Coffee

[pusskins]

Hello!

Silly straightforwared question time!

I have just gained a coffee filter machine from my parents. It's been sat in their cupboard for years not being used. I have bought some unbleached coffee filter papers (because they had an open box of papers bought from Safeway and made in West Germany(!)).

I didn't ask how to use it. How do you use a coffee filter machine? I've never used one before, as I am a cafetiere gal.

Many thanks!

[RubyDuby]

There's probably a lid on the top? Lift that to reveal a reservoir for water and a filter shaped hole... Use the coffee pot to pour water into the reservoir and put a filter in the filter shaped hole (return the pot to it's place). Measure out coffee grounds to add to the filter ( should be directions on the coffee tin as to how much coffee per oz of water) then make sure the spout is pointing into the filter (should be a spout which takes the heated water and pours it into the coffee grounds). close the lid and turn the machine on.

Hope this helps and you aren't talking about a completely different kind of machine!!

[pusskins]

Thank you, RubyDuby. Yes, there's a lid at the top at the back, and then there's a bit at the front which swings out for the filter to go in.

I assume to first give it a clean, I can just put some water in the reservoir and switch it on so it can go through the machine?

[RubyDuby]

yup! You can even add some vinegar to the water if you want it really clean!

[pusskins]

Thank you for your help!

[RubyDuby]

np

[Mr Flibble]

I read it on the internetz, so it must be true:

http://bit.ly/M90FJ

"Coffee is an organic product, not a synthetic one. It is also bought and sold on the free market without state intervention, so its trade is fair. Therefore all coffee is organic, and all coffee is fair trade. Any coffee trying to sell itself to you explicitly on these merits alone is obviously relying on a gimmick. Do not be fooled."

[harpy]

There's also a proof that 1=2

http://www.mathmojo.com/interestingl.../1equals2.html

[Gorilla]

"Coffee is an organic product, not a synthetic one. It is also bought and sold on the free market without state intervention, so its trade is fair. Therefore all coffee is organic, and all coffee is fair trade. Any coffee trying to sell itself to you explicitly on these merits alone is obviously relying on a gimmick. Do not be fooled."

do they seriously expect anyone to believe that?!

[robb]

Total idiocy.

An "organic" product, yes. (Although, the use of synthetic fertilisers undoubtedly mean that the final product isn't 100% organic.)

Organically grown, no. (And this is the universally accepted meaning of "organic" in this context.)

And don't get me started on fair trade....

Their apparent lack of knowledge (or lack of honesty) about their own market is staggering.

Methinks the likes of the Soil Association and the Fairtrade Foundation should be notified. (Done. )

[Sunkist]

Their apparent lack of knowledge (or lack of honesty) about their own market is staggering.

Methinks the likes of the Soil Association and the Fairtrade Foundation should be notified. (Done. )

Good post

[Prawnil]

It's so stubborn it's brilliant. Sort of charming.

[harpy]

I'm glad you complained Robb. I hadn't noticed when I first read it that it was a well-known company - one I think I may have patronised myself.

I feel an e-mail coming on myself (to 1882@caffevergnano1882.co.uk ).

[Gorilla]

i don't think i've ever heard of them

[harpy]

Maybe not that well known then They have a branch near the Festival Hall and another near Leicester Square but I think other places serve their coffee as well. It is good coffee if I'm remembering correctly (but obviously not good in a moral sense )

[Mr Flibble]

It is good coffee if I'm remembering correctly (but obviously not good in a moral sense )

It's exceptional coffee - the best soya latte I've ever had (cheaper than costa/nero/starbucks too).

[robb]

Thanks for your email. The guide made interesting reading...

I will contact them and inform them of the correct, legal definition of organic, and why all coffee isn't automatically organic!

Many thanks for sending this to us...

[Gorilla]

"All wheat is GM free. The word wheat contains neither the letter G, or the letter M."

[Mr Flibble]

No, because it contains Gluten and Malt

[fiamma]

all coffee is organic, and all coffee is fair trade.

Hahahaha!!! And all children in sweatshops are happy.

