Coffee Storage Tips
You would think that storing coffee is a simple thing, which it really should be if not for the many misconceptions that surround the best way to do it. In fact, We are not exempt from having been misled into believing less than accurate facts, which we (with much apologies) unfortunately passed on as advice. But that was so 5 years ago, and now that our caffeine addiction has lead us to be more savvy in dealing with the multitude of different coffee that we’ve tried, we now know that glass containers definitely are NOT the best way to store coffee beans, whether ground or roasted.
In storing your coffee, you need to take into account the reasons that affect coffee’s freshness AND flavour. Coffee loses freshness easily when exposed to air, so this means always going for an air-tight container. Coffee also absorbs moisture easily, so this means no storing it in damp places like your freezer or fridge. Aside from absorbing moisture, it also absorbs the flavours of other food near it, again this means making sure that you get an air-tight container.
For soluble coffee (think Nescafe and Taster’s Choice), the above tips are enough to address their storage needs, since they have a very long shelf-life anyway. This means that the air-tight glass containers they come in are good enough, as long as you remember to keep the lid on tight.
When it comes to ground coffee though, you have to be extra careful about storage. Ground coffee loses flavour and spoils the fastest, which means that you should always keep it in air-tight containers that won’t let light pass through. The reason for this is that the coffee interacts with sunlight, making it lose flavour. The best containers in this case are air-tight non-reactive cans. Even if you do store ground coffee properly though, you can expect them to spoil in a week or two (if not days). So never ever try to store ground coffee in bulk.
You can store coffee beans in greater bulk than ground coffee, but again you have to make sure that they are stored away from the light. At the least, make sure your air-tight containers are stored in a cabinet or in the pantry where it is cool, dark, and dry. Do not open the container every day, but take a small amount and transfer it to a smaller coffee can to decrease the number of times you expose the stored coffee beans to the air.
If you follow the above advice, you can ensure that your coffee will give the full-bodied flavour every cup should give.
Fairmont and Main Script Coffee Storage Jar Courtesy of Coffee-Maker.org.uk
How to Make Coffee with a Single Tweet
Some say that technology has turned us into a bunch of lazy people, but I say if things can be made easier, why not give it a try? I stumbled upon a really cool video which shows how you can instruct your coffee maker to brew you a pot of nice hot coffee with a single tweet. Now, people who are continuously on Twitter will certainly feel the excitement that I felt when I first read about the hack. If you are not into Twitter (how can you not be?), then you might think this silly. But, hey, being silly on a Sunday morning is allowed! 
So, how does this thing work? You’ll need a little bit of knowledge – both about hardware and software. The things you will need are a coffee maker, a computer, a Twitter account, a mobile phone, and Arduino. Okay, I have to admit that it doesn’t look like the average joe will be able to pull it off, so I will stick to the concepts instead of the specific instructions on how to set it up.
The idea is to hook up the coffee maker to a computer, which will serve as the switch (albeit a complicated one) to turn the coffee maker on. If you do things right, you can simply send a tweet and the coffee maker will have your coffee ready when you want.
Hooking up household appliances to Twitter is not a new idea. A couple of years ago, some guy had too much time on his hands and hooked up his washing machine, toilet, and toaster to Twitter. Pretty soon, tweets from the threesome were flying from the guy’s house, through Twitter’s data service centers, to countless people’s Twitter accounts.
The latter “experiment” is a bit less useful than this coffee maker project, but it is no less cool, is it? Then again, cool and fun is one thing. I would much rather have a coffee maker that will not require me having to clean it and fill it with water and coffee grounds – on top of not having to switch it on. (Who said something about being lazy?)
If you still want to give Tweet-a-Pot a try, though, here’s the video. You’ll at least have a kick out of watching it.
Coffee to go?
We’ve all had the problem at least once. Do you take your coffee to go, or do you drink in-house? A lot of it might depend on how much time you’ve got (I know when I was studying, it was normally a rush from home to my lecture, which had started twenty minutes ago!), but what if that’s not a time restriction?
First off, lets look at what you’re drinking. I’m sure if you’ve got thirty minutes for your drink, rather than being late already, you’d be able to find something a bit more…exciting. You could have a look at the menu, debate trying something new, and then consider what would happen if you didn’t like it (quite simple, order something you know you’d prefer!) If you’re in a rush, you’d probably be a bit more likely to order your favourite, in a snap second judgement.
What you’re drinking out of might also be different – a few places I know serve out of the paper cups, which I detest – especially in Winter. Cold hand, plus very hot coffee is quite painful, especially through a thin paper cup – even with an extra layer of cardboard around it – it’s not as bad if I’d have one of the wide range of thermal cups that are available – but it might ruin it a bit if I was drinking a frothy drink.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not take a ‘proper’ coffee cup outdoors when I’m walking around. Last thing I’d want to do is drop it and lose my precious java, as well as a cup – hence the thermos cup firmly planted in my hands most days. What’s your preference when you’re out and about? Sitting down in-house, or drinking on the move?
