| <Snip> Now that's down right criminal. As the saying goes "sh*t or get off the pot"...or sell him so someone else can let him sing. Unleash his gag and let his voice be heard! He may not have the pipes of greater espresso machines but he's a right respectable starter machine when paired with a good grinder and great beans. With the plethora of experienced followers of the Dark Side on the List constantly praising espresso as the ultimate expression of the bean it simply baffles me keeping the Gaggia gagged, his potential wasted in piteous neglect. When Missy my first espresso machine joined our household many many moons ago I promise you she was unleashed as fast as she could leap from the box. Nary a day has passed since those early beginnings of yesteryear without the flow of the nectar of life in our home. A wonderful Journey to Dark Side began which shall never end... Indeed, beware casting pearls before swine lest they be not appreciated. Yet even the lowliest creeping thing has value and redemption is possible. Go forth and learn the ways of the Dark Side hand in hand with your Gaggia! Fear not the myriad trials of learning the path to the Dark Side, each layer of understanding will be revealed layer upon layer precept upon precept to those who seek understanding. Else be done with him and bask in unworthiness to the end of days. So let it be written, so let it be done. Kona Kurmudgeon miKe mcKoffee www.mcKonaKoffee.com URL to Rosto mods, FrankenFormer, some recipes etc:http://www.mckoffee.com/Ultimately the quest for Koffee Nirvana is a solitary path. To know I must first not know. And in knowing know I know not. Each Personal enlightenment found exploring the many divergent foot steps of Those who have gone before. Pacific Northwest Gathering VIIhttp://themeyers.org/HomeRoast/Homeroast mailing list">http://home.comcast.net/~mckona/PNWGVII.htmSweet Maria's List - Searchable Archiveshttp://themeyers.org/HomeRoast/Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| I've finally topped out on upgrading Coffee appliances. So today I upgraded my Food Saver to store my green beans. I got the food saver V3825. It has a marinater. Anybody have any experience with them? Can I use liquid Marinates or is it limited to dry ingredients only? I usually use cheap red wine, garlic Worcestershire and Garli Garni. On Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 7:24 PM, miKe mcKoffee wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| I find your judgements a bit too extreme. I had my espresso machine repacked and stored for over a year after concluding I might never be able to throw a decent shot with and wanting the counter space for other uses. Only recently have I broken it out and started using my manual Zass grinder to produce grinds and allow me to throw shots w/o the big $$$ investment for a decent power grinder. Steve S On Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 10:24 PM, miKe mcKoffee wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Speaking of the Darkside and the slide Mike has taken into "being in the business." I was in Bend for two days visiting my oldest daughter and her husband. I dropped into "Backporch Coffee Roasters." and low and behold there was a very nice Dietrich IR 24 setup in the store. They had a nice LM and 3 Mazzers setup for shots. They offered their blend and an SO of the day. Things were looking good! I walked up and ordered a double ristretto and the smile on the barista's face made me confident that I was about to get a good shot! The fact that they ground for each shot was a real confidence builder. The first shot was a sink shot! His choice. The second was liquid silk, I don't think I could have pulled a better one myself. I got to visiting with David and found out he was the owner. I told him I was a homeroaster, and he said, "I got my start as a homeroaster with Sweet Marias." So here is another one of Tom's "babies." that I doubt he even knows about. So if you ever want some excellent coffee, don't go to the poor excuse of a Stumptown in Bend head on over to Backporch. I also had a SO Costa Rican that was stunning. On 8/28/08, Barry Luterman wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Thanks a lot, Les! I have long planned a pilgrimage to bend to visit deschutes brewery, I love Black Butte porter. Now they have a great coffee shop that roasts. I'll check how far Bend is from Cheyenne...bill On Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 9:04 AM, Les wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Extreme, absolutely. Too extreme 'tis relative. Regardless your scenario entirely different. Reading between the lines sounds like you tried for a spell and got frustrated likely from using a sub-par grinder and retired your espresso machine for a time. Got a decent manual grinder and tried again. Very different scenario than buying an espresso machine "and never plugging it in" for years. Never even trying, not once, let alone going through a few pounds trying to learn and asking questions. Nobody can learn let alone get good at pulling espresso by looking at an unplugged espresso machine, nobody. Kona Kurmudgeon miKe mcKoffee <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| I forgot to mention that I have had my AeroPress for several months and haven't tried that yet either. To say nothing of several hand grinders, including a Giant Trosser, still unused! If anyone is ever in Columbia and wants to help me christen any of this stuff, drop in! Brian On Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 4:33 PM, miKe mcKoffee wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |