Some days I feel I should simply run one of those self repeating tapes, because I can guarantee almost without exception that one of the above crucial areas has not been attended to and this in turn has had a dramatically negative effect on the quality of the drink in the cup. So at the risk of repeating myself, if you enjoy great coffee, please pay attention to the following:
1. Temperature - The correct water temperature is crucial to the successful extraction of flavour from the coffee. 88 - 92 degress centrigrade are the golden numbers. To achieve this temperature though you must ensure that the whole machine is warm. This means running a large cupful of water through the espresso machine prior to making a cup of coffee. It's vital that all group heads and handles are hot, otherwise you will affect the coffee flavour.
2. Freshness - There are two areas here, freshness of both water and coffee. Water is usually only a problem if the machine hasn't been used for a day or so. This results in the water going "flat", and this will be reflected in the cup. So ideally you want fully oxygenated water to achieve the best flavour.
Coffee freshness is a little more obvious. Look to see if there is a "roasted on" date on the bag. The nearer to the roasting date the fresher the taste is going to be. For most people who buy coffee off the supermarket shelf, it is crucial that the coffee is used within a week of the packet being opened. Careful storeage is also crucial - oxygen is the enemy of ground coffee and destroys its flavour.
3. Grind - Always ensure that the coffee is correctly ground. A shot of espresso coffee that doesn't take between 20 and 30 seconds to brew will either taste bitter and burnt, or alternatively just watery. If you're grinding your own coffee, keep an eye on those blades.
4. Cleanliness - Well they say that cleanliness is next to Godliness, and the same is true of great coffee. Always ensure that the group head, group handles and steam wand are cleaned regularly with appropriate detergent; the grinder too if you have one. If you don't you end up with a coffee that can have a stale, bitter taste, or a taste of burnt milk, the flavour combinations are endless, but sadly have little to do with great espresso!
That's it in brief - There are many other issues to consider, however if you get the above right you are at least in with a fighting chance of creating a great cup of coffee.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
A new After Dark coffee creation
Because we try always to be consistent in our offering to our customers we don't tend to change our coffee blends that often. Today, however was one of those days. I had decided some time ago that we needed to improve on a line of coffee we call "After Dark". The decision had already been taken that this coffee should become a certified sustainable coffee.
The coffee we reviewed was from the Daterra farm in Brazil, all of whose coffee is both Rainforrest and Utz Kapeh certified.
I tried three different coffee selections from this farm, and roasted them up on our sample roaster to anything between 210 & 220 degrees centigrade.
Now that doesn't sound like a huge difference, however the result in the cup shows marked distinctions. What it did highlight is that here in Jersey we struggle to achieve a great tasting coffee at roast temperatures around 210 degrees centigrade. I think it must have something to do with the local water and the way in which it reacts to our coffee. It could also of course be nothing other than our own particular preferences.
I ended up with 6 samples which I tasted with Anya and Stefan. The coffee has a wonderfully sweet aroma, however we found that the lower temperature roasted samples didn't have the fullness in the cup that we were searching for.
We whittled the selection down to 3 coffees, funnily enough each was a particular pick from Daterra, and made up three cafetieres (French press) of coffee, this being the most popular domestic coffee maker in our Island.
Having gone into the tasting thinking that we would choose a medium roasted coffee, we came away most impressed with the darkest roasted sample. It had a rich chocolatey smoothness that really fitted the bill, and is a great contrast to our "Morning Coffee" offering.
It's great that even after 18 years in this business, the coffee can still throw up such wonderful surprises.
When you get a chance give our new sustainable After Dark coffee a try, your guests will still be talking about it long after the party's over!
The coffee we reviewed was from the Daterra farm in Brazil, all of whose coffee is both Rainforrest and Utz Kapeh certified.
I tried three different coffee selections from this farm, and roasted them up on our sample roaster to anything between 210 & 220 degrees centigrade.
Now that doesn't sound like a huge difference, however the result in the cup shows marked distinctions. What it did highlight is that here in Jersey we struggle to achieve a great tasting coffee at roast temperatures around 210 degrees centigrade. I think it must have something to do with the local water and the way in which it reacts to our coffee. It could also of course be nothing other than our own particular preferences.
I ended up with 6 samples which I tasted with Anya and Stefan. The coffee has a wonderfully sweet aroma, however we found that the lower temperature roasted samples didn't have the fullness in the cup that we were searching for.
We whittled the selection down to 3 coffees, funnily enough each was a particular pick from Daterra, and made up three cafetieres (French press) of coffee, this being the most popular domestic coffee maker in our Island.
Having gone into the tasting thinking that we would choose a medium roasted coffee, we came away most impressed with the darkest roasted sample. It had a rich chocolatey smoothness that really fitted the bill, and is a great contrast to our "Morning Coffee" offering.
It's great that even after 18 years in this business, the coffee can still throw up such wonderful surprises.
When you get a chance give our new sustainable After Dark coffee a try, your guests will still be talking about it long after the party's over!
Sunday, September 24, 2006
St Helier - A vision for tomorrow?
Last Friday (22nd September 2006) I attended an all day seminar at the Town Hall that considered how the town (or is that city?) of St. Helier might develop architecturally over the coming 20 or 30 years. Ambitious, yes, but maybe it's what is needed given the piecemeal approaches that have taken place in the past.
The presentation was given by dare I say it an "outside" consultant who come under the suitably anonymous name of "EDAW", I'm not sure however for what exactly these initials stand, but I'm sure some wag could assist.
What I found a little depressing though was the lack of representation of the private sector, whose numbers you could count on one hand. On the other hand there were more politicians and civil servants in attendance than you could shake a stick at. I guess it's not unreasonable given that a business person taking a day off work is quite a commitment. Clearly the same sort of discomfort is not felt in the public sector, alternatively it could just reflect the degree of complacency that pervades our Island where we are lucky enough to have full employment and a high standard of living.
However, back to the point of this Blog and that of the structural future of St. Helier.
As a business person with a shop in the heart of the town I clearly have a vested interest in how St. Helier develops in the future. Seeing the real estate value of my property disappear as St. Helier retail moves seaward is not what I want to see, and clearly the same is the case with other businesses in my area.
So it was with some relief that EDAW recognised these concerns and that traffic and parking issues have been clearly identified as a problem to be solved, something Transport and Technical seem to have great difficulty in sorting out at present.
I was also cheered by the recognition that the redevelopment of Fort Regent is a high priority and also that it should remain a focus for our community. The solving of the perennial problem of accessibility is the clever bit here.
There was also acknowledgement that whilst there remains 6 lanes of traffic between the town and the waterfront, the chances of the waterfront becoming a part of town are a little less than nil. It is such a shame that when this was highlighted by some local architects a decade or so ago so little importance was given to this obvious problem.
Once again a solution will need to be found to "tie in" the waterfront to the main town. Projects such as sinking this main road have already been put forward in the press, and seem almost inevitable. A few more millions to swallow.
Overall I came away with a sense of positivity as to the potential future of St. Helier. My fears that one part of town was being given prominence over another had been allayed. There was also the first public recognition of the totallity of the problems faced, and although solutions still seem to be a little thin on the ground one can't fault the overall concept.
Of course it's one thing to have a vision and strategy, another to implement it successfully.
The question was asked, "where would you start?". I boldy said the Fort. It lies at the heart of St. Helier, and the people who live and work here would be able to see on a daily basis the progress of the new vision for St. Helier as it emerged before their eyes. Everybody could see the progress being made, no need for spin.
However my group thought this too high profile, "what if something goes wrong?"
Doesn't that just sum it all up. Things have been going wrong for years and the fear now is such that even with this vision people are already looking for the escape hatch. What chance then does this project really have if it doesn't have the full and unconditional support of the council of ministers?
For once in their lives those in Government empowered to make these kinds of decisions must step up to the plate and acknoledge their responsibilities, failure as well as success. You get used to doing that in the private sector, why can't it be replicated in Government?
Now there is a vision!
The presentation was given by dare I say it an "outside" consultant who come under the suitably anonymous name of "EDAW", I'm not sure however for what exactly these initials stand, but I'm sure some wag could assist.
What I found a little depressing though was the lack of representation of the private sector, whose numbers you could count on one hand. On the other hand there were more politicians and civil servants in attendance than you could shake a stick at. I guess it's not unreasonable given that a business person taking a day off work is quite a commitment. Clearly the same sort of discomfort is not felt in the public sector, alternatively it could just reflect the degree of complacency that pervades our Island where we are lucky enough to have full employment and a high standard of living.
However, back to the point of this Blog and that of the structural future of St. Helier.
