Coffee

[Xiahou]

I think we need a tutorial with pics from you Xiahou, please

Well, Im no expert- but if anyone has any questions Id be more than happy to tell them what I think or point them to online sources of info.

A few general pointers I give to people: If you really want a fresh cup of coffee, you've gotta grind your own- get a decent conical burr grinder. You can spend hundreds of dollars on a good one- but for me, this one is an amazing value (it's the one I use). Buy whole beans, and grind them right before you use them for maximum freshness. Those sealed bags with one-way gas valves let CO2 out and keep the beans fresh for a long time. After being opened, they're usually pretty stale inside of 2 wks- sooner if not properly stored.

A cheaper way for beginners would be to grind your beans at the store- but this really only works if you can just buy enough for 2-3days max. Once beans are ground, they lose flavor very quickly. On the other end of the spectrum, for coffee nerds like myself- you can get yourself a portable roaster and roast/grind your own beans(green, unroasted beans keep for months and are generally cheaper to buy than roasted ones). You can buy them online at places like http://www.sweetmarias.com(also a great coffee info site)

[highlanddave]

i adore my coffee. i never find it has bad taste, unless you made it too weak or your coffee is stale.

i do agree there is some aftertaste, but you know what? i like it. i do brush my teeth 3 times a day though and definitely before i meet anybody that i want to talk with closely.

i always buy beans. never ground. even a cheap grinder can be bought for 8-12 bucks and gives back huge dividends. never grind anything but coffee in your grinder it will mess it up.

i do not use sugar as i am diabetic. i do use a touch (only a touch) of creamer. i do not want to mess up a perfect cup of coffee.

i store my coffee carefully to avoid it going stale, but it really can not in my house as i drink up to 3 lbs. a month. unlike xiahou i do not roast my own. i do not think i have ever seen green coffee. i have access to a farmer market that imports beans directly. maybe i will have to ask about green coffee and try roasting it myself.

i tend to like robust tasting food as well, deli food, pickles, hot spicy food. i think some personal taste for food and drink has to do with your inherited tongue. some people have more or less taste buds than others. some people can be much more sensitive to tastes as well.

i occasionally make tea, either green japanese tea or earl grey. i never take anything in my tea.

[Duke Malcolm]

They've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil.
The president's daughter was seen drinking water and was fined a great big fifty dollar bill.

[Fragony]

Best normal coffee is Santos from brazil, make sure you buy beans because it really makes a difference. No machine, oldschool baby. I usually drink espresso from Illy though, very metropolican of me.