Chemists vs. main source of coffee bitterness from PhysOrg.com

Bitter taste can ruin a cup of coffee, we all know that. Now, chemists in Germany and the United States say they have identified the chemicals that appear to be largely responsible for java’s bitterness, a finding that could one day lead to a better tasting brew (yeah sure). Their study, one of the most detailed chemical analyses of coffee bitterness to date, was presented today at the 234^th national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

In the article they mention researching methods to remove bitterness, by processing the green bean or whatever. Such a wrong approach. True to our arrogant genes. How about using decent beans, doing proper roasting, studying the art and science of brewing methods and applying all these to achieve the experience. And make that perfect cup of coffee… Instead, no, we (humans), know better and we can change everything, fix everything. Ruin everything! Then mass produce, maximize profit, make more money.

I ponder what motives these researchers have? I bet they are not coffee aficionados looking for the perfect cup.

No they didn’t make their coffee better…
No it’s not only their questionable coffee producers “friendly” policies…
Now it appears their treatment of workers is under scrutiny as well…

So much for corporate social responsibility. Starbucks are ultimate pretenders.

Yeah me too… it’s trendy lately, everyone seems to do so, for various reasons (just do a google “I hate Starbucks”). I don’t remember the last time I went into one of their shops. All they have in their catalog is some sweet and milky coffee based beverages, topped with all kinds of flavorings that kill even the faintest coffee taste and aroma they may contain. An espresso is all you can order if you like coffee (and don’t want donuts in liquid form). It’s been long now that they have stopped using a proper espresso machine, and their personnel had any knowledge of the barista art. They use super-automatic beasts which are obviously calibrated to spit out mediocre coffee, barely good to serve as the basis of their unfortunate caffeinated drinks.

BUT… the espresso machine at work is broken (it’s been weeks now, sigh…). The coffee shop in our office building is closed this week due to summer vacations (not that their coffee is a thrilling experience). And I want to get some coffee. My first attempt is at the local pastry shop near my house which I visit every morning to buy freshly baked bread (they do make great bread and pastry). I’ve noticed in the past that they have a La Cimbali M32 2-group Bistro sitting behind the counter, and their grinder loaded with beans (of a brand I don’t even recall), which are obviously sitting in the hopper for ages. So I don’t expect much. But I go ahead and order a doppio. I walk out of the shop, take a sip, and dump it right away before I get in the car. Don’t blame them though, they couldn’t know or do better.

And I think ok, I am off to the Starbucks on the block next to the building where I work, perhaps it’s not that bad as I remember it was. The only thing I was pretty sure about is that in Starbucks a double espresso, is always a double ristretto, and when I enter I order a double lungo, hopping that I will get a proper doppio. Alas… you can’t even imagine what the girl preparing the coffee did: After pulling the shot (obviously pressing a button, nothing more), she takes the cup, puts it under the tap, and fills the cup (to a level she thought sufficient) with water. And serves me this abomination of an espresso! I didn’t know how to react. I begin imagining excuses, e.g. perhaps their super-automatics do not have the option to key-in a doppio lungo, or she doesn’t know how to, or what-ever. 2.5 euros they charge for that. I decide not to make a fuss about it, take the “black matter” and dump it right outside the shop.

I can’t think of shop open or capable to serve a decent coffee at the moment. Athens is no place for a coffee lover, especially in the mid-August when everyone is away in vacations. No coffee for me this morning…

It’s a feeling which I get from time to time. And it’s like this: I have just finished or am finishing a task (the mileage may vary from personal, like cleaning my toaster, to professional, like wrapping up the latest n’ greatest hack). The dominant emotion pondering the outcome of my hard work is satisfaction, or something close. This emanates from judging the results (always based on arguable personal quality standards) as good, excellent, magnificent, exceptional, what ever. I feel good with what I see or hold before me. And the next moment I am empty. I think what’s the point?. What’s the fuss all about? Why do I spent my time and energy on this? It’s not necessarily that I have an alternative in mind, a better way to fill my hours (even if I had the choice, not something very likely). Even if it’s good, it’s nice, fuck it!. It’s not that I am better, or the world is better, or my problems have suddenly gone away. Does it matter at all that I did it?. No, not in my eyes. I could not even be here tomorrow to use it, feel happy about it or something. I don’t get angry. Just feel hollow. And then I turn away. I don’t discard it or bury it. I just leave it be. Maybe after five weeks I’ll be at it again. Or maybe so in five minutes. But it’s draining… that feeling.

I admit it, I am a caffeine addict. I drink 3-4 times a day coffee, or tea. Depending on the time or occasion I go for a different kind: strong black tea in the morning, double greek (turkish if you prefer) when I arrive at work, espresso after lunch or dinner. At least that’s the combination that does the trick for me at present, although I tend to change my coffee habits frequently.