As a business person with a shop in the heart of the town I clearly have a vested interest in how St. Helier develops in the future. Seeing the real estate value of my property disappear as St. Helier retail moves seaward is not what I want to see, and clearly the same is the case with other businesses in my area.
So it was with some relief that EDAW recognised these concerns and that traffic and parking issues have been clearly identified as a problem to be solved, something Transport and Technical seem to have great difficulty in sorting out at present.
I was also cheered by the recognition that the redevelopment of Fort Regent is a high priority and also that it should remain a focus for our community. The solving of the perennial problem of accessibility is the clever bit here.
There was also acknowledgement that whilst there remains 6 lanes of traffic between the town and the waterfront, the chances of the waterfront becoming a part of town are a little less than nil. It is such a shame that when this was highlighted by some local architects a decade or so ago so little importance was given to this obvious problem.
Once again a solution will need to be found to "tie in" the waterfront to the main town. Projects such as sinking this main road have already been put forward in the press, and seem almost inevitable. A few more millions to swallow.
Overall I came away with a sense of positivity as to the potential future of St. Helier. My fears that one part of town was being given prominence over another had been allayed. There was also the first public recognition of the totallity of the problems faced, and although solutions still seem to be a little thin on the ground one can't fault the overall concept.
Of course it's one thing to have a vision and strategy, another to implement it successfully.
The question was asked, "where would you start?". I boldy said the Fort. It lies at the heart of St. Helier, and the people who live and work here would be able to see on a daily basis the progress of the new vision for St. Helier as it emerged before their eyes. Everybody could see the progress being made, no need for spin.
However my group thought this too high profile, "what if something goes wrong?"
Doesn't that just sum it all up. Things have been going wrong for years and the fear now is such that even with this vision people are already looking for the escape hatch. What chance then does this project really have if it doesn't have the full and unconditional support of the council of ministers?
For once in their lives those in Government empowered to make these kinds of decisions must step up to the plate and acknoledge their responsibilities, failure as well as success. You get used to doing that in the private sector, why can't it be replicated in Government?
Now there is a vision!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Coffee Grinders - Their maintenance, another key ingredient in the delivery of great coffee
I was reminded today following a visit to one of my customers just how important it is to have a programme that ensures that your coffee grinder is regularly maintained.
Today most if not all coffee shops have a coffee grinder alongside their espresso machine. We have a few customers in the food service business who even grind their own coffee for their filter and cafetiere coffee.
This is all great stuff when it comes to ensuring that the coffee is fresh, however coffee that is not correctly ground can itself be a problem.
The issue I came across today was the bluntness of the grinding blades.
As coffee roasters this is all second nature to us. We carry out regular tests to ensure that the particle size of our ground coffee is consistent. There are many commercial tests, however the one we carry out involves using a series of different sized sieves and establishing what weight of product remains in each sieve.
The result is then plotted on a graph using the mathematical technique of standard deviation and the theory is you get the classic "bell shaped" curve. In layman terms this reflects the spread of the different particle sizes and how much variation there is from the mid point.
This all sounds like very clever stuff, and it is, as an understanding of the average particle size directly impacts the flavour of the coffee.
Let me explain further; The water that infuses with the grounds needs to be in contact for a certain period of time in order for the coffee to give up its flavour. This fact is true of all coffee makers, however appears most critical in espresso based drinks.
The correct particle size will hold the water up just sufficiently to ensure a perfect extraction, however it is reliant on the spread of particle sizes being correct.
This is where the damage done by blunt grinding discs can be so disasterous for the final beverage.
When grinding discs become blunt, rather than "chopping or slicing" the coffee bean the blades break up the beans by crushing them. This has two effects:
1. The ground coffee will become much warmer during the grinding phase. This can result in a burnt taste coming through in the cup, as the essential oils are effectively cooked by the grinding process.
2. The spread of the particle sizes becomes much greater. This affects the ability of the ground coffee to "hold up" the water during the infusion process and means that it becomes increasingly difficult to deliver a good espresso drink.
It's always difficult to answer the question " how long will discs last?", however a ball park figure for espresso coffee grinders is of the order of 300 kilos. After this volume, wear should be carefully monitored, checks include "is the ground coffee becoming noticeably hotter?", or is it taking a lot longer to grind a given volume of coffee than it was when the blades were new?
Grinders are often the forgotten cousins of the espresso making process, however they are a vital element when it comes to delivering great coffee.
Today most if not all coffee shops have a coffee grinder alongside their espresso machine. We have a few customers in the food service business who even grind their own coffee for their filter and cafetiere coffee.
This is all great stuff when it comes to ensuring that the coffee is fresh, however coffee that is not correctly ground can itself be a problem.
The issue I came across today was the bluntness of the grinding blades.
As coffee roasters this is all second nature to us. We carry out regular tests to ensure that the particle size of our ground coffee is consistent. There are many commercial tests, however the one we carry out involves using a series of different sized sieves and establishing what weight of product remains in each sieve.
The result is then plotted on a graph using the mathematical technique of standard deviation and the theory is you get the classic "bell shaped" curve. In layman terms this reflects the spread of the different particle sizes and how much variation there is from the mid point.
This all sounds like very clever stuff, and it is, as an understanding of the average particle size directly impacts the flavour of the coffee.
Let me explain further; The water that infuses with the grounds needs to be in contact for a certain period of time in order for the coffee to give up its flavour. This fact is true of all coffee makers, however appears most critical in espresso based drinks.
The correct particle size will hold the water up just sufficiently to ensure a perfect extraction, however it is reliant on the spread of particle sizes being correct.
This is where the damage done by blunt grinding discs can be so disasterous for the final beverage.
When grinding discs become blunt, rather than "chopping or slicing" the coffee bean the blades break up the beans by crushing them. This has two effects:
1. The ground coffee will become much warmer during the grinding phase. This can result in a burnt taste coming through in the cup, as the essential oils are effectively cooked by the grinding process.
2. The spread of the particle sizes becomes much greater. This affects the ability of the ground coffee to "hold up" the water during the infusion process and means that it becomes increasingly difficult to deliver a good espresso drink.
It's always difficult to answer the question " how long will discs last?", however a ball park figure for espresso coffee grinders is of the order of 300 kilos. After this volume, wear should be carefully monitored, checks include "is the ground coffee becoming noticeably hotter?", or is it taking a lot longer to grind a given volume of coffee than it was when the blades were new?
Grinders are often the forgotten cousins of the espresso making process, however they are a vital element when it comes to delivering great coffee.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Vindication!
I like to think of my blog as primarily a learning tool for people who aren't immersed in coffee quite as much as I am, but who are still interested to read and learn and improve their hot beverage offering, or better understand what they are drinking.
Today I visited a number of coffee shop customers in St. Helier which is always taking a bit of a chance, however I have to say the coffee I tasted on all of these sites proved to be of a very high standard.
Why? Well of course it must be the quality of Cooper's coffee! That's a little bit of wishful thinking on my part, because once the coffee beans are out of our reach, what is delivered into the cup is very much down to my customers.
This can be a very frustrating part of my job. I carry out many training sessions, during which I try to encourage people to make coffees themselves and to share some of my passion. Getting passionate about coffee isn't very easy if you're only paid the minimum wage and it's perceived as a job of little worth.
However today I was really proud of all my customers. My first taster was a customer of ours called "The Taste II" The Polish girl Ania who made the espresso did an excellent job in ensuring that the "portafiller" was full of coffee prior to making me an espresso, not easy when you are using a single shot measure, as coffee grinder dispensers usually come up short.
My second customer, Jonathan at "Simple Simons" is a regular traveller to London. One of his favourite places is the ATM chain. In fact he tells me that he even asked one of his favourite haunts to "lend" him some coffee beans to try in Jersey. When he got back he found that our coffee was of at least an equal standard - a pleasant discovery for both him and me.
My next destination was the Jersey Pottery cafe on King's Street in St. Helier. Probably the busiest coffee shop in town. The manager there told me of an Indian gentleman who had recently come to the Island and who having tried many other establishments was interested to know which blend they used and from where he could purchase it.
This is a blend we have created uniquely for the Jersey Pottery and so sadly from this man's point of view he's just going to have to keep going back to their shop.
Finally I visited a very new customer of ours, "Cafe Society" in what is commonly called French lane at the back of the Central Market. Not only was the coffee great, but what I really appreciated was the cleanliness of the coffee making area. Everything was immaculate and as a customer inspires confidence in what is being produced.
What's really great from my perspective is that each site really cares. I have trained staff at many sites in the past only to see them fall back into bad habits a week later. I've seen so many sites, and this includes some leading London names who boast loudly about how great their coffee is only to be let down in the delivery. The most common one is to serve an espresso without the glimmer of a crema on its surface - a rudimentary error.
