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Main
Date: 23 Jul 2006 21:18:28
From: graham
Subject: French coffee - robusta?
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I have never been able to duplicate the flavour of the coffee one has for
breakfast in French hotels - a sort of bitter, smoky, strong, eye-opening
taste. Is it because the beans were possibly robusta?
I have bought coffee from their supermarkets, only to find that out later
that they were a blend of arabica and the flavour was not the same.
Graham
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Date: 23 Jul 2006 16:42:57
From: razmoo
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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Oh and also yeh I think the French do roast a lot with robusta.. some
blends are like half half
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 04:40:13
From: graham
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"razmoo" <anson.d@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1153698177.118526.144170@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
> Oh and also yeh I think the French do roast a lot with robusta.. some
> blends are like half half
>
That was what I found in the supermarket brands.
Graham
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Date: 23 Jul 2006 16:37:18
From: razmoo
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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Alex_chef2000 wrote:
> Robusta is not a great bean to blend with, I think that you can find
> better alternatives with arabica beans.
I've never tried robusta, but I've wathced that dvd "coffee crazy" by
Paul Basset? (that Australian barista champion) guy & he thinks its
good to blend with arabica..
the dvd was terrible btw.
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Date: 23 Jul 2006 16:01:01
From: Alex_chef2000
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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Hi there, it depends in many variations: The Espresso machine, the
coffee bean blend, the grinder and the person who prepares it.
Robusta is not a great bean to blend with, I think that you can find
better alternatives with arabica beans.
It is also VERY important the water used.
In France, many restaurants use Evaporated milk for their coffee too.
Another variation is that in France, you were travelling, any
situations is different.
You can reproduce the exact flavor of the coffee served in Europe in
any place, but it is not so easy.
You first need the proper equipment ( Commercial Espresso machine,
water softener and filters, commercial grinder, any european gourmet
coffee blend and a special class to prepare coffee ).
It is easier to look for a good Coffee House in your city.
Regards from Mexico,
Alex.:
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 04:39:21
From: graham
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"Alex_chef2000" <alejandro@tips.com.mx > wrote in message
news:1153695661.194474.256640@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
> Hi there, it depends in many variations: The Espresso machine, the
> coffee bean blend, the grinder and the person who prepares it.
>
> Robusta is not a great bean to blend with, I think that you can find
> better alternatives with arabica beans.
>
> It is also VERY important the water used.
>
> In France, many restaurants use Evaporated milk for their coffee too.
>
> Another variation is that in France, you were travelling, any
> situations is different.
>
> You can reproduce the exact flavor of the coffee served in Europe in
> any place, but it is not so easy.
>
> You first need the proper equipment ( Commercial Espresso machine,
> water softener and filters, commercial grinder, any european gourmet
> coffee blend and a special class to prepare coffee ).
>
> It is easier to look for a good Coffee House in your city.
>
>
This was regular brewed coffee, not espresso-style. They certainly didn't
use evaporated milk.
Graham
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 00:28:12
From: Marshall
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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On 23 Jul 2006 16:01:01 -0700, "Alex_chef2000" <alejandro@tips.com.mx >
wrote:
>Hi there, it depends in many variations: The Espresso machine, the
>coffee bean blend, the grinder and the person who prepares it.
The French don't use espresso for breakfast coffee. I assume the OP
meant cafe au lait.
Marshall
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 04:37:17
From: graham
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"Marshall" <mrfuss@ihatespamearthlink.net > wrote in message
news:lt48c29mcnkpjvrb30pi5jqj0taulokasl@4ax.com...
> On 23 Jul 2006 16:01:01 -0700, "Alex_chef2000" <alejandro@tips.com.mx>
> wrote:
>
>>Hi there, it depends in many variations: The Espresso machine, the
>>coffee bean blend, the grinder and the person who prepares it.
>
> The French don't use espresso for breakfast coffee. I assume the OP
> meant cafe au lait.
>
Quite so. Or "brewed" coffee. Apparently, the French are the largest
importers of robusta and I thought that this distinctive flavour might come
from their using these beans. Arabica "french roast" is nowhere near that.
Graham
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Date: 27 Jul 2006 09:25:21
From: Bertie Doe
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"graham" wrote in message >
>>
> Quite so. Or "brewed" coffee. Apparently, the French are the largest
> importers of robusta and I thought that this distinctive flavour might
> come from their using these beans. Arabica "french roast" is nowhere near
> that.
