I have watched Whittard's for many years as I have seen them as very much a direct competitior to my business as tea and coffee specialists. In the early days they were a tight outfit with a well presented quality product line.
Over the years though the focus has increasingly been on presentation and not enough time I believe spent on content. Surely if you are a specialist in this market you should be recognised for being outstanding at what you do. There should be no comparison between what you offer and what is on offer at the local supermarket; sadly for Whittard great packaging is now everywhere, which means that the contents needs to be outstanding - it isn't and so their customers voted with their feet. In our line of business a one off purchase isn't good enough, you need repeat business to survive.
The person I feel sadest for is Giles Hilton, Mr. Whittard if you like. He is a great individual with an unparalleled knowledge in the tea business. But even Giles couldn't stop Whittard's losing its soul. Even Howard Schultz of Starbuck's fame has higlighted the problems of losing your soul. People become dispassionate about your business and move on.
I believe there is room for a Whittard type business but it has to be driven by someone with a passion for the products they sell, and people who are in it for the long run. Can that ever be achieved by a bunch of private equity types? I doubt it - when all your focus is on the bottom line, and maximizing your cash flow to the detriment of others, you forget what this business is all about. It's about people and relationships around the globe. It's about doing something that benefits all, not just a handful of financiers.
Will anyone work that one out ? We'll see
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas sales 2008
As I write this blog we're down to a couple of days before Christmas and it's gone mad here! I say mad now, however we've had a couple of truly crazy weeks, and it begs the question, recession what recession? Talking to some of my colleagues here in Jersey they too are having a bumper time; we're not sure if it's the last hurrah before 2009 and deep gloom or whether actually the press have really overblown the situation.
I believe the key is to be niche. Know your stuff and offer great quality, great value and great customer service. The people being hit appear to be the generalists, the stores who try to sell everything from waste bins to DVD's. Stuff that everybody and their auntie is selling and is found in every department store and internet site. You have to be different, you have to be original, you have to pay attention, it doesn't happen overnight and it can take years of doing the right thing.
It will be in my view those businesses who "stick to the knitting" who I believe will ride out this recession stronger and fitter and better placed than many of their over borrowed, over leveraged competitors.
So what's selling?, well right now Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is doing well at a cool £105.00 per kilo! A special gift for the ultimate coffee lover. Stove top espresso machines have also been flying out in far greater quantities than in previous years. The demand for upmarket chocolate has also been good. The Chocolate Alchemist has come good this year.
With regard to the higher priced machines, the traditional espresso machine has struggled in the £150 - £300 price bracket. The Jura bean to cup coffee machines after an initial flurry in early December have slowed; interestingly the the only Jura machine we are being asked for is the ENA5 which has become a real star in the home.
Nespresso has come in for real criticism in our store, having found them initially very convenient a number of people have given up on them because they find it a pain to keep having to order off the internet - they forget and then can't use the machine with anything else. The price of the capsules is high, and the waste factor to some is unacceptable. But hayho I'm sure Nespresso are still selling capsules in their millions.
What is also interesting is people's interest in trying different coffees. A few years ago there was little appetite to try something different, now if you offer great quality, customers are really up for experimenting. Again I think being a specialist coffee roaster really helps here, and in particular staff knowledge of the product. It must be a real challenge to sell Ethiopian Harrar off the supermarket shelf on the strength of what it says on the packet.
It's interesting that in an age where you can find everything out on the internet or on a shelf talker, people still prefer dealing with people, that's why truly great customer service will always win.
Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year
I believe the key is to be niche. Know your stuff and offer great quality, great value and great customer service. The people being hit appear to be the generalists, the stores who try to sell everything from waste bins to DVD's. Stuff that everybody and their auntie is selling and is found in every department store and internet site. You have to be different, you have to be original, you have to pay attention, it doesn't happen overnight and it can take years of doing the right thing.
It will be in my view those businesses who "stick to the knitting" who I believe will ride out this recession stronger and fitter and better placed than many of their over borrowed, over leveraged competitors.
So what's selling?, well right now Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is doing well at a cool £105.00 per kilo! A special gift for the ultimate coffee lover. Stove top espresso machines have also been flying out in far greater quantities than in previous years. The demand for upmarket chocolate has also been good. The Chocolate Alchemist has come good this year.
With regard to the higher priced machines, the traditional espresso machine has struggled in the £150 - £300 price bracket. The Jura bean to cup coffee machines after an initial flurry in early December have slowed; interestingly the the only Jura machine we are being asked for is the ENA5 which has become a real star in the home.
Nespresso has come in for real criticism in our store, having found them initially very convenient a number of people have given up on them because they find it a pain to keep having to order off the internet - they forget and then can't use the machine with anything else. The price of the capsules is high, and the waste factor to some is unacceptable. But hayho I'm sure Nespresso are still selling capsules in their millions.
What is also interesting is people's interest in trying different coffees. A few years ago there was little appetite to try something different, now if you offer great quality, customers are really up for experimenting. Again I think being a specialist coffee roaster really helps here, and in particular staff knowledge of the product. It must be a real challenge to sell Ethiopian Harrar off the supermarket shelf on the strength of what it says on the packet.
It's interesting that in an age where you can find everything out on the internet or on a shelf talker, people still prefer dealing with people, that's why truly great customer service will always win.
Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year
Frozen Coffee Beans
This one's a first for me and it's always interesting to hear what "real coffee drinkers" do with our coffee!
I had a conversation some months ago with this customer who was regularly travelling backwards and forwards to Spain (we'll call him Chris). He was telling me that he couldn't find any coffee locally that tasted as good as this Spanish coffee which was dark roasted to the point of being carbonised. He felt that it made great coffee and wondered why we didn't sell such a coffee.
My reaction was not quite of horror, but "mild" surprise that he could enjoy a coffee that had all it's individuality roasted out of it. For all I knew it could be the cheapest coffee in the world, nobody would know. Being a business that only stocks speciality coffee I tried to explain the intricacies of what we offered. Anyway he went away and I didn't see him for a number of months.
A week ago I happened to be in our shop and there he was buying our Bologne Espresso coffee. I jokingly said have you run out of your Spanish coffee? To which he replied that since our conversation he had been buying our coffee non stop. Having given him my views on dark roasted Spanish coffee he had decided to change to us.
The secret though to our coffee tasting great for him though is that he brews the coffee from frozen. Apparently he takes our beans home and immediately puts them in the freezer. When he goes to make his coffee in a stove top espresso maker, he grinds the frozen beans and then brews the coffee immediately. He tells me that this gives the best coffee taste ever. He's tried not freezing the beans but says that the flavour isn't nearly as good.
It just goes to show you, even after 20 years in the business you can still learn from your customers idiosyncrasies!
I had a conversation some months ago with this customer who was regularly travelling backwards and forwards to Spain (we'll call him Chris). He was telling me that he couldn't find any coffee locally that tasted as good as this Spanish coffee which was dark roasted to the point of being carbonised. He felt that it made great coffee and wondered why we didn't sell such a coffee.
My reaction was not quite of horror, but "mild" surprise that he could enjoy a coffee that had all it's individuality roasted out of it. For all I knew it could be the cheapest coffee in the world, nobody would know. Being a business that only stocks speciality coffee I tried to explain the intricacies of what we offered. Anyway he went away and I didn't see him for a number of months.
A week ago I happened to be in our shop and there he was buying our Bologne Espresso coffee. I jokingly said have you run out of your Spanish coffee? To which he replied that since our conversation he had been buying our coffee non stop. Having given him my views on dark roasted Spanish coffee he had decided to change to us.
The secret though to our coffee tasting great for him though is that he brews the coffee from frozen. Apparently he takes our beans home and immediately puts them in the freezer. When he goes to make his coffee in a stove top espresso maker, he grinds the frozen beans and then brews the coffee immediately. He tells me that this gives the best coffee taste ever. He's tried not freezing the beans but says that the flavour isn't nearly as good.
It just goes to show you, even after 20 years in the business you can still learn from your customers idiosyncrasies!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Espresso ground coffee - a challenge
It's not until you handle espresso coffee on a daily basis that you appreciate how many reasons there are as to why it might not extract the flavour as well as you might expect. For the purposes of this blog I'm assuming water temperature, the pressure of the machine and the freshness of the coffee are all perfect (big assumption I know!). Here I want to focus on the grind of the coffee.
1. Different origins due to different processing methods will affect the fineness of the grind.
2. Different roast colours will affect the fineness of the grind.
3. The atmospheric conditions on the day you use the coffee will affect the grind.
4. The conditions around the grinder will affect the grind.
5. The sharpness of the grinder blades will affect the grind.
6. The cleanliness of the grinding blades will affect the grind.
So you can see when a coffee brand states on the side of its packet "this coffee is suitable for all coffee makers" what a load of rubbish that is if you have any desire to achieve a decent flavour.
Even the flow of liquid through specialist espresso ground coffee bought off the Supermarket shelf can be problematic for different machines.
