CoffeeGeek - Articles: CoffeeGeek Columnist Feedback, October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

Articles: CoffeeGeek Columnist Feedback
October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

Italian Biscotti Cookies

Premium artisan quality Italian Biscotti cookies. Many flavors!
www.espressozone.com

Not Logged in:

updated topics	new posts	new unanswered
search	faq	sign up

Discussions > Articles > Columnist... > October Coffee...

view previous topic | view next topic | view all topics

showing page 1 of 2

last page

Author

Messages

MarkPrince
Moderator

Joined: 19 Dec 2001
Posts: 5,462
Location: Vancouver, BC
Expertise: Professional

Espresso: KvdW Speedster
Grinder: Compak K10 WBC
Vac Pot: A bit too many
Drip: Clive Coffee Drip Stand
Roaster: Hario Glass Retro Roaster

Posted Mon Nov 5, 2007, 1:00am Subject: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince Eveyrthing from hand grinders and cool espresso cups to the potential "Coffee of the Year" (no, it's not Esmeralda!) is covered in this edition of Coffee at the Moment. Mark also asks you how you feel about trade show and barista competition coverage on the website.

hopkin
Senior Member

Joined: 30 Jan 2004
Posts: 125
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Expertise: Professional

Espresso: Synesso
Grinder: Robur E
Vac Pot: Hario
Drip: Clover

Posted Wed Nov 7, 2007, 4:25am Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

The trade show reports are seriously boring, because the trade shows and competitions themselves are also seriously boring. unless you're in the industry, its a yawn, and those reports do take a lot of time and energy. Liz did a great job of reporting on what was honestly the most dismal trade show floor I've ever walked on. By contras, it made the previous Vancouver show, which was small and disorganised, look exciting. The competition saved the event, big time. Ok rant over. Now what is interesting is the coffee (love the Beloya)... and those cups, they look really cute, but did I miss how big they measured? Its too bad the set seems like a style variety pack, it would be nice to be able to order a set of 4 in one style. Actually I'd much rather have to have a set in plain white.

Alistair Durie Elysian Coffee

CIV
Senior Member

Joined: 23 Sep 2007
Posts: 11
Location: buenos aires
Expertise: I love coffee

Posted Wed Nov 7, 2007, 4:46am Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

Hello Mark P.: Nice article, lovely photos. Congratulations. =-) With respect to your new espresso cups by Francis! Francis!, I have to say that I fully agree. They are really very pretty and the well rounded inner bowl is welcome change from the usual designs. Being as thick as they are, I'm quite convinced that they can keep warm much longer although I have to wonder about their having to weigh so much and not have a handle to hold them, keeping the tips of your fingers from getting scalded or at least uncomfortably warm. As an architect with some (just a little) background in industrial design, the problem I see with these cups is that it seems to me (some may not agree) that the saucer, in all it's uniqueness (ie.: absolute flatness), totally fails to do the job a saucer is supposed to do for the cup sitting on it: this flat design fails to keep the spills from the cup from going anywhere but within the saucer and not your new shirt, trousers, the rug, etc. I mean, if your pulse can't keep surgeon steady (the most probable scenario) as you serve your newest conquest the perfect cup of espresso you've been blabbing about all night and end up staining that lovely raw silk mini she has on, you'll never get that lay you've been working on so hard. In any case, the fact that it won't hold a spoon in place as you serve it to your guests (granted, I could use a special flat spoon and not my aunt's sterling silver coffee spoons) make these cups sort of hard to use, to say the least. As to the reports, I'd vote to keep the SCAA and skip the rest. Just my $0.02 ... Best regards, CIV

MarkPrince
Moderator

Posted Wed Nov 7, 2007, 5:05am Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

hopkin Said: Now what is interesting is the coffee (love the Beloya)... and those cups, they look really cute, but did I miss how big they measured? Its too bad the set seems like a style variety pack, it would be nice to be able to order a set of 4 in one style. Actually I'd much rather have to have a set in plain white. Posted November 7, 2007 link Just measured them now - to the rim, they hold 60mls. I can bring one next time I visit the shop. I'm wondering if Meitterteich may release these as plain white cups down the road. The bottom of the cups have a grooved lip and dimple (matching in reverse the inlay in the saucer), so they're pretty easy to hold. Mark

CoffeeGeek Senior Editor www.twitter.com/coffeegeek www.flickr.com/coffeegeek, www.about.me/coffeegeek

MatthewBrinski
Senior Member

Joined: 29 Jan 2006
Posts: 136
Location: Woodland Park, Colorado
Expertise: I love coffee

Posted Wed Nov 7, 2007, 5:50am Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

Just a quick note to say that I appreciate these "Coffee at the Moment" articles. I hope you keep them coming on a regular basis. I really dig the effort in suggesting current coffee offerings which you find are worthwhile ... especially coffees that are not Esmeralda or other common industry stars. Also, I tried that grinder about ten months ago (got a hold of it after discovering it in an outdoor store), and I tossed it. I appreciated the concept, but as you conveyed, it has way too much play. I didn't find it acceptable for even a press brew. I chopped and modded a Zass for "travel" ... not the best, but the end product is better. PS - You should keep using the "discoverings" word and trademark it before Starbucks does :p. Matthew Brinski

Matthew Brinski

The_Mighty_Bean
Senior Member

Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 465
Location: Bowie, MD
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: "Beauty" (the gentle and...
Grinder: Gi-normous Rossi RR45; 100...
Vac Pot: Have my eye on a Yama
Drip: French press purist, have a...
Roaster: Hairdryer and a wire whisk....

