Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Because it's about time we had another coffee post

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  • Peter Calder,

    I remember at the Sydney Olympics the Australian (and NZ) journos laughed like drains when a New York Times writer complained - in print - that she couldn't find a decent cup of coffee in Sydney. To really appreciate this, you need to have tried to get a good cup of coffee in New York, which is a major challenge.
    The French make bad coffee too, in my experience. In Italy, even the coffee served in motorway service stations is superb.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 66 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey,

    The issue of hot coffee suddenly spurting from a plunger as the action of plunging gives way usually lies in the grind of the coffee. If you put in a fine grind, and put in a bit of it, it will form a rigid layer that you have to push down against - which can be hard to do. The water is being forced through the grinds as you push down, but the fine grind 'mats' together preventing relatively easy passage of water. It will give way at some point which is where you get burnt from the resulting gush of hot water.

    Use a coarse grind for plungers and you won't have that problem. If you can't get a coarse grind, then I recommend what someone has suggested, plunge a little, then lift the plunger up and push back down a little bit more. This action seems to break the grinds up a bit.

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Kris V, in reply to Gareth Ward,

    A kg a week for a home machine!

    yeah well... 3 adults in the house, all baristas. Gotta focus on the important stuff in life (and feed the delicious addiction)
    ;)

    Shakeytown • Since Nov 2008 • 61 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    er that you have to push down against – which can be hard to do. The water is being forced through the grinds as you push down, but the fine grind ‘mats’ together preventing relatively easy passage of water.

    I prefer a relatively fine grind in plungers, which gives you more surface area and (in my experience) a stronger brew. You can adjust the pressure and press down more slowly. No such luck in other machines, of course.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Lisa Black,

    "New Zealand has wine growing regions that parallel Napa’s — kiwis take their beer and wine seriously. And while most people like coffee, these folks want to marry it."
    - A Pictory Guide to New Zealand

    Wellington • Since Jul 2010 • 71 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    That's a delectable visual taster Lisa.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Jim Cathcart,

    Starbucks is booming in Japan and its matcha latte is renowned all over the country. The company was the first coffee chain to be smoke-free in Japan. The cafes are often used by mobile businesspeople and students. The cafes are also popular places to meet, particularly for groups of young women. Furthermore, they were the first coffee chain that lets you pay with a smartphone.

    Since Nov 2006 • 228 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Russell Brown,

    One of the small joys of the holidays was feeling no need to look at either Kiwiblog or The Standard.

    It will improve your standard of living to continue that practice.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale, in reply to Peter Calder,

    To really appreciate this, you need to have tried to get a good cup of coffee in New York, which is a major challenge.

    Gimme, or Joe. More so Gimme, but Joe gets extra points for having a nearby puppy shop.

    But I will repeat the advice I have given before, which is that ultimately it is a lot less frustrating to learn to drink bad coffee in the USA than to try to find good coffee.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    But I will repeat the advice I have given before, which is that ultimately it is a lot less frustrating to learn to drink bad coffee in the USA than to try to find good coffee.

    When in Rome? Fortunately in Rome, the coffee is really good.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    sigh - finding good coffee in the US - look for the artsy fartsy hippy bookstore part of town, check out the cafes (alternately find a "Little Italy" though there's only a couple of big cities where that's possible) - remember that the names of things will be different from what you expect - that latte will probably come in a tall glass that's way too big and too hot to carry (until you learn to hold it from the top), there will not be a 'flat white'

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    there will not be a 'flat white'

    LOL, and only ask for a short black if you actually want Mike Tyson to bash you up.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to Peter Calder,

    The French make bad coffee too, in my experience. In Italy, even the coffee served in motorway service stations is superb.

    Yes, the Italians make excellent wine, as well. There's a saying amongst wine buffs (or snobs, if you will) that the French export all their good wine and drink the shit, and the Italians do the opposite.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    finding good coffee in the US - look for the artsy fartsy hippy bookstore part of town, check out the cafes (alternately find a "Little Italy" though there's only a couple of big cities where that's possible)

    The existence of good coffee is one thing, its availability in daily life is another thing entirely. For example, the following cover the majority of coffee experiences I've had in the last decade.

    a) Get up->make something yourself, probably filter.

    b) Go to work/school->drink filter coffee from shared coffee urn.

    c) Go to catered meeting/seminar/etc->get fed filter coffee probably provided by whatever outfit the muffins/donuts/bagels came from.

    d) Go for afternoon break->buy coffee from nearby purveyor. Some chance that this is espresso, depending on location, but low probability of awesomeness.

    e) Make special pilgrimage to place with good coffee->have good coffee. Maybe look at puppies.

