Espresso Enthusiasts

[SandboxGeneral]

Is it a cliché to write here that I had an espresso (not bad at all) with - or, rather, after - dinner?

Never a cliché at all, and in fact, a welcomed addition to dinner in my opinion.

 

[0388631]

I've always had sweetened coffee after a large meal. The sugar seems to make me digest faster. What type of sweetness doesn't seem to matter. So health wise, some xylitol and stevia are fine.

 

[Shrink]

I've always had sweetened coffee after a large meal. The sugar seems to make me digest faster. What type of sweetness doesn't seem to matter. So health wise, some xylitol and stevia are fine.

Whatever xylitol and stevia are...I'm sure they're dandy digestivas.

 

[0388631]

Whatever xylitol and stevia are...I'm sure they're dandy digestivas.

Stevia, a plant that tastes sweet. Most forms are awful. I get a fine white powder substance and it's very sweet. It only gets bitter after a few hundred mg. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that's fantastic to prevent tooth decay as it kills the bacteria responsible for decay. It doesn't break down the same way sucrose (table sugar) does. It also tastes the same. A lot of gums, mints, mouth rinses and toothpastes are coming with either or both ingredients. It used to be saccharin in everything many years ago.

 

[Shrink]

Stevia, a plant that tastes sweet. Most forms are awful. I get a fine white powder substance and it's very sweet. It only gets better after a few hundred mg. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that's fantastic to prevent tooth decay as it kills the bacteria responsible for decay. It doesn't break down the same way sucrose (table sugar) does. It also tastes the same. A lot of gums, mints, mouth rinses and toothpastes are coming with either or both ingredients. It used to be saccharin in everything many years ago.

Thanks for the information.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I've always had sweetened coffee after a large meal. The sugar seems to make me digest faster. What type of sweetness doesn't seem to matter. So health wise, some xylitol and stevia are fine.

Brown sugar is my usual preference (indeed, organic, ethical, unrefined, and so on) when I am home.

Abroad, white is more than perfectly acceptable.

Tonight, a solid lump - cube - of sugar, white in colour, - which arrived on the saucer, alongside an elegant spoon (but less elegant than some I have seen posted here recently) - dissolved most deliciously in a small cup of robust and very tasty espresso.

Whatever xylitol and stevia are...I'm sure they're dandy digestivas.

Yes, I had never heard of them either, before reading this.

Candidly, they sound most ominous.

 

[0388631]

Apart from seeing sugar lumps about 10 or more years ago, I haven't seen them since I was a little boy. Sugar lumps you'd break into smaller pieces by clean hands or a sharp knife were common then. I think we had a sugar lump breaker but one of us likely used it to crack nut shells. I remember someone in the house questioning why the device was dulled and on the verge of breaking. There I was, eavesdropping and then quietly but quickly walking away. Sugar cubes weren't. very common. I think Domino imported them in at the time. I'd have to ask my folks and see if they'd remember. I do have fond memories of throwing larger lumps at little brother when he was being a pain in the ass. There was two types of lumps then. Freeform lumps that we'd break, smaller pieces were quite fancy and often set aside for gusts. And then these rather double cube looking lumps that were also common but not as compact/dense and would easily melt in your mouth or hot liquid of your choice.

The sugar lumps I remember then were similar to regular loose sugar but the grains were smaller. It was easy for the factory machines to create random lumps with a bit of steam and compression. They were a right mess when they fell onto the kitchen floor as they'd shatter and then you had to vacuum them up.

They're both new in terms of foods in the Americas and Europe. Our children's pediatrician recommended xylitol swab solutions for their mouths since kids stick just about anything in their mouths, including entire fists... I used xylitol and stevia in my Moroccan mint tea because unlike sucros, they don't thicken the liquid into a sludge. You'll now what I'm talking about if you've had Moroccan mint tea and the amount of sugar they use. Unless it's piping hot, it's thick and not very pleasant.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Apart from seeing sugar lumps about 10 or more years ago, I haven't seen them since I was a little boy. Sugar lumps you'd break into smaller pieces by clean hands or a sharp knife were common then. I think we had a sugar lump breaker but one of us likely used it to crack nut shells. I remember someone in the house questioning why the device was dulled and on the verge of breaking. There I was, eavesdropping and then quietly but quickly walking away. Sugar cubes weren't. I think Domino imported them in at the time. I'd have to ask my folks and see if they'd remember. I do have fond memories of throwing larger lumps at little brother when he was being a pain in the ass.

They're both new in terms of foods in the Americas and Europe. Our children's pediatrician recommended xylitol swab solutions for their mouths since kids stick just about anything in their mouths, including entire fists... I used xylitol and stevia in my Moroccan mint tea because unlike sucros, they don't thicken the liquid into a sludge. You'll now what I'm talking about if you've had Moroccan mint tea and the amount of sugar they use. Unless it's piping hot, it's thick and not very pleasant.