The point I make in this Blog is that if you use a local speciality coffee roaster for your coffee supplies, pay attention to the grind setting the use. Every store will have its own setting which works for their machine, however bear in mind it might not necessarily work for you. Don't be frightened to ask your supplier to change the grind for your specific requirements, that's what specialists are for.
1. Different origins due to different processing methods will affect the fineness of the grind.
2. Different roast colours will affect the fineness of the grind.
3. The atmospheric conditions on the day you use the coffee will affect the grind.
4. The conditions around the grinder will affect the grind.
5. The sharpness of the grinder blades will affect the grind.
6. The cleanliness of the grinding blades will affect the grind.
So you can see when a coffee brand states on the side of its packet "this coffee is suitable for all coffee makers" what a load of rubbish that is if you have any desire to achieve a decent flavour.
Even the flow of liquid through specialist espresso ground coffee bought off the Supermarket shelf can be problematic for different machines.
The point I make in this Blog is that if you use a local speciality coffee roaster for your coffee supplies, pay attention to the grind setting the use. Every store will have its own setting which works for their machine, however bear in mind it might not necessarily work for you. Don't be frightened to ask your supplier to change the grind for your specific requirements, that's what specialists are for.
H.R.H. Princess Anne drinking a cup of Cooper's
Couldn't resist showing you this. H.R.H. Princess Anne is a regular visitor to the Island of Jersey. Here she's meeting with people from the Poppy appeal at a place called Sunset Nurseries. She's been captured drinking a cup of Cooper's finest coffee! Well it would make me smile as well!
Monday, November 03, 2008
The consequences of over stretching coffee
Coffee culture like so many things is inate - somehow over the centuries a nation intuitively knows how best to capture the flavour of a particular product that they have consumed for generations.
For instance the British understand tea and can't understand why such an apparanetly simple product can be destroyed by so many of her European neighbours. Our European neighbours would I suggest in turn wonder how the average British person struggles so much to make a decent cup of coffee and 8 times out of 10 resorts to instant coffee.
I put it down to cultural differences, the different routes our histories took. So what am I getting at in the blog?
Well there is a tradition in the British Isles to make Cappuccinos in 12 oz cups, a reflection of the influence of the US. Which in itself isn't a problem, however what isn't understood is that to make large drinks like these, you need to use a decent amount of coffee. So why do so many places try to stretch the ground coffee to try and get an acceptable strength?
7g of coffee is simply not enough coffee, you can run all the water you like through it and you still won't achieve anything that remotely resembles a decent cup of coffee. The interesting thing is that if you go over to continental Europe and ask for a cappuccino you'll struggle to find a cup that's larger than 7 ozs. Why? because they inately know that any more volume of liquid will dillute the fine flavour of the coffee.
So if you are a coffee shop owner or making cappuccinos for fun at home please remember the following rules of thumb.
A 12oz cup needs a double shot of espresso coffee - that is around 14g of ground coffee. You should only run a maximum of 2 flozs (60ml) of water through the coffee. After this the rough proportions of milk are a 1/3rd milk, and 1/3rd foam. Personally I prefer to "free pour" my milk onto the coffee following the steaming/foaming process as I believe that this will give you the most consistent strength.
If you really do want to weaken the drink just add some hot water, or if you really can only cope with one shot of coffee (7g grounds), still only run 1 floz of liquid through the coffee and then add some hot water. But please never run water through your coffee for much longer, you will destroy what may well have once been outstanding coffee.
If you're from continental Europe please ignore this blog as you're probably already doing the above without even thinking about it!
For instance the British understand tea and can't understand why such an apparanetly simple product can be destroyed by so many of her European neighbours. Our European neighbours would I suggest in turn wonder how the average British person struggles so much to make a decent cup of coffee and 8 times out of 10 resorts to instant coffee.
I put it down to cultural differences, the different routes our histories took. So what am I getting at in the blog?
Well there is a tradition in the British Isles to make Cappuccinos in 12 oz cups, a reflection of the influence of the US. Which in itself isn't a problem, however what isn't understood is that to make large drinks like these, you need to use a decent amount of coffee. So why do so many places try to stretch the ground coffee to try and get an acceptable strength?
7g of coffee is simply not enough coffee, you can run all the water you like through it and you still won't achieve anything that remotely resembles a decent cup of coffee. The interesting thing is that if you go over to continental Europe and ask for a cappuccino you'll struggle to find a cup that's larger than 7 ozs. Why? because they inately know that any more volume of liquid will dillute the fine flavour of the coffee.
So if you are a coffee shop owner or making cappuccinos for fun at home please remember the following rules of thumb.
A 12oz cup needs a double shot of espresso coffee - that is around 14g of ground coffee. You should only run a maximum of 2 flozs (60ml) of water through the coffee. After this the rough proportions of milk are a 1/3rd milk, and 1/3rd foam. Personally I prefer to "free pour" my milk onto the coffee following the steaming/foaming process as I believe that this will give you the most consistent strength.
If you really do want to weaken the drink just add some hot water, or if you really can only cope with one shot of coffee (7g grounds), still only run 1 floz of liquid through the coffee and then add some hot water. But please never run water through your coffee for much longer, you will destroy what may well have once been outstanding coffee.
If you're from continental Europe please ignore this blog as you're probably already doing the above without even thinking about it!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Jura bean to cup message "empty drawer" which is empty
We've recently encountered the message "empty drawer" on a couple of Z5 machines. Seems fairly straight forward until you find that emptying the waste drawer has no impact whatsoever.
What's going on?
Well through a little trial and error we've discovered that the messages are the result of water getting on the "contacts" at the back of the waste drawer.
We're not quite sure why so much moisture should be getting into this area, however it could be the result of the user washing the drawer and not drying it throughly. Although on further conversation with Jura it could also be the result of the machine not sitting on an even surface.
Solution - Ensure machine is disconnected from any electrical connection, remove drawer, and dry all contacts. Apparently a hairdryer is very effective. The main thing is to ensure that all contacts are dry.
We're not done quite yet, the drawer now needs to be left out for a few hours, preferably over-night, and the machine kept switched off.
The theory is that the following morning the message will have cleared and you will have a normally functioning machine.
Lesson of the story, when removing the waste drawer and cleaning, ensure that all parts are totally dry before replacing said drawer.
What's going on?
Well through a little trial and error we've discovered that the messages are the result of water getting on the "contacts" at the back of the waste drawer.
We're not quite sure why so much moisture should be getting into this area, however it could be the result of the user washing the drawer and not drying it throughly. Although on further conversation with Jura it could also be the result of the machine not sitting on an even surface.
Solution - Ensure machine is disconnected from any electrical connection, remove drawer, and dry all contacts. Apparently a hairdryer is very effective. The main thing is to ensure that all contacts are dry.
We're not done quite yet, the drawer now needs to be left out for a few hours, preferably over-night, and the machine kept switched off.
The theory is that the following morning the message will have cleared and you will have a normally functioning machine.
Lesson of the story, when removing the waste drawer and cleaning, ensure that all parts are totally dry before replacing said drawer.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Pod problems
Those of you who use coffee pods to make your espresso based drinks will find them clean and convenient to use, and in low volume food service accounts we find that they work very well in ensuring a consistent standard of drink. I know that may upset the purists by my saying this, however sometimes it is a case of "horses for courses"
A problem that has been brought to my attention in the last few weeks is the apparent slowing down of the flow of water through the coffee pod. Instead of the usuals 20 seconds or so, one individual found that it was taking up to a minute to extract an espresso. What was going on?
The immediate reaction is to believe that the grinding of the coffee has changed, not an unreasonable thought. However becuase of the tight tollerances needed by the pod packing machine to make pods this is almost certainly the least likely problem.
Clearly the next areas to check are things like pump pressure and if the spray plate is clean. Both of these issues can be checked easily with the group handle removed. If the spray plate appears blocked it will be a case of taking it out and cleaning. Once clean you'll get a better idea if the coffee pump is functioning properly. If the pump isn't functioning properly, then it could be time for a new machine, it's difficult to replace this part cost effectively.
However the solution to the problem that I expreienced is not in the group head, but in the group handle. Although the insert that the pod sits in can appear clean I have found that the holes can become blocked with micro particles of coffee which are particularly difficult to remove. This fact was clearly demonstrated when we removed what looked like a perfectly clean insert and replaced it with a brand new insert. Hey presto! everything started to work correctly again.
Replacement inserts for domestic machines are not supplied as standard, so you will either need to talk to your local store, or hopefully go on-line and get the part that way.
Enjoy that espresso!
A problem that has been brought to my attention in the last few weeks is the apparent slowing down of the flow of water through the coffee pod. Instead of the usuals 20 seconds or so, one individual found that it was taking up to a minute to extract an espresso. What was going on?
The immediate reaction is to believe that the grinding of the coffee has changed, not an unreasonable thought. However becuase of the tight tollerances needed by the pod packing machine to make pods this is almost certainly the least likely problem.