And finally given that we create all our own blends, sometimes with customer input, it was great to get a direct comparison with coffee roasters with a far greater reputaton than ours and to be compared in a favourable light.
It doesn't always feel this good, but it proves the value of perserverence and belief in that what we are doing may not be perfect but at least I am reassured that we are headed in the right direction.
Vindication!
Today I visited a number of coffee shop customers in St. Helier which is always taking a bit of a chance, however I have to say the coffee I tasted on all of these sites proved to be of a very high standard.
Why? Well of course it must be the quality of Cooper's coffee! That's a little bit of wishful thinking on my part, because once the coffee beans are out of our reach, what is delivered into the cup is very much down to my customers.
This can be a very frustrating part of my job. I carry out many training sessions, during which I try to encourage people to make coffees themselves and to share some of my passion. Getting passionate about coffee isn't very easy if you're only paid the minimum wage and it's perceived as a job of little worth.
However today I was really proud of all my customers. My first taster was a customer of ours called "The Taste II" The Polish girl Ania who made the espresso did an excellent job in ensuring that the "portafiller" was full of coffee prior to making me an espresso, not easy when you are using a single shot measure, as coffee grinder dispensers usually come up short.
My second customer, Jonathan at "Simple Simons" is a regular traveller to London. One of his favourite places is the ATM chain. In fact he tells me that he even asked one of his favourite haunts to "lend" him some coffee beans to try in Jersey. When he got back he found that our coffee was of at least an equal standard - a pleasant discovery for both him and me.
My next destination was the Jersey Pottery cafe on King's Street in St. Helier. Probably the busiest coffee shop in town. The manager there told me of an Indian gentleman who had recently come to the Island and who having tried many other establishments was interested to know which blend they used and from where he could purchase it.
This is a blend we have created uniquely for the Jersey Pottery and so sadly from this man's point of view he's just going to have to keep going back to their shop.
Finally I visited a very new customer of ours, "Cafe Society" in what is commonly called French lane at the back of the Central Market. Not only was the coffee great, but what I really appreciated was the cleanliness of the coffee making area. Everything was immaculate and as a customer inspires confidence in what is being produced.
What's really great from my perspective is that each site really cares. I have trained staff at many sites in the past only to see them fall back into bad habits a week later. I've seen so many sites, and this includes some leading London names who boast loudly about how great their coffee is only to be let down in the delivery. The most common one is to serve an espresso without the glimmer of a crema on its surface - a rudimentary error.
And finally given that we create all our own blends, sometimes with customer input, it was great to get a direct comparison with coffee roasters with a far greater reputaton than ours and to be compared in a favourable light.
It doesn't always feel this good, but it proves the value of perserverence and belief in that what we are doing may not be perfect but at least I am reassured that we are headed in the right direction.
Vindication!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Small Hotels - How to improve coffee quality in a tough environment
It's really tough delivering good consistent coffee in a hotel that has anywhere between 40 and 60 rooms. If you're in Jersey and probably for that matter anywhere in the UK which relies on tourists for the bulk of their business, most guests are on half board, which means that you shift a lot of coffee at breakfast time, but after that only the odd cup or two for the rest of the day.
The result is that in your kitchen you will have what is known in the trade as a "bulk brew" coffee machine which will hold at a minimum 5 litres of coffee, which is the equivalent of 40 to 50 cups. If you've got a full hotel therefore you're probably going to need to make up two batches of 5 litres of coffee to accommodate the assumed demand, and here is where your problems begin.
In the first instance, the breakfast staff are going to want to get the coffee ready early, simply put it's another job that can be done and forgotton about. Niceties such as making coffee some 10 minutes before the first guest appears go out of the window in the real world, where staff numbers are cut to the bone.
So by the time the first guest shows up, the coffee has been brewed probably for around 1/2 an hour. This isn't a problem - yet! The problem is with the guests who show up not unreasonably a little later (after all they are on holiday!), say a whole hour after the first guests. By now said coffee has been brewed for 1 1/2 hours and yes you've guessed it, now you do have a problem.
That wonderful brew the first guests drank, is now turning dark and bitter, and may even start tasting a little burnt. The problem is that the longer heat is applied to coffee, the more water evaporates, the stronger the brew becomes and the whole chemistry of the coffee starts to change.
The solution - Well why not stagger coffee production? Maybe buy two sizes of coffee pouches from your coffee supplier, one that will make just 2 litres of liquid, and another that makes a full 5 litres. This will allow the staff to make up a smaller quantity of coffee for the first brew of the morning.
If this isn't possible, then don't make up two containers of coffee in the first instance, wait for one to start getting used, and then look to make up the next container.
The most drastic action is to put a timer by the coffee brewer. Once a container of coffee has been made up, start the timer. Set it so that an alarm sounds after 45 minutes. Any coffee left gets thrown away and a fresh brew is made.
This last suggestion may be wishful thinking on my part, however it does tend to focus the mind at management level and helps to better organise coffee production.
After breakfast any coffee left should either be put to one side for members of staff, or it should be thrown out. Please do not leave the remnants of breakfast coffee in the brewer. In the first instance it will tempt a member of staff to give it to a customer who might be demanding a cup of coffee mid-morning and secondly all that coffee is doing is coating the container with a bitter layer of stewed coffee. What chance will the next batch of coffee have?
So we've got the breakfast coffee under control, now what do we do about the rest of the day?
Well there are a couple of things -
You might have an espresso coffee machine behind the bar, why not make one off coffees from here. My experience is that these machines are hugely under utilised in this environment. This in turn causes another problem, namely stale coffee beans.
So why not help improve the turnover of coffee beans by ensuring that any coffee sold to a guest during the day comes from this espresso machine. As a side note, if volume through your espresso machine is a problem, then you should consider using "pods" (please see my previous blogs on this matter), here you know the coffee will be reasonably fresh, as the sachet will only be opened upon a request for coffee.
An alternative idea is to use Cafetieres (French press) for all periods after breakfast. It is possible to use the filter coffee you use in your bulk brew coffee machine in these coffee makers, just ensure that when a sachet of bulk brew coffee is opened it is stored in an air-tight container and is used up within 4 or 5 days maximum (sorry purists!).
Again the coffee is made to order which means that your guest has every chance of getting a decent cup of coffee.
As a coffee roaster I would say it's about respecting the coffee. It's also about staff training, and having proceedures in place that ensure that when new staff are hired, coffee training is simply not left as an afterthought.
Everyone knows how food should be prepared and handled, so why not coffee?
Here's to better coffee!
The result is that in your kitchen you will have what is known in the trade as a "bulk brew" coffee machine which will hold at a minimum 5 litres of coffee, which is the equivalent of 40 to 50 cups. If you've got a full hotel therefore you're probably going to need to make up two batches of 5 litres of coffee to accommodate the assumed demand, and here is where your problems begin.
In the first instance, the breakfast staff are going to want to get the coffee ready early, simply put it's another job that can be done and forgotton about. Niceties such as making coffee some 10 minutes before the first guest appears go out of the window in the real world, where staff numbers are cut to the bone.
So by the time the first guest shows up, the coffee has been brewed probably for around 1/2 an hour. This isn't a problem - yet! The problem is with the guests who show up not unreasonably a little later (after all they are on holiday!), say a whole hour after the first guests. By now said coffee has been brewed for 1 1/2 hours and yes you've guessed it, now you do have a problem.
That wonderful brew the first guests drank, is now turning dark and bitter, and may even start tasting a little burnt. The problem is that the longer heat is applied to coffee, the more water evaporates, the stronger the brew becomes and the whole chemistry of the coffee starts to change.
The solution - Well why not stagger coffee production? Maybe buy two sizes of coffee pouches from your coffee supplier, one that will make just 2 litres of liquid, and another that makes a full 5 litres. This will allow the staff to make up a smaller quantity of coffee for the first brew of the morning.
If this isn't possible, then don't make up two containers of coffee in the first instance, wait for one to start getting used, and then look to make up the next container.
The most drastic action is to put a timer by the coffee brewer. Once a container of coffee has been made up, start the timer. Set it so that an alarm sounds after 45 minutes. Any coffee left gets thrown away and a fresh brew is made.
This last suggestion may be wishful thinking on my part, however it does tend to focus the mind at management level and helps to better organise coffee production.
After breakfast any coffee left should either be put to one side for members of staff, or it should be thrown out. Please do not leave the remnants of breakfast coffee in the brewer. In the first instance it will tempt a member of staff to give it to a customer who might be demanding a cup of coffee mid-morning and secondly all that coffee is doing is coating the container with a bitter layer of stewed coffee. What chance will the next batch of coffee have?
