Brazilian Santos [topic: beans]

Brazil is surely well known for its quality of coffee beans. It is a country with many producers who are prolific and dedicated for the bean. There might be problems there but their selection of coffee is vast.

From the wide range of coffee beans, Santos can be safely called a soft choice. This coffee is mostly common with people who enjoy milk and sugar with their cuppa because of the mild taste of coffee which blends well with other tastes. So much so, that coffee lovers who brew their espresso using this bean only, would normally be adventurous with some other tastes like cinnamon and chicory.

Some places have a coffee tradition which is not based on quality but more on the practical level of coffee. For example, mixing mild quality coffees such as the Santos bean with cinnamon and chicory and let coffee slowly simmer on fire so as to have coffee available all day long without experiences a bland taste of coffee.

A classic way of using beans such as Brazil Santos is in latte (macchiato) while a modern way of using these coffee beans is in iced coffee where the taste is refreshing, not too strong, ideal especially for the hot Summers we're having. Well, try it out ... you'll like it!

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What to serve with coffee [topic: general]

It is by far a general custom in many cafes to serve some small a complimentary biscuit or chocolate treat with coffees and teas. However, in reality not everything makes sense with any beverage at any time. Even though many amateur café managers or owners would not mind to care to a true coffee service (sometimes not even Italian owners do care), it is our duty to pamper ourselves to the high way of having the golden treat of life, caffé.

This is how coffee is commonly served

So if you want to be served coffee in the TRUE way ... how should it be done? Well, the answer to that depends on what time you're having coffee. I normally make three differences in coffee: coffee as breakfast; coffee during the day; coffee as a wonderful closure to your day. I will here shortly describe each way ...

COFFEE AS BREAKFAST!

Coffee at breakfast is for me the starting of an engine. If I cannot have my coffee well, I prefer not having it at all. The best way to have it at breakfast, a coffee is to be accompanied by a glass of water and cornetto (plain, chocolate or cream).

cut the crap ... no instant coffee can make this happen

COFFEE DURING THE DAY!

During the rest of the day, coffee can serve as an oasis, away from it all! There's nothing that can beat coffee for a 5-10 minute getaway. What I normally prefer is just coffee and water ... nothing else!

no strings attached, just THE coffee

COFFEE TO WIND DOWN!

Winding down is very important after a busy day. Some would say that coffee would prevent their sleep, yet it surely doesn't apply for me as I would sleep better after a good lungo. But what else would be my best deal for it? Besides the obvious glass of sparkling water, I add a small chocolate treat in order to wind down my senses in the best way possible!!

Wind down your senses to gear up your dreams!

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 13]

This time, my caffé was called for at Point de Vue in Rabat, Malta. I ordered a lungo and patiently waited for my well deserved treat. This place sells Illy, another common brand in Malta's cafes and restaurants.

divine hug, but not fully divine here

The waiting time was reasonable, yet the presentation was not as it should. My caffé seems to have been waiting to be delivered at least 2-3 minutes before it was actually served. The cream was almost disintegrated and the temperature was barely acceptable. These elements obviously impinge on the taste as well as the quality of the product I experienced.

Also, kindly note that it is very unprofessional to serve a plastic stirrer inside a cafe or restaurant. It is surely below your supposed-to-be standards to serve coffee as if it were a product to be taken for granted. May I also suggest that it is a standard to serve water with an espresso / lungo or americano. Your place has a great potential and would certainly augment your product if you serve your coffee as it should.

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 12]

This time, my review is taking us to Żurrieq, Wied iż-Żurrieq to be exact - at Step In. This place serves Piazza D'Oro, a coffee brand not quite common on the island. The impression I got of this brand is a very positive one, with a nutty flavour, clearly having a good blend of beans to support the taste as well as aftertaste.

well served golden tazzina

At Step In, I got this good quality coffee, at a good temperature as well as good creamy caffè. My only criticism is the lack of stability when serving the coffee (producing a storm in my tazzina) and also not serving a teaspoon with my coffee which is a MUST to give a stir before tasting.

Just like many places on the island, I suggest to augment the quality of service when someone orders an espresso; lungo or americano it is a MUST to serve a small glass of water. The reason for serving water can be found here: https://goo.gl/z7FMPR.

Nevertheless, I complement this establishment for the brand as well as taste and temperature of the coffee served. Having so many clients is only another reason for you to augment the quality of your coffee service.

