[vinaydas]

Originally Posted by theMAG

I hate instant coffee. I love strong filter coffee - I've grown up with this.

I there was an option to super like this post , would have done it

Sticking to topic,if i drink coffee i do so only in the morning (Rarely ,usually wake up w/o Tea or coffee) but in general i prefer tea because of the coffee breath after drinking coffee

[Sam Kapasi]

The French press is one of the most common ways coffee is made around the world.

What is a French Press?





Well, that's what it looks like. You can buy this from a home store that sells plates and knives and such. I know that it is available at Lifestyle and The Home Store and other similar places.
It may be hard to come by - it is not commonly used in India. However if you're travelling to anywhere in the US or Europe, this is as easy as buying a frying pan in India.

I also think Cafe Coffee Day has started selling this. Someone will have to confirm.
It is inexpensive usually.

For those who want nothing but the best in the world, you shoudl get yourself a Bodum. BODUM® - Official Online Shop. I think they are also available in certain stores in India.
Also you will find a French Press in some shops like Alfa and others that specialize in selling foreign cutlery and crockery etc.

Regardless, you don't need a fancy french press. One is not really better than the other.


How does it work?

It is perhaps the simplest little contraption. You pull the plunger out completely.


Put in the coffee powder. Remember to not have ground it too fine, I prefer the consistency of fine sugar to the consistency of salt.

Put in the coffee powder at the bottom of the glass jar and then pour in boiling water. You can boil the water in a tapela, saucepan or whatever. Alternatively, a nice way is to use a water boiler, like this kettle from Bajaj.


Using the kettle makes it mess free and really quite convenient. Besides, if you have a french press and kettle lying on your table, it will look quite cool, na? Much better than having a chai ka patela or tapela or handi or whatever you call it.

As soon as you have poured in the boiling water over the coffee, cover the french press. You can do this by placing the plunger and dhakkan back on the french press and pushing down till the plunger is at the level of the boiling water.

Do not push the plunger all the way in.

Now wait. Usually a two minutes or so is sufficient. During this time, let is rest quietly. Don't try to shake or stir or anything. Just leave it be.

Then push the plunger in, slowly all the way till the bottom. No pumping or anything. Just once, slowly and deliberately, all the way in. Don't slam it in.

The plunger has a filter that will keep all the exhausted coffee powder residue at the bottom, leaving ready black drinkable coffee at the top.

Honestly, you're done. When you pour it out, what you will have is some real black coffee.

You can decide what you want to do. Some drink it as it is. Some mix sugar and milk in it. Some cool it and then whip it with cold milk and icecream. I fill up 3/4th of a cup with this beautiful liquid, mix in one spoon of sugar and add a few teaspoons of milk inside.

AaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhH!!!!!!

Next: Coffee making machines at home.

[amitoj]

Wait! How much coffee powder to make one cup of coffee?

[theexperthand]

Ah! The smell of freshly made filter kaapi - there is nothing which can be compared to it, and the smell, combined with petrichor is nothing short of heaven.

At Kalamne coffee, you can get roasted coffee beans and they will crush it for you - you can buy small amounts also, which is good if you don’t want to use your mixer to grind the coffee beans.

I once made the mistake of buying horribly overpriced Davidoff instant coffee from Thoms bakery - first sip, and I realized what a waste of money that was. Now it is always Kalamne for me.

Thanks Sam, for this thread.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Wait! How much coffee powder to make one cup of coffee?

It is similar to tea. You exhaust the powder and then throw it in the garbage/sink. Coffee strength is determined from how long you leave it in the boiling water and how much you use.

The advantage with the french press is that you can successfully make just one mug of the stuff.

I find that using 3/4th or 1 teaspoon of coffee powder per mug and leaving it in the french press of at least 2 minutes is a good start. Then you can experiment a little to find the taste that suits you.
Also, if you like your coffee with milk, don't put too much of it, please. Just a little is enough to keep the flavour nice.

Also tastes great with just a little milk and no sugar. Fantastic in the morning.

Somebody mentioned "coffee breath" - to be honest, I'd rather my breath smell of coffee than eggs, garlic, onions, cigarette etc - the most common smells in India.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

I once made the mistake of buying horribly overpriced Davidoff instant coffee from Thoms bakery - first sip, and I realized what a waste of money that was. Now it is always Kalamne for me.

Buying imported coffee is really a waste of money. Especially these big brand coffees. I love the coffee we get in India. It is delicious and really very affordable.

[Sam Kapasi]

If you really do enjoy your coffee and see yourself drinking at least 5 to 7 mugs of it in a week, perhaps you should invest in a coffee making machine instead.

Coffee makers are not expensive, contrary to what you might think. Shops like Croma etc sell machines from Black and Decker and others that look like this:





They are not expensive, ranging from 1500 bucks to about 5000, depending on how fancy it is and how many cups does it make. This is what we use at home, thanks to Frank Mehta who received one as a reward for some online purchase and didn't know what to do with it. So he posted it for sale.

If he had read this thread, I wonder if he would have sold it.

Using these are really a piece of cake.