So we've got the breakfast coffee under control, now what do we do about the rest of the day?
Well there are a couple of things -
You might have an espresso coffee machine behind the bar, why not make one off coffees from here. My experience is that these machines are hugely under utilised in this environment. This in turn causes another problem, namely stale coffee beans.
So why not help improve the turnover of coffee beans by ensuring that any coffee sold to a guest during the day comes from this espresso machine. As a side note, if volume through your espresso machine is a problem, then you should consider using "pods" (please see my previous blogs on this matter), here you know the coffee will be reasonably fresh, as the sachet will only be opened upon a request for coffee.
An alternative idea is to use Cafetieres (French press) for all periods after breakfast. It is possible to use the filter coffee you use in your bulk brew coffee machine in these coffee makers, just ensure that when a sachet of bulk brew coffee is opened it is stored in an air-tight container and is used up within 4 or 5 days maximum (sorry purists!).
Again the coffee is made to order which means that your guest has every chance of getting a decent cup of coffee.
As a coffee roaster I would say it's about respecting the coffee. It's also about staff training, and having proceedures in place that ensure that when new staff are hired, coffee training is simply not left as an afterthought.
Everyone knows how food should be prepared and handled, so why not coffee?
Here's to better coffee!
Monday, September 18, 2006
Sustainability of the greedy few
An article was published in the Financial Times on the 9th September 2006, written by Hal Weitzman about workers being paid below the minimum wage on co-operative coffee farms that claim to be "Fair Trade Certified". Effectively he was questioning the intregrity of the Fair Trade Logo and how easy it is to fool the consumer.
I have both visited a Fair Trade co-operative in Brazil (namely Poco Fundo) and my company is also a member of the Fair Trade Foundation and I have to say that the level of auditing carried out by the organisation is in my experience second to none.
There will always be those out there who seek to abuse the system for their own gain to the detriment of the rest of society. We see it everywhere, a few individuals who never seem to have enough and whose only interest is in how much money they can make today at someone elses expense.
I'm sure the gun runners in Darfur are currently making a tidy profit on the back of a poverty stricken majority. In his book "When the rivers run dry: What happens when our water runs out by Fred Pearce" , Mr. Pearce lists no end of examples where the greed of a few is literally killing those who have no choice but to use the polluted waters pumped out by upstream factories.
Every organisation that endeavours to make the life of those less fortunate than our selves better, no matter how small, should be applauded and encouraged. Whilst I welcome criticism it would be nice if Mr. Weitzman also spent some of the time he spent researching his article to also offering some real solutions to overcome this abuse.
Too many people spend their time talking about the problems of this world rather than trying to find ways to solve them in a way that benefits the whole of mankind.
I have both visited a Fair Trade co-operative in Brazil (namely Poco Fundo) and my company is also a member of the Fair Trade Foundation and I have to say that the level of auditing carried out by the organisation is in my experience second to none.
There will always be those out there who seek to abuse the system for their own gain to the detriment of the rest of society. We see it everywhere, a few individuals who never seem to have enough and whose only interest is in how much money they can make today at someone elses expense.
I'm sure the gun runners in Darfur are currently making a tidy profit on the back of a poverty stricken majority. In his book "When the rivers run dry: What happens when our water runs out by Fred Pearce" , Mr. Pearce lists no end of examples where the greed of a few is literally killing those who have no choice but to use the polluted waters pumped out by upstream factories.
Every organisation that endeavours to make the life of those less fortunate than our selves better, no matter how small, should be applauded and encouraged. Whilst I welcome criticism it would be nice if Mr. Weitzman also spent some of the time he spent researching his article to also offering some real solutions to overcome this abuse.
Too many people spend their time talking about the problems of this world rather than trying to find ways to solve them in a way that benefits the whole of mankind.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Perfectly made Cafetiere (French press) coffee
Mrs Beeton, the 19th century cook and writer, famously started her recipe for rabbit pie with the line, “First catch your rabbit”. Well as I'm on the subject of coffee, rather than rabbits, I'll paraphrase Mrs. Beeton by starting with the line "first choose your coffee!" and if I may say so I would suggest that for starters you give our Daterra "sunrise" a try.
The most important elements about the coffee are 1. that it is fresh; in an ideal world this means buying coffee that is as near to its roasted date as possible (in the trade we call this its "born on date) and using it within a couple of days of opening the packet. If you're not lucky enough to have a speciality coffee roaster nearby, then your local supermarket will I guess have to do! The main thing is that you use the coffee as soon after you have opened the packet as possible, even a week is stretching it.
2. that it is ground correctly. Too fine and you're liable to take all night plunging the coffee and do yourself an injury, too coarse and the coffee will be like dish water; which is a great shame if you have paid a lot of money for your coffee.
The next thing is to ensure that you have warmed both the glass and metal elements of your cafetiere. Do this by pouring freshly boiled water into the cafetiere and raising and lowering the plunging part in the water. Pour the water away when done.
If you have a brand new cafetiere it's a good idea to make a pot of coffee first and throw it away. This will get rid of any metalic taste that you tend to get with new cafetieres.
Remove the plunging part of the cafetiere, and measure in the desired amount of coffee. This is always a difficult one, and you should experiment with different amounts to help you determine your preferred strength. A rule of thumb is around 7g for a decent sized cup, or 14g for a large mug. But remember this is only a starting guide.
Now boil some water, remember use freshly drawn water, the more oxygenated the better the infusion with the coffee.
Let the water calm down a bit and pour over the grounds in the cafetiere. We're looking for a temperature of around 88-92 degrees centigrade. Ensure as you pour that all the grounds are covered in water. Leave enough room for the plunger to rest on top of the coffee.
With truly fresh coffee you may need to tap the cafetiere gently on the surface to break the crust of coffee that forms, and then pour on more hot water.
Now place the plunger carefully on top of the coffee in the cafetiere, leaving the plunging handle fully raised. The clever bit here is to make sure that all the grounds remain beneath the plunging mesh. This, I can assure you is sometimes easier said than done!
Wait for around 4 minutes to allow the coffee to infuse properly. For larger cafetieres, you might like to stir the grounds around in the water to guarantee a proper infusion, prior to placing the plunger on the top of the coffee.
Once the time has elapsed, press down the plunger handle so that the grounds are taken to the bottom of the cafetiere.
Serve immediately into slightly warmed cups. If you take milk, ensure that it too is warmed. For a bit of luxury try some single cream.
With regard to sugar white or brown depending upon personal preference.
Enjoy!
The most important elements about the coffee are 1. that it is fresh; in an ideal world this means buying coffee that is as near to its roasted date as possible (in the trade we call this its "born on date) and using it within a couple of days of opening the packet. If you're not lucky enough to have a speciality coffee roaster nearby, then your local supermarket will I guess have to do! The main thing is that you use the coffee as soon after you have opened the packet as possible, even a week is stretching it.
2. that it is ground correctly. Too fine and you're liable to take all night plunging the coffee and do yourself an injury, too coarse and the coffee will be like dish water; which is a great shame if you have paid a lot of money for your coffee.
The next thing is to ensure that you have warmed both the glass and metal elements of your cafetiere. Do this by pouring freshly boiled water into the cafetiere and raising and lowering the plunging part in the water. Pour the water away when done.
If you have a brand new cafetiere it's a good idea to make a pot of coffee first and throw it away. This will get rid of any metalic taste that you tend to get with new cafetieres.
Remove the plunging part of the cafetiere, and measure in the desired amount of coffee. This is always a difficult one, and you should experiment with different amounts to help you determine your preferred strength. A rule of thumb is around 7g for a decent sized cup, or 14g for a large mug. But remember this is only a starting guide.
Now boil some water, remember use freshly drawn water, the more oxygenated the better the infusion with the coffee.
Let the water calm down a bit and pour over the grounds in the cafetiere. We're looking for a temperature of around 88-92 degrees centigrade. Ensure as you pour that all the grounds are covered in water. Leave enough room for the plunger to rest on top of the coffee.
With truly fresh coffee you may need to tap the cafetiere gently on the surface to break the crust of coffee that forms, and then pour on more hot water.
Now place the plunger carefully on top of the coffee in the cafetiere, leaving the plunging handle fully raised. The clever bit here is to make sure that all the grounds remain beneath the plunging mesh. This, I can assure you is sometimes easier said than done!
Wait for around 4 minutes to allow the coffee to infuse properly. For larger cafetieres, you might like to stir the grounds around in the water to guarantee a proper infusion, prior to placing the plunger on the top of the coffee.
Once the time has elapsed, press down the plunger handle so that the grounds are taken to the bottom of the cafetiere.
