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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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!! :-)

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