Coffee Hobbyist Where to Begin

Hi and welcome to Bunnati newsletter!

This week’s publication includes:

1. Coffee Conversation: Coffee Hobbyist Where to Begin

2. Coffee Recipe: Affogato, yummy!

3. Coffee News Roundup

4. A Lovely Quote

COFFEE CONVERSATION

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air, enticing and invigorating the senses. For us, coffee is not just a beverage – it’s a passion. As coffee hobbyists, we constantly seek to expand our knowledge and perfect our craft.

This is a vast topic with many entry points. On one end, there are experts who have dedicated their lives to knowing every detail about coffee, often authoring books and making a living from their expertise.

On the other end, there are those just beginning their journey into the world of coffee. Their motivations vary, from simply wanting to brew a good cup of specialty coffee at home to striving for the perfect shot of espresso from various beans.

I'm an avid coffee lover and enjoy every aspect of it. At the heart of it, I love all types of brews. What’s most important is that the coffee tastes good.

So, where does one start, and how does one expand their coffee-making techniques?

This newsletter will be a series of several parts because there is much to cover. Essentially, you need to know what kind of coffee pleases you or which type you want to get into.

I love the brews that begin with an espresso, whether it’s a cortado, flat white, cappuccino, and so on. There’s an obvious difference in taste. Try vanilla ice cream with instant coffee, then with filter coffee, and finally with espresso. This is called an Affogato. The difference is night and day.

This is my preference and may not be yours. You may like other types of great coffee, whether it’s a pour-over using a V60 or even a moka pot, which some call “espresso cheaters”, because it makes a pseudo espresso.

If you like espresso like me and beverages derived from it, you’ll need to make an investment. It doesn’t have to be ridiculous. My setup includes a $999 espresso machine, the Profitec GO (which could be cheaper now) and the Niche Zero grinder, which specializes in grinding coffee beans for espresso.

I also bought a $40 moka pot yesterday. This moka pot is as simple as they come and supposedly makes great coffee. I bought it specifically for traveling. I’ll use it with a J-Ultra 1zpresso hand grinder that I’ll also take along.

Anyhow, I purchased the moka pot after using the Flair Espresso Maker Pro 2 on the road, which I didn’t like at all. It was cumbersome to use, and hopefully on my next trip, the moka pot will be used often.

COFFEE RECIPE

One of the most favorite desserts in Milan, Italy — Affogato

Recipe: 2 scoops vanilla ice cream and pour 2 oz espresso on top. Enjoy.

COFFEE NEWS

Finance: The Old Empires of Cocoa, Coffee and Tea are Fragile. 

The historical trade routes for coffee, cocoa, and tea, once symbols of empire, now reveal the vulnerabilities of globalization. Climate change and geopolitical tensions threaten these supply chains, with the Suez and Panama Canals facing disruptions.

Agricultural volatility is increasing, making consistent farming and shipping more challenging, despite efforts by brands to support sustainable practices. The fragility of these global supply chains is evident, and future shortages could become more common.

Source: Financial Times

Health: Drinking Coffee May Help Protect Against Parkinson's, Study Says.

A new study has found a significant link between drinking coffee and a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Analyzing data from 184,024 individuals over 13 years, researchers observed that coffee drinkers had a lower risk compared to non-drinkers.

Source: Science Alert

Culture: How Drinking Too Much Coffee Fueled Van Gogh’s Work.

Van Gogh enjoyed smoking his pipe and drinking coffee, which is evident in his painting "Still Life with Coffee Pot" created in May 1888 during rainy days in his new home, the Yellow House in Arles. This still life features a prominent coffee pot he had recently purchased to equip his kitchen. Van Gogh found great pleasure in coffee, often mentioning its effects in letters to his family and friends.

His coffee pot, used in his studio, is part of a composition that includes other household items. Influenced by his friend Emile Bernard, Van Gogh’s painting also features an orange border and a blue tablecloth, now faded.

After his death, the painting was acquired by Basil and Elise Goulandris, and it is now displayed at their foundation's museum in Athens.

Source: The Art Newspaper

QUOTE

Thank you for reading my newsletter. Every Wednesday a new one will be published. So be on the lookout in your inbox. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do so by clicking the button below. Enjoy the rest of the week.

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