Clearly the next areas to check are things like pump pressure and if the spray plate is clean. Both of these issues can be checked easily with the group handle removed. If the spray plate appears blocked it will be a case of taking it out and cleaning. Once clean you'll get a better idea if the coffee pump is functioning properly. If the pump isn't functioning properly, then it could be time for a new machine, it's difficult to replace this part cost effectively.
However the solution to the problem that I expreienced is not in the group head, but in the group handle. Although the insert that the pod sits in can appear clean I have found that the holes can become blocked with micro particles of coffee which are particularly difficult to remove. This fact was clearly demonstrated when we removed what looked like a perfectly clean insert and replaced it with a brand new insert. Hey presto! everything started to work correctly again.
Replacement inserts for domestic machines are not supplied as standard, so you will either need to talk to your local store, or hopefully go on-line and get the part that way.
Enjoy that espresso!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Panama - Hacienda La Esmeralda Coffee
This farm keeps winning accolades year in year out. They won the award for best Rainforest Certified coffee at the SCAA meeting in Minneapolis earlier this year, and have been named as the number 2 coffee of the year 2008, so I guess I had to try and get some and find out what all the fuss is about.
The first thing of interest is the varietal that they grow. At the basic level we have robusta and arabica, however when you get past this you discover a whole new list of coffee types. The most popular are Catuai and Typica, however this estate uses a varietal that goes by the intriguing name of Geisha.
What does all of this mean to the roaster and to the final taste in the cup?
Well our impression of the bean is that it is slightly softer than other typical central American coffees, so we dropped the coffee into a slightly cooler drum than normal, and then roasted the coffee as we normally do, this technique we hoped would allow the flavours to develop at a slower rate. Finally as we went past the first crack of the bean, we watched the development carefully and pulled the coffee out of the roasting drum just as the second crack started.
The result is a wonderful coffee. I had an Americano and the sweetness and flavour resulted in one of the most memorable coffee drinks I have ever had.
The judges were right this is a truly great coffee and I hope it's here to stay in Europe.
Handle with care!
The first thing of interest is the varietal that they grow. At the basic level we have robusta and arabica, however when you get past this you discover a whole new list of coffee types. The most popular are Catuai and Typica, however this estate uses a varietal that goes by the intriguing name of Geisha.
What does all of this mean to the roaster and to the final taste in the cup?
Well our impression of the bean is that it is slightly softer than other typical central American coffees, so we dropped the coffee into a slightly cooler drum than normal, and then roasted the coffee as we normally do, this technique we hoped would allow the flavours to develop at a slower rate. Finally as we went past the first crack of the bean, we watched the development carefully and pulled the coffee out of the roasting drum just as the second crack started.
The result is a wonderful coffee. I had an Americano and the sweetness and flavour resulted in one of the most memorable coffee drinks I have ever had.
The judges were right this is a truly great coffee and I hope it's here to stay in Europe.
Handle with care!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Bialetti Stove top espresso - keeping it simple
I had the pleasure of testing a Bialetti Mukka stove top machine the other day on behalf of a customer. For those of you who don't know these machines, it's Bialetti's attempt to replicate a Cappuccino coffee, and I guess if I'm cynical their attempt to add value to their basic machines.
My conclusion - don't bother. What has always been a simple machine to operate, namely water in bottom, coffee in middle, screw together, place on stove and wait for coffee to brew has now been overly complicated by this additional gizmo.
My experience with the foaming of the milk was the equivalent of a badly made cappuccino. Everything was too milky, the foam wasn't particularly great, and generally the whole coffee experience was quite forgettable.
Like so many businesses Bialetti have tried to complicate a very simple concept because someone in marketing has forgotten about what the machine is all about and instead persuaded R&D that cappuccino is the way forward - wrong.
What I think Research and Development should be thinking about is how do we stop the rapid deterioration of the metal in the event of the machine not be dried properly before being put away. Surely there's a coating out there that would eliminate this problem which doesn't in turn taint the great coffee taste.
These are great machines because they are so simple. Lets improve on the simplicity and not believe that improvement comes through complexity.
My conclusion - don't bother. What has always been a simple machine to operate, namely water in bottom, coffee in middle, screw together, place on stove and wait for coffee to brew has now been overly complicated by this additional gizmo.
My experience with the foaming of the milk was the equivalent of a badly made cappuccino. Everything was too milky, the foam wasn't particularly great, and generally the whole coffee experience was quite forgettable.
Like so many businesses Bialetti have tried to complicate a very simple concept because someone in marketing has forgotten about what the machine is all about and instead persuaded R&D that cappuccino is the way forward - wrong.
What I think Research and Development should be thinking about is how do we stop the rapid deterioration of the metal in the event of the machine not be dried properly before being put away. Surely there's a coating out there that would eliminate this problem which doesn't in turn taint the great coffee taste.
These are great machines because they are so simple. Lets improve on the simplicity and not believe that improvement comes through complexity.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
JURA FROTHING DEVICES - THE BEST OPTION FOR YOU
As someone who believes that incorrectly foamed milk destroys great coffee in much the same way as poorly prepared coffee does the latest domestic auto-frothing devices I have to say are a real mixed bag.
Whilst it's impossible to replicate the steam pressure on a domestic machine that is achieved on a commercial machine, there have been many approaches by manufacturers to overcome dodgy foamed milk, you know that little bit of foam floating on the top that disguises the superheated liquid below.
Well Jura now offer three options on their bean to cup machines:
1. Professional cappuccino frother
2. Easy cappuccino frother
3. 2-stage frothing nozzle
As standard Jura sell the Easy cappuccino frother with their latest ENA 5 machine. Kept clean and fitted properly it does a good job if all you want is foamed milk. The bubbles can be a little coarse, but the overall result is very acceptable.
However should you wish to just heat the milk for a latte you will need to choose one of the two other options, namely the professional cappuccino frother or the 2-stage frothing nozzle which are extras to the basic package.
I'll start with the 2- stage frothing nozzle. This has two positions, when closed in the upper position, the result is good steam pressure that will heat milk to your heart's content. If instead you want foam, you place the nozzle in the lower position. The idea is that whilst heating the milk, air is also let in to create foam.
My experience is that you get foam after a fashion, but not nearly of the quality
of the easy-cappuccino frother. For a part that costs around £15 sterling I have to say I'm pretty disappointed with the results that I've seen. The mouth feel of the milk is at best ordinary.
The best system however by a country mile is the professional cappuccino maker, and it begs the question why this isn't fitted as standard on all ENA5 models.
The quality of the foam outstrips both of the other options, it's ability to deliver quality froth or steamed milk for either your favourite Cappuccino or Latte is outstanding. I love the mouth feel of the milk for cappuccinos in particular.
Is it a price point issue? Surely Jura who lead the market in domestic bean to cup machines haven't felt the need to cut a corner here? The rest of the technology is outstanding, the new design is phenomenal, so surely the easiest thing in the world is to make sure that you fit the best device out there for heating milk on to your machine - isn't it?
Whilst it's impossible to replicate the steam pressure on a domestic machine that is achieved on a commercial machine, there have been many approaches by manufacturers to overcome dodgy foamed milk, you know that little bit of foam floating on the top that disguises the superheated liquid below.
Well Jura now offer three options on their bean to cup machines:
1. Professional cappuccino frother
2. Easy cappuccino frother
3. 2-stage frothing nozzle
As standard Jura sell the Easy cappuccino frother with their latest ENA 5 machine. Kept clean and fitted properly it does a good job if all you want is foamed milk. The bubbles can be a little coarse, but the overall result is very acceptable.
However should you wish to just heat the milk for a latte you will need to choose one of the two other options, namely the professional cappuccino frother or the 2-stage frothing nozzle which are extras to the basic package.
I'll start with the 2- stage frothing nozzle. This has two positions, when closed in the upper position, the result is good steam pressure that will heat milk to your heart's content. If instead you want foam, you place the nozzle in the lower position. The idea is that whilst heating the milk, air is also let in to create foam.
My experience is that you get foam after a fashion, but not nearly of the quality
of the easy-cappuccino frother. For a part that costs around £15 sterling I have to say I'm pretty disappointed with the results that I've seen. The mouth feel of the milk is at best ordinary.
The best system however by a country mile is the professional cappuccino maker, and it begs the question why this isn't fitted as standard on all ENA5 models.
The quality of the foam outstrips both of the other options, it's ability to deliver quality froth or steamed milk for either your favourite Cappuccino or Latte is outstanding. I love the mouth feel of the milk for cappuccinos in particular.
Is it a price point issue? Surely Jura who lead the market in domestic bean to cup machines haven't felt the need to cut a corner here? The rest of the technology is outstanding, the new design is phenomenal, so surely the easiest thing in the world is to make sure that you fit the best device out there for heating milk on to your machine - isn't it?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Jura - Ena Coffee machine reviewed
The ENA is the latest offering from Jura, being launched into the UK market this summer.