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Best Coffee Temperature [topic: general]

Some might think that this topic is subjective to personal tastes. Yet, this is not the case ... obviously I'm not going to tackle instant coffee but the TRUE COFFEE ... brewed coffee.

When using the macchinetta - set the burner on the lower possible option as the pressure needs to build up inside and not temperature. Coffee needs to go up and down through the granules for quite some time before adding enough pressure to go up for you to enjoy the heavenly drink.

When using an espresso machine - allow the temperature and pressure to rise enough before pressing the button. A good machine will serve at optimum temperature (by means of thermostats) if the correct amount of coffee granules is used.

When using a French Press - it is recommended to NEVER USE boiling water. The best temperature is 93 degrees Celsius (200 degrees Fahrenheit) not only for the best taste but also for the health benefits in coffee to be preserved in the best way. If your water comes to a boiling point, allow it around 1-2 minutes before pouring water onto the granules. Allow the coffee to brew well in the hot water before filtering.

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 11]

A new review post, yet with a negative not on my part. This time, my supposed-to-be caffé lungo was ordered at Hard Rock Cafe at Valletta Waterfront.

Firstly, allow me to point out that the time taken for my caffé to be delivered at table was more than it takes to pick up coffee beans in a remote village somewhere in a cuckoo-land! It was a ridiculous surprise to get this low quality supposed-to-be espresso lungo.

simply a NO, NO!

This place serves Lavazza but I'm not sure the brand knows about the lack of quality served here (at least at my table). Apart from serving my coffee piping hot (which is surely a no go for coffee), the espresso was by no means presentable, creamy not delicious. I couldn't actually drink my coffee because of the temperature yet by the looks of it, the coffee was either not fresh or else something was totally wrong in the process.

One surely cannot accept or excuse this quality from a place that includes CAFE in its name. No water is served. No quality is redeemed. No coffee is made. What a let down guys!

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 10]

'Un caffe ti ristora per la giornata' - 'With coffee you restore your energy for the day'

This may apply all the time except when coffee is served with inferior quality despite being a coffee shop serving a good number of coffees per day. That's when you would expect better all the way! This time I paid a visit to Molly's Cafe in Mosta. At this place they serve Saquella coffee which is very common on the island, yet acceptable quality.

I got this coffee to TRY and restore my day.

Firstly, I wouldn't consider the time taken to serve the coffee (only three tables were being served - with less than 10 metres of distance) to be relative to the quality of what I got. Apart from the presentation which is way too rough (clearly from the picture) the cream had already started to dissolve itself which most probably was left either standing or else did not have the right amount of coffee as well as pressure to brew. The temperature was OK, yet could have been better especially in our warm climate whereby coffee will not lose temperature so quickly indoors.

Serving sugar is only a matter of courtesy and not an issue for a cost-cutting exercise. Also, please note that being a CAFE, you are encouraged to serve coffee as it should -temperature; creamy; sugar; clean and including a glass of water PLEASE!

The place is very sweet and I suggest you upgrade your quality to make this experience even more pleasurable.

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Why and how do I drink water with coffee?

In several review posts I have written in the past weeks and months, I have stressed the importance to serve water with coffee in order to be of service to clients. This is not just a tradition but a necessary feature in drinking coffee. In this post I will be giving reasons for this MUST in the coffee service.

Quality of service is the secret in a proper caffé

One wouldn't dream of going into a bar for coffee and not being served with a glass of water (preferably sparkling). Drinking this water is to be done both before the coffee as well as after, for two different reasons.

Water BEFORE the coffee is done in order to clean and clear the palate from any tastes or excess of saliva, both of which alter the coffee experience. Water AFTER the coffee is to be consumed after a few minutes in order to re-hydrate the palate as well as clear the coffee aftertaste in order to continue with the day's activities without the tedious coffee aftertaste.

Apart from the coffee experience per se, the water re-hydration is also important health-wise due to a well known fact that coffee does in fact dehydrate the body, so it is also healthy to compensate with water the volume of coffee consumed.

So please, dear bar-owners, augment the coffee service by adding a small glass of water (preferably sparkling) not only bec


ause it's polite to do so, but also to show your clientele that you care for them and not only their money!