[Mr Flibble]

Cows like being milked

[puca]

Free trade is fair?

wtf X 10

[Mahk]

I suspect what we are seeing is not a lie but rather stupidity/ignorance. Here's my reasoning: Unless the writer was intentionally trying to sabotage the company, knowing the amount of public out cry that would ensue from such lies would surely mean the author has either a vendetta to destroy his/her own company or is simply misguided as to the truth.

Mr Flibble, how did you come to stumble upon this anyways, out of curiosity?

[BrokenStruggle]

I've been vegan for a few weeks now and struggeling to find a milk substitute that will work in coffee.

I've tried soya but it just curdles. Anyone got any tips?!

[veganwitch]

I'm sure some of the UK folks can better advise you, but in the US we have Silk creamer which works very well. There must be some sort of equivalent.

[mariana]

What kind of soya milk are you using? It's weird; I've heard about other people having this problem but it's never been an issue for me. Perhaps because I tend to make espresso so I'm only putting a little bit of espresso in a lot of soya milk. I use Alpro (unsweetened) and it doesn't curdle for me. I've also heard there's a no-curdle soya milk you can buy (it's marketed towards cafes I think) but I'm not sure where you can get it.

[cobweb]

i always used to find that the Co-op organic soya milk was ok in coffee if i warmed it up a little bit and then added the coffee and hot water, but i gave up eventually and just had it black!.

[BrokenStruggle]

I've been using alpro sweetened soya with all kinds of coffee, tried putting it in first before hot water, or after once its cooled a bit with same results.

cobweb: Black coffee is to bitter for me, I'd end up having about 13 sugars in it!

mariana: I'll try the unsweetened soya and see if that's the key!!

thanks for the tips tho, i just wondered if i was doing something wrong and obvious for it to happen!

[Cherry]

I've heard about other people having this problem but it's never been an issue for me. Perhaps because I tend to make espresso so I'm only putting a little bit of espresso in a lot of soya milk.

Me too. Usually I don't make espresso, but make 'latte style' coffee by putting lots of millk with strong filter coffee. My mum had real issues with this as she's a big coffee drinker and didn't like to use a lot of milk. Soya doesn't make it go properly 'milky' like cow's milk does, so she's actually fine with using more milk afterall.

Letting the coffee cool for a bit before adding the milk can help too, I think.

[Hemlock]

I always had my coffee black but if you can get Kosher coffee creamer that is often vegan. They used to sell it on vegan store online. Still do:
http://www.veganstore.co.uk/mm5/merc...egory_Code=610

[helen105281]

BB found a soya milk that doesn't curdle in Brixton, he has put a picture on one of the other threads its called Sunrise. They also do creamers on the Viva website I think.

[Mr Flibble]

the answer is simple - heat the soya milk before adding to the coffee. Works every time.

[DavidT]

The OH tried the Provamel soya 'cream' today in some fresh coffee and it didn't curdle. I don't make coffee with boiling water, so maybe that helps.

ps not a fan of Provamel since they were acquired by Dean Foods, so I try to discourage her choosing their products; I'm on the lookout for an alternative. Trouble is, many of these 'milks' and 'creams' are in damned Tetrapaks, awful things.

[harpy]

the answer is simple - heat the soya milk before adding to the coffee. Works every time.

Or let the coffee cool down a bit? ETA sorry Cherry - great minds etc

[Mr Flibble]

That requires time and produces a less hot drink

[BrokenStruggle]

Success!!! Just tried as a latte and no curdled soya milk, plus its hot coffee!

Thankyou so much everyone for the suggestions. Just means i'll go through more milk now to get my coffee fix and end up using more tetra packs. Guess I can't win!

[emmapresley]

so good chocolate milk is pretty nice in coffee..sort of creates a chocca-mocha type thingy

[jimmeh]

I stir it before every sip when it curdles. It tastes just the same, but doesn't look very pretty

[BrokenStruggle]

jimmeh... not sure if i could bring myself to do that, not after seeing it curdle to begin with!! i'm way to suspicious of food as it is after various ppl trying to sneak me meat etc recently.

