Thread: Coffee, What's what?

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

or that wierd stuff we get in the ration packs that so far the best use Ive managed to find for it it lapping valve seats.

Oh boy, if that is Army ration pack coffee..yuck!
However the rubbish that came from USA ration packs was far worse.

Ron
(Spent 30 years in the Aust Army)

Originally Posted by neil 90

sorry mate but your way off on the thermometer thing, if someone jams the steam arm in the jug and walks of then walk away but everyone gauges temp differnt so you should stretch and texture the milk and then use a thermometer to make sure that the temp is consistant every time, there is a world of difference between someone who uses a thermometer to ensure a regular temp and someone who uses it to tell them its ready

Neil, with only minimal practise your hand will tell you the temperature is right and so you will not need the thermometer - I make my daily latte's 'by hand' so to speak and they are very very consistant. I don't even own a thermometer for milk, it's more important that the steam is the right temp and the pressure is high enough before beginning otherwise you can't stretch the milk and get it 'silky'.

My point exactly - I see the use of a thermometer as a sign of inexperience or a lack of faith in the barista's own ability to "feel" the correct temperature. I would prefer the time-tested and trusty hand of an expert over the technical accuracy of a thermometer. Of course different baristas are going to feel different temperatures when using their hands, but that's just another reason why some are better than others.

Follow me here...
When in Penang, Malaysia, I visited a local food strip, the outdoor kind with vendors selling all manor of stuff from the back of three wheeled bikes!
Bought my scoff and backhandedly mentioned that the nosh would be nice with a cappucino. "Can", "Can", uttered the stall vendor and proceeded to retrieve some whole roasted beans from somewhere in his cart. Mortar and pestle appeared and beans were ground. I had yet to agree to a cup! A very small ramakin sized pot of water was boiled and beans added. Stewed coffee I thought, Seppo style .
Then he opens a tin of carnation milk and proceeds to fill something resembling a cocktail shaker, which was placed over the gas burner for a minute or two. In goes the stewed brew and he shook the shoot out of it for 30 seconds or so, then he pours into a chipped mug.
Then some gibberish in Bahasa with the next door stall holder and the man from the next stall brings an open tin of coconut cream and spoons about a half teaspoon right onto the top and stirs gently.
"Cappucino, One Ringit Sir" was the call.
Best damn coffee I had had for ages. Went back every night!
Just goes to show!
BTW, I grew up on Army coffee (still serving) and I think that because of that, I will drink pretty much any coffee as long as its hot!
Ralph

thats the big difference with NATO coffee, its served tepid at best cause if it was hot you couldnt skull it when you had to go cause you got in a contact or you were about to get caught drinking brew when you were ment to be on picquet...

WIthout fail every time Im on pucka range I only ever get in bun fights the second the boiling water touchs the coffee.

nothin worse than trying to not spill a cups canteen of coffee while blatting away trying to keep the gun in arc unless its trying to hook up a new belt with the same cup of coffee in your non master hand.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

Whats the difference between instant, Expresso and cappuchino?

Nothing, they're all terrible

Not disagreeing but as said often steamed milk not used in a flat white (unless at a good coffee shop, and most good coffee shops do not call them flat white anymore now that people know what a latte is). May be different on east coast. I got sick of getting a flat white expecting a latte only to get an instant coffee over here. Nearly all but not all shops over here serve lattes in mug size glasses. Only been to a few that serve them in cup size.
Just got a beaut new dear as the national debt coffe machine at work, so guess where I hang out now? Not as good as a good barrista, but not bad.
Biggest problem I see is overuse of milk to make a larger coffee. If the coffee is going to be in a larger cup or glass as a lot do now to get your business they need to put in more espresso not just milk.
Coffe Cat truck size with a triple shot.MMMM.

Used to get my coffe by mail before was readily available lcally and even in the triple sealed foil bags you could smell it when you went in to the post office to pick it up.
Damn, another 8hrs WST until the coffee cat opens again.

Originally Posted by solmanic

Nope - a Latte and Flat White are the same except for what they are served in. I know, I've been trained by an expert. If one's bigger then it's just a product of the cup/glass size - so maybe you will get a bit more milk in a tall one.

Both should be made with steamed milk as that's where all coffees get their heat from. But don't get me started on d***head so-called baristas who make coffee so hot you burn your tongue. It's not tea FFS! And if you ever see someone steaming milk with a thermometer in the jug then walk away... this is a sure sign of an amateur. The milk should be just to the temperature such that you can't hold your hand on the underside of the jug - no hotter. Who needs a thermometer for that?

Maybe we should start a thread for people to post their coffee art... or you could just check out http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl

You mean there's a coffee other than instant?