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Caffè Macchiato [topic: review 9]

It's time for a new review post. This time I paid a visit to Bean & Loaf in Santa Venera. I ordered an espresso macchiato as the place was just opened just seconds before I went in.

I noticed that this place uses Kimbo as their coffee brand. I am not much impressed with this coffee brand, yet I find it acceptable for an early morning start.

my morning coffee at Bean & Loaf

I ordered an espresso macchiato. To be honest, I'm not much of a fan for macchiato due to the fact that sometimes it ends up as a mini-cappuccino, which is surely not the case if it is well made. At Bean & Loaf, the end result was not the perfect one you would expect, yet it was bearable. The taste and temperature were OK, yet I strongly suggest to clean the tazzina just like a chef cleans his plate after plating, a barista cleans the tazzina after brewing.

Still way to go for the water service with an espresso ... is it too much to expect from a coffee service? Come on ... your name stresses the importance of the BEAN and apart from the brand you use, the coffee service needs an upgrade please to reflect your brand!

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 8]

Oh well, let's face it - it's tough to say no to coffee despite this scorching heat! This time my coffee was called at Belleview Bistro-Cafe-Pizzeria in Mellieħa, Malta. I must say that this place was pretty busy, yet the time-frame between my coffee order and delivery at table was less than five minutes.

what a masterpiece!

My comments will certainly be positive as this place has hit all my tick-boxes! My caffè lungo was certainly a masterpiece. Presentation was excellently neat, with cream on top perfectly brewed. The taste was pretty much as expected by Saquella, a very popular brand here in Malta. The temperature from bar to table was perfect as my tazzina was definitely pre-heated as it should.

Last but not least, this place served me with what I long for in most cafeterias on this island ... WATER! As previously mentioned and explained, water is essential for the coffee experience to be more perfect.

Well done you guys at Belleview Bistro-Cafe-Pizzeria, you nailed it! Keep it up ... don't let yourselves loose in the process.

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 7]

It's time for another coffee review! This time I had my caffé at Da Luigi in Rabat, Malta.

After a nice dinner, a coffee lover would never go without his/her caffé. Be it lungo, ristretto or macchiato, caffé is always a pleasure. At Da Luigi they serve coffee using the brand 'Miscela D'oro. This brand is not very commonly found in local cafes and restaurants. Yet I dare to say that at Da Luigi they do represent this brand perfectly.

How am I to refuse myself this heavenly treat?

Though taking quite some time to prepare (could also be related to the good number of coffees we had on our table), the end product reaching me was very good. The cream was there as well as the temperature and the taste was great. It tends to be a nutty flavour though the Arabica presence makes it a whole lot smoother in taste.

Cup and saucer were clean as they should, though I would like to remark that coffee (like food) is to be served clean, i.e. clean the cup from any stains resulting from the brew itself. It was obvious that the stains were from my own coffee, yet it does make an impact when cleaned and served in a 'perfect' way.

Allow me to add that coffee is to be served with a glass of water (preferably sparkling) both when served on its own as well as after a dinner. In the near future I will posting about this NEED when serving coffee.

Above all, I would like to congratulate the staff at Da Luigi for their coffee and the way the represent their coffee brand at their family run restaurant.

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What to do with used coffee (1) [topic: general]

One wouldn't normally think of this as I am pretty sure, most coffee granules go to waste from the coffee machines straight to bins. Yet ... there is one more use that the beloved coffee can have and perhaps also do poetic justice with it as it goes back to where it belongs - nature.

It is proven that coffee can serve as a natural fertiliser for your garden. You can use it on its own or else even mix it with some other organic material such as egg shells and dried banana peels to produce your own compost. In order to do so, make sure you blend the items properly adding some water in the process.

you can keep the coffee in a jar and let it dry

I tend to prefer the simple way i.e. let the coffee dry up well before mixing with soil or compost. It is very effective and you can see the difference in the richness of your soil. It is surely better than wasting this natural richness by throwing it away ... don't waste your waste, recycle your coffee from your machine, dry it out in a jar (it should be fine after a few days) and mix it with your soil / compost. You'll see the difference in a few weeks.

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 6]

My usual caffé lungo this time took me to TRAMICI in B'Kara. I ordered by usual lungo and it was in front of me in a jiffy. Freshly ground coffee and served within seconds.

Apart from the speed of service, I congratulate them for the quality of the coffee. To be honest I'm not sure what coffee brand they use, however I was impressed with the cream of espresso and the taste was also very good. The presentation was also excellent with a clean cup and saucer as it should and also well finished presentation of my espresso.