One opens the front part, puts 1, 2 or 3 spoons of coffee powder in, pours in cold water in the reservoir (1, 2 or 3 cups) and then switches it on and goes off to the toilet.
Come back and the jar is full of delicious black coffee. These machines even keep the coffee warm for you so it's no problem if you return in 10 or 15 minutes, you will find you hot black coffee waiting for you.

No tension of boiling water or anything. When friends are over, just knock in some coffee, cold water and go back to chatting with them.

When you're done, all you need to do is get the filter out (it's reusable, no need to replace or throw) and knock the exhausted coffee powder in the garbage/sink.

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Next: Coffee making machines at home.

I use this at home. Along with TATA Mr Bean coffee. This doesn't work well with 100% coffee powder. It works best with 60:40 or 70:30 coffee chicory mixture. There is a theory for that, but let's not get there now.

[sudev]

Change of slogan : Wah Taj Janaab to Wighetu Kapi Amma

Nice subject.

[Sam Kapasi]

Those of us that travel often to Europe will have found some really expensive looking coffee machines in lobbies and conference rooms.
They look expensive because they are expensive.



A machine like that starts with roasted coffee beans, and milk and can do everything you want. Any kind of coffee, from Espresso to foamy capuccino to latte and anything else in between.
All it takes is the press of a button.

The machine even crushes the coffee beans just before making coffee out of it (showing the importance of freshly ground coffee again).

If you're thinking of buying one of these babies for your office or home, be prepared to spend about 1 lac or more. Yes, you read correctly.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Not wanting to hijack Yeti's thread, most of the blends which are sold by Coffee Day, HLL, Tata have a very high amount of chicory which is good to give the brew some strength but destroy the taste of coffee, among the mass brands which get retailed at the department stores only Coorg & Cothas have 100% coffee without chicory.

[Sam Kapasi]

A new standard in Europe is to use coffee capsules. There are companies like Nespresso Nestlé Nespresso: The Art of Espresso, Exclusive Coffee Machines, the Premium Blends, the Accessories and Our Unique Club (made by Nestlé) and Philips Senseo that have the perfect bridge between real and instant coffee.



Instant real coffee.

Not only is it a success, but it is very expensive and quite stylish to drink coffee made from capsules.

The capsules look like this and have different flavours, such as hazelnut, cinnamon and more.



There are a variety or companies making coffee machines that start with a capsule of concentrated coffee. DeLonghi and Krups are some of them.





Press a button and place a cup under it. In a few seconds it delivers you some great smelling and tasting coffee. Capsules are stored inside the machine, as well as some water. Some machines require you to insert one capsule at a time and press a button. In both cases, each capsule delivers one cup of espresso and then you throw the shell. Capsules can be stored for a long time.

A machine like this and some capsules in your office cabin say "I am very stylish and well-travelled" and to be completely honest, the espresso is really amazingly good, if you like espresso.
And I mean Espresso, a super small concentrated jet black hammerhead shot of coffee. Not foamy capuccino that many call expresso by mistake.

Of course you don't get capsules in India at all, so it is on the list everytime you or someone else travels abroad, especially to Europe.

It's fancy, expensive and cool. I'm not a big fan. But you should know what's going on when you see one of these the next time.

[Sam Kapasi]

If you learned something about coffee and have decided to try something other than instant, then my objective is complete. I don't think good coffee is the domain of special people. I think it is a simple and enjoyable drink.

I have discussed various options, but as always, I recommend the cheapest and simplest options. You will find that drinking real coffee, is in fact cheaper and far more enjoyable than drinking Nestle's instant crap.

If you're going to change your coffee drinking habits after reading this thread, let us know. Post a thank you and perhaps a picture or two or your French Press or coffee machine.
And share with the others where you bought your coffee beans from so that others may benefit.

Thanks for enjoying this thread and enjoy your coffee!!

Love,
Sam

[ASHISHPALLOD]

arrey wah,
thread khatam bhi ho gaya, like instant coffee!!!

Thanks for sharing the info but where should i find good coffee beans? anyone in pune?

Btw, how to differentiate between good , better and best coffee beans at the time of purchase without looking at the price tag?

[amitoj]

LOL. Have you tried what used to pass for "expresso" in many marriages up North? Where a guy would hold a jug in front of a nozzle attached to a huge machine?

EDIT: Yes today i am going to give another "shot" to non instant coffee.

Another question though. Does it work out cheaper to switch to this kinda coffee from instant Nescafe classic?

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Thanks for sharing the info but where should i find coffee beans? anyone in pune?

Dukens Coffee, 636 Raviwar Peth, Pune, Near Railway Booking office. Telephone: 24458459

Originally Posted by amitoj

Another question though. Does it work out cheaper to switch to this kinda coffee from instant Nescafe classic?

Well there is an initial investment of buying a coffee machine or a press, but after that, yes it's cheaper than buying nescafe classic.

Btw, how to differentiate between good , better and best coffee beans at the time of purchase without looking at the price tag?

I can't say. It isn't like rice which you can tell by looking. I usually hold a few beans to my nose and if I like the smell, I buy it. I think a little experience will teach you the answer to that question. Till then, ask the guy at the coffee bean shop.