> Graham
I believe most of the popular brands of instant coffee are derived from
robusta. Therefore most counties are 'guilty' of importing vasts quantities
of robusta.
I'm sure, somewhere on the net, there are figures for arabica versus robusta
tonnages.
Bertie
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Date: 27 Jul 2006 10:38:19
From: Bertie Doe
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"Bertie Doe" <montebrasite4@ntl.com > wrote in message
news:4irbjjF53av7U1@individual.net...
>
> "graham" wrote in message>
>>>
>> Quite so. Or "brewed" coffee. Apparently, the French are the largest
>> importers of robusta and I thought that this distinctive flavour might
>> come from their using these beans. Arabica "french roast" is nowhere
>> near that.
>> Graham
> I believe most of the popular brands of instant coffee are derived from
> robusta. Therefore most counties are 'guilty' of importing vasts
> quantities of robusta.
> I'm sure, somewhere on the net, there are figures for arabica versus
> robusta tonnages.
> Bertie
I was wrong, the robusta import figs were lower than I thought. 50/50 for
France - see bottom of page http://tinyurl.com/hz684
Bertie
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Date: 27 Jul 2006 13:51:03
From: graham
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"Bertie Doe" <montebrasite4@ntl.com > wrote in message
news:4irfsdF4d8taU1@individual.net...
>
> "Bertie Doe" <montebrasite4@ntl.com> wrote in message
> news:4irbjjF53av7U1@individual.net...
>>
>> "graham" wrote in message>
>>>>
>>> Quite so. Or "brewed" coffee. Apparently, the French are the largest
>>> importers of robusta and I thought that this distinctive flavour might
>>> come from their using these beans. Arabica "french roast" is nowhere
>>> near that.
>>> Graham
>> I believe most of the popular brands of instant coffee are derived from
>> robusta. Therefore most counties are 'guilty' of importing vasts
>> quantities of robusta.
>> I'm sure, somewhere on the net, there are figures for arabica versus
>> robusta tonnages.
>> Bertie
> I was wrong, the robusta import figs were lower than I thought. 50/50 for
> France - see bottom of page http://tinyurl.com/hz684
> Bertie
Thanks - very interesting article! Note however, France is still the
biggest per capita consumer of robusta.
Graham
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 21:20:33
From: Barry Jarrett
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:28:12 GMT, Marshall
<mrfuss@ihatespamearthlink.net > wrote:
>The French don't use espresso for breakfast coffee. I assume the OP
>meant cafe au lait.
We had coffee each morning in Bayeaux made with an espresso machine.
It was more 'cafe creme' than 'espresso', but it was made with an
espresso machine.
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Date: 23 Jul 2006 23:11:57
From: Ken Fox
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"graham" <stereo@shaw.ca > wrote in message
news:EIRwg.220493$iF6.14815@pd7tw2no...
>I have never been able to duplicate the flavour of the coffee one has for
>breakfast in French hotels - a sort of bitter, smoky, strong, eye-opening
>taste. Is it because the beans were possibly robusta?
> I have bought coffee from their supermarkets, only to find that out later
> that they were a blend of arabica and the flavour was not the same.
> Graham
>
Sorry, but i can't see why you would WANT to. I've been spending 2 months a
year the last couple of years (and a month a year before that for a couple
of decades) in France and have yet to have a coffee there that I'd want to
replicate at home. Their coffee SUCKS. I'm trying to learn French which is
why I'm spending so much time over there recently and whenever I have French
people over to my house (as often as I can arrange as it is an excuse to
speak French), I joke with them about how French people really don't even
like coffee, they like the milk and the sugar and they just need something
to put into it ---
Although I've had a lot of bad coffee at the McDonalds in Lyon (which have
free WiFi which is why I go there), I've had almost equally bad coffee for
breakfast in highly regarded multi starred French restaurants with attached
hotels.
Their coffee truly sucks. If I never had to be confronted with it again, it
would be too soon. The only reason to drink coffee in France is for
medicinal purposes such as maintaining alertness and avoiding caffeine
withdrawal headaches (Robusta is very good for both).
ken
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 05:58:10
From:
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 23:11:57 -0600, "Ken Fox"
<morceaudemerdeThisMerdeGoes@hotmail.com > wrote:
>"graham" <stereo@shaw.ca> wrote in message
>news:EIRwg.220493$iF6.14815@pd7tw2no...
>>I have never been able to duplicate the flavour of the coffee one
has for
>>breakfast in French hotels - a sort of bitter, smoky, strong,
eye-opening
>>taste. Is it because the beans were possibly robusta?
>> I have bought coffee from their supermarkets, only to find that out
later
>> that they were a blend of arabica and the flavour was not the same.
>> Graham
>>
snipped......
>Their coffee truly sucks. If I never had to be confronted with it
again, it
>would be too soon. The only reason to drink coffee in France is for
>medicinal purposes such as maintaining alertness and avoiding
caffeine
>withdrawal headaches (Robusta is very good for both).
>
>ken
>
I have only spent a small fraction of the time you have Ken, but I
totally agree with your opnion. French coffee is not good. I thoguht
it was made from robusta but perhaps not.
Now if you want to talk about their pastries or their cheeses or their
breads- superb! The French can't be perfct, you know:)
aloha,
Cea
--smithfarms.com
farmers of pure kona
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Date: 25 Jul 2006 04:53:22
From: Donn Cave
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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Quoth beans@smithfarms.com:
...
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 12:05:17
From: Nick Cho
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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graham wrote:
> "razmoo" <anson.d@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1153698177.118526.144170@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
> > Oh and also yeh I think the French do roast a lot with robusta.. some
> > blends are like half half
> >
> That was what I found in the supermarket brands.
> Graham
Graham, if you're really interested in that flavor profile, see if you
can track down some Cafe du Monde (from the famous cafe in New Orleans)
in the yellow can. They might have some at your local grocery store.
Dark roasted with chicory.
As far as where that "french coffee flavor" comes from, a Parisian
coffee retailer, Gloria Montenegro, that I met (reference
Portafilter.net Podcast #39) a couple of months ago told me that it's a
result of the French colonization of west Africa, where the coffee is
of a very low quality. It's what they could get, and it's what they
became accustomed to.
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Date: 25 Jul 2006 00:08:07
From: graham
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"Nick Cho" <portafilter@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1153767917.717977.175390@s13g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> graham wrote:
>> "razmoo" <anson.d@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1153698177.118526.144170@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
>> > Oh and also yeh I think the French do roast a lot with robusta.. some
>> > blends are like half half
>> >
>> That was what I found in the supermarket brands.
>> Graham
>
> Graham, if you're really interested in that flavor profile, see if you
> can track down some Cafe du Monde (from the famous cafe in New Orleans)
> in the yellow can. They might have some at your local grocery store.
> Dark roasted with chicory.
>
> As far as where that "french coffee flavor" comes from, a Parisian
> coffee retailer, Gloria Montenegro, that I met (reference
> Portafilter.net Podcast #39) a couple of months ago told me that it's a
> result of the French colonization of west Africa, where the coffee is
> of a very low quality. It's what they could get, and it's what they
> became accustomed to.
>
Thanks! I'll look out for that! I'll also try a few more brands of coffee
in the French supermarkets when I visit in September.
Incidentally, this is NOT the sort of coffee I would drink all the time. I
like to ring the changes and whatever type of roast and brand I've tried,
I've never been able to duplicate that flavour.
Graham
Graham
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 14:13:23
From: Lloyd Parsons
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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In article <1153767917.717977.175390@s13g2000cwa.googlegroups.com >,
"Nick Cho" <portafilter@gmail.com > wrote:
> graham wrote:
> > "razmoo" <anson.d@gmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1153698177.118526.144170@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
> > > Oh and also yeh I think the French do roast a lot with robusta.. some
> > > blends are like half half
> > >
> > That was what I found in the supermarket brands.
> > Graham
>
> Graham, if you're really interested in that flavor profile, see if you
> can track down some Cafe du Monde (from the famous cafe in New Orleans)
> in the yellow can. They might have some at your local grocery store.
> Dark roasted with chicory.
>
> As far as where that "french coffee flavor" comes from, a Parisian
> coffee retailer, Gloria Montenegro, that I met (reference
> Portafilter.net Podcast #39) a couple of months ago told me that it's a
> result of the French colonization of west Africa, where the coffee is
> of a very low quality. It's what they could get, and it's what they
> became accustomed to.
And prepare to be disappointed...
I like New Orleans Cafe Au Lait, which is made with chicory coffee
blend, but I've never had any from a can, regardless of brand, that was
worth carting out of the store.
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 15:44:45
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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I'm not sure that the coffee that they brew at CDM is any different than
what they put in the can, but the atmosphere (and the beignets) makes the
experience different.