Pursuing perfection in these everyday cherished moments of caffeine intake I was able to offer a quality tea or greek coffee to myself using carefully selected ingredients and strictly following the preparation ritual (based on tradition, facts and personal experience). No special equipment needed there and preparation admittedly simple.

But I didn’t have it all. Espresso was and still is for me the absolute coffee experience. It holds a special place in my gourmet psyche. If at the right time (never in the morning!) and right taste and smelling senses acceptors state (that is why espresso is at best after a good meal), a quality espresso can be a sensual experience. But it was hard enough to get a decent shot in the job with the mediocre equipment and silly espresso pods. And even in a cafe, the shots vary widely, more often that not being simply satisfactory. Never top quality. That’s why I made the decision: I would buy all I need and train myself to prepare a shot. Then, at least when I was home, I would be able to enjoy an espresso shot of high standards (high expectations!!)

The quest was on:

• I had to educate myself in the espresso world.

• Select the proper equipment (given a rather tight budget) and procure.

• Find a way to buy decent coffee. You see here in Athens the best you can find are standard, industrial Illy, Lavaza and the kind.

To cut a long story short:

• Reading and browsing the internet, a lot of sites helped me. To mention a few Coffee Geek, Home Barista, Whole Latte Love and many others, as well as the always bewildering Wikipedia.

• Reading reviews in the sites, searching online shops and thinking about it for more than 2 months, finally I did it. A Gaggia combo: Gaggia Classic, Gaggia MDF and base from La Gondola

  (thanks for the great service guys):

• Again thanks to good advice from many internet coffee fans my prefered coffee provider now is Has Bean Coffee. A great selection of coffee beans and espresso accessories, with good service and respect for the delecate coffee product.

It’s now more than 2 months I am a happy owner of the equipment. And it takes time to experiment and learn. In the beginning I was devastated. I couldn’t get a decent shot by no means. Then you start to learn how to control the variables of a good espresso. The beans, the grind, the tamping, the time. Not difficult to understand, but tough to successfully combine. Being persistent I think I have reached a good point for a novice. That’s why I dare present a few photos of my shots. I have finally managed to be persistent enough in my shots, to be able to photo the outcome during the shot :-) I still believe I have a long way to go:

0 sec (on):

6 sec:

12 sec:

18 sec:

25 sec (off):

One last thing: Brewing espresso at home leads you into another never ending trip of gadgets and accessories. What I want next? Check it out: The espro tamper :-)

(Some months and a lot of shots after the original post: Ok now I know this one was under-extracted. It is obvious from the crema color and texture. I didn’t know any better. Cause? most probably grind level and tamping.)

Ok just woke up after two hours watching Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers. Two lost hours. Two subtle hours. Full of people,  present, real people. It leaves you dangling. So real, weird. Still searching for moments, minutes passing in non real time. Seeing someone I feel comfortable with, in everyone of them. Yet some of them really disconserting, difficult to comprehend but not less familiar. Aesthetic pleasure, yada, yada, yada… Worth every second but… there is an end :-) Fucked up D night.

On art perception,
On running and existence,
On god and thanksgiving,
On happiness, moments and life,
In words… thank You.

Then it all goes away, the trouble, the things… not suddenly, but timely. Dare say periodically. And although one would never seek all the trouble again at that point, he is equally mystified and entangled. Because now he is, kind of, empty, but not relieved. Empty is also sad. You can not fight emptiness. You just wait the period to wrap around? Perpetual self-pity. Dead-end.

Today I saw the Lost Highway by David Lynch in DVD. The film is about a guy who is suffering from a crisis of personal identity, to be more accurate a schizophrenic, whose struggle to cope with a problematic personal life leads him to a non linear world, where facts, images and time convolute in a chaos. Of course such a poor attempt to sum the story, is far from adequate to describe the Lynchian world once again ruthlessly unveiled in front of our eyes and ears (never forget the ears with Lynch). After the film I had the strong urge to dig more into it. I searched for critics and essays, that would help me demystify it: a very interesting site on Lynch’s work is The City of Absurdity with a strong paper’s section for the Lost highway, as well as all of his films. Any one looking for input on the deranged Lynch should check out this one.
Needless to say I loved the film!
PS: I have friend, who has more than one time argued, in front of me and others, that we have watched this film together back in 1997 when it was released. I was and am confident that today it’s the first time I watch this film. Either that, or I should start being worried about my mental state being close to Fred Madison’s one (the film hero).

I made the move. Although a few months ago I was still against it (you see I am like that: I react stupidly when what I know and love starts to change). After some researching I bought a Sony DSC-V1 (5mp 4x optical 5x digital). Read a review here. I think she is pretty:

Still no personal opinion, only had it for less than 24h and its my first digital. I have to adopt to their ways. Things look interesting, but I wasn’t able to access it from GNU/Linux, which kind of upsets me. I will follow up with it… (July 4th, 2004: of course it works with GNU/Linux. It mounts just fine, don’t know why didn’t work the first time)