Cubes, my bad.

But, we do use the term 'lumps' this side of The Pond to describe these objects; in formal settings, they sometimes come in a small bowl, with a nice pair of tongs resting on top. Tonight's arrived tucked up on the saucer, alongside a small spoon.

This was a cube, - with the appearance of a solid square, and the brown sugar I bought at the weekend in a large local department store also came in cubed form.

Mind you, I do remember the fashionable solid things - marketed as something brown that went well with coffee - that refused to dissolve no matter how hot the coffee, or how hard you stirred it.

Years ago, seduced by advertising, my mother bought me some (as I was the only person in the house who drank - or prepared - or served - real coffee) when I was an undergrad and frequently invited people back for real coffee.

 

[Shrink]

Apart from seeing sugar lumps about 10 or more years ago, I haven't seen them since I was a little boy. Sugar lumps you'd break into smaller pieces by clean hands or a sharp knife were common then. I think we had a sugar lump breaker but one of us likely used it to crack nut shells. I remember someone in the house questioning why the device was dulled and on the verge of breaking. There I was, eavesdropping and then quietly but quickly walking away. Sugar cubes weren't. very common. I think Domino imported them in at the time. I'd have to ask my folks and see if they'd remember. I do have fond memories of throwing larger lumps at little brother when he was being a pain in the ass. There was two types of lumps then. Freeform lumps that we'd break, smaller pieces were quite fancy and often set aside for gusts. And then these rather double cube looking lumps that were also common but not as compact/dense and would easily melt in your mouth or hot liquid of your choice.

The sugar lumps I remember then were similar to regular loose sugar but the grains were smaller. It was easy for the factory machines to create random lumps with a bit of steam and compression. They were a right mess when they fell onto the kitchen floor as they'd shatter and then you had to vacuum them up.

They're both new in terms of foods in the Americas and Europe. Our children's pediatrician recommended xylitol swab solutions for their mouths since kids stick just about anything in their mouths, including entire fists... I used xylitol and stevia in my Moroccan mint tea because unlike sucros, they don't thicken the liquid into a sludge. You'll now what I'm talking about if you've had Moroccan mint tea and the amount of sugar they use. Unless it's piping hot, it's thick and not very pleasant.

I have a bag full of sugar cubes specifically packaged for, and bought for, the preparation of absinthe...and never used in coffee.

I recall as a youngster watching my grandmother holding a sugar cube between her teeth and sipping tea, served in a glass ("a nice glezz chai"), through the sugar cube.

This occurred more than 4 years ago...

 

[SandboxGeneral]

If I added sugar to my espresso, it has the potential to raise my blood sugar to unsafe levels.

Besides, I'm sweet enough as it is.

 

[0388631]

Cubes, my bad.

But, we do use the term 'lumps' this side of The Pond to describe these objects; in formal settings, they sometimes come in a small bowl, with a nice pair of tongs resting on top. Tonight's arrived tucked up on the saucer, alongside a small spoon.

This was a cube, - with the appearance of a solid square, and the brown sugar I bought at the weekend in a large local department store also came in cubed form.

Mind you, I do remember the fashionable solid things - marketed as something brown that went well with coffee - that refused to dissolve no matter how hot the coffee, or how hard you stirred it.

Years ago, seduced by advertising, my mother bought me some (as I was the only person in the house who drank - or prepared - or served - real coffee) when I was an undergrad and frequently invited people back for real coffee.

That did cross my mind. They're called lumps here in certain restaurants and social circles, but they're not the lumps I remember. I'd imagine most Americans have never experienced a real sugar lump unless they've traveled the world some. Did you ever have the lumps I was talking about as a child?

I do recall sugar cubes my parents bought on a shopping trip in Italy prior to going to Canada. I don't recall the city we were temporarily living in, mind you. But these were off white, somewhat light crema colored sugar cubes. You could put one in your mouth and suck on it for an hour and the cube would hardly melt. I was convinced it was sweetened glass powder, much to the amusement of my parents. You could drop them in coffee or tea and stir, and stir, and stir some more. They would melt very little. Your drink would sweeten, but they'd stay the same shape. You could have 4-5 glasses of either drink. At the end you could pop them in your mouth and chew them and they were crunchy.

