Chiacchierata di Caffè - Sometimes You Need a Quickie

I mean a shot of espresso... and in this case it's a matter of size. ;)

I don't always want to break out the Moka pot and brew 2-4 shots of the shot o' sacred brew, so I use this handy little 1 Tazza (cup) stove top model for a quick hit of Black Nectar.


Based on the same principals are the Moka pot, this little baby brews a perfect cup of heaven every time. One of the advantages of this pot is that the cup is warmed as you are brewing, alleviating the need for soaking your cup with hot water, as is necessary for a Moka Pot. The process is simple and the results are quick, you can tip back a shot and begin your day. For a day without coffee is a day without sunshine.

Place water in the bottom portion, just up the the pressure relief valve.

Place the filter in and fill....

Then fill with espresso grind coffee, heaping it just a little, but don;t press down.

Screw one the top and grab a demitasse cup.

Place the pot over medium heat and set the demitasse cup under the "faucet" and wait about 3 minutes.

Suddenly this fountain of sultry ambrosia shall spill forth from the spigot......

Enjoy as you like, with sugar, or with a piece of biscotti.... I prefer to shoot it myself, after first having sniffed all the aroma out of the crema. ;)

Cin Cin!!
~~

The demitasse is "Candia", I am assuming that is the pattern name, because everything else on the bottom is written in Greek. I believe it is an Ibex on the cup, though it has a beard which may mean it's a stylized goat (which is fine, I mean I AM a Capricorn after all) but other than that, I have no idea who manufactured it.... It's all "Greek" to me... :)

Coffee Talk - Microwaves and Moka Pot, a Match Made in Hell!

It's probably happened to you. You walk into the break room of your office and some yay-hoo, who probably needs assistance dialing their phone, has attempted to make coffee.

You know what I am talking about... There are usually 3 forms of office coffee...

1. Someone uses 1/2 the pre-measured packet and brews what can only be referred to as "Coffee" flavored Tea.
2. Someone uses 2 packets of coffee and brews something closely akin to the stuff that drains from your oil pan when you stop by Jiffy Lube on the way home.
3. Someone forgot to put the pot under the filter basket and coffee is flowing freely across the counter resulting in a beautiful cascade of brown liquid down the front of the cupboards meanders it's way over the floor.

And let's face it, most office coffee offerings are marginal at best. The only thing worse being under-extracted and/or over-extracted beans creating that, oh so lovely, "Battery Acid" effect on your stomach.

Well NOT ANY MORE.... Run back to your desk and grab the hand dandy "Microwave Moka pot" Yes, that's right! The COFFEE WAVE is here my friends.... LOL (Sorry, this is just crackin me up)

This little gizmo works just like a standard Moka pot with 2 important differences.

• You have to use regular Drip Grind coffee. (I tried Espresso grind and ended up with a pot full of grounds - the upper filter holes are too big)
  

• You Nuke it in the microwave. (be afraid)
  

So fill up the water reservoir.

Place the cone piece in.

Then pop in the filter basket.

Add the drip coffee grounds

Screw down on the top pot.

Nuke the darn thing for about 4 -5 minutes until the water boils and shoots up the tube and through the grounds.... (you'll have to watch it)

Remove and enjoy..... Or at least attempt to enjoy....

Cause in all honesty, this was the nastiest coffee I think I have ever had. I mean, the novelty of the idea is way schway, but the flavor is sorely lacking, and with a 4 -5 minute brew time (Being drip grind coffee and not actual espresso grind) you might as well clean up the coffee mess in the break room and brew a decent pot of coffee in the drip maker.

So final verdict on the Coffee Wave (an "as seen on TV" product)......??

Kudos for an ingenious idea...!! :)

FAIL!! in execution....

The coffee tastes slightly rancid as well as "Boiled" and over extracted from the grounds being "Cooked", and no matter how fast you take it out after it begins to percolate to the top pot, since the upper portion is closer to the "Magnetron" in the oven, it begins to boil in the top pot before the rest of the water has traveled up the tube...

Yes, sadly, as cool as the idea was.... this device will not save you from office coffee or Coffee-maker challenged co-workers...
As much as I try to avoid the Green Eyed Monster (known as Starbuck's - The McDonald's of Coffee) I would seriously keep packets of their VIA instant coffee in your desk... ;) Cause it's actually pretty good. LOL

Cin Cin!!
~~

Chiacchierata di Caffè - Moka Mania

I have talked about my moka pot before in my Spanish Coffee post, Coffee + Rum = Yum!!. But I didn't really talk about the moka pot itself. Originally patented by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933, the moka pot is a sort of 1 way percolator and is still produced by Bialetti's company or the same name.

How do they work? Water is placed in the lower chamber and heated just as with a percolator, however, unlike the "Maxwell House" version, the moka pot builds up steam in the chamber. As the steam expands, it pushes the remaining water up through the center tube and forces it through the brew chamber, which contains finely ground coffee. After passing through the ground, the infused water moves to an upper pot.. Never again to touch the grounds. This 1 way percolation produces a deliciously well infused cup of coffee. The trick is removing it from the heat right before it begins to gurgle with steam and water, as the steam is too hot and over extract the grounds. I usually pull mine when the upper pot is about 1/2 - 2/3 full... Don't worry, the residual steam will continue to force most of the remaining water up the tube before it has a chance to cool down and condense again.

