The Great Grilled Cheese [Recipe]
5 years ago
Saturday, July 26, 2003
More Cups
Just finished adding a couple more pics to the Collection section of my website, this has got to be the slowest website I have ever done.... maybe when work slows down I can add some info and pics...we'll see...
Sunday, June 15, 2003
Illy Book & "Nude" Cups
I've been meaning to add some pics of the Illy Nude Cups and 10th Anni. book.
New Cups!
I was out with today and got bit by the cup collecting bug again! I found some really interesting espresso cups dating back a few years.
The first find was a pair of Russel Wright designed cups from the 40's-50's. They are Demitasse cups that were part of his American Modern dinnerware line. I just love these cups. I saw the retrospective of his designs at the Cooper-Hewitt design museum in NYC in 2001 and I saw these there. I was blown away by the work. There is a book available from that show, highly recommended.
The second find, was a set of 4 Carlo Giannini cups that it am guessing are from the 60's-70's. These are truly unique cups. I have never seen anything like them. They are very futuristic and the design is very original. They look like they came right of the Jetsons. They are mad from Stainless Steel and a Plastic. I couldn't leave these puppies behind.
The first find was a pair of Russel Wright designed cups from the 40's-50's. They are Demitasse cups that were part of his American Modern dinnerware line. I just love these cups. I saw the retrospective of his designs at the Cooper-Hewitt design museum in NYC in 2001 and I saw these there. I was blown away by the work. There is a book available from that show, highly recommended.
The second find, was a set of 4 Carlo Giannini cups that it am guessing are from the 60's-70's. These are truly unique cups. I have never seen anything like them. They are very futuristic and the design is very original. They look like they came right of the Jetsons. They are mad from Stainless Steel and a Plastic. I couldn't leave these puppies behind.
Busy Busy
Ok, so I've been insanely busy the last few weeks and haven’t had a chance to stop and breathe. Got a bunch of home renovations done and the place looks great! Then I was had a neck injury for a while that ha now gone pretty much a way and I'm feeling tip top!
Ran a few roasts a few days ago in the Alp. Put in 3 batches, 1 was Malabar Gold blend, 2 was the last sample Bag of Columbian that comes with the alp and 3 was some Costa Rican SHB given to me by a good friend Craig A.
I've never been a fan of the Malabar Gold, and i think it has to do with the taste that is imparted by the Funky Monssooned Malabar beans in the blend. Its an OK espresso, but i had to start using up some of the 5lbs i had ordered. Again not bad but not great either. People rave about this blend but it just doesnt click with me.
The Columbian that comes as a sample pack with Alp, is a surprising one, not stellar to the caliber of green offered by SM, but it holds its own. This is a great coffee at very little rest and a very easy to roast bean. It works in the Vac Pot as well as a single origin espresso so I was fine with that.
The Costa Rican, was my fave of the 3, made a great cup in the Vac Pot. I'm really starting to appreciate the brightness in beans over the body. Costa Ricans have consistently provided me with a great cup in the eVac. So I will be ordering a good sampling of the CR beans offered by SM. I want to try a batch of them and find out what subtleties lie in them.
Ran a few roasts a few days ago in the Alp. Put in 3 batches, 1 was Malabar Gold blend, 2 was the last sample Bag of Columbian that comes with the alp and 3 was some Costa Rican SHB given to me by a good friend Craig A.
I've never been a fan of the Malabar Gold, and i think it has to do with the taste that is imparted by the Funky Monssooned Malabar beans in the blend. Its an OK espresso, but i had to start using up some of the 5lbs i had ordered. Again not bad but not great either. People rave about this blend but it just doesnt click with me.
The Columbian that comes as a sample pack with Alp, is a surprising one, not stellar to the caliber of green offered by SM, but it holds its own. This is a great coffee at very little rest and a very easy to roast bean. It works in the Vac Pot as well as a single origin espresso so I was fine with that.
The Costa Rican, was my fave of the 3, made a great cup in the Vac Pot. I'm really starting to appreciate the brightness in beans over the body. Costa Ricans have consistently provided me with a great cup in the eVac. So I will be ordering a good sampling of the CR beans offered by SM. I want to try a batch of them and find out what subtleties lie in them.