About 4-5 years ago I came across half white half brown sugar cubes in an organics market and bought them. They were in a pretty plastic case and had maybe 50 cubes in it. I bought them for coffee stirring and they reminded me a lot of those cubes we had in Italy. These days, I do use sugar but sparingly. I'll stick with my alternative natural derivatives and make a very sweet cup without feeling guilty about my waistline or oral health. I made a thick moka with steamed milk two weeks ago and sweetened it to the brim with both. I hadn't had such an intense sweet cup of coffee in years. My wife took a sip and spat it out into the sink, telling me I was disgusting for drinking it so sweet. Mind you, she enjoys Cuban coffee very much which is sweet, but this was on another level. Very intense coffee flavor, very sweet, and obviously thick due to milk. Mind you, when I first met her, she took her coffee with enough cream or milk to dilute it to slightly tinted milk.
[doublepost=1472163252][/doublepost]

I have a bag full of sugar cubes specifically packaged for, and bought for, the preparation of absinthe...and never used in coffee.

I recall as a youngster watching my grandmother holding a sugar cube between her teeth and sipping tea, served in a glass ("a nice glezz chai"), through the sugar cube.

This occurred more than 4 years ago...

Sounds like typical Russian style. Thought the "glezz" was a giveaway, "glaza" would mean eye. Though I've never heard of "eye tea" when speaking to Russians or having visited the country. I've heard of eye tea being used to compress an eye for an infection, which does work better than any eye drop I've used.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

That did cross my mind. They're called lumps here in certain restaurants and social circles, but they're not the lumps I remember. I'd imagine most Americans have never experienced a real sugar lump unless they've traveled the world some. Did you ever have the lumps I was talking about as a child?

I do recall sugar cubes my parents bought on a shopping trip in Italy prior to going to Canada. I don't recall the city we were temporarily living in, mind you. But these were off white, somewhat light crema colored sugar cubes. You could put one in your mouth and suck on it for an hour and the cube would hardly melt. I was convinced it was sweetened glass powder, much to the amusement of my parents. You could drop them in coffee or tea and stir, and stir, and stir some more. They would melt very little. Your drink would sweeten, but they'd stay the same shape. You could have 4-5 glasses of either drink. At the end you could pop them in your mouth and chew them and they were crunchy.

About 4-5 years ago I came across half white half brown sugar cubes in an organics market and bought them. They were in a pretty plastic case and had maybe 50 cubes in it. I bought them for coffee stirring and they reminded me a lot of those cubes we had in Italy. These days, I do use sugar but sparingly. I'll stick with my alternative natural derivatives and make a very sweet cup without feeling guilty about my waistline or oral health. I made a thick moka with steamed milk two weeks ago and sweetened it to the brim with both. I hadn't had such an intense sweet cup of coffee in years. My wife took a sip and spat it out into the sink, telling me I was disgusting for drinking it so sweet. Mind you, she enjoys Cuban coffee very much which is sweet, but this was on another level. Very intense coffee flavor, very sweet, and obviously thick due to milk. Mind you, when I first met her, she took her coffee with enough cream or milk to dilute it to slightly tinted milk.

Those things that barely melted and were rock hard are what I think my mother bought for me - beautifully packaged - when I was a student and wished to serve coffee to friends.

 

[Shrink]

Besides, I'm sweet enough as it is.

GEEZ!

Oh, pul-leez.
[doublepost=1472163810][/doublepost]

Thought the "glezz" was a giveaway, "glaza" would mean eye. Though I've never heard of "eye tea" when speaking to Russians or having visited the country. I've heard of eye tea being used to compress an eye for an infection, which does work better than any eye drop I've used.

Glezz was my grandmother's mispronunciation of the word "glass"

 

[0388631]

Those things that barely melted and were rock hard are what I think my mother bought for me - beautifully packaged - when I was a student and wished to serve coffee to friends.

Now I'm craving them... Strange thing to crave. I do wonder what type of binder they use that causes that. There's a luxurious hotel we stay at when we're down state that has these lovely sugars they use sometimes, but you can special order them. They're pressed into flower shapes and often essences with cinnamon, rose water or other herbal and aromatic florals. They transform an ordinary cup of tea or coffee during service into something unique. You've yet to experience the disgust you'll feel when you accidentally use an anise inspired sugar in your coffee and drank it in quiet disgust. They used to offer a chrysanthemum one many years ago. It took me several stays to ask why a certain sugar lump design would give me a scratchy throat and cause my skin to itch.

My constant use and exposure to florals on our land has made me immune to most if not all allergens I previously suffered from. I still keep fast acting allergy medicine because they're incredibly useful to treat swollen tissue but more so if you nick your hands on rose thorns. If you've grown roses, you'd know what I'm talking about. Sporotrichosis will cause you to scratch at the nick, scratch, prick for days if not weeks.
[doublepost=1472164020][/doublepost]

Glezz was my grandmother's mispronunciation of the word "glass"

Oh. Was/is that a New England thing or was she born somewhere else? I've found I can understand the majority of New England accents but I've come a few people in my life that I couldn't understand.