The first thing you notice about the ENA is the considerable thought that has gone into the whole design concept. From the way the machine is packed to its sleek lines and compact nature, every detail has been considered which makes it a very impressive addition to the Jura range.
So how did it perform when we tested it out in our shop?
The initial set up is almost intuitive, in fact although I haven't actually used this machine before I found that I didn't need to refer to the manual once, ok, so I'm used to their previous models, but it does reflect how Jura have made great efforts to be consistent throughout their range.
To reduce the footprint of the machine, inevitably something has to give, and that something is the size of the water tank, however on a positive note none of the functionality has been compromised.
As already mentioned it's some of the details that really impress. The pre-ground coffee option has a sleek sliding lid which when open automatically activates the programme. What I think is a particularly good idea is the twisting front nozzle that allows you to have either a single pour, or a double pour, for 1 or 2 cups.
Increasingly clever use is being made of the main control button on the top of the machine, not only as with the J5, Z5 etc. is it used to adjust the strength of the coffee, but also here is is used to activate the steam wand. Very neat.
The cappuccino option has now been standardized and matches the J5 technology, which saw a simpler system with fewer parts to loose. I also like the fact that this system can be completely pulled apart and cleaned without the sense of dread one had in the past over where each part went when reconstructing the frothing unit.
The other great idea is the changing of the colour of the operation screen. When everything is fine, the screen is green, however if the machine needs you to do something, e.g. add more coffee beans the screen turns to red. So without even knowing what the message is you know you must do something prior to making a cup of coffee. I love that simplicity.
The rest of the technology we've seen before on other models, once again great to see how the best ideas from previous models have been used to inform this one. An example that comes to mind is the programming of the pour length of the coffee. Rather than going into programme mode, simply keeping your finger on the button will automatically ask you when you would like to stop the pour. A great idea from the Z5 machine.
All in all a great new addition and it does beg the question as to where this puts the J5, which again whilst being a sleek design led machine has been superseded here by a smaller footprint machine and a much more competitive price structure.
The ENA starts at £534, whilst the J5 comes in at £795. I know which one I'd buy!
The first thing you notice about the ENA is the considerable thought that has gone into the whole design concept. From the way the machine is packed to its sleek lines and compact nature, every detail has been considered which makes it a very impressive addition to the Jura range.
So how did it perform when we tested it out in our shop?
The initial set up is almost intuitive, in fact although I haven't actually used this machine before I found that I didn't need to refer to the manual once, ok, so I'm used to their previous models, but it does reflect how Jura have made great efforts to be consistent throughout their range.
To reduce the footprint of the machine, inevitably something has to give, and that something is the size of the water tank, however on a positive note none of the functionality has been compromised.
As already mentioned it's some of the details that really impress. The pre-ground coffee option has a sleek sliding lid which when open automatically activates the programme. What I think is a particularly good idea is the twisting front nozzle that allows you to have either a single pour, or a double pour, for 1 or 2 cups.
Increasingly clever use is being made of the main control button on the top of the machine, not only as with the J5, Z5 etc. is it used to adjust the strength of the coffee, but also here is is used to activate the steam wand. Very neat.
The cappuccino option has now been standardized and matches the J5 technology, which saw a simpler system with fewer parts to loose. I also like the fact that this system can be completely pulled apart and cleaned without the sense of dread one had in the past over where each part went when reconstructing the frothing unit.
The other great idea is the changing of the colour of the operation screen. When everything is fine, the screen is green, however if the machine needs you to do something, e.g. add more coffee beans the screen turns to red. So without even knowing what the message is you know you must do something prior to making a cup of coffee. I love that simplicity.
The rest of the technology we've seen before on other models, once again great to see how the best ideas from previous models have been used to inform this one. An example that comes to mind is the programming of the pour length of the coffee. Rather than going into programme mode, simply keeping your finger on the button will automatically ask you when you would like to stop the pour. A great idea from the Z5 machine.
All in all a great new addition and it does beg the question as to where this puts the J5, which again whilst being a sleek design led machine has been superseded here by a smaller footprint machine and a much more competitive price structure.
The ENA starts at £534, whilst the J5 comes in at £795. I know which one I'd buy!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Coffee recommendations - Monsooned Malabar Coffee
We are constantly asked in our store to recommend a coffee for a particular coffee maker or "something special" for a dinner party. It's a tricky thing to do as each individual has a taste that he or she prefers and trying to second guess that is a bit like looking in the proverbial crystal ball.
However on this occasion I'm going to stick my neck out. We've recently been carrying out a review of how we roast our coffees to optimise their individual characteristics; a coffee in our store has to earn its place!
I was particularly interested in our Indian Monsooned Malabar coffee as I felt that we weren't getting the "nuttiness" that I usually associate with this coffee. A coffee that is processed at origin in a unique way using the Monsooned winds to "desiccate" the beans which results in a green coffee that is bloated and bleached.
I looked at our target temperature and the timing of the first and second cracks and decided to do what for us is a light roast. The effect was to end up with a coffee that looked as if it had been not particularly well roasted. There was a lot of difference in the colour of the final roasted beans, the homogeneity that one gets with other washed arabicas simply didn't apply here. So what was the impact in the cup?
I shouldn't have worried, using a French press (Cafetiere) it brewed the most wonderful nutty coffee to savour. It reminded me of bed and breakfast establishments that I've stayed in in Paris where the the first thing the proprietor does is to deliver this wonderful heady brew of fresh coffee. On this occasion instead of croissants I enjoyed the coffee with toast and the most fabulous home made marmalade.
I couldn't let the experience pass without sharing it with someone! So next time you pass our store and want something a little special, try Monsooned Malabar you'll certainly have tongues wagging!
However on this occasion I'm going to stick my neck out. We've recently been carrying out a review of how we roast our coffees to optimise their individual characteristics; a coffee in our store has to earn its place!
I was particularly interested in our Indian Monsooned Malabar coffee as I felt that we weren't getting the "nuttiness" that I usually associate with this coffee. A coffee that is processed at origin in a unique way using the Monsooned winds to "desiccate" the beans which results in a green coffee that is bloated and bleached.
I looked at our target temperature and the timing of the first and second cracks and decided to do what for us is a light roast. The effect was to end up with a coffee that looked as if it had been not particularly well roasted. There was a lot of difference in the colour of the final roasted beans, the homogeneity that one gets with other washed arabicas simply didn't apply here. So what was the impact in the cup?
I shouldn't have worried, using a French press (Cafetiere) it brewed the most wonderful nutty coffee to savour. It reminded me of bed and breakfast establishments that I've stayed in in Paris where the the first thing the proprietor does is to deliver this wonderful heady brew of fresh coffee. On this occasion instead of croissants I enjoyed the coffee with toast and the most fabulous home made marmalade.
I couldn't let the experience pass without sharing it with someone! So next time you pass our store and want something a little special, try Monsooned Malabar you'll certainly have tongues wagging!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
More and Better
This is a speech I gave prior to the showing of a film based on the activities of Wal Mart, entitled "Wal Mart, the high cost of low price". My thanks go to Bill McKibben, whose book "Deep economy" was its inspiration.
MORE & BETTER
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Aid for Maringo Community Resource Centre
As the result of a promotion by locally owned Jersey Pottery to help displaced people in Kenya, I decided that we too should get involved. With the help of Omondi Kasidhi from the Clinton Foundation we sent a proportion of the sale value of the coffee to the Maringo Community Resource Centre. They are located in Maringo estate, Makadara constituency, Nairobi.With a relatively small sum of money we were able to help 23 families to purchase such items as Flour (Maize), Suar, Sanitary pads, Tea leaves, Milk powder, Soap, Blankets, Beans, Green grain, Rice etc. Basics, that where I come from are so readily available.
We can never hope to match the long term work of the Red Cross, however something is better than nothing, and as the message sent back to me from Maringo said, "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".
Once again my thanks to Omondi for making this possible.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
The Elusiveness of great coffee
I was on holiday last week at Centre Parcs in Normandy. They provide these wonderful cottages, but most importantly they also provide a filter coffee machine in the kitchenette. Knowing this I took my own coffee, some Guatamalan from the Nueva Granada Estate.
Now my first mistake was not to have the coffee ground specifically for a filter coffee machine. Because I have a Cafetiere (French Press) at home I broke one of my cardinal rules, I "multi-ground" the coffee, i.e. it should work in both a Filter coffee machine, and a Cafetiere. But of course as with all compromises that doesn't really work. What it means is that you have to load more coffee in the filter coffee machine than would be ideal in order to get the level of extraction you would get if the coffee had been correctly ground. So first pot of coffee based around my usual measures turned out to be disappointingly weak.
Day 2 - Loaded coffee machine with adjusted quantities of coffee, and hey presto! those wonderful Caramel notes started to surface.
Day 3 - Aaaaaaaagh! Coffee's ok, but not nearly as good as day two, despite being stored in the fridge and a barrier bag. What happened? Has the staling process of the coffee resulted in the finer qualities of the coffee disappearing, is it me?