Serve immediately into slightly warmed cups. If you take milk, ensure that it too is warmed. For a bit of luxury try some single cream.
With regard to sugar white or brown depending upon personal preference.
Enjoy!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Kenya - The finest coffee growing country in the world?
I always think that people who drink estate Kenya coffee are the kind of people who can afford and appreciate the good things in life. Fine wine, haut cuisine, fast cars etc.
I was reminded, however today in our shop that this isn't always the case. I served a man whose overalls were covered in paint and who clearly was a painter and decorator by trade. He bought a pound of our great Kenya AA estate coffee and asked for it to be ground for cafetiere (French press). It's the most expensive coffee we sell and rightly so.
I said to him that this was my favourite coffee and what a great taste and aroma it has. His eyes lit up and he couldn't agree more. It shows you, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
It reminded me of a time a number of years ago, when my Grandfather used to come to Jersey. He always demanded Kenya coffee and it always had to be made in one of those stove top espresso coffee makers (his was a well used copper coloured version that he had had for years).
The milk had to be warmed, and we always used these rediculously impractical blue china cups. We didn't always get it right, but my abiding memory was of one of those days when everything was perfect. The aroma was fantastic, and when we both tasted the coffee, silenence reigned and we just smiled at each other. Perfection!, I'm not sure what it was, but then again even after 15 years in the industry, a truly great cup of coffee is still just as illusive as ever and requires a life time of searching.
But to get back to Kenya coffee for a moment. The tags of AA, AB, C, Peaberry refer purely to the size of the coffee bean, with AA being the largest, and Peaberry having the form of a Pea.
All demonstrate the wonderfully unique acidity you get from a Kenya coffee. I always describe the taste and aroma as that of brambles; imagine tearing the leaf of a blackberry bush and you won't be far away. As the coffee gets colder in the cup, so this taste becomes more pronounced.
Having tasted many origins over the years, this classy coffee holds up extremely well year on year with its distinctive flavour. It is however not all of my staff's favourite, Anna wouldn't give it house room! But then again she's still young!
Kenya makes great filter or cafetiere coffee. However as I said earlier my Grandfather enjoyed it from a stove top espresso machine, and it also makes a good espresso, but beware, it bites!
I was reminded, however today in our shop that this isn't always the case. I served a man whose overalls were covered in paint and who clearly was a painter and decorator by trade. He bought a pound of our great Kenya AA estate coffee and asked for it to be ground for cafetiere (French press). It's the most expensive coffee we sell and rightly so.
I said to him that this was my favourite coffee and what a great taste and aroma it has. His eyes lit up and he couldn't agree more. It shows you, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
It reminded me of a time a number of years ago, when my Grandfather used to come to Jersey. He always demanded Kenya coffee and it always had to be made in one of those stove top espresso coffee makers (his was a well used copper coloured version that he had had for years).
The milk had to be warmed, and we always used these rediculously impractical blue china cups. We didn't always get it right, but my abiding memory was of one of those days when everything was perfect. The aroma was fantastic, and when we both tasted the coffee, silenence reigned and we just smiled at each other. Perfection!, I'm not sure what it was, but then again even after 15 years in the industry, a truly great cup of coffee is still just as illusive as ever and requires a life time of searching.
But to get back to Kenya coffee for a moment. The tags of AA, AB, C, Peaberry refer purely to the size of the coffee bean, with AA being the largest, and Peaberry having the form of a Pea.
All demonstrate the wonderfully unique acidity you get from a Kenya coffee. I always describe the taste and aroma as that of brambles; imagine tearing the leaf of a blackberry bush and you won't be far away. As the coffee gets colder in the cup, so this taste becomes more pronounced.
Having tasted many origins over the years, this classy coffee holds up extremely well year on year with its distinctive flavour. It is however not all of my staff's favourite, Anna wouldn't give it house room! But then again she's still young!
Kenya makes great filter or cafetiere coffee. However as I said earlier my Grandfather enjoyed it from a stove top espresso machine, and it also makes a good espresso, but beware, it bites!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Coffee machine manuals, uses and abuses!
Today I spent 2 hours on site with a customer in an attempt to descale their coffee machine. They in turn had spent 4 hours the previous day trying to descale the same machine. What a complete waste of time.
And you know why, the manual which they were following failed to distinguish between a plumbed-in machine and a manual fill machine!
The machine only cost some £3,000, uses the latest in cutting edge technology, is highly user friendly and makes great coffee.
On this occasion it was the world renowned Jura coffee machine company, however I have seen endless examples in a myriad of machine manuals.
Why is it so difficult to get the manual right? When a machine goes wrong, or doesn't function in quite the right way, the immediate reaction of the customer is to turn to the manual for help. If this assistance isn't provided the customer's confidence in the quality of the machine is quickly diminished over what on many occasions is a very simple problem.
So please machine manufacturers take care over your manuals, make sure that they are constantly updated, it doesn't cost much, whereas the cost of failure in doing so is unquantifiable and only gives your competitor an opportunity to take away that next machine sale from you.
And you know why, the manual which they were following failed to distinguish between a plumbed-in machine and a manual fill machine!
The machine only cost some £3,000, uses the latest in cutting edge technology, is highly user friendly and makes great coffee.
On this occasion it was the world renowned Jura coffee machine company, however I have seen endless examples in a myriad of machine manuals.
Why is it so difficult to get the manual right? When a machine goes wrong, or doesn't function in quite the right way, the immediate reaction of the customer is to turn to the manual for help. If this assistance isn't provided the customer's confidence in the quality of the machine is quickly diminished over what on many occasions is a very simple problem.
So please machine manufacturers take care over your manuals, make sure that they are constantly updated, it doesn't cost much, whereas the cost of failure in doing so is unquantifiable and only gives your competitor an opportunity to take away that next machine sale from you.
Monday, September 11, 2006
The art of cheap shot politics by Senator Ben Shenton
Senator Shenton is quoted in tonight's Jersey Evening Post as saying that "Ministers are more interested in looking after rich boat-owners than in ordinary pensioners".
Mr. Shenton, I didn't know that you had to be rich to own a boat and I also didn't know that all boats are in fact "floating gin palaces". How easy it is to twist the truth in an attempt to be popular.
I have total sympathy for struggling pensioners, and with all of us living longer the burden on our society when I reach retirement age will be a massive one on our economy.
That is why it is so vital that our economy remains strong. That is why we need to attract as many people to our shores as possible, so that they spend their money in our economy. Yes the economy from which we all benefit, even pensioners Senator.
If these "gin swilling" boat owners come to Jersey and fill up their boats with fuel provided by local companies, what other services might they require? Well they might just spend some of their ill gotten gains in local shops. They might just ask a local marine company to carry out repairs to their boat whilst here.
And if these "gin palaces" don't come to our shores then what? Small marine businesses get shut down. There are fewer profits to be taxed, and I'm afraid those "struggling pensioners" will be in a worse position than ever before.
Why does a relatively intelligent man like Ben Shenton and so many of his ilk always want to bite the hand that feeds?
By the way I don't own a boat, which must make me very poor indeed!
Mr. Shenton, I didn't know that you had to be rich to own a boat and I also didn't know that all boats are in fact "floating gin palaces". How easy it is to twist the truth in an attempt to be popular.
I have total sympathy for struggling pensioners, and with all of us living longer the burden on our society when I reach retirement age will be a massive one on our economy.
That is why it is so vital that our economy remains strong. That is why we need to attract as many people to our shores as possible, so that they spend their money in our economy. Yes the economy from which we all benefit, even pensioners Senator.
If these "gin swilling" boat owners come to Jersey and fill up their boats with fuel provided by local companies, what other services might they require? Well they might just spend some of their ill gotten gains in local shops. They might just ask a local marine company to carry out repairs to their boat whilst here.
And if these "gin palaces" don't come to our shores then what? Small marine businesses get shut down. There are fewer profits to be taxed, and I'm afraid those "struggling pensioners" will be in a worse position than ever before.
Why does a relatively intelligent man like Ben Shenton and so many of his ilk always want to bite the hand that feeds?
By the way I don't own a boat, which must make me very poor indeed!
Monsooned Malabar, exotic coffee from Southern India
A week or so ago I was talking about the discovery of our Costa Rica Tarazzu coffee, today I want to bring your attention to one of the most exotic coffees that we stock, namely Monsooned Malabar.
It's not an obvious choice for a great coffee as when I first tasted this coffee I likened its taste more to a Uganda screen 18 robusta coffee, with its earthy taste, rather than a 100% arabica coffee. Where did this unusual taste come from, and why would someone want to process coffee in such a way that it strays some way from our traditional perception of a great coffee taste?