 

[wfs29223]

I personally like good old sugar in the raw.

 

[Shrink]

Oh. Was/is that a New England thing or was she born somewhere else? I've found I can understand the majority of New England accents but I've come a few people in my life that I couldn't understand.

My grandmother was from Russia, and lived in NY. She spoke mostly Yiddish, and the "glezz" thing was a Yiddish accented pronunciation of "glass".

BTW...she wouldn't have known what "New England" was if you dropped her in the middle of Vermont.

 

[mobilehaathi]

I have a block of गुड़ at home; unrefined date/cane/palm sugar. It's quite nice, but a bit of a pain to break up.

 

[Shrink]

This guy might be able to help you break it up...

 

[0388631]

I take it that's not white mold and what resembles a dead bug?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Last night, the electric power supply experienced an outage, the explosive shuddering noise of which awoke me.

Actually, it took a while to be restored (hence reaching for the small, very portable and exceedingly powerful, torch that - along with a competent Swiss Army knife - experience in my travels to strange countries has taught me to have to hand - always). And groping for my glasses, always a challenge when met with an unexpected descent of complete enveloping darkness.

Power was cut, (the internet was down, too) which meant groping for my glasses and my torch in the depths of what seemed to be inky, velvety blackness; the power was restored fairly quickly, but the a/c (curse and blessing both, that thing) took almost an hour to come back, and required resetting this morning.

As my colleague slept through all this, he was blissfully unaware of it, until another consequence greeted us this morning at the breakfast table.

The very mediocre coffee machine in the dining room had suffered a cardiac arrest; we normally have had recourse to the better machine hiding away in an office behind the counter of the bar; that machine - which produces perfectly acceptable espresso - had also, it appeared, suffered something approaching terminal injury.

Thus, we repaired to my colleague's room, where I prepared a French Press of proper (Ethiopian) coffee, - which I made unusually strong - to which we both added what I still think of as sugar lumps (brown ones, also bought last week), as we had meetings, and more meetings, to attend, later, and a functioning brain helps in such a setting.

Our local staff disdained the offer of coffee, - and declined to join us. We sighed contentedly and breathed in - inhaling deeply - the wonderful aroma of Ethiopian coffee with insane smiles of briefly blissful happiness.

Then, cups drained, we headed off to attend our first meeting.

 

[0388631]

To borrow from the smart home thread: And people thought I'd gone round the twist for spending a ridiculous amount of money on a generator. 44KW of pure delight.

Anyway, assuming a transformer exploded, good chance a lot of equipment is now dead. Sorry to read all that, Sceptical. A drip maker should be cheap to replace, but I suspect the espresso machine will need new electrical hardware. I did... expect you to whip out a Hario hand cranked coffee grinder though.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

To borrow from the smart home thread: And people thought I'd gone round the twist for spending a ridiculous amount of money on a generator. 44KW of pure delight.

Anyway, assuming a transformer exploded, good chance a lot of equipment is now dead. Sorry to read all that, Sceptical. A drip maker should be cheap to replace, but I suspect the espresso machine will need new electrical hardware. I did... expect you to whip out a Hario hand cranked coffee grinder though.

I am Not At Home, so the repairs are not my problem, - though dealing with their consequences is - although, admittedly, it is most kind of you to sympathise.

Many of the places I have worked in abroad have had their own generators, as I have worked in countries where you could not really depend on a guaranteed and secure supply of electricity.

Actually, re coffee, I don't have - and never had - a drip coffee maker, mainly because the ones in houses where I stayed, or house-sat, never kept the coffee warm enough, - it was always lukewarm - and, to be honest, I never actually liked the coffee they made. Thus, I never saw the point in buying one.

My home equipment is a Hario dripper, a Bialetti moka pot, and a French Press.

Someday, but not now, and not yet, I shall upgrade it to allow for the making and preparation of proper espresso at home.

 

[AVBeatMan]

Can anyone advise if this is a good buy? It's 5 years old. Thanks.

For all items in pictures.

 

[0388631]

Grinder should be fine. May have to replace the grind elements, which are cheap. The Silva though, no, I wouldn't advise it. I have no idea what revision that is, but I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to buy an espresso maker that old.

I have an immense craving for mint preserves on toasted sourdough with a cup of hot coffee. Sadly, neither can be consumed for the time being. I haven't had mint preserves in years but I spent some time watching old BBC shows where they were going on about jams, jellies and preserves. Simply amazing to see how powerful TV could be in enticing people with food.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Personally, I wouldn't buy a coffee machine, or an espresso machine (a coffee pot is an entirely different matter) that was five years old.

If it were tendered as a gift, even then, I would have considerable doubts about accepting it.

Such things - and choices - are entirely subjective, but I would buy new, or not at all. But, maybe, that is just me.