Coffee and things...

Just like many people, I like a warm, rich and satisfying cup (and mug!) of coffee. What I don't like, however, is the burnt, acrid taste of bad coffee...

From the green bean to that savory cup of coffee, there are many ways to satisfaction. I'll skip the home-roasting (sigh!) to get down to enjoying the roasted coffee itself.

Here are some of my "tools":

1. Bialetti espresso stove-top stainless coffee maker, paired with Lavazza Qualità Rossa or Lavazza Crema e Gusto
1. Why?  The stove-top coffee maker is super simple to maintain, and brews your coffee in about 9 min from the moment you turn on the power (on an electric cooktop)
2. How? This is as simple as adding your water up to the safety pressure valve, put in the diffuser, fill with your ground coffee and screw the top on the base.
3. This is my kick start machine in the morning!
2. Bialetti 6990 Mukka Express Cappuccino Maker, Polished Aluminum - perfect for these 'coffee shop' lattes and cappuccinos

1. Why? This is a clever device that actually makes either a latte or a cappucino out of a single device!
2. How? As for the espresso kettle, put your espresso ground coffee in the diffuser after you've filled the tank with fresh, filtered water. Fill the top (to the mark) with warm milk; the espresso coffee will either make a latte or a cappuccino - depending whether you depressed the cap prior to start your coffee!
3. I just love the fact I don't have to go to a coffee shop for this treat - and so does my wife!
1. Zojirushi EC-BD15BA Fresh Brew Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker

1. Why? It's a workhorse with a thermos kettle - no more burnt coffee!
2. How? Well, drip coffee makers are fairly well known machines. Zojirushi is a Japanese kitchen appliance maker I learned of when I was working in Japan; they've been around for about 95 years in their home country. It's a reliable and efficient device that is simple to setup and can be programmed to brew your coffee for your morning commute - or your Saturday morning errands. Make sure to use a non-bleached filter to ensure the water extracting all the flavor of your coffee beans does not get tempered by the paper treatment.
3. It's my workhorse when we have people over, as well as my "1 pot-a-day coffee". The thermal carafe keeps the coffee warm  for a long time - it loses only about 20% of its heat after 3 hrs...!
1. Bodum French Press coffee maker
1. Why? Because it's a gem of simplicity, with its beaker, stainless steel frame and mesh. I can't say it's the closest thing to a "natural" coffee - I believe turkish coffee is pretty much there with its sludge - but this device is close enough for everyday use!
2. How? Use about 1 teaspoon per cup of coffee, then fill with almost boiling water (yes ALMOST boiling - 93~95C or 195~205 F) to the top of the top stainless rim; let steep for 3 minutes then press slowly down the piston - say, about 5-10 seconds to complete the cycle from top to bottom.
3. I like my french press because I'm an engineer - but also because I can also use it to steep tea!
2. Lello Ariete Burr Coffee Grinder
1. Why? Fresh ground coffee has the benefit of releasing all these nice oils that coffee beans trap. Having a bag of ground coffee is a better option than instant coffee, but you'll discover that grinding your own beans gives you a few benefits:
1. The fresh oils increase the flavor of your coffee, reducing some of the bitterness that is often associated with the roaster's process
2. The kitchen smells great as you're grinding the beans!
2. How? The Ariete burr coffee grinder comes with a twist-on container that is used to adjust the grinding through 16 settings, from coarse (percolator) down to fine, espresso grains.

Now that you have the hardware, where do you find the coffee around Detroit?...

Gound espresso coffee beans:

• I like Vince&Joe's (Van Dyke & 25 Mile, Macomb Twp - one of 2 locations) for Lavazza's. Frequently, you can buy Lavazza Qualità Rossa or Lavazza Crema e Gusto at prices varying from 2 for $5 to 2 for $7.
• Around Farmington, Cantoro Italian Market (Middlebelt between 8 & 7 miles) is a favorite.
• In general, you'll want to go to an italian grocery store to get your italian coffee. This ensures you get great prices: imagine otherwise the riots you'd have if you'd raise the price of a staple in your diet!

Whole Coffee Beans:

• Trader Joe's (I'm not kidding!)
• Why? Great variety, and no-frill location.
• What you can find:
• Terrazu -  a Costa Rican bean that is very floral, yet rich and smooth
• Sumatra Mandheling - a great chocolatey and floral coffee; it's my favorite "Saturday Morning" coffee
• Yirgacheffe - an Ethiopian full-bodied coffee (might be too bitter for some)
• Kenya AA - a really great all-around coffee.

Local Roasters:

The region of Detroit is home to Great Lakes Coffee Roaster, a roaster in West Bloomfield, and they sells coffees to restaurant (Recipes in Troy and Farmington Hills, for instance). They recently started selling at retail locations, such as adjacent to the Maple Theater in Bloomfield Hills. Their coffee is full-bodied without the bitterness that you'll find at Starbucks.