Day 4 - Different again
I'm not sure what to conclude, clearly the coffee will be staling as oxygen from the atmosphere is absorbed by the grounds - interestingly also Centre Parcs put up a notice to say that the tap water had become unsafe to drink (there had been a lot of rain). Or finally was it me? Like all things we consume there are some days when we can't get enough of a particular food or drink, whilst on others when we really aren't bothered and in fact want something completly different.
As a coffee roaster it highlights just how diificult it is to achieve perfection when so many factors are at play. I guess consistency is the key - keep shooting at perfection and just maybe the coffee will be great more often than not.
Now my first mistake was not to have the coffee ground specifically for a filter coffee machine. Because I have a Cafetiere (French Press) at home I broke one of my cardinal rules, I "multi-ground" the coffee, i.e. it should work in both a Filter coffee machine, and a Cafetiere. But of course as with all compromises that doesn't really work. What it means is that you have to load more coffee in the filter coffee machine than would be ideal in order to get the level of extraction you would get if the coffee had been correctly ground. So first pot of coffee based around my usual measures turned out to be disappointingly weak.
Day 2 - Loaded coffee machine with adjusted quantities of coffee, and hey presto! those wonderful Caramel notes started to surface.
Day 3 - Aaaaaaaagh! Coffee's ok, but not nearly as good as day two, despite being stored in the fridge and a barrier bag. What happened? Has the staling process of the coffee resulted in the finer qualities of the coffee disappearing, is it me?
Day 4 - Different again
I'm not sure what to conclude, clearly the coffee will be staling as oxygen from the atmosphere is absorbed by the grounds - interestingly also Centre Parcs put up a notice to say that the tap water had become unsafe to drink (there had been a lot of rain). Or finally was it me? Like all things we consume there are some days when we can't get enough of a particular food or drink, whilst on others when we really aren't bothered and in fact want something completly different.
As a coffee roaster it highlights just how diificult it is to achieve perfection when so many factors are at play. I guess consistency is the key - keep shooting at perfection and just maybe the coffee will be great more often than not.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
A message from Monsignor Nicholas France
In the local Jersey Evening Post they have a section called "Quotes of the week". This week the Roman Catholic Dean, Monsignor Nicholas France was talking about having been diagnosed with prostrate cancer. He said:
"It is good to be reminded that you are mortal and the truth of the fact that the graveyards are full of indispensable people"
Good luck with the treatment father
"It is good to be reminded that you are mortal and the truth of the fact that the graveyards are full of indispensable people"
Good luck with the treatment father
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Latte Art Demonstration at Olympia London
The 2007/8 World Barista champion, Englishman, James Hoffman has been giving a masterclass in advanced Barista training at the Caffe Culture show at Olympia in London this week. His passion for the subject is incredible and as can be seen from the attached photograph has brought a new meaning to the words "getting down and dirty". If you get a chance to listen to this guy take it.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Ethiopian Coffee Trademarking & Licensing Initiative
Had a great surprise in Minnesota - Having been invited by H.E. Yaecob Yalla, State Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development; H.E. Dr. Samuel Assefa, Ethiopia's Ambassador to the US and Getachew Mengistie, Director General of EIPO to a special celebration dinner to honour the partnership of "Pioneer Licensees" under the Ethiopian Fine Coffees Trademarking and Licensing Initiative at the Hilton, 1001 Marquette Avenue, I was presented with a plaque on behalf of Cooper & Co. which now sits proudly above our Harar offering in our shop here in Jersey.
A great night and my thanks to the Ethiopian Government - Here's a 'photo to share - me with His Excellency Dr. Samuel Assefa, Ethiopia's Ambassador to the US.
Jura, what are you doing?
In a previous blog I explained how to sort out a jammed Jura bean to cup coffee machine, which I'm pleased to say has helped out at least one person.
Yesterday a customer brought in a Jura F50 coffee machine for the 3rd time with exactly the same problem - the mechanism jamming. We went through the routine of removing the waste drawer and replacing the tray, and hey presto machine starts to function normally.
So what are Jura doing about the problem? As Jura agents we ask again what are Jura doing about the issue? Sorry louder .............JURA WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM?
Who knows maybe the power of the blog will get some reaction. By the way they sell the best "bean to cup" coffee machines on the market, it's therefore a shame that solving a simple technical error is taking so long.
Yesterday a customer brought in a Jura F50 coffee machine for the 3rd time with exactly the same problem - the mechanism jamming. We went through the routine of removing the waste drawer and replacing the tray, and hey presto machine starts to function normally.
So what are Jura doing about the problem? As Jura agents we ask again what are Jura doing about the issue? Sorry louder .............JURA WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM?
Who knows maybe the power of the blog will get some reaction. By the way they sell the best "bean to cup" coffee machines on the market, it's therefore a shame that solving a simple technical error is taking so long.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
From Earl's Court, London to Minneapolis, Minnesota
Well I'm back after what has been a hectic fortnight of travelling - tiring and inspiring!
We exhibited at the Real Food Festival in Earl's Court under the Jersey banner, the first time we've physically presented ourselves in the UK mainland. Not knowing what to expect, we did a stripped down version of showcasing some of our coffees.
I think Espresso based drinks have been done to death so instead we simply ground coffee into a filter paper, placed it in a filter cone and poured hot water over the highly aromatic coffee, producing one sensational cup of coffee.
Sometimes keeping things simple really works and here was a case in point. We sold hundreds of cups of coffee; it's amazing how interested people are in watching coffee being brewed - a purple cow Seth?
What the show did highlight is the great wealth of small businesses that exist around the country supplying farmers markets and being truly innovative; and you thought choice could be found in a supermarket!
The following weekend saw me at the Speciality coffee association of America's conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Once again another truly great show, inspirational speakers, in particular Michael Shuman, author of the Small Mart Revolution who gave the key note speech.
Times they are a changing "Small is the new Big"! - Community, community, community
We exhibited at the Real Food Festival in Earl's Court under the Jersey banner, the first time we've physically presented ourselves in the UK mainland. Not knowing what to expect, we did a stripped down version of showcasing some of our coffees.
I think Espresso based drinks have been done to death so instead we simply ground coffee into a filter paper, placed it in a filter cone and poured hot water over the highly aromatic coffee, producing one sensational cup of coffee.
Sometimes keeping things simple really works and here was a case in point. We sold hundreds of cups of coffee; it's amazing how interested people are in watching coffee being brewed - a purple cow Seth?
What the show did highlight is the great wealth of small businesses that exist around the country supplying farmers markets and being truly innovative; and you thought choice could be found in a supermarket!
The following weekend saw me at the Speciality coffee association of America's conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Once again another truly great show, inspirational speakers, in particular Michael Shuman, author of the Small Mart Revolution who gave the key note speech.
Times they are a changing "Small is the new Big"! - Community, community, community
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Real Food Festival at Earls Court, London
Our first foray off the Island will be at the real food festival in Earls Court on the 24th April - 27th April. (www.realfoodfestival.co.uk).
We are being supported by the Government's Economic Development Department and will be on the Jersey stand alongside six other excellent local businesses.
We're looking forward to showcasing four of our coffees which will be prepared and brewed in front of you in the simplest and most basic way. Look out also for our "beer mats" - there's a 10% discount on any on line purchases when you input the appropriate code.
If you're in town, see you there!
We are being supported by the Government's Economic Development Department and will be on the Jersey stand alongside six other excellent local businesses.
We're looking forward to showcasing four of our coffees which will be prepared and brewed in front of you in the simplest and most basic way. Look out also for our "beer mats" - there's a 10% discount on any on line purchases when you input the appropriate code.
If you're in town, see you there!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The importance of correctly ground coffee for Filter Coffee machines
Like London buses nothing for ages, and then two come along at once!
We had an issue today with a restaurant customer of ours who was finding that his filter coffee was tasting very bitter. The immediate reaction might be to check how long he's been brewing it for, how clean is the machine / jugs etc.
However on this occasion we had to hold our hands up and say that we had ground the coffee a little too coarsely. Rather than the water being held by the coffee to allow time for brewing, it was passing through the filter way too quickly. The result a thin, bitter tasting beverage was pretty awful.
From our perspective particularly irritating because we carry out routine tests on our coffee grinders to ensure that extraction levels are correct - clearly something went wrong on this occasion.
The second issue was the total opposite. A domestic customer who grinds his own coffee was finding that he was getting grounds in his cup. He thought that he might be grinding his coffee too fine and that this was passing through the paper. This last point is virtually impossible unless the paper is splitting at the seam.
Actually though he is correct in that by grinding the coffee too fine, he's not actually allowing it to flow away sufficiently quickly and as a result the filter holder is becoming inundated with water and coffee, and then overflowing slightly into his cup / jug.
