Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Because it's about time we had another coffee post

409 Responses

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  • recordari, in reply to Leopold,

    Not sure where you are, but one very decent Tea Shop is in Mt Eden Village.

    Chapter.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    ETA: I always thought you were meant to press the plunger slowly, no?

    Yup, but if it's pushing back, what option do you have but to push harder? You can push hard but slow...but that puts it under pressure, and what I've usually seen happen is the filter twists, unleashing a gush of coffee up and out. It doesn't really take that much pressure to do this.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Leopold,

    There was one in Newmarket...damned good. I think it went bust though. Been wracking my brains to remember the name.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to BenWilson,

    Yup, but if it’s pushing back, what option do you have but to push harder?

    I get that too, but I tend to lift the plunger slightly before pushing again. That seems to unblock the filter a little.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    There was one in Newmarket...damned good. I think it went bust though. Been wracking my brains to remember the name.

    Yes, down Teed street. Darjeeling? Or Orange, something? Was very good. Now replaced by Bambina coffee shop.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Stevens,

    I have a plunger at home, a stove top expresso, and a percolator - all of them get used. I love percolated coffee when it's done properly and it's not left to burn - it gives a beautiful rich flavour

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to Dismal Soyanz,

    I always thought you were meant to press the plunger slowly, no?

    Yes, slowly....pushing too hard can be dangerous, as Ben has described. I've also heard of one exploding, but then I suspect the person doing the pushing was ignorant about what can happen when you compress water in a glass container.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    I get that too, but I tend to lift the plunger slightly before pushing again. That seems to unblock the filter a little.

    Yeah there's an art to pushing it down. Twisting the filter also works, so long as it's in the direction that tightens the rod - the other direction will just unscrew it. I think a lot of the problem comes from coffee being too finely ground, as well, or just using too much coffee. I'm usually making a liter of it, to serve 5, so about 6 scoops of coffee. Smaller plungers have the issue much less.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    ....due to the obsessive snobbery involved with hissing, spitting espresso machines.

    I have yet to see a barista/coffee machine operator wearing earmuffs - I dread to think what their hearing will be like in a few years time, many cafes I can't abide for the near industrial levels of noise from the whole process...


    There used to be a great teahouse in Chch, in the Poplar Lanes precinct, which went bust from lack of patronage I think...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to recordari,

    Yes, down Teed street. Darjeeling? Or Orange, something? Was very good. Now replaced by Bambina coffee shop.

    That's the place, but the name? Lost. The best Oolong I've ever had. I never knew tea could have such a rich taste. It was expensive, though, about twice the cost of all their other teas. I've still got one of their teapots.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to BenWilson,

    I think a lot of the problem comes from coffee being too finely ground

    True, I occasionally use espresso-ground coffee by mistake and that's pretty tough to push down.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Starbuck’s down-under foray is the Edsel Espresso

    Not quite the right reference. Edsel was a failure of marketing, the car itself was OK.

    Whereas in Oz and NZ SB fails because the product is not as good as the competition. That's different from the US where SB is better than most of the competition.

    That's why attributing failure to kiwis being snobs is laughable. A snob is someone who buys a more expensive or lower quality product because of name or marketing. What kiwi coffee drinkers demonstrate is that no amount of marketing will make them buy SB coffee - instead they buy a better higher quality product that most times is cheaper ... pretty much the exact opposite of a snob.

    Call me a coffee geek for sure but not a snob.

    I've talked about my experiences with US coffee in previous threads including the dire state that is Utah - but recently I found a cafe in Napier that sold what it called a Bongo. Halfway between a machiatto and a latte (actually about a third of the way). Anyone know of an Auckland place that has that size?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna, in reply to Scott A,

    You can get bottomless (single origin, organic) coffee at Monterey Newtown. Which is fantastic.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    but recently I found a cafe in Napier that sold what it called a Bongo.

    What a strange name to give a coffee. It's also a strange name to give to a van, but you can forgive them, they were Japanese, famous for their hilarious choices of Anglo names for products. I think the Mitsy Starion takes the cake - didn't they realize it would be roundly mocked as a bad pronunciation of Stallion? I'm interested to hear the cafe's excuse. Does it make you want to play a bongo when you drink it? Or was it first served from the back of a Bongo van?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings, in reply to BenWilson,

    We had a bongo van when I was a kid (after the morris minor and before the lada). The name has always given me great delight.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    The name has always given me great delight.

    Several times between cars I've been sorely tempted just by the name. But I don't really need a van.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Anyone know of an Auckland place that has that size?

    Espresso Workshop in Manukua Road does a 'Low-tide Flat White'. Or 'hey, did you run out of milk?' Actually quite nice, as stronger coffee flavour, with the lip-lustre effect of smooth creamy milk.

    Here's another coffee name.

    Decaf Soy Milk Latte = Just Shoot Me

    Ok, so maybe I'm more snob than geek, but this is what I said one day when I ordered this very coffee while on a decaf hiatus for health reasons.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Leopold,

    Oh, you can find decent tea if you look (not from Ak btw), but not the variety of shops you coffee drinkers seem to have.
    Amazed that there are so many responses on such a trivial matter (yes, tea is trivial too), esp, when compared with complete lack of comment on the opening shots in the election campaign -

    Since Jan 2007 • 153 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    We had a bongo van when I was a kid (after the morris minor and before the lada)

    Another Lada owner, eh? Despite numerous attempts to kill it, our Lada went 3 times around the clock. Charmless but seemingly indestructible. I sold it to a grad student, who added another around-the-clock, then on-sold it for more than he paid me.

    @ Leopold. I agree that we should be jumping up and down at the prospect of National selling off assets they don't own. But it would involve a new thread here.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Amazed that there are so many responses on such a trivial matter (yes, tea is trivial too), esp, when compared with complete lack of comment on the opening shots in the election campaign

    I recall the House of Brown being mocked for months on Kiwiblog and others for talking about coffee for several major posts several years back. It confirms prejudices about the effete city-slickers that dwell here. Little did they realize that their mockery also confirmed their strong lean to uncultured barbarianism. Even the rural people I know like good coffee over bad coffee, and many will take the time to learn about and provide themselves with such refinements.

    But yes, I think whaling on Key would also tickle my tastebuds. I suspect he's being lined up in a much more measured way as we speak.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Dismal Soyanz,

    Speaking of caffeine levels, apparently 42 cups in one sitting is bad for you. So glad I stop at 40.

    Ya big blouse. Drink through the pain!

    I mean, what could possibly go wrong...?

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to BenWilson,

    I recall the House of Brown being mocked for months on Kiwiblog and others for talking about coffee for several major posts several years back. It confirms prejudices about the effete city-slickers that dwell here.

    One of the small joys of the holidays was feeling no need to look at either Kiwiblog or The Standard.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to BenWilson,

    Mitsy Starion

    Daihatsu make a Sirion which can't ever read as anything other than Sirloin .. which makes me think of BBQ

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Indeed. But I have to say that total disconnection from the internet, period, was amazingly refreshing.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to BenWilson,

    that total disconnection from the internet, period, was amazingly refreshing.

    Is that actually possible? Could you write me some instructions. I know I should. But. I. Just. Can't. Stop.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

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