Well as with all things great, this coffee has a bit of history. When it was originally shipped from India to Europe there was no Suez canal. This meant that ships had to travel all the way round the most southern tip of Africa before making the arduous journey back up to Europe. During this time unbeknown to the Europeans the taste of the coffee was changed dramatically, the beans were bleached and swollen by the sea air, giving the coffee its unique flavour. This taste was highly prized.
However when the Suez canal was built the journey time of the boats was reduced considerably and Europeans detected a change in the taste of this coffee.
Whereas traditionally raw coffee has a moisture content of 12% to 13%, Monsooned Malabar coffee is down around 10% which means that it feels a lot lighter, and has a much paler look to the eye than other raw coffees from other regions. This is what gives it its unique taste, as it roasts completely differently to other coffees.
The problem post Suez was how to retrieve this flavour. The solution was a simple one and is now all carried out at origin. Once the coffee has been depupled and dried it is left to stand in sheds. The sides of the sheds are opened and moist monsoon winds circulate around the coffee making it swell in size and take on the famous mellowed and slightly musty flavour.
That all sounds pretty fantastic, but what do we think of the coffee. I compare it a bit like people's reaction to Marmite, you either love it or hate it.
Anna our wonderful Polish lady who runs my shop, and who has tasted all of our coffees thinks this one is the best, and she's certainly persuaded a lot of our customers to think the same way.
Although only medium roasted its unique characteristics of great body and gentle acidity mean that it makes an excellent base for a Cappuccino. You must try one in our shop one day!
It's not an obvious choice for a great coffee as when I first tasted this coffee I likened its taste more to a Uganda screen 18 robusta coffee, with its earthy taste, rather than a 100% arabica coffee. Where did this unusual taste come from, and why would someone want to process coffee in such a way that it strays some way from our traditional perception of a great coffee taste?
Well as with all things great, this coffee has a bit of history. When it was originally shipped from India to Europe there was no Suez canal. This meant that ships had to travel all the way round the most southern tip of Africa before making the arduous journey back up to Europe. During this time unbeknown to the Europeans the taste of the coffee was changed dramatically, the beans were bleached and swollen by the sea air, giving the coffee its unique flavour. This taste was highly prized.
However when the Suez canal was built the journey time of the boats was reduced considerably and Europeans detected a change in the taste of this coffee.
Whereas traditionally raw coffee has a moisture content of 12% to 13%, Monsooned Malabar coffee is down around 10% which means that it feels a lot lighter, and has a much paler look to the eye than other raw coffees from other regions. This is what gives it its unique taste, as it roasts completely differently to other coffees.
The problem post Suez was how to retrieve this flavour. The solution was a simple one and is now all carried out at origin. Once the coffee has been depupled and dried it is left to stand in sheds. The sides of the sheds are opened and moist monsoon winds circulate around the coffee making it swell in size and take on the famous mellowed and slightly musty flavour.
That all sounds pretty fantastic, but what do we think of the coffee. I compare it a bit like people's reaction to Marmite, you either love it or hate it.
Anna our wonderful Polish lady who runs my shop, and who has tasted all of our coffees thinks this one is the best, and she's certainly persuaded a lot of our customers to think the same way.
Although only medium roasted its unique characteristics of great body and gentle acidity mean that it makes an excellent base for a Cappuccino. You must try one in our shop one day!
Friday, September 08, 2006
Inspiration from everywhere
I had a really interesting meeting with my friends from the Jersey Dairy today. Although we are apparently in completely different industries we've both got similar problems.
The level of capital expenditure needed in both of our industries is high and thus makes it difficult to compete in what is a small local market against much larger external players.
The challenge for both of us is how do we sell more product so as to justify the cost of capital invested?
I used to think that if I had an idea which wasn't already "out there" then there must be something wrong. My thinking was that someone must already have thought of it and for what ever reason discounted it. I was just being slow.
All of this changed when I did a recent business course with the Open University called "creativity and perception in management" Here I discovered that many of the most famous inventions or innovations of our time came out of entrepreneurial frustration. Whilst brain storming and focus groups have their place, sometimes it is just about an individual with an idea. This leads me on to my favourite discovery.
I was on the way to a trade show in Trieste in Italy from London. The flight required a change at Frankfurt in Germany. Whilst waiting in the Airport for the connecting flight I visited a sandwich bar that looked slightly different.
It had a wonderfully natural feel, and of course what caught my eye was the fact that they were making tea using loose tea leaves. I immediately checked out the menu and ordered an Assam tea.
The tea was made in a tea glass, which was novel for me being used to a ceramic tea mug. A portion of tea had been placed in a hand made tea bag over which was poured hot water. When the tea had reached a suitable strength I lifted the bag out of the glass using the tag provided and then added milk and sugar as required. It tasted wonderful.
What a fantastic idea. The UK market is dominated by tea bags because inidviduals don't have the time or inclination to deal with loose leaves. The price paid for this convenience is more processed tea and less choice. Here was an opportunity to reverse all that, as this shop had shown, and it allowed a small business like mine to carry a far wider ranges of teas because we didn't need to carry such great volumes of stock as we do for tea bags.
I took loads of notes and when I got home tried to work out what to do, and where to source the required products. However I came across one stumbling block. If you want to sell an upmarket product, simply placing a tea bag in a glass mug wasn't going to look very impressive. Everything went on hold.
It wasn't until I went to a trade show in Atlanta, Georgia that the solution came to me.
I was sitting at breakfast in my hotel and asked for a cup of tea. The waiter placed before me what looked like an upsidedown light bulb, into which he proceeded to place the ubiquitous tea bag, followed by hot water. There in front of me was the solution to the problem of a vessel into which I could put these hand filled tea bags. The Americans call it a "Hottle".
When I look back on it it's quite an amazing series of events. The first idea came to me in Germany, one of the products, namely the hand filled tea bag is a Japanese invention. The Hottle is actually manufactured in Mexico and the whole lot has come together here in Jersey, allowing my business to sell a whole new and original line of teas and tissanes which are of course available on our website!
This whole episode although not yet particularly profitable has helped to spread our overheads and enables us to continue to develop our core business that of roasting coffee.
To return to my friends at the Dairy this too is their challenge how do they not only sell more of but also add value to their core product milk which in turn allows them to spread their costs for the benefit of farmers, consumers and our countryside?
If you have any ideas or suggestions why not contact them. Don't worry if you think someone has already thought of it, they most probably haven't!
The level of capital expenditure needed in both of our industries is high and thus makes it difficult to compete in what is a small local market against much larger external players.
The challenge for both of us is how do we sell more product so as to justify the cost of capital invested?
I used to think that if I had an idea which wasn't already "out there" then there must be something wrong. My thinking was that someone must already have thought of it and for what ever reason discounted it. I was just being slow.
All of this changed when I did a recent business course with the Open University called "creativity and perception in management" Here I discovered that many of the most famous inventions or innovations of our time came out of entrepreneurial frustration. Whilst brain storming and focus groups have their place, sometimes it is just about an individual with an idea. This leads me on to my favourite discovery.
I was on the way to a trade show in Trieste in Italy from London. The flight required a change at Frankfurt in Germany. Whilst waiting in the Airport for the connecting flight I visited a sandwich bar that looked slightly different.
It had a wonderfully natural feel, and of course what caught my eye was the fact that they were making tea using loose tea leaves. I immediately checked out the menu and ordered an Assam tea.
The tea was made in a tea glass, which was novel for me being used to a ceramic tea mug. A portion of tea had been placed in a hand made tea bag over which was poured hot water. When the tea had reached a suitable strength I lifted the bag out of the glass using the tag provided and then added milk and sugar as required. It tasted wonderful.
What a fantastic idea. The UK market is dominated by tea bags because inidviduals don't have the time or inclination to deal with loose leaves. The price paid for this convenience is more processed tea and less choice. Here was an opportunity to reverse all that, as this shop had shown, and it allowed a small business like mine to carry a far wider ranges of teas because we didn't need to carry such great volumes of stock as we do for tea bags.
I took loads of notes and when I got home tried to work out what to do, and where to source the required products. However I came across one stumbling block. If you want to sell an upmarket product, simply placing a tea bag in a glass mug wasn't going to look very impressive. Everything went on hold.
It wasn't until I went to a trade show in Atlanta, Georgia that the solution came to me.
I was sitting at breakfast in my hotel and asked for a cup of tea. The waiter placed before me what looked like an upsidedown light bulb, into which he proceeded to place the ubiquitous tea bag, followed by hot water. There in front of me was the solution to the problem of a vessel into which I could put these hand filled tea bags. The Americans call it a "Hottle".
When I look back on it it's quite an amazing series of events. The first idea came to me in Germany, one of the products, namely the hand filled tea bag is a Japanese invention. The Hottle is actually manufactured in Mexico and the whole lot has come together here in Jersey, allowing my business to sell a whole new and original line of teas and tissanes which are of course available on our website!
This whole episode although not yet particularly profitable has helped to spread our overheads and enables us to continue to develop our core business that of roasting coffee.
To return to my friends at the Dairy this too is their challenge how do they not only sell more of but also add value to their core product milk which in turn allows them to spread their costs for the benefit of farmers, consumers and our countryside?
If you have any ideas or suggestions why not contact them. Don't worry if you think someone has already thought of it, they most probably haven't!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Importance of Coffee freshness in low volume sites
I was talking to a customer of mine today who runs a tourist centre. They appear to get through a lot of coffee, so you would think that coffee freshness wasn't an issue, yet appearances can be deceptive.
When we looked at the numbers it transpires that of all the coffees he sells only 25 cups a day are espresso based drinks. Now this has huge implications for the freshness of the coffee he serves.
In the first instance a kilo of coffee beans once opened should be used up within 4 days, clearly not the case here.
Next is the problem of filling the grinder hopper with beans and then grinding down enough coffee for two days trade, because the grinder has an automatic on / off switch and it's also more convenient for the staff if they don't have to keep fresh grinding the coffee.
All of the above though leads to a significant deterioration in flavour as the oxygen reacts with the coffee to destroy flavour leaving a stale flat taste in the cup.
So what to do?
If they are to stay with beans, then the grinder hopper should only be filled with sufficient coffee to last for a day. The rest of the coffee beans should be kept in the special barrier bag in which it came and kept in a fridge to slow down its deterioration.
The grinder should only be switched on when the first customer appears in the morning, so that the coffee is as fresh as it can be. It also might mean throwing away the first coffee whilst everything gets up to operating temperature.
All this will help to improve the standard of the coffee delivered.
At the end of the day no coffee should be left in the grinder. Any ground coffee should be disposed of. You'll soon get used to not leaving any ground coffee in the grinder if the boss notices you throwing out the company profits!
The other alternative is to use coffee pods rather than whole beans.These are pre-dosed amounts of fresh ground coffee that are individually foil wrapped. You pay more for the packaging, and the freshness isn't quite as good as for truly fresh coffee beans, but at least the standard will be consistent.
The main thing is to be aware of the issues that affect the flavour of your coffee, after all when you're charging someone £2.00 for a Cappuccino they want to feel that they have had value for money, and you will want them to come back for more.
When we looked at the numbers it transpires that of all the coffees he sells only 25 cups a day are espresso based drinks. Now this has huge implications for the freshness of the coffee he serves.
In the first instance a kilo of coffee beans once opened should be used up within 4 days, clearly not the case here.
Next is the problem of filling the grinder hopper with beans and then grinding down enough coffee for two days trade, because the grinder has an automatic on / off switch and it's also more convenient for the staff if they don't have to keep fresh grinding the coffee.
All of the above though leads to a significant deterioration in flavour as the oxygen reacts with the coffee to destroy flavour leaving a stale flat taste in the cup.
So what to do?
If they are to stay with beans, then the grinder hopper should only be filled with sufficient coffee to last for a day. The rest of the coffee beans should be kept in the special barrier bag in which it came and kept in a fridge to slow down its deterioration.
The grinder should only be switched on when the first customer appears in the morning, so that the coffee is as fresh as it can be. It also might mean throwing away the first coffee whilst everything gets up to operating temperature.
All this will help to improve the standard of the coffee delivered.
At the end of the day no coffee should be left in the grinder. Any ground coffee should be disposed of. You'll soon get used to not leaving any ground coffee in the grinder if the boss notices you throwing out the company profits!
The other alternative is to use coffee pods rather than whole beans.These are pre-dosed amounts of fresh ground coffee that are individually foil wrapped. You pay more for the packaging, and the freshness isn't quite as good as for truly fresh coffee beans, but at least the standard will be consistent.
The main thing is to be aware of the issues that affect the flavour of your coffee, after all when you're charging someone £2.00 for a Cappuccino they want to feel that they have had value for money, and you will want them to come back for more.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Quick guide to buying speciality coffee for the first time
It is quite incredible just how many different varieties of coffee there are available to purchase on the web. Do you, like wine, make your choice on the basis of its colour, its origin, its price?
I know that I've bought a bottle of wine on many occasions based on the floral language printed on the label only to be bitterly disappointed when I got it home. That's the problem with supermarkets, the label is king and expert advice has been discarded for the sake of efficiency and cost.
If you come into my shop, you'll be confronted with at least 12 different pods of coffee, so where do you start?
Well the first question we'll ask you is in what type of coffee maker do you intend to make your coffee?
Once again there are a myriad of devices, however they can be broken down into some overall categories as follows:
Turkish coffee pot
Espresso
Filters and Cafetieres or French press
Percolators
We believe that different infusion methods will show off the characteristics of a particular coffee better than others. Bear in mind this advice is for someone just starting to get into coffee, rather than a seasoned drinker who will experiment with all combinations.
We advise that for individuals who own a Filter or Cafetiere, they should start with a medium roasted coffee that has a good balance of acidity and body.
So I would recommend starting with our Colombian or Daterra "Sunrise" coffees. They're not going to scare you, however will deliver an excellent balanced flavour in the mouth.
If you want to be a little more adventerous you could try a blend of Kenya and Colombian coffees mixed in a proportion of 50/50. The Kenya will bring a higher level of acidity to the taste, whilst the Colombian will deliver the lower notes.
Should you want something that has a darker taste and is more aromatic, head towards our Carribean or Bourbon blends. People tend to think of these coffees as after dinner, as they will compliment other strong flavours such as a strong cheese.
However I'm getting a little advanced here, so my advice is to initially go with my first two recommendations. Personally I find that I need to be in "the mood" for darker roasted coffees.
Turning to Espresso based drinks, that includes Cappuccinos and Lattes and any other espresso based variation.
Our current favourite is the Costa Rican, however the Daterra Bruzzi delivers a good chocolatey taste, whilst our Bourbon blend has a great richness in the cup.
If you wanted to try something a little unusual give the Monsooned Malabar a try, however I would stay away from the Kenya and Ethiopian coffees initially, as these can might have too much acidity for the novice.
Traditionally the Ethiopian coffee is used in the Turkish coffee maker. If you want to go the whole hog throw in a little ground cardamon. However the Ethiopian alone does have a great wild fruity flavour to it.
Finally Percolators tend to need coffees that don't have high levels of acidity. This would again include our Colombian and Daterra sunrise, however I would add our Brazilian "poco fundo" to the list.
There is just one final comment I would like to make, and that is the importance of getting the coffee ground correctly for the appropriate coffee maker. You can have the finest coffee in the world, but if it is incorrectly ground you will struggle to get that great flavour delivered into your cup.
I hope the above helps. I am always interested if anybody out there has a particular favourite, please Blog me and let me know.
I know that I've bought a bottle of wine on many occasions based on the floral language printed on the label only to be bitterly disappointed when I got it home. That's the problem with supermarkets, the label is king and expert advice has been discarded for the sake of efficiency and cost.
If you come into my shop, you'll be confronted with at least 12 different pods of coffee, so where do you start?
Well the first question we'll ask you is in what type of coffee maker do you intend to make your coffee?
Once again there are a myriad of devices, however they can be broken down into some overall categories as follows:
Turkish coffee pot
Espresso
Filters and Cafetieres or French press
Percolators
We believe that different infusion methods will show off the characteristics of a particular coffee better than others. Bear in mind this advice is for someone just starting to get into coffee, rather than a seasoned drinker who will experiment with all combinations.
We advise that for individuals who own a Filter or Cafetiere, they should start with a medium roasted coffee that has a good balance of acidity and body.
So I would recommend starting with our Colombian or Daterra "Sunrise" coffees. They're not going to scare you, however will deliver an excellent balanced flavour in the mouth.
If you want to be a little more adventerous you could try a blend of Kenya and Colombian coffees mixed in a proportion of 50/50. The Kenya will bring a higher level of acidity to the taste, whilst the Colombian will deliver the lower notes.
Should you want something that has a darker taste and is more aromatic, head towards our Carribean or Bourbon blends. People tend to think of these coffees as after dinner, as they will compliment other strong flavours such as a strong cheese.
However I'm getting a little advanced here, so my advice is to initially go with my first two recommendations. Personally I find that I need to be in "the mood" for darker roasted coffees.
Turning to Espresso based drinks, that includes Cappuccinos and Lattes and any other espresso based variation.
