I now grind my own coffee

Turkish coffee is the same. Used to be the pots were all over the thrift shops - I think most of them were used for decoration. They're found only in expensive shops now and I refuse to pay the big bucks for them.



Just saw some SS ones that were around $10, but SS - copper's the way to go.

Around here we have a drink called cafe cubano (I think there are other esspresso drinks with that same name, and I have no idea what they drink in Cuba).

My favorite version is rich espresso (I think it is a little more viscous than usual) that has large sugar crystals on top. The sugar is partially fused by the coffee giving a sweet crunchy texture.

When it is done well, it is pure heaven.

There are literally dozens of ways to drink your coffee in Italy, combining the cafeine density (ristretto > normale > lungo > americano); the number of shots (singolo > doppio); the quantity of milk (macchiato > cappuccino > latte) as well as the milk's temperature and foam (with/without foam); other additives (cacao powder is frequently used, the 'corretto' is with a shot of grappa...); even the recipient (al vetro if you prefer your coffee served in a glass). And yes they have regional customs and variations...

See @3:37 in the following vid:

That's about true - driving in Italy requires guts! These little suckers just bluff a lot and if your car is bigger, they eventually back down. I even had the Carabinieri come up to me and motion to drive slower...

As for coffee: I just want to press the button in the morning and have my coffee grind itself and spit it out. That's all I can muster in the morning...

Italian highways used to be anarchic but glad to report I’ve noticed an improvement in Italian driving styles over the years. One can now use a pedestrian crossing without being driven over, for instance. I guess Europe does have a normative effect. E.g. Italian people traveled around The continent and realized they don’t necessarily need to behave like assholes every time they are behind the wheel...

This said, I personally learned to drive in Peshawar, North-West Frontier, Pakistan. The only word to describe traffic there is “chaotic”. The basic rule is: the larger vehicle has priority, because it can smash the smaller one. A variety of drought animals (buffaloes, camel, donkeys, horses...) complexifies traffic further as they all have their own behavior, speed, etc. Roman traffic seems quite tame in comparison.

Re starbucks, when I get from them, I order an americano.

I posted negatively about Starbucks based on a single sample from years ago. It's not my right to disparage folks who frequent their establishments.

It most definitely is your right to voice your opinion. The over priced, over roasted swill at Starbucks also speaks for itself. As well does it's past practice regarding it's treatment of its employees which got it dragged into different state's courts (including Florida and California) as well federal courts.

I won't even bring up the mishigas it got into over newspapers in Austin.

How about staying on topic and sticking to coffee making and not Starbuck’s employment fiascos?

How about you staying on topic and stop criticizing me?

My comment was on topic.

"The over priced, over roasted swill at Starbucks also speaks for itself."

And it does.

STFU Bob.
Seriously.
This is a light thread.
Sure you said starbucks was swill. Stop with the dragging their employment practices et al into it.

This is a coffee thread

Coffee.