Coffee and Beethoven

[khiemtran]

Right now, I'm drinking good coffee and listening to Andras Schiff's Beethoven lecture series available at the Guardian Unlimited website. It's been fascinating so far, and I'm starting to get a grasp on the language of the Beethoven piano sonatas.

Liem is watching the Wiggles and eating a rice cake.

Since my espresso machine finally died from overuse, I've been using a stovetop coffeemaker that is supposedly "six cup". The filter only fits the amount of coffee that I'd consider right for "one cup". I wonder if this is a problem...

Comments

[sciamanna.livejournal.com]

Uh, is it an Italian moka pot? Because the 6-cup version of that calls for what I consider a rather huge quantity of coffee powder... The one I use is 2-cup, and takes about 2 tbsp (~30 ml). The 6-cup version shouldn't need much less than 3 times as much.

...and thanks for the link to the lecture series! Saved, to listen to when I need to do some stitching...

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

Uh, is it an Italian moka pot?

It is indeed.

Because the 6-cup version of that calls for what I consider a rather huge quantity of coffee powder... The one I use is 2-cup, and takes about 2 tbsp (~30 ml).

I think I might have been overestimating the amount a bit, since the filter basket looks like my old portafilter but is subtly larger. I'd usually use about 2 tbsp (heaped) for one espresso, and it doesn't look like the moka pot can take more than 4 tbsp. Then again, maybe with a bit of force...

[sciamanna.livejournal.com]

LOL! Nononono! Force is not the answer! :-)

(Really -- pressing coffee hard is not good for stovetop espresso. It's not like the espresso machines, where the steam goes through with more force.)

It's strange, because in my experience moka pots are pretty standard, both in the amount of powder they take and in the amount of coffee they produce. I guess the real test is whether you like the resulting coffee, or whether you find it too weak -- which you might anyway if you're used to a "proper" espresso machine, moka is slightly weaker by nature. If you find it weak, an alternative to trying to stuff more powder in than will fit is to use less water.

(However, I need to correct what I said before -- the pot I'm using is in fact 1-cup, not 2-cups. It's a large cup, enough that when I have someone over I share the coffee and get about the amount you'd expect for an espresso, so I tend to think of it as 2 cups, but it's 1-cup all the same.)

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

if you're used to a "proper" espresso machine, moka is slightly weaker by nature. If you find it weak, an alternative to trying to stuff more powder in than will fit is to use less water.

Ah, that might be it! I'll give that a go next time. I guess I might also be overcompensating by looking for the same taste I get from the espresso machine.