Allow me however to comment on one point which Malta is still not well served at many cafes ... ANY KIND OF ESPRESSO IS SERVED WITH A GLASS OF WATER!!!!!!!! For those who might not know the reason for it is to clean your palate before and after having your coffee,thus augmenting the experience.

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Guatemala [topic: beans]

It's time for another coffee bean review. This time I'm taking a look at the qualities behind the delicious coffee bean coming a long way from Latin America - Guatemala.

This coffee bean grows in an environment with an altitude of around 1,500 metres above sea level, harvested between December and April. After harvest, the Guatemala bean is washed and dried until it obtains the pleasantly bright acidity. The aroma this beans provides us with is floral (citrus) but the flavour is chocolate, slightly nutty.

There are several designated coffee under the Guatemalan umbrella and for this, Guatemala has got a coffee association so as to establish standards and assure quality (which they seem quite serious in dealing with).

On a personal note, I do suggest mixing at least 20% of a coffee bean like Guatemalan coffee with Arabica bean with which taste is augmented and better accentuated. Perhaps some might disagree but palate and taste are somewhat objective!! :-)

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 5]

I have been to Palazzo de Piro quite a few times. This place has a very lovely setup in the silent city of Mdina. However, I must say that despite being a busy place, service should never be a let down. Apart from relatively long waiting time for a normal caffé lungo, this was the result I got on my table.

Literally a storm in an espresso cup

Please note the presentation. It seems that the server passed through a storm on his/her way up. Being Illy, perhaps the most common coffee brand on the island of Malta, I would say that the taste was basically OK. Yet, taste needs to be complemented with a better quality of service. Also, having ordered just an espresso I expected the traditional glass of water.

Overall, please note that such a place deserves a better quality of service. Having quality servers is great, the coffee product however needs to be better at all times!

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 4]

My apologies for not posting in the past few weeks. For this review post I went for a dinner at a relaxing bay in Gozo (the sister island of Malta) where dining al fresco could not have ended any better than ... CAFFÈ LUNGO! The place is Moby Dick @ Xlendi.

A creamy lungo

Despite the fact that the restaurant was reaching closing time, this coffee was delivered in less than 3 minutes. One must admit that the trajectory from the bar to our table included a couple of steps so I have to excuse the lack of presentation (even though not fully excusable). In spite of the storm that hit my lungo, the texture was still there. One slight stir and it was all restored.

This place uses Kiimbo as seen in the picture I am presenting. One must say that Kimbo is not one of the most popular coffees in the Maltese islands. I was curious in fact to check it out. I have to say I was not much impressed, perhaps my expectations were too high. However it was all pleasurable. My usual comment however has to be made ... garçon .... WATER PLEASE! How on earth can one present coffee on a practically empty table without providing your customer with a sip of water to clear the taste buds before and after a divine experience?

Whilst giving my kudos for the temperature it was served in, this espresso was overall well done. Keep improving quality in Gozo guys!

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Coffee vs The Heart [topic: general]

I have been reading and researching for a long time about the link between coffee and its affect on our health, especially THE HEART. Seriously, coffee seems to be quite beneficial, yet there is a fine line we ought to beware of so as to avoid any unwanted circumstances simply for enjoying our favourite drink (especially if overdone).

A very high %age of adults consume coffee everyday. A good %age of coffee consumers do so more than once or twice a day. While some of it might be beneficial, the effects of more than one/two coffees per day seems to be alarming. Blood pressure increases with every coffee consumed and also this high blood level is directly linked to heart disease. Thus if anyone is on the pre-hypertension line, or even taking hypertension medication, it is better to limit the coffee intake to ONE or maximum TWO coffees per day.

Lately, a news item set me thinking. A teenager took a caffeine overdose (not all the intake was in fact coffee) and his heart literally stopped functioning. Well this may an isolated case, yet still indicative of the effect that coffee and caffeine related products have on our health.

Some researchers claim that regular coffee drinkers develop a kind of natural resistance, a tolerance to the temporary blood pressure spike caused by the coffee intake. Results may be conflicting, yet moderation is the best solution to practically everything. The median line is the best way so as to include other things in our daily diets. Coffee is surely a stimulant as it contains caffeine. We are all so different and our bodies are so complex that it is always beneficial to not abuse of any substance, not even caffeine even though it might be very legal and very conventional.