The interesting point is that in terms of microns, there probably isn't that much difference between the particle size of the coffee that hasn't been quite ground fine enough, and the one that is too fine, but the result in the cup is completely different.
So as for espresso coffee, the correct grind for filter coffee is just as important, it just doesn't get the headlines that espresso coffee gets.
We had an issue today with a restaurant customer of ours who was finding that his filter coffee was tasting very bitter. The immediate reaction might be to check how long he's been brewing it for, how clean is the machine / jugs etc.
However on this occasion we had to hold our hands up and say that we had ground the coffee a little too coarsely. Rather than the water being held by the coffee to allow time for brewing, it was passing through the filter way too quickly. The result a thin, bitter tasting beverage was pretty awful.
From our perspective particularly irritating because we carry out routine tests on our coffee grinders to ensure that extraction levels are correct - clearly something went wrong on this occasion.
The second issue was the total opposite. A domestic customer who grinds his own coffee was finding that he was getting grounds in his cup. He thought that he might be grinding his coffee too fine and that this was passing through the paper. This last point is virtually impossible unless the paper is splitting at the seam.
Actually though he is correct in that by grinding the coffee too fine, he's not actually allowing it to flow away sufficiently quickly and as a result the filter holder is becoming inundated with water and coffee, and then overflowing slightly into his cup / jug.
The interesting point is that in terms of microns, there probably isn't that much difference between the particle size of the coffee that hasn't been quite ground fine enough, and the one that is too fine, but the result in the cup is completely different.
So as for espresso coffee, the correct grind for filter coffee is just as important, it just doesn't get the headlines that espresso coffee gets.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter - A Christian story and much more?
This Sunday past, my Church, Trinity Parish Church was filled to the gunwales (to use a naval expression!) . Why? - Isn't Christianity on the wane? - isn't going to Church a little old fashioned these days, we've heard that "God is dead" - as espoused by Nietzsche (countered by some wag who wrote "Nietzsche is dead - God!"). Then we've in more recent times had Richard Dawkins best selling book "The God delusion". With all this scepticism isn't it about time that we turned some valuable real estate, namely Trinity Parish Church into much needed housing?
As our Parish priest Geoff Houghton said to me - "blog about that David!"
What is it about the human condition that seeks spiritual as much as physical comfort? In an era where we have come to believe that science has an answer for everything why do we still seek comfort from something we don't even know exists? - Isn't it just a matter of time before science blows this God myth thing? Somehow I don't believe that that will ever be the case.
It seems as reflected in last Sunday's congregation of young and old that human communities have a great need to commune. To seek out that safe haven in times of turbulence, and what times they are - Unstable financial markets, soaring local house prices, massive borrowings and more recently Haut de la Garenne.
Rowan Williams (the Archbishop of Canterbury) wrote a great article in this weekend's press, when talking about Jesus's crucifixion; how it was all about Jesus being used as a scapegoat; "how groups and societies work out their fears and frustrations by finding scapegoats".
We only have to look around our own community; binge borrowing is all the bank's fault for making money too readily available; house price rises are the fault of unscrupulous speculators; turbulent markets are due to US banks lax lending; Haut de la Garenne - the result of out of control individuals. And so it goes on - but hang on a minute when are we as a society or as individuals going to take the can for our own actions - the actions that result in the problems we want to pass on to someone else?
What Easter reminds us is that a couple of thousand years ago there was someone prepared to die for all of us to save us from ourselves. So is attending Church at Easter just a big guilt trip? - Once done we return to our old ways having as Monty Python would put it "taken the curse off" our guilt.
A few years ago I would have said yes to that question, but today I think a message is coming down to us, a message that our ancestors knew milenia ago , that is one of the fragility of everything we hold dear. Today we use the word sustainability , but sustainability encompasses so much, that it's a bit like trying to picture the size of the Universe; almost incomprehensible in it's vastness.
I believe we're going back to basics - our desire for spiritual help as we try to deal with the powerful elements that swirl around us at an ever increasing speed is something humankind has always returned to and there is something in the Christian message that is enduring - "that you should love one another as I have loved you". By constantly reminding ourselves of the need to help each other; that we're all part of the problem as well as the solution will we ultimately fulfill both our material and spiritual needs.
I don't think we'll be bulldozing Trinity Church for a few years yet!
As our Parish priest Geoff Houghton said to me - "blog about that David!"
What is it about the human condition that seeks spiritual as much as physical comfort? In an era where we have come to believe that science has an answer for everything why do we still seek comfort from something we don't even know exists? - Isn't it just a matter of time before science blows this God myth thing? Somehow I don't believe that that will ever be the case.
It seems as reflected in last Sunday's congregation of young and old that human communities have a great need to commune. To seek out that safe haven in times of turbulence, and what times they are - Unstable financial markets, soaring local house prices, massive borrowings and more recently Haut de la Garenne.
Rowan Williams (the Archbishop of Canterbury) wrote a great article in this weekend's press, when talking about Jesus's crucifixion; how it was all about Jesus being used as a scapegoat; "how groups and societies work out their fears and frustrations by finding scapegoats".
We only have to look around our own community; binge borrowing is all the bank's fault for making money too readily available; house price rises are the fault of unscrupulous speculators; turbulent markets are due to US banks lax lending; Haut de la Garenne - the result of out of control individuals. And so it goes on - but hang on a minute when are we as a society or as individuals going to take the can for our own actions - the actions that result in the problems we want to pass on to someone else?
What Easter reminds us is that a couple of thousand years ago there was someone prepared to die for all of us to save us from ourselves. So is attending Church at Easter just a big guilt trip? - Once done we return to our old ways having as Monty Python would put it "taken the curse off" our guilt.
A few years ago I would have said yes to that question, but today I think a message is coming down to us, a message that our ancestors knew milenia ago , that is one of the fragility of everything we hold dear. Today we use the word sustainability , but sustainability encompasses so much, that it's a bit like trying to picture the size of the Universe; almost incomprehensible in it's vastness.
I believe we're going back to basics - our desire for spiritual help as we try to deal with the powerful elements that swirl around us at an ever increasing speed is something humankind has always returned to and there is something in the Christian message that is enduring - "that you should love one another as I have loved you". By constantly reminding ourselves of the need to help each other; that we're all part of the problem as well as the solution will we ultimately fulfill both our material and spiritual needs.
I don't think we'll be bulldozing Trinity Church for a few years yet!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
5 minutes with Annie Nightingale
That legend of BBC Radio 1 broadcasting Annie Nighingale recently did a "5-minute interview" with the Independent Newspaper today. The grand dame, now 65 stated "In a nutshell my philosophy is this" - "If not now, when? If not you, who?" - true wisdom!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Jersey Eisteddfod - the remarkable tallent of Jersey's youngsters
Yesterday evening I was privileged to go and see the work that has been entered for this venerable competition. This time the focus is on arts and crafts, and what a show it is.
I've always said that Jersey is remarkable for the sheer quantity of talent that exists in such a small population. I believe it highlights the benefits of living in a small community where education, the environment and family life are held so dear.
From the quality of the entrants you can see the pride of those who support them, whether they be parents, teachers or friends. Then there was the prize giving at which the Governor of Jersey handed out certificates and trophies to young and old alike. We got to see the efforts of each entrant projected onto a large screen and we never tired of applauding their efforts.
Where then was Sky News or for that matter any of the terrestrial channels? The national newspapers, Newsnight camera crews? Is this just too much of a "good news" story?
What has happened at Haut de la Garenne is appalling and I hope that those responsible will be brought to justice; as a society it shows what happens when we don't embrace those who are less fortunate and don't act like the biblical "Good Samaritan", but instead ask other agencies to sort out problems that society don't want to deal with. We must all learn from this lesson and move forward.
However what the Eisteddfod shows is the positive side of a community that encourages and nurtures and surely this is something to celebrate -
24 hour rolling news has a responsibility here too - rather than continually looking to be destructive in their coverage why can't you tell the world of the good that so many people do for a change?
I've always said that Jersey is remarkable for the sheer quantity of talent that exists in such a small population. I believe it highlights the benefits of living in a small community where education, the environment and family life are held so dear.
From the quality of the entrants you can see the pride of those who support them, whether they be parents, teachers or friends. Then there was the prize giving at which the Governor of Jersey handed out certificates and trophies to young and old alike. We got to see the efforts of each entrant projected onto a large screen and we never tired of applauding their efforts.
Where then was Sky News or for that matter any of the terrestrial channels? The national newspapers, Newsnight camera crews? Is this just too much of a "good news" story?
What has happened at Haut de la Garenne is appalling and I hope that those responsible will be brought to justice; as a society it shows what happens when we don't embrace those who are less fortunate and don't act like the biblical "Good Samaritan", but instead ask other agencies to sort out problems that society don't want to deal with. We must all learn from this lesson and move forward.
However what the Eisteddfod shows is the positive side of a community that encourages and nurtures and surely this is something to celebrate -
24 hour rolling news has a responsibility here too - rather than continually looking to be destructive in their coverage why can't you tell the world of the good that so many people do for a change?
