Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[UKCruiseJeff]

6 hours ago, Port Power said:

I also only use filtered water (through a charcoal filter), but also have a filter in the Jura's water container. (I rarely replace that one.)  It is limestone where I live, so a filter is very necessary.  I don't use the milk frother part as I only like a touch of milk.  The machine is self cleaning, but the milk tubes still required a bit of extra TLC occasionally,  If I want frothy milk or have a visitor who does, I have a wonderful little jug with a spinning spring in it (a bit like the Nespresso milk frother).  It is stand alone, does a fabulous job, and cleans up very easily.

 

Regarding beans, I have also found a locally roasted bean that I really like: not bitter, which I find with many blends.  If I can get hold of it, New Guinea Blue Mountain coffee is delicious!

 

Lovely to read of your love for the bean.  Forgive me if I'm not up to speed - I am only a spasmodic visitor..  But is this your first visit to "The Establishment!?  If so then welcome.

 

The only thing I'd offer is that if you love what you love then there is always the more sensible option of never changing what you are doing.  The only thing I learned is that in a way coffee is not in the same way to me like wine where a single harvest of a single chateau offers the best experience.  Different coffee countries and beans with different growers , terroirs and climates all have their individual strengths.  And then there is the art of blending and roasting. 

 

So in my experience, whilst a single source coffee offers the maximum romance per buck compared to blends, it is in the hands of a really talented artisan blender roaster that blending and alchemism is really experienced.  Particularly if the blender / roaster has a quiet establishment where he pulls up a bottle of Armagnac and starts to blend some magic.  You can also say to them.  "I like this but want a bit more of this ..." and those descriptions can be quite esoteric and he'll say.  I think I know what you mean .... let me have a go. 

 

So if I have made you in the slightest more adventurous and you develop that niggling desire to expore more then my job here is a bit more complete.   🙂

Edited September 2, 2022 by UKCruiseJeff

[Port Power]

6 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Lovely to read of your love for the bean.  Forgive me if I'm not up to speed - I am only a spasmodic visitor..  But is this your first visit to "The Establishment!?  If so then welcome.

 

The only thing I'd offer is that if you love what you love then there is always the more sensible option of never changing what you are doing.  The only thing I learned is that in a way coffee is not in the same way to me like wine where a single harvest of a single chateau offers the best experience.  Different coffee countries and beans with different growers , terroirs and climates all have their individual strengths.  And then there is the art of blending and roasting. 

 

So in my experience, whilst a single source coffee offers the maximum romance per buck compared to blends, it is in the hands of a really talented artisan blender roaster that blending and alchemism is really experienced.  Particularly if the blender / roaster has a quiet establishment where he pulls up a bottle of Armagnac and starts to blend some magic.  You can also say to them.  "I like this but want a bit more of this ..." and those descriptions can be quite esoteric and he'll say.  I think I know what you mean .... let me have a go. 

 

So if I have made you in the slightest more adventurous and you develop that niggling desire to expore more then my job here is a bit more complete.   🙂

Thank you, Jeff.  Flying coffee beans in from New Guinea didn’t give you a hint that I have explored a lot?  I have posted on this forum before, but am new(ish) to Silversea.

[UKCruiseJeff]

5 minutes ago, Port Power said:

Thank you, Jeff.  Flying coffee beans in from New Guinea didn’t give you a hint that I have explored a lot?  I have posted on this forum before, but am new(ish) to Silversea.

Thanks PP,

 

Forgive me,  I missed that you were "flying them in" only that you had a local supplier - and in any event I'm far too thck and slow for hints :(

 

But  you must post more about your exporations. 🙂

Edited September 2, 2022 by UKCruiseJeff

[Port Power]

24 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

Thanks PP,

 

Forgive me,  I missed that you were "flying them in" only that you had a local supplier - and in any event I'm far too thck and slow for hints :(

 

But  you must post more about your exporations. 🙂

Years back I worked for a helicopter charter company.  They had contracts in PNG and the engineers would  bring back roasted coffee beans.  I have never had as good since!  I like my current Fremantle coffee though.

[Rocchi]

1 hour ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Good Morning Rochi,

 

The most important thing is that you like it and it gives you pleasure.  My only argument against that is that you never know what you're missing until you venture forth and my own journey started with Illy and I loved that. 

 

What Gerald (my blender/roaster) has taught me is that the brands buy the cheapest bean they can source (ethical stamps mean nothing ....) and they never tell you what the bean actually is and where it actually came from and then it is all about the marketing and branding and making as big a margin as they can.  So by the time the manufavturer makes the profit and the supermarket makes their profit and all of that is completed at less than £20 per kilo it cannot add up to much by way of decent quality. Their descriptions are simply written in an elaborate romantic style to suck old gullible soppy romantics like me in.    They also rarely give you the "roast date" which is in a way more important than the "use by date".   So in my experience one has no idea where the bean is from and whether they were properly paid, what it is blended with and when it was roasted.