Photo Courtesy of: Adam NFK Smith
Home Brewing: Stove Top Brewing
Stove Top Moka Pot
Based on the idea of brewing Coffee with steam pressurized water, these ‘Moka pots’ are more common in Europe, these small machines (or machinetta in Italian – another name for the devices) were first patented in 1933, and the design hasn’t changed much since then.
After filling the boiler with water, and adding the finely ground beans of coffee to the basket, the well sealed unit is then placed over a medium to medium high heat on the stove. The steam builds up and the pressure eventually forces the boiling water rapidly through the valves, up through the beans, and into the collecting chamber. You’ll be able to tell that it’s ready, as the machine starts to gurgle – meaning that the water is almost empty. As with the percolators, the coffee shouldn’t boil, and with practice, you’ll get to the point where you can estimate the time it’s ready.
Compared to Drip machines, the taste will vary greatly depending on the bean variety, the heat used and firmness of the beans, the quality you can get is very high – as the water gets very hot (often well above 100c) but doesn’t boil with the beans, the caffeine and flavour is extracted much more effectively, so you can get a stronger brew. Because of this they are sometimes referred to as ‘Stove top Espresso makers’ – which is true. They often produce coffee of a similar quality, and adding a small amount of sugar or carbonated water to the water chamber will often produce the same Crema that is produced in traditional espresso machines!
The machines require periodic replacements of the seals and filters, and a check to make sure that safety release valve isn’t blocked. Aside from this, making sure that the machine is cleaned well with hot or boiling water after it’s been used will remove the oily residue from the Coffee brewing process – but make sure you don’t use any soaps or detergents which would strip away the protective coating.
Photo Courtesy of: INeedCoffee / CoffeeHero
Coffee Mills and Grinders: What for What?
There’s two popular ways of creating your own coffee mix – Mills or Grinders. The mills are cheaper, as they slice the beans, but they can leave the beans in a less even grind, and can also leave the coffee with a slightly burnt taste, if they’re being ground for too long. Grinders are more like a pestle and mortar, in the way that they are very simple, and grind things evenly. There’s Wheel grinders, which are cheaper but spin very fast but noisy. The Conical burrs spin slower, are quieter and offer a lower likelihood of clogging, but are more expensive compared to the Wheel Grinders.
However, at the end of the day, you’ll be able to work out which will suit your needs best over a short period of time, depending on what type of coffee machine you have and what you like to drink.
Getting the right beans at the right size and texture can make the difference between a memorable cup of coffee (for the right reasons) and a memorable cup of coffee (for the wrong reasons!)
The choice of grinds will depend greatly on what you are drinking – for a percolator or cafetiere use a coarse grind so that the oils in the beans will be released, but not too fine that they will burn quite easily.
When you’re using a filter machine, it can vary depending on the type of filter that is on the machine. For example, a cone-bottomed machine will use a fine grind, compared to a medium one for flat-bottomed machines. This is because the way that the water will flow over the beans and the type of filter device used can change the flavours and brewing strength that is achieved.
For an Espresso, you want the grind to be as fine as possible. The small quantity of water that is poured through the amount of beans needs as high as possible surface area to absorb as many of the oils (which contain the flavours) as possible, and having the grind very fine means that there’s a lot more area that the water will pass through.
Photo Courtesy of Ray Larabie
Home Brewing: Coffee Pod Machines
There’s a relatively new trend in home coffee machines – Coffee pods. These containers have a pre-measured amount of ground beans in them, which the hot water is forced through at a high pressure – just like the coffee houses.
The advantages of using one of these pod systems to get your coffee is that it’s frequently a case of inserting the pod, then waiting for around thirty seconds (less than it takes to boil a mug of water!), but it’s limited to producing just one cup at a time – not a problem if you’re the only coffee fan, or living on your own! Also, have a look at the shops nearby. See what the most readily available pod is – no point getting an amazing machine, if they only have a basic range of choices on offer.
Before you jump into buying a machine, have a look around the market. See what size drink you can produce from a pod – sometimes they’ll only provide four ounces (a mug is eight ounces, so two pods would be needed), are you sure that the taste of the coffee is what you like? Even two same varieties may taste slightly differently, so check if there is a strength setting available to adjust this slightly. Of course, have a look at the different colours and styles that are on offer, and chances are it’ll be on show all the time, so make sure you get a model and style that suits where it’ll be – no point getting a shiny chrome model, if you have a rustic country-style kitchen!
Cool Sunday Find: 1800s Coffee Grinder
Here’s a cool find for those of you who are into vintage items: an authentic coffee grinder dating back to the early 1800s!
The grinder belonged to the grandfather of a Mrs. Idyll Arps Walkoe. According to Mrs. Walko, her grandfather “was the first Section Foreman for the C&NW Railroad when tracks were being laid for the railroad.” She also relates how her grandfather used the grinder: “I recall my Grandfather with this grinder between his knees each morning grinding the coffee for that day.”
Imagine just how laborious it must have been to work this grinder every morning! Even with the nifty grinders we have these days, we have to admit that sometimes, it can be a hassle to have to measure out the beans and grind them! (Maybe it’s just me, but this is precisely the reason I resort to using coffee grounds most of the time, despite having my own handy grinder.)
The coffee grinder is part of the Harper-Freeman collection in the Village of Cary.
If you’re interested in more vintage coffee grinders, let me point you to the site Vintage Coffee Grinders. They have got some really beautiful items, and the best part is that they can help you find (and purchase) one. Whether it is for daily use or for your personal collection, the guys over there will help you get your hands on one. Oh, and they also have vintage coffee roasters if you’re interested.
Batangas Coffee Organic Soap
Batangas coffee is my coffee of choice. It has a very bold flavor which makes many other blends pale in comparison. Unsurprisingly, I have only used this coffee for drinking purposes. To my delight, however, I discovered another use for Batangas coffee. Last month, a colleague of mine went around the office selling organic soaps, and guess what? She had something made of Batangas coffee!
The manufacturer is called Cycleina and they specialize in all sorts of organic soap. I have actually used a lot of their other varieties (flavors, if you will) but nothing has made me more satisfied than their Batangas coffee one. The soap bar is square shaped and not too thick. The best thing about it is that it has coffee grounds incorporated into the bar. The result is silky smooth skin because the grounds serve as a gentle exfoliant!
Seriously, I do not even have to use my loofah anymore when I use this soap when taking a shower. I am not so sure about its effectiveness as a facial soap – I am a bit iffy about using it as I am particular when it comes to facial products – but I do not see any serious problems with it. My bar is now gone, and I need to stock up. Oh, the best thing about it is it’s so cheap! Less than 2 dollars for one bar of sheer happiness! I wish they made lotions in the same variety. That would complete the bath set, wouldn’t it?
The Perfect Coffee Table
Looking for a new coffee table? Can’t live without a computer? I have a web site for you – something that will definitely make your mouth water and will keep you up all night trying to think of ways to get your hands on what they have to offer. Retro-Tech is a British company that specializes in computer tables. They have been in the business for the past 10 years, and have made quite a name for themselves.
What caught my interest is their Platinum Coffee Table. Yeah, just because it is called a coffee table, it doesn’t mean you HAVE TO use it while enjoying your favorite drink (and we all know what that is!). Then again, if you are anything like me, you’d always have a cup of coffee while fiddling with your computer.
In the morning, I spend several hours writing. I go through a mug or two of coffee. When I come home at night, I surf the net or play a game. A cup of coffee is the perfect companion. Same thing during the weekend when I catch up on some writing work during the day – coffee is never far from me.
Now imagine having this Platinum Coffee Table which has a built in computer! It has a 22-inch LCD monitor and an Intel Dual Core Processor. It also serves as a hub – it can connect to other gadgets in your living room! I can just see myself never leaving the couch if I had this table right in front me. Now where can I get $5,000?
Self Stirring Mug For (Lazy) People
No one take offense, alright? I would be the first to say that I can be as lazy as the next person every now and then – maybe lazier than some. For those who are likeminded, check out this self stirring mug from Think Geek.
Forget the spoon. Forget the popsicle stick. Forget the plastic stirrer. You have to wash the spoon and throw away the popsicle stick and plastic stirrer – that will require more energy than necessary. More so, using fewer popsicle sticks and plastic stirrers can be your contribution to the environment!
With the self stirring mug, you don’t need any of these tools. All you need is to pour the sugar (artificial sweetener if that’s what you use) and cream into the mug and you’re good to go! This mug is made of stainless steel – it will go with anything you wear – and has a spinning disk inside. It is powered by two AAA batteries, and the spinning motion is triggered by pressing a button on the handle. The mug has a snap on lid that will keep the liquid from spilling when “stirring” or when you’re on the go. So basically, it doubles as a travel mug. Isn’t that just perfect for when you are in the car? You don’t need two hands to handle that coffee!
The mug’s dimensions are 4 3/8″ H x 3 3/8″ W.
Oh, and what about cleaning? It’s a snap as well – just use liquid soap and water, press the button to stir, and rinse. Energy efficient, that’s what I call it! $18.99 at Think Geek.
