the time (not just for coffee and not just for ghee) -- just make sure you get the unsalted variety. Oh and do report back on your findings!

Edited August 5, 2013 by Taomeow

[Taomeow]

Oh, forgot to mention one more thing among the new developments. This one is very important, and I am a bit ashamed of myself for ignoring it for so many years even though I should have figured it out myself.

 

I was discussing things coffee with a friend who is French, from an upward-mobile peasant family in Western Alps, with whom we've often exchanged memories and recipes of "good hearty meals." He mentioned that coffee in those parts, as well as everywhere else he remembers drinking it in the general vicinity of Lake Geneva, is always served (usually very strong) with a tall glass of water (no ice, of course). You drink water in between your coffee sips to compensate for its strong drying effects. Duh! Brilliant, why didn't I think of it before! Coffee is indeed very drying and some people feel it right away (especially if they drink very strong coffee, the way I do). So now I drink it ONLY like that.

[Marblehead]

It sounds like he (your friend) was talking about Turkish coffee and not Italian Espresso. I drank some of that Turkish stuff when I was vacationing in Spain and yes, it is very strong. The coffee in Italy is very different.

[Taomeow]

I sampled coffee everywhere I've been, and still like the version I learned how to make in Armenia best. It's essentially "Turkish," but you are not asked to chew on the grinds, which I don't see the point of at all, and also pre-mixing coffee with sugar is far superior to adding sugar to the ready brew or not using it at all. (The second best way IMO is to have a lump of sugar on the side if you brew it without, but it's hard to find the old-fashioned kind that doesn't disintegrate right away and behaves more like a piece of hard candy.) So, the difference is, you grind it almost, but not quite, as finely as for Turkish, and then when it's ready, you either wait a couple of minutes to let the sediment settle on the bottom before pouring it carefully into the cup, or if you can't wait, use a fine strainer to pour it through.

 

The cezve method is easy and simple, but the first couple of times one would want to see someone experienced do it, because timing is everything here and this has to be seen, not told. I'll look around youtube later to see if anyone has a video of the precisely timed "correct coffee," if not, maybe I'll make one.

[Marblehead]

The cezve method is easy and simple, but the first couple of times one would want to see someone experienced do it, because timing is everything here and this has to be seen, not told. I'll look around youtube later to see if anyone has a video of the precisely timed "correct coffee," if not, maybe I'll make one.

I don't recall that method so I would be interested (so don't feel you would be wasting your time looking for a video).

 

Good old Army coffee is great if there is nothing else available. Hehehe.

[Taomeow]

I don't recall that method so I would be interested (so don't feel you would be wasting your time looking for a video).

 

Good old Army coffee is great if there is nothing else available. Hehehe.

Any which coffee beats no coffee, hands down.

[thelerner]

Right now I'm drinking mine with ghee I made out of Kerrygold . Raw organic butter is the best but I realize it's not widely available (we have one store nearby that carries it, from a local source).

 

As for which is tastier, ghee or Kerrygold, I think it's a matter of personal preference. Kerrygold is perhaps one of TJ's big fortes, I buy it all the time (not just for coffee and not just for ghee) -- just make sure you get the unsalted variety. Oh and do report back on your findings!

Whoa, making your own ghee, that's hard core . I got my hands on ghee, Kerrygold and a battery operated frother yesterday. This morning I chose to use the ghee because the $2.99 frother didn't work. I put 1 teaspoon of ghee into a medium cup of strong coffee. I wasn't bad. I could taste the butter flavor and a nice sweetness. I added another teaspoon, more sweetness and an enjoyable 'coating' of my mouth. Still I missed the milk, which some wrote destroy the benefit. Still adding a little two percent made it more tastier. Maybe because it was closest to my usual cup.

 

Healthwise, I think the idea is to keep it black w/ ghee or butter then exercise. With no protein or carb (little anyway) you get brain and energy boost but keep in fasted/ fat burning state.

[Taomeow]

Ghee is very easy to make, one of the easiest recipes. I prefer butter in my coffee after all, I just ran out, hence ghee. As a rule, I like to use ghee in cooking (especially mixed half and half with coconut oil -- the secret of the most celebrated French chefs I'm told, and I believe it too), but not as a substitute for butter in or on anything already ready, its buttery flavor is a tad too strong.

 

I never use milk in my own coffee, but if I drink it elsewhere, then I do (half and half), to smooth down the ubiquitous bitterness of not-me-made coffee.

[Marblehead]

I never use milk in my own coffee, but if I drink it elsewhere, then I do (half and half), to smooth down the ubiquitous bitterness of not-me-made coffee.

I have been using non-dairy creamer for a very long time now for that reason. Dairy products alter the coffee flavor.

[Taomeow]

I am in opposition to non-dairy creamers because of all the unhealthy stuff they are made of. If you want un-altered coffee flavor with no bitterness and no milk in it, just make sure your beans are roasted light or medium rather than dark, "french" or "espresso," and don't be afraid of sugar.

[Marblehead]

I am in opposition to non-dairy creamers because of all the unhealthy stuff they are made of. If you want un-altered coffee flavor with no bitterness and no milk in it, just make sure your beans are roasted light or medium rather than dark, "french" or "espresso," and don't be afraid of sugar.