One thing I have learned in researching the moka pot, is that my misgivings regarding aluminum are unfounded in this case. It seems that the moka pot is not suppose to be washed with soap, only rinsed with hot water, sort of like a cast iron pan. This leaves the oils from previous brewings which form a protective layer, keeping any subesquent brews from coming into contact with the aluminum, reducing and/or eliminating any metallic taste from the aluminum/acid reactions.

Be that as it may, my pot is still the ceramic one I had shown in the previous post. I am waiting until I can afford to pick up a Brikka model. The Brikka is a moka pot with a special weight in the upper pot, that increases the pressure in the bottom chamber, thus producing a more "espresso" type brew. Sounds pretty darned awesome to me.. :)

Moka Pot

OK, so first off, you must fill the bottom chamber with water. Do not fill it above the safty valve. This is needed incase there is an unsafe pressure build up.

Insert the filter cone.

Fill with finely ground coffee (do not compact it)

The top pot has a filter built into the bottom.

Screw down the top pot and set over low flame.

When the steam pressure builds up enough, cofffee will begin shooting up the tube.

Mine doesn't produce as much crema because the holes in the pot cone are a little too big.

Mmmmm.. But it still smells delicious.

And tastes even better with a little swirl of heavy cream.

Cin Cin!!
~~

Coffee + Rum = YUM!!

I am a coffee kinda guy.... Yes it's true. From coffee "drinks"... be it Latte, Breve, Espresso Macchiato (Not the Starbucks kind), or a Dry Cappuccino. When "shee shee poo poo" coffee drinks are in short supply, there is always good old brewed coffee from Vacuum pot, French Press, or my old CorningWare "Drip-o-lator". But I was sorely lacking one essential item needed to produce home coffee goodness. No I don't mean one of those "POD" things either.

I am talking about a Moka pot. My problem was that not just any Moka pot would do, as I have an aversion to all things aluminum touching my food. This is one of those neurosis things that was instilled in me while I was growing up. Well, most Moka pots are, sadly, made of raw aluminum.

The reasoning behind my neurosis it that aluminum reacts to acids, and coffee can be very acidic, thus aluminum oxide is ending up in my coffee... YUCK! As a worshiper of the powers of the dark brew, I find this disconcerting. SO, no Moka pot for me...
That is, until I found this.......


Yes folks, all metal parts are stainless steel and the top pot is lead free glazed porcelain. It's like they were reading my mind when the made it... This makes me extremely happy, and to top it off, it was on the clearance shelf for 10 bucks. WOOO HOOO!!!

So, happily I left the store with said Moka pot, giddy with anticipation of my first divine brew at home... And let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious.... Very deep, rich, velvety, sultry and smooth.

Which brings me to dessert this evening, since dinner was leftovers. I made a Spanish Coffee… a delightful concoction of coffee, lime, caramelized sugar, Bacardi 151, Kahlua, some form of Triple sec and, best of all, FIRE!!!

Oh yes, there is a connection between the Y Chromosome and open flame. Don't laugh... It's Deep and it's Real...

For my triple sec this evening, I chose Cointreau, which is made from a combination of Bitter and Sweet orange, mainly because my supply of Gran Marnier (Bitter orange) is alarmingly low. Incidentally, generic "Triple Sec" is made from sweet oranges only.

I was first exposed to Spanish Coffe at a great place in Portland Oregon, called Huber's, where they are made at your table by your server in a "ballet" of high pours, snapping matches, flash, spark and flames… Quite the experience... and extremely delicious

Spanish Coffee alla Huber's

A Coffee Glass (8 oz, the glass is thick enough to withstand the heat)
Lime wedge
Granulated Sugar for rimming the glass
1 oz Bacardi 151 Rum
1/2 oz Gran Marnier, Cointreau or triple sec
Fire from a long match or a Bar spoon & a lighter - (At Huber's they tip the glass and do a 1 handed matchbook strike)
1 1/2 oz Kahlua
Freshly Ground Nutmeg
Coffee To Fill The Glass (strong)
Thickened (Not Whipped) Heavy or Light Cream

Brew your coffee, I use the Moka Pot because I like my coffee strong and want to actually taste it amid all the liquor.

Rub a wedge of lime lightly around the rim of a coffee glass.

Dip the rim in granulated sugar.

Add the 151 and Cointreau.

With a long match, carefully light the liqueurs (This can also be done with a bar spoon as well. Dip the spoon in liquor, light spoon then return spoon to glass)

Swirl the glass to melt the sugar on the rim (this takes about 30 seconds).

Sprinkle with Nutmeg (It sparks, it's cool)
Pour in the Kahlua and then add the coffee to within 3/4 inch of the rim.

Top with lightly beaten cream (Just enough to thicken it slightly)
Sprinkle with another pinch of nutmeg and garnish with the lime wedge that was rubbed on the glass.

Serve Immediately… Careful though, the rim is usually VERY hot…

Ah, Delicious…!! But potent… Please, drink responsibly.

Cin, Cin!
~~