Category: coffee

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Nice lunch number one

I’ve always tried to take a proper lunch break when working. I think it provides me with a good break from the routine of work, doing something different and I also try and get some fresh air.

Working in Gloucester I can walk around the town or the docks, however at our Forest of Dean Campus in Coleford, there isn’t much to do around the site, and the lunch options on site are quite depressing as well, okay if you like sandwiches or burgers. Even Coleford doesn’t have too many choices either.

So this time I went off to Monmouth, which is a twenty minute drive away. Looking at the options available I decided to go to Coffee #1. This was my first visit to a branch of Coffee #1.

I really liked the look and feel of the place with assorted bits of wooden furniture and leather sofas and chairs.  I had a delicious panini and a flat white.

I also treated myself to a summer fruits cheesecake.

While I was finishing off my coffee, I checked my e-mail before heading back to the college and my office.

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Grinding Coffee

My favourite brand of coffee these days is Percol’s Black & Beyond and I have recently had trouble finding it in my local supermarkets (and in some cases not so local). So as a result I decided to buy a pack of Percol’s Black & Beyond whole bean coffee. I’ve not used beans for a while, so though I do have an electric grinder, my son got out the manual coffee grinder. If you have ever watched Dances with Wolves you will know what it looks like. I’ve never actually used it, and remembering the film, I thought it would take a while to grind the coffee. In the end it was quicker than I thought it was going to be. It didn’t do a fine grind, you wouldn’t want to use it in an espresso machine, but for a cafetiere it was okay. The coffee was really good and as a result I might keep getting beans now and again.

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Espresso in the car…

You just know that I want to get one of these…. Perfect for those long journeys, or when queuing for petrol when there’s a tanker strike on, or as happens way too often the M5 grinds to a halt.

Only €149

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Black & Beyond

Those who know me, know that I only drink “real” coffee, I’ve recently changed my usual coffee from Percol’s Americano to Percol’s Black & Beyond. This is an increase in strength from 5 to 6.

It’s a strong coffee that is full of flavour. If you like the odd espresso then you’ll probably like a cup of this. However if you prefer a latte then you’ll no doubt find this coffee way too strong.

I generally use this coffee in my cafetiere and certainly gives a kick and is very nice.

You wouldn’t want to have too many cups of this coffee otherwise you’ll have to drag you off the ceiling!

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Americano please…

Caffe Nero in Birmingham

Last week, having managed to catch an earlier train and arriving in Birmingham a little earlier than I needed to, I decided to venture to Caffé Nero for a coffee. (and they have free wifi so that’s useful too).

I ordered my usual for Caffé Nero, an americano with cold skimmed milk on the side.

As I have written before, I have found that the coffee at Caffé Nero is pretty consistent, and this one was no exception. A really nice strong, well flavoured coffee.

If can’t find a decent independent, then out of all the chains if I can find one, then I will go to Caffé Nero.

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Flat White

Ever since visiting New Zealand I have had a fondness for the Flat White. It can be challenging to find a decent Flat White in the UK, despite the widespread adoption by coffee chains of the Flat White; unless the barista knows what they are doing, you may think you are getting a flat white, but you get a disappointing cappuccino instead.

Drinking coffee #366photosI was pleased the other day to order a Flat White in my local Costa and I got a really good Flat White, perfect.

The coffee was good, the milk was steamed to the right creamy consistency and even the pattern on the top was sharp and remained as I drank the coffee.

Hopefully the next time I get a Flat White just as good.

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Caffè Paradiso

On a recent visit to London, I was on Store Street in Camden when I decided I wanted to get a coffee and do some work. The Caffè Paradiso was one of many coffee shops close by, but I chose it, partly as it had free wifi, but mainly as it looked like it served decent coffee.

Well the wifi was free and reasonably fast. The coffee was also really good. I also had a plain croissant and it took a while to get some butter. Though the croissant was fresh, it tasted a little too much of almond as though it had been stored too close to the almond croissants.

What I like about these independent coffee shops is they have character and soul. They have a personality which is missing from the high street chains. Of course the reason why high street chains are successful is that they appear to offer consistency and reliability. Though generally I have had excellent coffee from most independent places I have been to, I have on the odd occasion been disappointed. I think this is the reason why people sometimes are a little bit wary of independence and go with a chain. Of course in some places you have no choice and you can only go to a chain. Regular readers of this blog will know from my posts on coffee that chains, which should be consistent can sometimes disappoint. So the next time I am in the area I will hopefully have a repeat visit to Caffè Paradiso for some excellent coffee.

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Bloomsbury Cafe

CoffeeSo there I was slightly early for a meeting in Gordon Square in the heart of London, I had time for a coffee, however the only place close by and I could find was the Bloomsbury Cafe on Gordon Street. It’s part of UCL and from what I could see it served coffee in cardboard cups. Without any choice I decided that I did want a coffee and went in.

I had a large Americano which cost a very reasonable £1.30 and really enjoyed it, it was a great coffee. Felt old sitting amongst the students, but I think that’s just life!

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Flying for a coffee

I’ve decided I’ve really gone off Starbucks coffee, I find that it is over roasted and I’ve not really enjoyed that coffee drinking experience. So there I was at Bristol Airport at 6am thinking I want a coffee, I could choose between Starbucks and Soho Coffee Co.

I don’t want rehash my previous visit to Soho, but as I didn’t feel like drinking Starbucks I went with Soho. The experience was as it should be, the service was polite, fast and efficient and as for the coffee, it was really nice and I enjoyed it. When you have a nice experience it does make you want to go back.

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A flat Flat White

It's supposed to be a Flat WhiteI was less than impressed with a Flat White I recently had at Starbucks, it was flat and insipid. I wonder though how much of that was because it was in a paper cup? I’m not a great fan of coffee in paper cups and where possible I will “drink in” so I can have a proper china cup.

I still find it a little incredulous how much we pay for coffee in paper cups these days, we think it’s somewhat normal!