Thursday, December 27, 2001


well, well, well -- as you may or may not know, the server i publish on was hacked yesterday, but i think those naughty monkeys left me largely alone. however, gentle readers, if you find any problems, do let me know.

let's talk about a small and amusing but very important espresso item: the tamper. for those not yet blessed with an espresso set up, after you grind you fresh espresso into the portafilter (machine handle), you've just got a pile of loose grounds heaping about. you must level these off and pack them tightly so that the water flows over and into the coffee evenly and somewhat slowly. otherwise, you won't get good crema or the best flavor. the packing is done with a tamper. a good tamper and correct tamping method can improve your espresso. i know it sounds like a little thing.

but we have to remember that to extract the maximum of the coffee oils and natural sugars requires the water to be contact with the coffee equally and for a set amount of time. unequal water distribution means you get flavorless, weak coffee; water in contact with the coffee too short a time means coffee that's not going to benefit from the full extraction of natural goodness; water in contact with the coffee too long a time means coffee that's too strong, too caffeinated, too bitter.

thus the quest for a good tamper. usually when you buy a machine, the manufacturer tosses in a plastic tamper, often with a convex bottom. the problem is that the plastic isn't very heavy. you have to push harder to get a good tamp. and since it's not flat, the coffee won't be of equal thickness, meaning the water will contact some parts of the coffee longer than others. so you almost always have to buy a better tamper when you get a machine.

the ne plus ultra of tampers is the famed hand-made reg barber. i don't have one, but they are said to be a joy to use, due to the rosewood handle. i've put off buying one because i'm not sure whether i'd want a short one or a tall one. and they're a little too pricey to make that mistake!

posted by fortune | 10:43 AM | top | link to this | email this: | | | 0 comments