Oh, I use my sugar too. I recall from my Army days that one of the Mess Sergeants used a pinch of salt to negate the bitterness of the coffee he brewed. But then, I have no problem with using the creamer so I likely will never try doing that. But then, who knows? Maybe one day.

 

And yes, in my house the coffee you will find is French, Colombian, and Espresso. Oh well.

[Stosh]

There are two main divisions of coffee

Arabica which isn't much bitter and is usually darker

And cheaper robusta which is more bitter and lighter if made to the same strength.

Either if actually brought to full boiling point ,will leach off-tastes

 

All coffee taste classifies as bitter since its not sweet sour salty or metallic.

A small amount of milk and sugar round out the taste Imo but you don't have to agree

If your preferred 'creamer' has hydrogenated veg oil that's unnatural .

Just my two cents.

 

[Taomeow]

There's also harari which is on the sour side, I think I mentioned that I find a mix of 80% arabica with 20% harari optimal. I don't use robusta, no disrespect intended to this particular bean, smallish and usually Asian produced -- India grows most robustas that get to the market I think, or at least used to -- I just don't have a reason to seek it out.

 

The level of bitterness that is objectionable in any variety is usually achieved via overroasting (I had a post in this thread regarding the reasons for, and multiple disadvantages of, dark roasts.) Put plainly, it's the taste of burned material. If this happened to my steak, I'd throw it away. Burned parts of food items often form strong carcinogens, among other things. So all the numerous health benefits of coffee may go up in smoke in the overroasted varieties. ("Dark" or "light" does not refer to a particular type of bean, only to the type of roast.)

 

It is indeed classified as "bitter" which is actually good news, since American and European diets in general are drastically deficient in the Bitter taste (which in TCM "nourishes the Heart"), and coffee, for many, is just about the only source. But the level of bitterness in ordinarily encountered overroasted coffees, or the ones served in any coffee shop (of which only corporate ones seem to survive -- Starbucks, Peet's, The Coffee Bean, etc. -- to say nothing of non-specialized ones that make a brew far inferior to even these) is uncalled for. It's all about quality -- dark roasts mask stale moldy tastes with an overpowering note of excessive bitterness. That's not what coffee is meant to taste like.

 

As for letting it boil, that's a culinary crime, since it destroys not only the flavor but also the antioxidants.

[Stosh]

Were close on coffee ,

But bitter and partially bitter foods , there are plenty of vegetables, eggplant peppers onions garlic brassicas , beer, coffee , tea , spices . Its just that elsewhere they have no choice but to eat crappy bitter foods. given a choice , they wouldn't eat very differently, and it shows in places more affluent.

[Colonel Goji]

I prefer dandelion and bitter greens to get bitter into my diet, coffee has too many downsides energy wise for me, TCM and ayurveda would both prove coffee is best used as medicine and sparingly.

 

However if one is very healthy to begin with and balanced there is certainly nothing wrong with moderate coffee indulgence. In fact I'm going to have to ride my bike first thing in the morning to get a redeye from Starbucks.

 

Oh how nice it would be to have money to make an exquisite brew of coffee as thelerner describes in his wonderful original post of this thread!

 

 

edit: OR should I say Taomeow's original post?!

Edited August 8, 2013 by Colonel Goji

[Taomeow]

Money -- a small or medium-sized cezve can be bought for under $20 and is going to last forever. A coffee grinder, ditto. The rest is smart shopping. Trader Joe's carries "Joe" -- medium roast -- 100% arabica -- 14 oz. for under $5. This, if you don't intend to go professional on your coffee, is decent coffee, I promise, and is quite a bit cheaper cup for cup than to imbibe at Starbuck's. Also, Thelerner is indeed wonderful but the post he offered in the OP entry was mine, copied from some discussion in the general forum. (I still have doubts about the title he gave this thread -- "Taomeow on coffee" sounds a bit like "Mary on crack" -- can be read either way. And if anyone thinks Taomeow on coffee is not humanity's greatest specimen, wait till you meet Taomeow OFF coffee... )

[Marblehead]

Well, I just poured my second cup of "morning" coffee. I normally don't start moving well until after my third cup.

[Marblehead]

And if anyone thinks Taomeow on coffee is not humanity's greatest specimen, wait till you meet Taomeow OFF coffee... )

Yeah, I know that well. I don't even like me until after I have had at least two cups of coffee in the morning.

[Stosh]

Its funny-odd, Lack of coffee is one of the few things that doesnt make me crabby.

( yeah ,that title, Taomeow on coffee , really did look like it was about getting 'hyper'.)

Like ...Julia child on crystal meth she cooked up .

Edited August 8, 2013 by Stosh

[i am]

This may just have convinced me to buy an ibrik...

 

$20 range on Amazon, even though I love to hate to love to shop there...

[mantis]

glad this thread is gaining traction again, i placed an order on amazon for an ibrik as well. my understanding is that you mix the coffee, sugar, and grinds together and bring it to "froth" several times and then pour it (slowly, as the grinds will settle to the bottom)?

[Taomeow]

glad this thread is gaining traction again, i placed an order on amazon for an ibrik as well. my understanding is that you mix the coffee, sugar, and grinds together and bring it to "froth" several times and then pour it (slowly, as the grinds will settle to the bottom)?

I'll make a video I think.

[Marblehead]

Damn. Now I have to go make some coffee.

[Marblehead]

Aw! (After first sip of freshly made cup of coffee.)

 

Life is so much better now.