    Scenarios b),c) and d) are definitely what I'm thinking of when I recommend learning to drink bad coffee. e) is all very well but depends on living in a town with an artsy fartsy hippy bookstore part (or with parts at all, for that matter) or a Little Italy, and quite often is impractical except at weekends. Clearly I have only myself to blame for a).

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    I roast my own beans at home, partly for economic reasons but mostly for amusement.

    One thing I noticed when I began doing it was that US-based web sites raved about how much better home-roasted beans were. My observation is that while I can often get results that are comparable to what I can buy from a local roaster, they’re not markedly better. From this I infer that the beans typically available in the US are crap, probably mostly because of the long bumpy trip from a big plant to the end user. When you think about it, the number of local boutique roasteries in NZ is crazy high. Any non-rural cafe in NZ can get great fresh beans easily if they want.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    I must admit to having been spoiled working for silicon valley startups - one of the first things through the doors in a new business that we always did was take care of coffee - Peets and a good drip machine or an espresso machine depending on the people concerned - we want wired employees :-) and a standing coffee order from the right place - sure you can always find bad coffee but there's just no excuse

    I lived in Berkeley for 20 years so I was spoiled for choice I guess

    (on another cultural note, the first week when I first started work in the US I kept waiting for something to happen and strangely couldn't figure out what it was, I finally figured out it was morning/afternoon tea time - while people had coffee breaks there was no assigned time or place to all sit down and drink tea/coffee - it's one of those important non-official times where quite important non-structured communication occurs in the workplace)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Stephen Judd,

    Any non-rural cafe in NZ can get great fresh beans easily if they want.

    As others have said, that was perhaps one of the main things that went over Starbucks corporate heads when they entered this market. The visiting head honcho going on about our roasters being sub-par was also an utter laughing stock. And a dick.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale, in reply to Danielle,

    I just like saying "I have nothing but bitching to do about American $noun"

    To be fair, electric kettles can be obtained. They just don't seem to be common anywhere that doesn't have a critical mass of foreigners.

    To be extra fair, my workplace is perfectly supportive of the afternoon "coffee walk", with shop talk taking place on the journey to and from the coffee shop rather than while drinking.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    I finally figured out it was morning/afternoon tea time - while people had coffee breaks there was no assigned time or place to all sit down and drink tea/coffee

    I remember the opposite experience of the utter novelty of being asked to join the collective teabreak in the staff cafeteria after years of scoff at your desk or escape the building when you can fit it in.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Amy Gale,

    electric kettles can be obtained. They just don't seem to be common anywhere that doesn't have a critical mass of foreigners.

    What do the locals make their instant with? :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Stephen Judd,

    I roast my own beans at home, partly for economic reasons but mostly for amusement.

    Hi Stephen. Have also been roasting at home for about 18 months, and there does seem to be a lot of variance in the beans. Trade Aid in Auckland sells green beans, and seem to have quite a variety, but I have mostly purchased mine from Espresso Workshop, now in Falcon Lane Parnell.

    They also advised me that you can order beans directly through Sweet Marias, although I haven't tried this yet.

    My favourites in terms of origin and taste for single origin espresso have been;

    Etheopian Sidamo.

    (Interestingly, they appear to have been used in SBs - damn!)

    E Salvador San Emilio.

    I get a kg of green beans for around $17 - $19, which translates to about 4 x 200g roasts. Seems pretty good value overall. I also have a taste for 'fresh' coffee, which most connoisseurs would turn their nose up at, because the gases haven't escaped, and so on. But waiting 72+ hours to try a new roast just doesn't work for me. Quite like the grassy flavours.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Unlike Lucy's experience every place I've worked in the US had a coffee/break room with hot water, a kettle, tea/coffee, a coke machine (often free or with minimal prices), a microwave and fridge (at at least one place there was a "no durians" sign on the outside because of, well, you know, that incident when they had to evacuate the place).

    But no organised twice daily sit down which I did miss

    Now I work in NZ for a US startup I still get the weekly email reminder to clean out the fridge

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale, in reply to Sacha,

    Ah, you see, that depends on whether or not they know a foreigner. If they do, they use an electric kettle and are very pleased about it. If they don't, they use either a stovetop kettle or the microwave.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

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