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Read all about it!
I've just found out that the BBC has discovered the Island's Blogging community and are telling the world - old news?
See the article on the following link: BBC JERSEY
See the article on the following link: BBC JERSEY
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Jura bean to cup coffee machine - problem solving
We had a call today from the owner of a Jura bean to cup coffee machine with a problem that we've now seen on a few occassions.
This lady went to replace the waste drawer in the machine, only to find that it wouldn't relocate properly. What appears to be happening is that for some reason the coffee brewing unit seems to get stuck in mid cycle. This results in a part of the mechanism "sticking out" and interferring with the waste box.
As usual with this type of problem no mention is made in the manual as to how to overcome it which really is quite simple.
You ensure that the machine remains switched on, you then remove the waste unit - this includes both the tray and the waste box. Now put the waste box to one side and slide the tray back in. Interestingly it is the one part of the machine that doesn't have a sensor telling you that you've left something out!
When you have replaced the tray, if the mechanism still doesn't return, try making a coffee to force the machine to reset itself.
We have found this proceedure to work 100% of the time, however clearly if the problem remains, it's time to contact your Jura service agent.
Don't forget that once the problem has been resolved to replace the waste box!
This lady went to replace the waste drawer in the machine, only to find that it wouldn't relocate properly. What appears to be happening is that for some reason the coffee brewing unit seems to get stuck in mid cycle. This results in a part of the mechanism "sticking out" and interferring with the waste box.
As usual with this type of problem no mention is made in the manual as to how to overcome it which really is quite simple.
You ensure that the machine remains switched on, you then remove the waste unit - this includes both the tray and the waste box. Now put the waste box to one side and slide the tray back in. Interestingly it is the one part of the machine that doesn't have a sensor telling you that you've left something out!
When you have replaced the tray, if the mechanism still doesn't return, try making a coffee to force the machine to reset itself.
We have found this proceedure to work 100% of the time, however clearly if the problem remains, it's time to contact your Jura service agent.
Don't forget that once the problem has been resolved to replace the waste box!
Don't forget the Engine Room of Jersey
This blog follows on from my last one and endeavours to remind our decision makers of the importance of looking after those people who desire no recognition just a fair wage for a fair day's work.
In the age of the global market place and the immense competition that the internet provides it takes quite some effort to differentiate yourself and have sustainable success in a market place of just 90,000 people, something I don’t believe is recognised by many of our decision makers.
If we as a community don’t do anything to redress this appalling inequity we will be sowing the seeds of our own destruction. Why should local people work for local businesses if they can never hope to have a stake in the future of their own society? If nothing is done about this problem local businesses will increasingly need staff from outside of the
Inevitably the development of St. Helier will have to look to the heavens if we want to keep the rest of this wonderful
Here’s to the unrecognised heroes of
The Enterprise awards that failed to recognise the enterprises
Last Thursday (28th Feb) was supposed to be the night when large and small local businesses were supposed to be given the red carpet treatment by the States of Jersey Economic Development Department led by Senator Ozouf.
Sadly for all the razamattaz and effort put into organising the event the businesses who had entered the awards competition must be wondering why they bothered.
In front of an international audience not one business was profiled, not one winner got an opportunity to speak. The small business winners, a software development company who many in the audience had never heard of, walked on and off without any of us being any the wiser as to why they won or what they do, why? - What a missed opportunity and how disappointing for them.
James Caan of BBC's Dragons Den fame who gave the keynote speech talked about the importance of people, and it is of course people who make or break businesses. I would therefore like to take this opportunity, an opportunity I wasn't given on the night of the awards to acknowledge the people who work with me every day and who helped get my business shortlisted in the small business category which contained between 50 and 60 entrants although you wouldn't have known it.
I start with a famous quotation by Sir Isaac Newton – 1642-1727Guatemala
Sadly for all the razamattaz and effort put into organising the event the businesses who had entered the awards competition must be wondering why they bothered.
In front of an international audience not one business was profiled, not one winner got an opportunity to speak. The small business winners, a software development company who many in the audience had never heard of, walked on and off without any of us being any the wiser as to why they won or what they do, why? - What a missed opportunity and how disappointing for them.
James Caan of BBC's Dragons Den fame who gave the keynote speech talked about the importance of people, and it is of course people who make or break businesses. I would therefore like to take this opportunity, an opportunity I wasn't given on the night of the awards to acknowledge the people who work with me every day and who helped get my business shortlisted in the small business category which contained between 50 and 60 entrants although you wouldn't have known it.
I start with a famous quotation by Sir Isaac Newton – 1642-1727
Kathy Jehan - Who has been with the business for 18 years and who is the only true local. She has been unstinting in her efforts in running the office. Going way beyond her call of duty
Philip Bull - Originally from Wales who has been with the business for over 25 years and who has been key over the years in the operations of the business
Pedro Mendes - From Portugal who has been delivering customer orders for nearly 10 years now
Ania Emerli - From Poland who has run our shop for the last 3 years and made such an impact
Lorna Frow - Originally from Yorkshire, the new kid on the block who has filled the shoes of Stephan (who returned to Sweden) so well in the operations side of the business.
And last but not least Robert Wheeldon who at the end of last year took over the job of roasting our coffee and has already made such a positive impression.
And finally………….To Howard Schultz, who in 1987 bought Starbucks a small coffee business based in Pike, Seattle and revolutionised our coffee drinking habits and the reason why Coopers today is able to showcase so many of the great coffees of the world.
I salute you allMonday, February 25, 2008
Difference - What are we so frightened of?
There's a famous coffee shop found in the souqs of Khan al-Khalili in the Islamic quarter of Cairo called Fishawi's - It's open 24 hours a day and all they appear to sell is tea, coffee and Sheesha (a water pipe used for smoking). The only question the waiter asks after he has identified that you want a coffee is "do you want sugar in it?"
All Cairo seems to pass through their doors - I say doors only in a metaphorical sense as it has no doors; in fact the only way you know where the coffee shop starts and ends is when the chairs run out! Like so many shops in the Souqs they exist in one of the many alley ways populated by hawkers and panhandlers.
The waiters will proudly show you an ancient photograph of the old King Farouk in his dark glasses, who used to frequent the place. What can you say about Fishawi's? It's so .........Egyptian!
It's the distilled essence of Cairo; King's have been deposed, Presidents have come and gone, but Fishawi's like the Pyramids of Giza has always been, please God don't let it disappear.
Then there's the Coptic quarter, the part of Cairo that came before Cairo even existed. When Byzantine Rome became a Christian empire and before the armies of the east brought Islam. Here stand the great Christian Coptic churches, side by side with the Islamic mosques - each respecting the others tradition yet each determined to maintain their own identity.
Finally there are the kilometers of bland anonymous-looking high rise flats, typical in its own way of suburbia that surrounds any of the great cities of the world. Yet even here in this apparent anonymity, people crave recognition. Many of the porches from which hangs so much washing are painted in vivid colours; some in single colours, others using quite complex designs. So everywhere you look over the eons of time humankind has always wanted to leave a mark - a plaintive cry, "remember me!"
All of which makes Cairo airport like so many airports around the globe such a depressing place - a synthesis of global mono-culture. Where Coke, Cappuccino, Pizza, Pasta and French fries dominate the menus. A sanitized, stainless steel and plastic society. One that subjugates individuality. Where now is the confidence in our own cultures; our own traditions; our creative addition to our world?
Is it no wonder therefore that despite being better educated, having more opportunity than any previous generation, so many in our society reject what is on offer and seek to disfigure and disrupt.
In Jersey where I live we don't appear to be able to trust our own people to even deliver such key projects as a design for our waterfront or our own tourism website. We like so many cultures today are frightened of being different - taking a chance; in turn our own society becomes indifferent.
Rather than being indifferent to our own cultures we must get back to celebrating them. Celebrating the creativity of each and every individual from whichever culture that goes to make the human race such an extraordinary force.
Long live Fishawi's and those who strive to be different.
All Cairo seems to pass through their doors - I say doors only in a metaphorical sense as it has no doors; in fact the only way you know where the coffee shop starts and ends is when the chairs run out! Like so many shops in the Souqs they exist in one of the many alley ways populated by hawkers and panhandlers.
The waiters will proudly show you an ancient photograph of the old King Farouk in his dark glasses, who used to frequent the place. What can you say about Fishawi's? It's so .........Egyptian!
It's the distilled essence of Cairo; King's have been deposed, Presidents have come and gone, but Fishawi's like the Pyramids of Giza has always been, please God don't let it disappear.
Then there's the Coptic quarter, the part of Cairo that came before Cairo even existed. When Byzantine Rome became a Christian empire and before the armies of the east brought Islam. Here stand the great Christian Coptic churches, side by side with the Islamic mosques - each respecting the others tradition yet each determined to maintain their own identity.
