How lockdown improved my coffee-making skills
That’s not my latte art…
From barely drinkable to almost-Barista-level, there has been a dramatic improvement in my coffee-making skills over lockdown. Admittedly, the coffee bar was set quite low to begin with but I’m pretty chuffed with the quality of the That’s Not My Age brew. Patience, plus time spent practising my coffee-making technique has led to positive results. Though I do love a spot of Fika to break up the morning (now known as: take-away on a bench), I can also have a quality cuppa on my balcony. And when, eventually, we have guests to stay, they will no longer be hurried out to the nearest coffee shop in the morning.
These are my tips on how to make the perfect espresso at home:
Invest in the correct equipment. We don’t have a high-falutin’ espresso machine but ditching the old French Press for the quick and easy to use Aeropress has been key to my coffee-making success.
Buy fresh beans. I’m a bit of a coffee snob and have been using Monmouth Coffee (Fazenda Santa Lucia: Brazil) bought in small-ish bags from a local grocery store. Where they grind the beans for you (medium grind if you’re doing it at home). Store in a cool dark place. The coffee man at the grocery shop advised me not to keep the packet in the fridge but to store it in an airtight container in the cupboard.
Get the balance right. Obviously, this comes down to personal preference but I like my coffee quite strong and so two scoops/shots/ tablespoons of coffee and then hot water up to level two on the Aeropress. Tip: leave the water for 30 seconds after boiling.
The milk frother makes all the difference. I cannot tell you how pleased I am that I spent late afternoon Christmas Eve 2019 rushing around Brixton looking for proper milk frother. My older brother had sent me some money which went on a Lavazza Milkup Milk Frother. Christmas Day coffee was dire, but three months in lockdown and things are looking up.
Finding time for Fika
Latte art is limited to fluffy clouds at the moment but I’m working on a more complicated design. And I might put the money I’ve saved with my at-home caffeine fix towards a fancy new cup:
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Discussion (26 Comments)
Oh yes, forgot to mention Oatly barista milk – works a treat for my latte, though Mr TNMA prefers semi-skimmed.
Jane Royce says:
I had to reply to you, Rach with an E.
we are living the same day. Never liked Pop Master til lockdown. Now it’s a lovingly made coffee with proper beans (think I’m currently drinking Colombian coffee) and frothed (dairy) milk in my beautiful Marimekko cup, while I shout random band names at the radio. I had to smile when I saw Alysons poSt as my one coffee is my new morning ritual and brings me so much pleasure (I can hardly believe it). Looking forward to reading all the other replies.
Sarah P says:
I have been making Swedish sourdough cardamom buns at home and they do indeed go well with coffee (or tea). The recipe is here: https://sourdough.com/recipes/swedish-cardamom-buns . The recipe makes around 14-16 small buns, and I freeze most for consumption later. My partner has taken to eating them for breakfast.
anon says:
Yes, Aeropress is the absolute best – I’ve been a dedicated user for some 10 years. Apart from making delicious coffee it gives you the flexibility to make it according to your own taste in a way that is easily repeatable. The only thing I have against them is they do not have an unlimited life. After a certain amount of usage (it was around 18 months-2 years for me but then they changed the plastic and now it is longer), the internal surface of the cylinder roughens to a point when you have to chuck it out and get a new one because the air-tight seal with the rubber bung is no longer really there. Of course that main cylinder is the one part that you cannot buy as a spare. Another tip: best price I’ve come across for Aeropress is creamsupplies.co.uk who I suspect are the importers. Finally, I recommend using the metal filter disc which you can also get from Cream Supplies – much better than faffing around with the paper ones.
K says:
I love how everyone is completely enjoying their coffee experiences. How lovely. Was concerned, however, about the use of disposal filters with aeropress, so very happy to see that there is a metal filter work-around. Still, the plastic body will give up, eventually, and need to be disposed of. Wish they would make in glass and metal.
Deb Chowney says:
We do have a small industrial type coffee machine and we grind our own beans as we use them and use full fat milk, as we think it produces a better coffee. It is an indulgence (but cost per coffee we’ve probably paid for the machine a few times over!) and we do not have any other gadgets, so no microwave, no toaster or any other gadget that occupies space and no function. This gets used daily and is a real attraction to our visitors, with some of our first visitors experiencing their first ‘real’ coffee in months, whilst sat in our garden, this Saturday. We have a monthly subscription to Union Coffee and each month they send a random selection of blends, less than a week out of the roaster. They turned up yesterday and we look forward to the differences and have yet to experience one we dislike, although we really like those with more of a chocolate hint to them!
Sounds fantastic, Deb. We have a tiny kitchen so very little room for any gadgets apart from the toaster. I like Union Coffee and should probably try to be a bit more adventurous with my at-home brew! Also, a fan of Allpress.
Lucy says:
Hello. I’m thinking of buying a type of small industrial espresso machine. You sound happy with yours — do you mind telling me what you’re using? I have an Aeropress along with a host of other espresso makers. Grind my own beans, etc. Coffee is everything.
