General Chat

I am a self confessed coffee addict.

I drink instant, ground and any kind coffee else that I can get my hands on.
So long as it's strong, it's all proper coffee to me!

I have various machines and cafetieres including the Tassimo one

I like the Tassimo because it's not limited to one brand or type
Costa, Carte Noir, Kenco and others, all make different types of coffee pods for it.

BTW... Suchard Hot Chocolate pods for the Tassimo are really sickly sweet.!
I've got Oreo hot chocolate pods in the cupboard but I suspect that they will also be too sweet. Yuck
:-D :-D :-D

Well as someone who suffers from tremor I wouldn't like to drink a 'proper' coffee made by me!

When trying to tamp down the ground beans the coffee would be flying everywhere!

As for having one functioning hand and being able to prepare 'proper' coffee I nearly fell off my commode :-D

May I recommend Guatemala Antigua Coffee beans (absolutely no bias whatsoever) ;-)

...and then there are those of us who don't like freshly ground coffee :-D :-D

and here endeth the first lesson :-D

Is there any topic or subject with which Rollo has no connection? Answers on a postcard please!!

Rollo .............

oh thou who knowest it all, and knows very little about many things ...............

If you had truly read what I posted, you will note that I said ...

"Have you ever thought that there might be people who love coffee but cannot make it by any so-called "traditional" means that you advocate because they are too handicapped?

The Tassimo machine with its pods does provide a way for someone so severely handicapped that they can only use one hand and / or not stand without support."

Please read those two paragraphs over and over again until you understand what I said.


Severely handicapped

Not stand without support



The person I know is in an electric wheelchair because of a muscular progressive disease. They have the use of only 1 hand, which they obviously use to drive the wheelchair by means of a knob.

They cannot safely drive the wheelchair from kitchen to their chair, and carry a cup of coffee at the same time. Yes ........... they have been taught how to manoeuvre themselves from the wheelchair to a lounge chair.

To have the machine set up next to the chair is ideal for them.


I think even you will agree that this is a much different situation from you breaking your arm playing some stupid sport. You had the use of all other limbs and the rest of your body.


OR .......... do you suggest the person stays in the kitchen and waits for someone to make the coffee for them, and carry it to the living room?

If so, you are taking away some of what little independence they have left.

Being in possession of only one working hand does not render a person disabled according to UK DWP. For sure it is an inconvenience but it does not stop essential activities such as cooking and making real coffee.

Back in the day I smashed up my left arm playing rugby. It was a long time before I got full use of the hand back and had to learn to write, fry bacon and make coffee with the other one - I am left handed. A while later I was working as a junior coffee (yes) trader at Hay's Wharf in the City of London. I managed to break the other arm and so had to set up the testing with just the one. Green beans, roast, grind, coffee in bowls. Perfectly possible with one hand.

It is quite easy to roast beans in a frying pan. Chuck in the green beans keep them moving until the heart iof the bean opens then smartly move them into a bowl for grinding. Use Arabica beans. Back in my one handed days I then dumped the roasted beans into a little electric grinder which ran while the lid was held down. Then a cafetiere and I was done.

There is very iittle the one handed person cannot accomplish given sufficient determination even if one arm is in plaster. I knew a guy with only one arm in Egypt who was a formidable squash player and ran a popular restaurant. Excellent coffee!

Coffee by value is the 2nd most traded product in the world after oil.

"When will it be ready?
- when the coffee arrives from the Yemen."
(old Arabic saying)

thanks to all of you who have given input. I have certainly learned a few things.!!

Some very individual and interesting aspects I would never have thought of.!!
:-D

Sue

We only use drip filter, buy coffee beans and grind them as needed.


BUT .......

........ Rollo who knows everything, yet really knows very little about some things ............

Have you ever thought that there might be people who love coffee but cannot make it by any so-called "traditional" means that you advocate because they are too handicapped?

The Tassimo machine with its pods does provide a way for someone so severely handicapped that they can only use one hand and / or not stand without support.

I know several people in that situation. A carer can set up the machine, and the person only need insert the pod and the start.

Starbucks also avoided paying UK taxes for 14 years - eventually paid some - (obviously not all they owe) last year. :-|

Nespresso pods can be recycled.

struth!!! something Rollo did not know!!!! :-D

SheilaWestWilts clearly knows what a decent cup of coffee is so I am not a minority of one :-)
I didn't know the pods were an environmental disaster
http://blog.honestcoffees.com/blog/environmental-impact-of-using-coffee-pods
though it can be sorted.
I did know the cups used in Starbucks etc cannot be recycled
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36882799

We had a coffee percolator (stove top) when I was a kid, used to come out on Sundays and we bought the coffee from a small shop that roasted and ground the beans (I can smell it now - mmm).

Over the years have used filter papers and cones, a Cona machine which I bought 2nd hand, drip filter, cafetiere and, for the last 15+ years, espresso machines. The latter have improved over the years, the cheaper ones are much better now. Currently using a De Longhi which is good.

The pod machines are disastrously environmentally unfriendly, and I have not been overly impressed by the coffee.

I've gone back to the old percolator which is about 50 and stands on the hob.

We were given a really good coffee machine around 35 years ago and it lasted 25 before it packed up. Since then I've tried two different machines, one still working but I much prefer the old percolator. :-D

Ann, my daughter has one of those.!


Kath, am also type 2 and have sugar in my diet, including chocolate (naughty) , but unfortunately I just don't like it in tea or coffee.!!



Sue

I've got a Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee machine - love it - had it for a number of years and always use the Skinny Light Cappuccino - no sugar - got my last machine quite cheaply in Curry's - around £36

I have type 2 diabetes but I still have some sugar in my diet so don't have a problem with this coffee.

Kath. x

You are right about the minimal effort Rollo. They are so easy. We like to use the Costa Coffee shops and find the pods give a very similar taste, although I agree that a decent cup of coffee from a bean to cup machine will always be better.

Kath. x

Thanks Rollo and Kath, and Emma for your information.

I have just had another look and yes Kath, the sugar is 5.5 in the milk pods.

No good for me as I am a diabetic.!!!!!

Oh well, that's that then.!!!!!


Sue x

We have a Nespresso with an integrated milk frother
which came free with the coffee machine.