 

In a different post at some time I'll tell you a bit about Gerald and why he is so important and why I pay more for his travels.  And then ... well you can become a compulsive degenerate like me or be sensible and stick with where you are.  The key thing is to be discontent and try new things. Or not.

We like darker stronger filtered coffee, Black or with a little single cream and absolutely no sugar.  We don't chase the ideal blend. Most of the time it's a packet of dark roast from the supermarket (yes, blasphemy).

Some of the best and freshest cups of coffee we have had were in Artisan Coffee in Broughton St. Edinburgh. Other locations are available.

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

3 minutes ago, Rocchi said:

We like darker stronger filtered coffee, Black or with a little single cream and absolutely no sugar.  We don't chase the ideal blend. Most of the time it's a packet of dark roast from the supermarket (yes, blasphemy).

Some of the best and freshest cups of coffee we have had were in Artisan Coffee in Broughton St. Edinburgh. Other locations are available.

 

 

Well, by coincidence Gerald has just delivered my bag and having clutched it to my bosom (yes we do have them) we’ve just had the first two shots of the new heavily promoted bag!  The blend he does for me is from three small growers in Nicaragua, Mysore and Brazil.  The first the farm was so small and the crop so small he bought the whole crop then and there and bought it back with him on the plane.

 

Sad day today, as at this moment we were supposed to be packing our bag in prep for a flight home from Vienna, (by coincidence the home of the coffee culture ….) and we should have flown out on Monday but didn’t feel sufficiently comfortable about the trip.  It is so sad cancelling trips.

 

Here is a small celebration of the bean a few minutes ago, and apologies to Coolers for hijacking the thread on this very narrow self-indulgent interest.

[mysty]

24 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Well, by coincidence Gerald has just delivered my bag and having clutched it to my bosom (yes we do have them) we’ve just had the first two shots of the new heavily promoted bag!  The blend he does for me is from three small growers in Nicaragua, Mysore and Brazil.  The first the farm was so small and the crop so small he bought the whole crop then and there and bought it back with him on the plane.

 

Sad day today, as at this moment we were supposed to be packing our bag in prep for a flight home from Vienna, (by coincidence the home of the coffee culture ….) and we should have flown out on Monday but didn’t feel sufficiently comfortable about the trip.  It is so sad cancelling trips.

 

Here is a small celebration of the bean a few minutes ago, and apologies to Coolers for hijacking the thread on this very narrow self-indulgent interest.

 

As you so eloquently put when you established the Cooler years ago Jeff, there is no such thing as hijacking the Cooler thread! 😁  Any and all topics (within reason and with respect for the requirements of civil interaction) are encouraged.  Praise the bean! 😁

[zqtchas]

Who do these remind you of?

Edited September 2, 2022 by zqtchas
hi-jacked from another thread

[highplanesdrifters]

From a gift shop window in Reykjavik. 

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, zqtchas said:

Who do these remind you of?

Ida! 😉

 

I think Wes used to joke she took an entire piece of luggage for shoes.

 

As far as the foot that stumbles, well…

[jpalbny]

2 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

As far as the foot that stumbles, well…

 

It certainly doesn't stumble due to insufficient luggage...

[FlyingScotSailors]

2 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

From a gift shop window in Reykjavik. 

 

@highplanesdrifters, we fly to Iceland tonight (and get on the Venture on Sunday).  We both looked at the right hand cup and thought of the same cousin.

 

We can't find "Planet Iceland" on google maps.  Could you please give us the address?

[highplanesdrifters]

2 hours ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

@highplanesdrifters, we fly to Iceland tonight (and get on the Venture on Sunday).  We both looked at the right hand cup and thought of the same cousin.

 

We can't find "Planet Iceland" on google maps.  Could you please give us the address?

Are you joking about the book in the gift shop window, or serious about the address of the gift shop? 😉

 

Just off the Venture. I am I love, what a ship. Hope you like it.  Did a live from on the boards in case you missed it.   Are you going all the way to St. Johns?

[highplanesdrifters]

4 hours ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

@highplanesdrifters, we fly to Iceland tonight (and get on the Venture on Sunday).  We both looked at the right hand cup and thought of the same cousin.

 

We can't find "Planet Iceland" on google maps.  Could you please give us the address?

@FlyingScotSailors

If you are serious, I don't know the name of the store but it's on the main shopping drag. Bankastraeti which turns into Laugavegur on the left hand side of the street if you're walking away from the center of town up the hill. 