Hello, we have an Crem /Expobar Machine and a Mahlkonig Grinder, bought from a very helpful (and very supportive) company called Bella Barista, in Northamptonshire.
Karen Rennie says:
Lavazza coffee – the red bag – Waitrose do a beautiful 1000g bag of beans which is guaranteed to fill you with delight every morning!
I have found not quite boiling the water ( i guess the same as you leaving it for a minute after boiling) gives a delicious ‘barrista’ crema to black coffee. No better start to the day?Catherine O'Hara says:
Mouthwatering post & brilliant comments! I’m going to give SD Bells in Belfast a shout out; roasting since 1887. Consistently amazing quality coffee & tea and lovely people to boot. Will post beans & ground to anywhere in the UK (free delivery on orders over £35 in NI, £45 the rest of the UK). Not affiliated, just huge fans. https://sdbellsteacoffee.com
Sara Hanson says:
Hooray – son’s birthday present has now been ordered – he always complains he can’t get good coffee when on holiday – thank you for alerting me to this product.
Sara says:
An I missing something here? As a regular coffee drinker, why has n0body mentioned the good old cafeterie? So simple, absolutely no faffing and so easy to regulate strength. V little washing up fiddly bits, none in fact. Best coffee? Monsoon Malabar, not at all bitter but a lovely rich taste
Let’s hear it for simplicity!Gillian Bingham says:
I agree Sara. A cafetiere is about as sophisticated as it gets in my house! (I won’t even mention instant!) Thanks for the tip about Monsoon Malabar.
Dedicated tea drinker here. I love coffee but suck at making it. So coffee for me is reserved to eating out after a lovely restaurant lunch. And I do miss my weekly latté at the local coffee shop with a friend. Saw an instant coffee latté recipe on-line a while ago and tried it. It’s not altogether bad. Heresy I know to coffee snobs. But my whisk makes passable foam, and Hubby and I have been enjoying a weekly latté on our deck watching our resident family of geese sail by on the river. Four adults and 35 youngsters! The coffee isn’t great but the view makes up for it.
Sarah says:
Having coffee breaks with son during lockdown every day, he makes the latte. I’ll miss it when he goes!
Mrs Tonia says:
Fascinating to read about all the methods of coffee making.
We use a filter old ceramic Melitta one or plastic. Boil kettle pour over grounds drink.
Beans I’ve bought for years from Cardews in Oxford covered market. Since lockdown they have been posting our regular Kenya AA to us. I grind with an orange plastic grinder I’ve had since student days.
He drinks it black, I add a dash of organic semi skimmed milk M and S or another. It’s simple and delicious. Leftover or undrunk coffee I cool then throw in fridge to have later as an iced coffee without ice.maudie says:
Oooh, what a lovely post – could virtually smell the beans coming through the computer. That cinnamon bun looked totally delicious too. I normally use a cafetiere but can never find the right coffee blend. Might have a lookie out for Monsoon Malabar. Sorely tempted by an Aeropress – is there much faffage involved? I am all for ‘ritual’ but faffage, no!
Nic Durkin says:
I’ve been practising my latte art too – much harder than it looks! Would highly recommend the Sage Bambino Plus if you’re looking for a good coffee machine
Angela Kennedy says:
I thought I’d miss my daily Pret coffee fix during lock down but not so ! Like you, I’ve been investing in better quality coffee beans to grind and brew at home , though not quite to your barista level I admit . I still use my trusty Melitta coffee filter paper cones in a Divertimenti ceramic filter and take my coffee very dark minus milk so it’s perfect for two cups .
After buying up the last 5 Carluccio Italian coffee bean packs online before they sadly closed up shop (was not my fault), I struggled to find something I liked just as much and have finally settled on Ozone Empire. It costs a fortune but is still so much cheaper than all those random cups of coffees purchased en route somewhere or other , and often only half sipped .Fabhat says:
Ah we do love a good coffee ( hello Brown’s) My parents met due to my ( American ) father’s excellent ( and then rare) coffee making skills – still beloved by my mother nearly 60 years on. He donated a piece of his vintage filter coffee making kit to our local roastery- http://www.mont58.com who have been having fun playing with it. The habit is passed on as Mr fabhat is the coffeemaker in our house and grinding your own beans ( which we get from. Mont58) definitely makes a big difference. We have a tiny electric grinder that works brilliantly !
CriCri 
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T’other half and I are both working from home. I have Radio 2 on low, so I hear the Popmaster intro, whence I dash downstairs to the stove top coffee maker (pre-prepared), warm up the mugs and pop the milk in the Lavazza frother (though I think yours is better). I use Oatly barista milk, simply because I prefer it to anything else, with Lavazza coffee. Coffee breaks have definitely become a habit for both of us but I need to stop the accompanying homemade scone/muffin due to excess muffin top.. I do have a proper break though, so I count it as a mindful moment! And a few Popmaster points helps too.