Posted Wed Nov 7, 2007, 8:20am Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

I agree as to the Coffee at the moment articles. So often we get extremely involved in discussing the technical aspects of coffee and forget about the bottom line, which is taste! I want to hear about beans and blends that are rockingthe worlds of people with lots of experience in the industry. That's the kind of stuff I want to buy and try at home. That's why I also think you need to keep covering barista competitions, but with an eye to things we readers can use-- tell us about all the creative signature drinks. Maybe create a list of those that do not feature a 1500 dollar nitrogen-enhanced nuclear centrifuge in their production and (okay okay I really do respect el-bulli style culinary creativity, it just seems like there may be a little too much emphasis lately in using exotic ingredients and whizbang techniques, rather than focusing on flavors that could be reproduced with ease at a good specialty cafe to the delight of many consumers) anyway that was a big digression, I apologize. Please do tell us about the creative whizbang drinks, but more importantly, how about featuring a sig drink recipe per week that is simple enough for us to try making at home? Hey, profile the creative barista along with their drink- a moment of true coffeegeek celebrity! If there's something outstanding that I can't make at home, tell me if there's a coffeehouse serving it, so that I can stop in, my next time in that city. So yes, do cover the competitions and trade shows to tell us about the newest exciting products, emerging preparation techniques and creative flavor combinations. A little coverage of the baristas themselves is nice, but don't go overboard there, I don't need 10 photos of somebody I don't know performing a tamp. Now if they are doing something new and different that I could try on my own, and learn from, then go ahead and put up a 15 second video clip or some pics. And if there are products or topics that scream "industry" rather than "consumer", maybe segregate those articles into a separate section of the site. Also, how about some more articles on coffeeshops in different locales? And microroastery reviews. My .02. ~tMb

zuppa
Senior Member

Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 3
Location: Vast Coffee Wasteland WV USA
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic
Grinder: Baratza Maestro
Drip: Cusiinart DTC-975N
Roaster: Hearthware iRoast2

Posted Thu Nov 8, 2007, 11:52am Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

Yo Mark, Trade Show coverage is Ok as long as it doesn't go beyond Win, Place and Show. Further details are most likely appreciated by those deeply involved. Best regards, Tony

MarshallF
Senior Member

Joined: 1 Jun 2003
Posts: 802
Location: Los Angeles
Expertise: Professional

Espresso: LM GS/3 MP
Grinder: Mahlkonig ProM; Baratza...
Vac Pot: Hario Nouveau, Bodum ESantos
Drip: Clever Dripper

Posted Fri Nov 9, 2007, 1:12pm Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

"October Coffee Discoverings." Does this mean Borat is your new editor? :-) Liked the new cups! Marshall

MarkPrince
Moderator

Posted Fri Nov 9, 2007, 2:25pm Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

MarshallF Said: "October Coffee Discoverings." Does this mean Borat is your new editor? :-) Posted November 9, 2007 link Yak she mesh! Mark

CoffeeGeek Senior Editor www.twitter.com/coffeegeek www.flickr.com/coffeegeek, www.about.me/coffeegeek

Dayglow
Senior Member

Joined: 5 Oct 2007
Posts: 32
Location: Newburgh, NY
Expertise: I live coffee

Posted Fri Nov 9, 2007, 6:01pm Subject: Re: October Coffee Discoverings by Mark Prince

On the topic of trade shows and other such events, I rather like reading about events I can not attend. Granted the subject matter is not the most enthusing of possible coffee topics it does help keep everyone up to speed with what events are focusing on, how they are structured, etc. For those looking to set up an event these reviews can give insight into the short comings of events and the pitfalls to avoid. If a columnist were going to an event on their own and wanted to write about it then grand, but if the money and time spent on sending folks to events could be spent better elsewhere I would not be broken to tears if the event reviews stopped coming. If something has to hit the chopping block so that other article topics can receive more focus and attention you have to do what you have to do. Dan

showing page 1 of 2

last page

view previous topic | view next topic | view all topics

Discussions > Articles > Columnist... > October Coffee...

updated topics

new posts

new unanswered

faq

Not Logged in: log in
Discussions Quick Jump:
Symbols: = New Posts since your last visit = No New Posts since last visit = Newest post

Forum Rules:
No profanity, illegal acts or personal attacks will be tolerated in these discussion boards.
No commercial posting of any nature will be tolerated; only private sales by private individuals, in the "Buy and Sell" forum.
No cross posting allowed - do not post your topic to more than one forum, nor repost a topic to the same forum.
Who Can Read The Forum? Anyone can read posts in these discussion boards.
Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post new topics.
Who Can Post Replies? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post replies.
Can Photos be posted? Anyone can post photos in their new topics or replies.
Who can change or delete posts? Any CoffeeGeek member can edit their own posts. Only moderators can delete posts.
Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, criticise or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.

Barista Tools

Large selection of tampers, pitchers, milk frothers and much more!
www.espressozone.com