[jpalbny]

5 hours ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

@highplanesdrifters, we fly to Iceland tonight (and get on the Venture on Sunday).  We both looked at the right hand cup and thought of the same cousin.

 

We can't find "Planet Iceland" on google maps.  Could you please give us the address?

 

Safe travels - Enjoy Iceland!

[FlyingScotSailors]

We really like the "too few axes" mug, and will look for it.  We are on the 14 night to western Greenland,  with flight back to Reykjavik. 

 

We read your Live From thread,  and "liked" some  posts, (if we recallcorrectly), and PACruisers also.

 

Thanks JP, you guys are in charge of Albany until we return.  Then we need to learn how to use the "@" function. 

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[highplanesdrifters]

11 hours ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

We really like the "too few axes" mug, and will look for it.  We are on the 14 night to western Greenland,  with flight back to Reykjavik. 

 

We read your Live From thread,  and "liked" some  posts, (if we recallcorrectly), and PACruisers also.

 

Thanks JP, you guys are in charge of Albany until we return.  Then we need to learn how to use the "@" function. 

What a great itinerary.  Would love to hear your take on western Greenland and the Venture.  Have a fab trip.

[Will Work for Tiramisu]

Ah, coffee.  Over the years you read how it is declared unhealthy, then wonderful.  We don't care - gotta have my cuppa joe, by cracky.  As mentioned elsewhere above, we have a MoccaMaster drip pot, and their very nice grinder, for the morning slurp.  We've had a lot of brands over the years, but these are well made and are holding up very well.  If I really want to step it up a bit, there is always the French Press - I think that is nice when there is company, as the sort of ritual attendant thereto feels a bit like a tea ceremony - a way to make the friends feel "special".  (And they make good coffee.)  

 

When last we updated ye olde kitchen, we installed the below espresso machine, by Gaggenau; a German brand, I think their stuff is made by Braun or Bosch, but does a fine job.  You load it up with beans and water in respective containers, and it cranks out good espresso, does steaming, two cups at once, if so desired.  Nice to have.  There is a warming drawer below in photo, so not as big as appears.  We buy better beans for this machine, but Mr Cheapo here springs for the big bags of Starbucks French Roast from Costco.  We've had Gaggenau appliances since we built 35 years ago - wonderful stuff.  A topic for another day. 

 

[FlyingScotSailors]

5 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

What a great itinerary.  Would love to hear your take on western Greenland and the Venture.  Have a fab trip.

Thanks.  We will try to do a "live from" thread.

 

We did not realize that the "Planet Iceland " in your photo was a book rather than a name on the window! Anyway,  with your description of the shop,  we found it, and bought a mug.

 

As an aid to all the Cooler coffee connoisseurs who also desperately need this coffee mug, the name of the store is Saga.

 

 

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, Will Work for Tiramisu said:

Ah, coffee.  Over the years you read how it is declared unhealthy, then wonderful.  We don't care - gotta have my cuppa joe, by cracky.  As mentioned elsewhere above, we have a MoccaMaster drip pot, and their very nice grinder, for the morning slurp.  We've had a lot of brands over the years, but these are well made and are holding up very well.  If I really want to step it up a bit, there is always the French Press - I think that is nice when there is company, as the sort of ritual attendant thereto feels a bit like a tea ceremony - a way to make the friends feel "special".  (And they make good coffee.)  

 

When last we updated ye olde kitchen, we installed the below espresso machine, by Gaggenau; a German brand, I think their stuff is made by Braun or Bosch, but does a fine job.  You load it up with beans and water in respective containers, and it cranks out good espresso, does steaming, two cups at once, if so desired.  Nice to have.  There is a warming drawer below in photo, so not as big as appears.  We buy better beans for this machine, but Mr Cheapo here springs for the big bags of Starbucks French Roast from Costco.  We've had Gaggenau appliances since we built 35 years ago - wonderful stuff.  A topic for another day. 

 

A Museum piece if ever I saw one 😁

[highplanesdrifters]

2 hours ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

Thanks.  We will try to do a "live from" thread.

 

We did not realize that the "Planet Iceland " in your photo was a book rather than a name on the window! Anyway,  with your description of the shop,  we found it, and bought a mug.

 

As an aid to all the Cooler coffee connoisseurs who also desperately need this coffee mug, the name of the store is Saga.

 

 

Yay!!! 

[Emtbsam]

I have used a Gaggia Factory (Tin Man) espresso maker for many years.  I recently started using a Mazzer grinder and am happy with the results.  We are on well water so I always filter it.

[QueSeraSera]

 

[jpalbny]

Speaking of which, I'm making a batch of grapefruit sorbet. It is freezing up with some larger crystals and looks a bit more like granita. 

 

But it smells delicious! For which I am grateful! 😉  Hope it's as tasty as it smells.