An interesting fact is that decaffeinated coffee has a higher risk on the heart for the simple reason that the bean from which this coffee is extracted is higher in fat content and thus might cause other problems despite being promoted as a better option.

On the other hand, coffee has been found to be beneficial in may other ways such as being a preventive of some types of cancer (liver; throat etc) as well as other health benefits. Some might disagree with such studies, yet the natural elements found in coffee are surely not dangerous when consumed moderately.

You think I'm exaggerating the idea? Well, here are just three news links describing the story I mentioned earlier:

1) http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/teenager-caffeine-drinking-too-much-davis-cripe-mountain-dew-mcdonald-a-latte-energy-drink-south-a7737926.html

2) http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/16/boy-died-after-drinking-mcdonalds-latte-energy-drink-and-large-mountain-dew-6640250

3) http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/south-carolina-teen-died-caffeine-overdose-coroner-rules-n759716

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Caffè Lungo [topic: review 3]

It was high time for another coffee and another review as I went in to a famous establishment in Malta, Busy Bee in Msida. By all means, one would enter into a coffee shop with a wishful list of thoughts, yet my first and most essential thought is COFFEE in a coffee shop.

I ordered a lungo with a sincere hope to calm down after a busy day, longing for good taste and quality coffee service. I would like to reiterate what I said in my first review ... this is by no means a judgement on the establishment's quality or service, but on the quality of coffee at a particular point in time.

The espresso I was served with was not at all up to scratch for what one would expect. Firstly, the tazzina was too full for an espresso lungo - thus meaning that the taste will surely not be optimal either. Also, due to the lost cream (because of excessive erogation), the server's movement caused the presentation to be ruined.

truly ... a pity!

This establishment serves Saquella, a very common brand name in Maltese coffee shops. On the whole - though not my favourite - this coffee brand serves good coffee when properly brewed. Yet I'm sorry to say that at Busy Bee this time round was not well prepared and definitely not well served.

PLEASE guys, do take care of the treasure you have in your hands. Good coffee is an experience and I (and most probably every coffee lover) surely don't like it when I'm denied this experience because some lack of experience or careless preparation.

Finally, allow me to suggest a very common suggestion applicable to most of Malta's coffee shops ... serving water when such a coffee is served. Thank you.

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McCafè [topic: general]

Just because I am in love with coffee, I always give it a try at different places. Besides many different views about McDonald's, I would like to focus on McCafè - a different concept which is not considered as 'fast-drink' product. Let me try and explain myself a little further.

There is a claim that McCafè brews its coffee from Arabica beans, and as they do pour their beans I always try have a look at, though not sure of this claim. However I would like to base my views based on the comparison of taste. I truly believe that McCafè does not use only Arabica and this is quite obvious because of the taste. There is a good selection of beans (though mainly Arabica) which blends well with a choice of dessert, which is not the case if it were to be only Arabica, considered as the best digestive coffee. Thus despite refusing to accept the claim of 100% Arabica, I do prefer the selection they offer.

Just right ...

Having a look at the selection of coffees - from classic to contemporary ideas - McCafè offers a classic preparation of coffee with the classic idea of barista and true coffee brewing. That is why McCafè is a different concept that McDonald's idea of food. The preparation is therefore dressed with a human vest just like any bar, aloof from the food complex.

What is surely NOT classic as it should, McCafè does not include water serving with the classic caffè it serves. This is not in line with the whole concept it presents at face value in grinding, brewing and serving. Though I'm discussing a world-wide-giant, I do suggest the introduction of the water option as McDonald's does not present its coffee concept as part of their gourmet experience but as a separate complex, thus a full experience would be the best option to offer for the benefit of the client.

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Americano [topic: review 2]

Today I paid a visit at Caffè Royale - Qawra Palace Hotel, Qawra. I ordered an Americano double (i.e. a slightly larger version of Americano). Please note that this place proudly promotes the Lavazza brand with several options for coffee in its modern style of service. If you take a look at my previous posts, I'm not a huge fan of Lavazza, however I do expect good quality especially when huge companies promote their product using such an outlet. Well, besides that, the product that came to my table was definitely not up to standard.

The tide must have gone down and ruined my coffee

An Americano cannot be creamy (especially when I ordered a larger one), I'm aware of it. However, please note that it still demands quality in the finished product and presentation. The presented product was surely prepared by an amateur want-to-be barista. The reason behind my statement is that any coffee manual would describe an Americano as a long brew coffee with added hot water. A true barista would know however, that there is a technique in pouring the hot water in order to keep the texture for presentation and also avoid the coffee to swirl too much when transported onto a table, avoiding the coffee stain to appear as if the tide has gone down leaving a bad effect on the judgement at first impressions.

The biscuit offered is also an issue ... I'm sorry! It's not that I'm trying to be grumpy but you got it wrong guys! If you want to augment the quality, coffee is not served with a tealike-tasteless-wannabe-biscuit. Firstly I'd prefer water rather than that biscuit, however if you insist, please do invest in a better quality offer such as a chocolate (milk chocolate with Lavazza works wonders). The biscuit you offer goes well with tea and most probably appreciated by your British guests, yet you are promoting yourselves as a Lavazza hub PLEASE! Should you follow some coffee rules, you would most probably understand that a napkin is not necessary with coffee, absolutely useless. Coffee is NOT tea. Also, please note that despite not having ordered an espresso, it is always a nice gesture to offer water with coffee.

How I wish I could write a better review guys. I'm terribly sorry but there's plenty of room for improvement in serving coffee at Caffè Royale. May I please remind my distinguished readers that any comments here are exclusively referred to the quality and service of coffee.

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Arabica [topic: beans]

Arabica beans very popular and well advertised by the large coffee brands. However, overrating this coffee bean is also a risk which I wouldn't recommend falling into if you truly love coffee. The reason why I am saying so is that Arabica coffee is in itself mildly bitter with a pleasant presence of acidity. If properly prepared, Arabica would have a nice caramel aftertaste. If once notices well these features, you would notice that it blends very well as a digestive - a kind of refresh button for your metabolism. Thus I find this kind of coffee, an excellent choice as a 1st morning espresso or as a digestive after lunch or dinner.

Arabic coffee plant

Despite its qualities, in my opinion Arabica coffee is not suitable is you're having a mid-morning coffee break or if you're enjoying qualitative time with your beloved caffè lungo in the afternoon hours. The reason is very simple ... your focus is on the coffee, so you definitely would prefer something better in taste and especially in the aftertaste. The Arabica aftertaste when not blended with other rich coffee blends is more of a gastronomical full-stop i.e. no more food, let's move on. That is why after a digestive espresso it is nice to have a nice liquor in order to put your taste buds back in place.

Yet when coffee is taken not in connection with food as such, there is surely space for a better after taste which opens your appetite for your lunch or dinner in the next hour or so. Surely I would recommend Arabica for a milk-mixed-coffee such as cappuccino or latte macchiato - not espresso macchiato though because of the high coffee content which would result in the same situation as with the espresso.

Well this might be the subject of a good discussion at table if you're having dinner with your family or friends who love their caffè. Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!

Dark Roast (2) [topic: beans]

In continuation to what I wrote about the dark roast, I would like to give out additional information, starting from a personal suggestion. Due to the fact that the dark roast is sharper in taste, I suggest something - which I do with all beans - in order to balance and give a smoother taste. Basically, for every 200gr of  dark roast coffee beans of any type, I add 50gr of Arabica.

Do not get too excited at adverts or anyone who suggests 100% Arabica. This coffee is very rich on the bitter side of taste, yet not fragrant enough and would not really go down well with taste buds apart from the morning's first espresso or as a digestive.

Dark roast's final result

With the slight Arabica blend, the dark roast mixture is more acceptable, especially as a digestive coffee. I consider the dark roast as a good option especially in wintry low gastronomical seasons such as the months between Christmas and Easter or the weeks before Christmas. These are the times where traditions take a break with regards to sweets and heavy meals, thus coffee can afford to be slightly sharper in character.

For those who, like me, enjoy a small piece of chocolate with their espresso, I suggest Milk Chocolate in order to balance the sharp taste. Enjoy!

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Espresso Lungo [topic: review 1]

Another aspect I will be offering through my blog giving out coffee reviews from different places and possibly their related coffee trademarks they serve. I will be quite blunt and straight to the point. However it will not be a review about the place per se but about the coffee experience, thus I might also comment about the same place more than once with regards to their coffee.

This morning I visited Fontanella Tea Gardens at Mdina. For those who are not familiar with the name, don't get the impression that they specialise in teas only. My first comment here is that their choice of coffees is not quite vast, yet acceptable.

Though they use Lavazza (not really the best choice despite the hype around the name), I would say that whoever prepared my espresso lungo knew well what s/he was doing.

Not bad for a presentation

Firstly, I must say that at Fontanella they did not use proper espresso cups but the cappuccino cups (small ones). However, having ordered a lungo, the presentation was not bad at all. Though the waitress had to pass from outside and up through a flight of stairs to my table, the coffee was of an excellent temperature and presentation was not badly damaged. The taste was OK for a Lavazza. I enjoyed it.

I would like to pass a further comment here as at Fontanella I was positively impressed. It is one of the very few coffee serving places in Malta that serve water with an espresso. Good job Fontanella! Kudos to that!!

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!

Dark Roast (1) [topic: beans]

Today I would like to introduce a coffee bean I find at a local store. It is the DARK ROAST coffee bean. The dark roast beans normally go by their original beans' names, however I buy this mixture of dark roasts (most probably the reminiscence of bean filtering mixed with a dark roasted mix).

A neat way to distinguish your beans

Beans in a dark roast (medium to dark) have a heavy body when compared to lighter to medium roasts. In order to gain a more spicy taste, dark roasts are roasted up to the second crack to an internal temperature of 240°C. Due to this fact, the first remarkable difference in the dark roast bean is in the grinding. As it has a busier roast, dark roast coffee beans can be ground easily as they crack.

Due to the darker roast, the bean loses the original flavour from the bean and obtains the taste from the roasting process. The bean is heavier due to the roast up until the second crack where the body becomes light again. The dark roast contains less acidity than lighter roasts. This may also be related to the oil that develops on the surface of the bean. Thus the caffeine level decreases.

This is how the dark roast ground coffee looks like

Naturally, the dark bean provides a darker taste, yet the end product is not of a different colour. As the taste is darker and bit heavier in taste, some might like to add some brown sugar for a better taste. I would prefer a small chocolate bite instead :-)

Stay tuned for more information about the dark roast! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!

Buying your beans [topic: general]

Let's start from the very beginning (♫ cause that is a very good place to start ♫) ...

The first essential objective of good coffee making is the buying of beans. It is very similar to the experience of buying your greens from a local market, where you get to know the shop keeper (as here it is normally a small family run business) and also s/he gets to know your tastes. Get to know their system and also their suggestions. By time your relation will no longer be seller-client but a coffee lover to another.

Get to know the place ... get to know your taste!

If you still haven't started this experience, I suggest you go for small quantities at a time. Don't hesitate to ask yet don't rely on their selling tips as yet. Get to know them first, kind of testing the market. I'm not much in favour of buying ready-made mixtures and blends, especially when the beans are ground in advance - coffee tends to lose flavour by time, literally from the minute you ground the beans.

To be quite honest, the coffee shop I buy my beans from sells an Italian coffee mix which is quite their own blend of beans and I always fall for it as they know their stuff!

I like it the traditional way

As a rule of thumb, I buy beans and not ground coffee. I make use an old-style manual coffee grinder and grind a handful at a time so as to always keep my coffee fresh. A handful serves 1/2 brews, not more. If you don't have the aptitude yet to get a coffee grinder, I suggest you don't buy more than 100gr of ground coffee at a time so as to keep things fresh :-)

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!

A very first [topic: general]

Firstly, I would like to welcome each and every single visitor hitting this page. My idea is to post every once in a while to show off my love for coffee - from the bean to the water and the heat pressure that makes the miracle!

Well, coffee is for me what light and water is for plants. I mean, I look at this marvel as a precious asset for our quality of life. Some might look at this as an exaggerated statement, yet that is how I consider my love for coffee - from my morning caffé (espresso) to my post-dinner lungo (sometimes macchiato). Obviously many of us might have their own likes and dislikes, however I consider all sachets; ready made; instant; capsules etc as worryingly fake. Perhaps I will take more time on this idea of 'fake' later on.

It's just a healthy relationship

True coffee is made out of freshly ground beans with a proper macchinetta and time - the time for heat pressure to filtrate water into coffee and blend the taste.

I will be posting every now and then so as to show you my way of blending and the results I get.

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!