Finally there are the kilometers of bland anonymous-looking high rise flats, typical in its own way of suburbia that surrounds any of the great cities of the world. Yet even here in this apparent anonymity, people crave recognition. Many of the porches from which hangs so much washing are painted in vivid colours; some in single colours, others using quite complex designs. So everywhere you look over the eons of time humankind has always wanted to leave a mark - a plaintive cry, "remember me!"
All of which makes Cairo airport like so many airports around the globe such a depressing place - a synthesis of global mono-culture. Where Coke, Cappuccino, Pizza, Pasta and French fries dominate the menus. A sanitized, stainless steel and plastic society. One that subjugates individuality. Where now is the confidence in our own cultures; our own traditions; our creative addition to our world?
Is it no wonder therefore that despite being better educated, having more opportunity than any previous generation, so many in our society reject what is on offer and seek to disfigure and disrupt.
In Jersey where I live we don't appear to be able to trust our own people to even deliver such key projects as a design for our waterfront or our own tourism website. We like so many cultures today are frightened of being different - taking a chance; in turn our own society becomes indifferent.
Rather than being indifferent to our own cultures we must get back to celebrating them. Celebrating the creativity of each and every individual from whichever culture that goes to make the human race such an extraordinary force.
Long live Fishawi's and those who strive to be different.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Coffee pods and machine set up in Food Service environment
Coffee pods as opposed to capsules are playing an increasing part in low volume outlets, they're clean, they ensure a consistent cup of coffee and require very little training to use.
What though has not been very much analysed as far as I can see is the change required to the set-up of the traditional two group espresso machine. I refer to the pump pressure, the temperature setting, the group head and the type of inserts needed in the group handles to maximize coffee extraction.
Some manufacturers are now providing special group heads for pods, two that have come to my attention are Nuova Simonelli and Fracino, both systems work well. However it isn't just a case of simply changing the group head and all your troubles are over. It's vital that the "basket" in the group head is the correct depth to take the pod, either a single or double. Too shallow and the water struggles to get through the pod, too deep and the water rushed past the pod without picking up any flavour.
On top of this if you don't change the group head to a pod version, this in turn will impact on the type of basket you can use in the group handle.
Now assuming that you've sorted out the above two points, it's vital that the pump pressure and machine water temperature are correctly calibrated. My experience is that the pump pressure can be reduced to around 8 bar, or at least a bar lower than for conventional loose group coffee. Don't ask me why, but too high a bar pressure will result in the water passing through the pod too quickly.
Finally, I believe average pressure in the water boiler needs to be set a little higher for pods. The fact that the water has to get through the paper wrapper means that there is a definite loss of water temperature when the water eventually hits the coffee. The problem I believe here is that paper is not a very good conductor of heat.
All of the above do need to be tweaked in varying degrees to optimise the quality of the drink that ends up in the cup and are vital to ensure that the consistency you are looking to achieve through the use of pods isn't wasted.
What though has not been very much analysed as far as I can see is the change required to the set-up of the traditional two group espresso machine. I refer to the pump pressure, the temperature setting, the group head and the type of inserts needed in the group handles to maximize coffee extraction.
Some manufacturers are now providing special group heads for pods, two that have come to my attention are Nuova Simonelli and Fracino, both systems work well. However it isn't just a case of simply changing the group head and all your troubles are over. It's vital that the "basket" in the group head is the correct depth to take the pod, either a single or double. Too shallow and the water struggles to get through the pod, too deep and the water rushed past the pod without picking up any flavour.
On top of this if you don't change the group head to a pod version, this in turn will impact on the type of basket you can use in the group handle.
Now assuming that you've sorted out the above two points, it's vital that the pump pressure and machine water temperature are correctly calibrated. My experience is that the pump pressure can be reduced to around 8 bar, or at least a bar lower than for conventional loose group coffee. Don't ask me why, but too high a bar pressure will result in the water passing through the pod too quickly.
Finally, I believe average pressure in the water boiler needs to be set a little higher for pods. The fact that the water has to get through the paper wrapper means that there is a definite loss of water temperature when the water eventually hits the coffee. The problem I believe here is that paper is not a very good conductor of heat.
All of the above do need to be tweaked in varying degrees to optimise the quality of the drink that ends up in the cup and are vital to ensure that the consistency you are looking to achieve through the use of pods isn't wasted.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Constable Gallichan’s cows
There’s a sign on the road that leads up to my house with the silhouette of a
Yesterday I was reminded of the poignancy of that sign by the announcement that Mr. Gallichan who lives down the road from me has decided to give up his herd of
How I’ll miss Constable Gallichan’s cows.
Every morning on my way into work I, like so many other Islanders who live in the Trinity area drive past Mr. Gallichan’s farm and over the years I’ve got used to watching the activities of these simple ruminants. If I was really early, maybe going to catch the “red eye” I would be in time to see the cattle gathering outside the milking shed, steaming in the misty early morning electric light long before dawn.
If I was a little later the cows would have vanished, but from the intensity of the light pouring out of the buildings one could tell that the milking was in full swing.
A little later still and the cows would be out in the field grazing away come rain or shine.
Then there were the slight irritations: Mr. Gallichan moving the cows across the road as early morning commuters impatiently waited whilst he battled with that last cow that had just spotted the perfect piece of grass, and then finally once across he waved us on; the smell of the slurry that reminded one of the less savoury jobs on the farm.
But this morning as I went past Mr. Gallichan’ s farm there were no lights, no cows looking dolefully at us fretting commuters, the gentle rhythms to which I have become so accustomed have stopped, replaced by the ghosts of what has been.
How I’ll miss Constable Gallichan’s cows.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Happy New Year - how was it for you?
Shopping trends around Christmas seem to have changed dramatically over the last 2 or 3 years, which makes humble retailers like me very nervous when it comes to guestimating what levels of stock to carry.
What we are seeing is a definite split in December. Early December seems to be internet time, whilst late December and in particular the last week before Christmas seems to be coming increasingly critical to the success of December as a whole for retailers. A case of having to hold your nerve.
Our experience was that in the first 2 weeks of December we were 10% down on the comparable period last year, however the final week and in fact the final day before Christmas turned this all around to see us improve by over 10% over the whole month, effectively a 20% swing in 7 days of trading.
There were some local issues, the weather wasn't great in early December, however we didn't open on any of the Sundays as we had done the previous year (I personally have a moral issue in this regard- but I guess I'm a bit old fashioned!) and only went for one late night shopping opening. On an Island like Jersey it proves to me that opening all the hours God gives you only serves to spread the same trade over a huge number of additional hours; is totally unnecessary and in my view destroys community.
What does it all prove? Well I reckon that if you're in the consumable business any credit crunch which results in consumer spending reducing should have a limited impact. I think that is what Marks and Spencer found, with their food side remaining strong, whilst their clothing suffered.
I think consumers are starting to revert to item they need, rather than want. However having said that there was a great interest in speciality coffees that are competitively priced. Our customers increasingly want to experiment with coffees they've never tried before. The key is education; storage issues, cleaning, warming, shelf life once opened etc.
We've also found that recommending the local Jersey full fat (yellow) milk for use in Cafetieres (French press) has also enhanced many of our customer's experience of our coffees. In fact I've had two people stop me in the street they were so pleased.
The future though for speciality retailers like us I believe ultimately lies in "localness" - the network of local small businesses working together to produce a unique offering of which the community is proud.
Quality, quality, quality
What we are seeing is a definite split in December. Early December seems to be internet time, whilst late December and in particular the last week before Christmas seems to be coming increasingly critical to the success of December as a whole for retailers. A case of having to hold your nerve.
Our experience was that in the first 2 weeks of December we were 10% down on the comparable period last year, however the final week and in fact the final day before Christmas turned this all around to see us improve by over 10% over the whole month, effectively a 20% swing in 7 days of trading.
There were some local issues, the weather wasn't great in early December, however we didn't open on any of the Sundays as we had done the previous year (I personally have a moral issue in this regard- but I guess I'm a bit old fashioned!) and only went for one late night shopping opening. On an Island like Jersey it proves to me that opening all the hours God gives you only serves to spread the same trade over a huge number of additional hours; is totally unnecessary and in my view destroys community.
What does it all prove? Well I reckon that if you're in the consumable business any credit crunch which results in consumer spending reducing should have a limited impact. I think that is what Marks and Spencer found, with their food side remaining strong, whilst their clothing suffered.
I think consumers are starting to revert to item they need, rather than want. However having said that there was a great interest in speciality coffees that are competitively priced. Our customers increasingly want to experiment with coffees they've never tried before. The key is education; storage issues, cleaning, warming, shelf life once opened etc.
We've also found that recommending the local Jersey full fat (yellow) milk for use in Cafetieres (French press) has also enhanced many of our customer's experience of our coffees. In fact I've had two people stop me in the street they were so pleased.
The future though for speciality retailers like us I believe ultimately lies in "localness" - the network of local small businesses working together to produce a unique offering of which the community is proud.
Quality, quality, quality
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