[leedsveg]

I use the kosher powdered non-dairy creamer (Tam-Tov)mentioned in Hemlock's earlier posting. It 'creams' my cheapo instant coffee and doesn't taste too bad. It also contains my favourite ingredient, titanium dioxide which helps recoat my teeth fillings. [joke]

leedsveg

[Johnstuff]

I find 'So Good' pretty good in coffee, doesn't seem to curdle after loads of others did. It has a vanilla flavour that works in coffee IMO, not so good for tea though!

Coffee places like costa just seem to use alpro or something like that and it never seems to cuerdle for them but I'm sure alpro used to curdle for me.

Untill I tried So Good I found other soya milks would nearly always curdle, I tried different temperatures and amounts of milk/coffee but didn't have much luck for a while.

[starlight]

If I use instant coffee (Kenco etc) i use freshly boiled water and add a dash of cold water before adding the Alpro. It never curdles and comes out exactly the right temperature for me to drink immediately.

Strangely the type of coffee makes a difference! If I use Barley Cup I can add freshly boiled water and then Alpro immediately and it won't curdle - with Kenco it does. I haven't yet figured out why.

But for a touch of luxury, I do the following coffee ...
- fresh boiled water on ground coffee in a plunger thingy and set the timer for 5 minutes
- put some Alpro in a big mug and microwave it for 1 minute
- Whiz the hot Alpro up with a battery powered frother device (couple of $ fromm a coffee shop) until you get a good froth
- when the timer goes ping, plunge and pour over the milk
- itop with a few shavings of Lindt 70% dark chocolate

I'm trying to cut down my coffee intake 'cos I like more than it likes me, but suddenly I want one. lol

[sandra]

I prefer coffee without 'milk' since becoming vegan but my son likes it with 'milk' so.................I just put the hot water onto the coffee granules in the cup and leave it for a few minutes then add the soya milk (which has been out of the fridge for about half an hour)........it's usually fine!

[Mr Flibble]

Coffee places like costa just seem to use alpro or something like that and it never seems to cuerdle for them but I'm sure alpro used to curdle for me.

That's because they heat the soya milk with steam before adding it.

[Cherry]

Or let the coffee cool down a bit? ETA sorry Cherry great minds etc

That requires time and produces a less hot drink

So basically, don't put cold milk in boiling hot coffee It depends what kind of coffee you drink too - if you're having an espresso based latte style one then you'd heat the milk. If you're going for instant coffee it's probably easier to let it cool for a bit, or to be quicker, to put a bit of cold water in it before adding the milk. That's my approach for Barleycup

[Buddha Belly]

Really sorry, can't remember if I posted this or not.
Found in Stockwell, works really well.

[cobweb]

i also found if you use the individual filter coffees (god i miss them soooo much!!) then you can just put cold milk in the cup before dripping the coffee in.

[Johnstuff]

Awesome (Edit: that's refering to BB's soya)

[MarkAnthony]

Thought I'd add a response to this. I've been experimenting with stuff in coffee for years and found it to be a nightmare.

Regarding heating the soya milk/allowing the coffee to cool, I've found this sometimes works and is more successful in filter/espresso coffee than with instant, but it's still hit and miss. The only time I was ever entirely successful with this method was when using the espresso machine at my old work to make lattes and mochas with no problems at all. I think this is party due to the fact that the coffee is not made with boiling, but very hot water, and the soya milk is steamed to very hot as well.

Filter coffee will sometimes work, but I've found it still curdles sometimes.

I've found soya coffees creamers are absolutely disgusting, but some people may like them.

Alpro soya alternative to single cream (and I would guess other brands of plant cream) I've found is excellent in coffee - including instant and never, ever curdles.

Other plant milks - not such a fan in coffee, compared to soya milk/cream, they're all a bit watery.

I can't recommend highly enough the soya single cream experiment for anyone still struggling with this though.

[DavidT]

The OH is now using Sunrise organic soya milk and she's happy with it. It sometimes curdles a little but not often.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think coffee is best made at 97 degrees centigrade. Is that right? Something to do with the oils in the coffee, releasing some but not others.

Anyway to finish I want to say this: Ethiopian fair trade organic coffee beans freshly ground and made with less-than-boiling water and nothing else is the perfect coffee. No 'milk', no sugar.