Joe is Back!

Blasting through the airport I can’t resist squeezing my bag of coffee! Don’t be alarmed! It’s early in the morning and I am itching for a French press of a high quality coffee called Colombia Reserva. I have to wait ‘til I get to my destination, but this rich and scrumptious coffee stirs notes of rich caramel and sweet dark chocolate liquor.


Sitting among others, I watch stressed out moms, aloof dads and their quiet, curious youth; hungry and waiting. They watch the cold through airport windows anticipating a destination away from the comfortable corners of their homes.
I move against my travel bag and squeeze a little air out of the one-way valve, which has become the “aroma hole.” The lofty essence of my coffee permeates the immediate vicinity and I start getting looks and quiet smiles. A random eyebrow lifts from the daily post behind rimmed glasses.
Of course the attention is being given to the pleasant aroma of coffee, and not my good looks. I can’t help imagining how maybe in my own world, a random scent changing the cloudiness of a gloomy hour waiting in the crowd, would be brightened by just a few moments of volatile aromatic accolade.

Love,
Joe

The Art of Espresso

To attain the best espresso shot - achieving that sweet, viscous, balanced espresso - is only possible with CLEAN equipment, proper grind, tamping (this is a whole chapter) and water temperature. Experience will also make you more comfortable with the machine. When I first tried using the machine, I remember how loud and daunting it was. Once you get used to it, it gets easier, although mastering the details can take years.

Extraction mostly depends on water pressure, water temperature grind, and tamp. Ideally, it should take 18-28 seconds to pour 1.5-2oz. Its appearance should be a cinnamon brown and uniform in color. If it's bubbly and has dark spots, this indicates that the water is too hot. If it only shoots .5oz the grind is too fine. If it could fill a 12oz cup, the grind is too coarse.

The caffeine content of a two ounce espresso is roughly 80mg. An 8oz cup of drip coffee has around 100mg. This figure varies depending on brew method. Espresso consists of three parts. In a cup, it would be the bottom, middle, and top. The base is the bottom and the “heart” of the espresso. It contains soluble particles suspended as viscous liquid. The moving part, called the suspension, settles like a Guinness beer. The top, called crema, is created by the dispersion of gasses, air, and carbon dioxide into liquid at high pressure. The emulsified oils form a foamy texture on the surface.


Espresso blends differ depending which coffee house you visit. At FreshCoffeeNow, I try to keep ours mellow and rich. I've played around with a bunch of different coffees blended in different ways. Now I have a simple blend which I think best suits my taste. Our espresso blend is very full-bodied and syrupy with a smooth bourbon and chocolate flavor.