Our current favourite is the Costa Rican, however the Daterra Bruzzi delivers a good chocolatey taste, whilst our Bourbon blend has a great richness in the cup.
If you wanted to try something a little unusual give the Monsooned Malabar a try, however I would stay away from the Kenya and Ethiopian coffees initially, as these can might have too much acidity for the novice.
Traditionally the Ethiopian coffee is used in the Turkish coffee maker. If you want to go the whole hog throw in a little ground cardamon. However the Ethiopian alone does have a great wild fruity flavour to it.
Finally Percolators tend to need coffees that don't have high levels of acidity. This would again include our Colombian and Daterra sunrise, however I would add our Brazilian "poco fundo" to the list.
There is just one final comment I would like to make, and that is the importance of getting the coffee ground correctly for the appropriate coffee maker. You can have the finest coffee in the world, but if it is incorrectly ground you will struggle to get that great flavour delivered into your cup.
I hope the above helps. I am always interested if anybody out there has a particular favourite, please Blog me and let me know.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Costa Rica Coffee - new improved
We were talking about favourite coffees at work today, and Stefan was saying how much he enjoyed our Costa Rica San Marcos de Tarrazu in his morning latte.
Now our Tarrazu has a bit of a history.
When I first took over the company we stocked a generic type of Costa Rica, namely Costa Rica SHB, which stands for "strictly hard bean". This is an indicator of quality expectation, but gives no information on where in Costa Rica the coffee is grown. It tasted "ok", nothing to write home about and really lacked any distinctive qualities. My thought then was why would anybody want to buy this coffee?
My views were changed significantly when I went to a trade conference at which Costa Rican coffees were being promoted. I was unaware of the range of speciality coffees available from this country, and just how distinctive each one tasted.
If you want more information on Costa Rican coffees in general visit their website at www.scacr.com
The areas that stood out for me were Tarrazu, Tres Rios and Orosi (apologies for the lack of an accent, limitations of the software). The Orosi is the lowest grown of the three coffees, and this is reflected in the softer cup. Next up was the Tres Rios, with is fine balanced acidity, however the one that did it for me was the Tarrazu, San Marcos. The coffee is grown on volcanic soil and at some of the greatest altitudes in the country; I could really taste the fire (if such a thing is possible) in the coffee. I couldn't wait to stock it in our shop.
However, thinking that I had found a gem I was really disappointed with this coffee when I got home. The "fire" I had experienced in the tasting just wasn't there.
To cut a long story short, I was doing a tasting of coffees from around the world with some new members of staff, and I was struck at just how poor the Tarrazu tasted.
I went away and roasted up some new samples and found that we had been roasting the coffee just a little on the light side and this severely limited the flavour we were achieving in the cup. It shows you that even a pro can get it wrong sometimes!
Now we roast to a full medium colour and that wonderful flavour has made a welcome return, just ask Stefan.
Now our Tarrazu has a bit of a history.
When I first took over the company we stocked a generic type of Costa Rica, namely Costa Rica SHB, which stands for "strictly hard bean". This is an indicator of quality expectation, but gives no information on where in Costa Rica the coffee is grown. It tasted "ok", nothing to write home about and really lacked any distinctive qualities. My thought then was why would anybody want to buy this coffee?
My views were changed significantly when I went to a trade conference at which Costa Rican coffees were being promoted. I was unaware of the range of speciality coffees available from this country, and just how distinctive each one tasted.
If you want more information on Costa Rican coffees in general visit their website at www.scacr.com
The areas that stood out for me were Tarrazu, Tres Rios and Orosi (apologies for the lack of an accent, limitations of the software). The Orosi is the lowest grown of the three coffees, and this is reflected in the softer cup. Next up was the Tres Rios, with is fine balanced acidity, however the one that did it for me was the Tarrazu, San Marcos. The coffee is grown on volcanic soil and at some of the greatest altitudes in the country; I could really taste the fire (if such a thing is possible) in the coffee. I couldn't wait to stock it in our shop.
However, thinking that I had found a gem I was really disappointed with this coffee when I got home. The "fire" I had experienced in the tasting just wasn't there.
To cut a long story short, I was doing a tasting of coffees from around the world with some new members of staff, and I was struck at just how poor the Tarrazu tasted.
I went away and roasted up some new samples and found that we had been roasting the coffee just a little on the light side and this severely limited the flavour we were achieving in the cup. It shows you that even a pro can get it wrong sometimes!
Now we roast to a full medium colour and that wonderful flavour has made a welcome return, just ask Stefan.
Recycling - Some possibilities!
Just to update you on my Blog of the 22nd August, you'll be pleased to hear that we have been advised by Mr. Hague of the Parish of St. Helier that as of today we will be able to take all of our cardboard waste to the Central Market waste collection area, about 50 metres down the road from us, so it does show that if you keep plugging away change can happen.
I am however also advised that the £10,000 plus cardboard compressing machine in this area is currently out of action, and has been for around 6 months, this means that all cardboard waste is now being taken away from this area by truck to another recycling area where it can be compressed. You can't have too much of a good thing now can you.
This operation is run I believe by the Transport and Technical department, a States department and it got me wondering which privately run organisation could afford to have their core machine out of action for such a long period of time before they went bust. It's no wonder Islanders get so frustrated with our Government when even the simplist of things take so long to resolve.
The final twist in the tale of this sorry story goes as follows and for me sums up all that is wrong with our current States structure. The Small Business Group (part of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce), had a meeting with John Rive (the recycling officer for Transport and Technical services) at which was discussed issues to do with cost effective recycling. Mr. Rive promised to research the possibilities of a wider use of the Central Market facility.
When I spoke with Mr. Hague about this, sadly he knew nothing about Mr. Rive's project despite both the Parish of St. Helier and Transport and Technical wanting to achieve the same end, that is recycle more rubbish. Now how insane is that?
If ever evidence for a complete overhaul of States departments was justified look no further.
I am however also advised that the £10,000 plus cardboard compressing machine in this area is currently out of action, and has been for around 6 months, this means that all cardboard waste is now being taken away from this area by truck to another recycling area where it can be compressed. You can't have too much of a good thing now can you.
This operation is run I believe by the Transport and Technical department, a States department and it got me wondering which privately run organisation could afford to have their core machine out of action for such a long period of time before they went bust. It's no wonder Islanders get so frustrated with our Government when even the simplist of things take so long to resolve.
The final twist in the tale of this sorry story goes as follows and for me sums up all that is wrong with our current States structure. The Small Business Group (part of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce), had a meeting with John Rive (the recycling officer for Transport and Technical services) at which was discussed issues to do with cost effective recycling. Mr. Rive promised to research the possibilities of a wider use of the Central Market facility.
When I spoke with Mr. Hague about this, sadly he knew nothing about Mr. Rive's project despite both the Parish of St. Helier and Transport and Technical wanting to achieve the same end, that is recycle more rubbish. Now how insane is that?
If ever evidence for a complete overhaul of States departments was justified look no further.
Order Responsiveness
For those of you who follow my Blogs, my apologies for the lack of postings over the last few days. I've been out of the office on holiday, and all Blogging was banned!
Now I've returned I wanted to start with an apology.
Since the launch of our new website we've seen a marked increase in the number of transactions taking place on a daily basis. I have two areas of concern.
The first is in the speed at which we are turning around your orders. We have been guilty of not dispatching some orders placed with us for a couple of days (because of workload issues) when ideally I would like to see orders dispatched on the same day given that you pay for the goods ahead of us dispatching them. This is being rectified as I write with top priority now being given to all orders to ensure same day dispatch, or if over the weekend next working day dispatch.
The second has been in our delay in advising some customers if we are out of stock of a particular item. Once again we are changing our procedures so that you will be notified if there is any delay in the dispatch of your order on the same day that we are notified of your order.
Should you be concerned with the time it is taking for your order to arrive, please don't hesitate to send an email to admin@coopercoffee.co.uk
Now I've returned I wanted to start with an apology.
Since the launch of our new website we've seen a marked increase in the number of transactions taking place on a daily basis. I have two areas of concern.
The first is in the speed at which we are turning around your orders. We have been guilty of not dispatching some orders placed with us for a couple of days (because of workload issues) when ideally I would like to see orders dispatched on the same day given that you pay for the goods ahead of us dispatching them. This is being rectified as I write with top priority now being given to all orders to ensure same day dispatch, or if over the weekend next working day dispatch.
The second has been in our delay in advising some customers if we are out of stock of a particular item. Once again we are changing our procedures so that you will be notified if there is any delay in the dispatch of your order on the same day that we are notified of your order.
Should you be concerned with the time it is taking for your order to arrive, please don't hesitate to send an email to admin@coopercoffee.co.uk
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