Sunday, May 18, 2003
WTC Blend
Yesterday had some friends over that were in town from Halifax, great time out for lunch. Then it was over to my place for some gooood coffee. Made some lovely cappas using the Amber Espresso blend that I roasted up a few days ago. This morning I made a nice eVac pot of the Cuban Turquino, great smokey/tabacco flavor, very nice.
I decided to go out on the porch this afternoon and enjoy the weather and roast some more coffee for the upcoming week. Jim Schulman, a great source of info on any coffee forum out there, posted a new blend he was tring out called WTC - "Way To Complicated Blend". Good title and Jim is good enough to post the ratios for the blend:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current blend (WTC for "way too complicated")
is two equal sized 12 minute roasts (fast to 300,
pretty much 15F/min from there) to the first few
snaps:
Fast beans:
20% Harar
20% Kenya Kaiwamururu
40% Blue de Brazil
20% Aged Sulawesi
Slow Beans:
20% Antigua
40% Yauco
40% Bugisu
------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, I had to substitute some beans.. didnt have the Antigua so I used the Guatamalan "Arte de Maya" that I got from SM and didnt have the Kenyan so I used some Kenya AA that is from a Canadian supplier. Since I don't have any of the Puerto Rican Yacou Selelcto (must get it on my next SM order!) i subbed in some Cuban since I have read that they have comparable tastes. I tried out Jim's roasting profile and I recorded all the data and charted it out. Giving the beans a good 48hrs rest, then a taste test.
In the chart below, the Orange Square is beggining of 1st Crack and the Yellow Square is the beginning of 2nd Crack.
I decided to go out on the porch this afternoon and enjoy the weather and roast some more coffee for the upcoming week. Jim Schulman, a great source of info on any coffee forum out there, posted a new blend he was tring out called WTC - "Way To Complicated Blend". Good title and Jim is good enough to post the ratios for the blend:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
My current blend (WTC for "way too complicated")
is two equal sized 12 minute roasts (fast to 300,
pretty much 15F/min from there) to the first few
snaps:
Fast beans:
20% Harar
20% Kenya Kaiwamururu
40% Blue de Brazil
20% Aged Sulawesi
Slow Beans:
20% Antigua
40% Yauco
40% Bugisu
------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, I had to substitute some beans.. didnt have the Antigua so I used the Guatamalan "Arte de Maya" that I got from SM and didnt have the Kenyan so I used some Kenya AA that is from a Canadian supplier. Since I don't have any of the Puerto Rican Yacou Selelcto (must get it on my next SM order!) i subbed in some Cuban since I have read that they have comparable tastes. I tried out Jim's roasting profile and I recorded all the data and charted it out. Giving the beans a good 48hrs rest, then a taste test.
In the chart below, the Orange Square is beggining of 1st Crack and the Yellow Square is the beginning of 2nd Crack.
Friday, May 16, 2003
Mazzer Coming
Mazzer Mini is scheduled to arrive on Monday May 20th! Just did a bit of measuring for the mini's new home and i looks like it will be a tight fit under the counters. If the Mazzer is exactly 18" tall then I may have to resort to copping off a bit at the top.. but it may just squeak in there, since the counters are 17 3/4". Just got a 2lb of Austrailian Skybury green beans in, described by some as similar to Isle of St. Helena. So I may be in for a real treat there.
Thursday, May 15, 2003
New Mazzer
Just dropped my order for a new Mazzer Mini with Chris Coffee. Great guy and I cant wait til arrives. Also got the new Illy cup set , Illy Nude. great new cups that are completely clear. Also picked up the Illy 10th Anniversary book. What a beautiful book! Every artist and cup set is featured. I will be posting pictures in the Espreso section of my website. Just finished 3 roasts in my Alp, I'm so rusty using that thing. I when to dark on my first roast, Amber Espresso blend from Sweetmarias. The next two went better as I got a few for the arrival of the 2nd crack. Roast number 2 was a batch of Mexican Organic Chiapas also from Sweetmarias. The third and final roast was some new beans that are a treat for us Canadians, Cuban Turquino Lavado. Looking forward to trying them out.
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
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