It's possible to buy roasted chicory by itself and add it to fresh ground
coffee. (2/3 fresh ground French roast coffee , 1/3 chicory) Use a little
less than a normal amount of grounds. You have to experiment for your
taste - remember that it will get cut with lots of milk later and you can
also add hot water to cut the strength after brewing) This will give better
results than any can. A French press gives good results for chicory coffee.
In going for the French taste, you should scald the milk (heat to near
boiling). Cafe au lait is around 50/50 milk/coffee.
So to sum up:
1. French roast coffee (arabica is preferred - to hell with what the French
actually drink)
2. Ground roasted Chicory
3. A French press
4. Scalded milk
I think this should get you something that is close to the French coffee
experience but better actually.
"Lloyd Parsons" <lloydparsons@mac.com > wrote in message
news:lloydparsons-191766.14132324072006@individual.net...
> In article <1153767917.717977.175390@s13g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> "Nick Cho" <portafilter@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> graham wrote:
>> > "razmoo" <anson.d@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> > news:1153698177.118526.144170@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
>> > > Oh and also yeh I think the French do roast a lot with robusta.. some
>> > > blends are like half half
>> > >
>> > That was what I found in the supermarket brands.
>> > Graham
>>
>> Graham, if you're really interested in that flavor profile, see if you
>> can track down some Cafe du Monde (from the famous cafe in New Orleans)
>> in the yellow can. They might have some at your local grocery store.
>> Dark roasted with chicory.
>>
>> As far as where that "french coffee flavor" comes from, a Parisian
>> coffee retailer, Gloria Montenegro, that I met (reference
>> Portafilter.net Podcast #39) a couple of months ago told me that it's a
>> result of the French colonization of west Africa, where the coffee is
>> of a very low quality. It's what they could get, and it's what they
>> became accustomed to.
>
> And prepare to be disappointed...
>
> I like New Orleans Cafe Au Lait, which is made with chicory coffee
> blend, but I've never had any from a can, regardless of brand, that was
> worth carting out of the store.
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Date: 25 Jul 2006 00:09:35
From: graham
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
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"Jack Denver" <nunuvyer@netscape.net > wrote in message
news:rP6dnTMJ8-KwvljZnZ2dnUVZ_qqdnZ2d@comcast.com...
> I'm not sure that the coffee that they brew at CDM is any different than
> what they put in the can, but the atmosphere (and the beignets) makes the
> experience different.
>
> It's possible to buy roasted chicory by itself and add it to fresh ground
> coffee. (2/3 fresh ground French roast coffee , 1/3 chicory) Use a little
> less than a normal amount of grounds. You have to experiment for your
> taste - remember that it will get cut with lots of milk later and you can
> also add hot water to cut the strength after brewing) This will give
> better results than any can. A French press gives good results for chicory
> coffee.
>
> In going for the French taste, you should scald the milk (heat to near
> boiling). Cafe au lait is around 50/50 milk/coffee.
>
> So to sum up:
>
> 1. French roast coffee (arabica is preferred - to hell with what the
> French actually drink)
> 2. Ground roasted Chicory
> 3. A French press
> 4. Scalded milk
>
> I think this should get you something that is close to the French coffee
> experience but better actually.
>
Thanks. I'll try that. There's a local foodie-run store that should carry
that.
Graham
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 18:48:40
From: A.G.McDowell
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
|
In article <EIRwg.220493$iF6.14815@pd7tw2no >, graham <stereo@shaw.ca>
writes
>I have never been able to duplicate the flavour of the coffee one has for
>breakfast in French hotels - a sort of bitter, smoky, strong, eye-opening
>taste. Is it because the beans were possibly robusta?
>I have bought coffee from their supermarkets, only to find that out later
>that they were a blend of arabica and the flavour was not the same.
>Graham
>
>
Have you tried Coffee and Chicory?
--
A.G.McDowell
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 12:33:41
From: Ken Fox
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
|
"A.G.McDowell" <mcdowella@nospam.co.uk > wrote in message
news:ydhLTJA4fQxEFwEZ@mcdowella.demon.co.uk...
> In article <EIRwg.220493$iF6.14815@pd7tw2no>, graham <stereo@shaw.ca>
> writes
>>I have never been able to duplicate the flavour of the coffee one has for
>>breakfast in French hotels - a sort of bitter, smoky, strong, eye-opening
>>taste. Is it because the beans were possibly robusta?
>>I have bought coffee from their supermarkets, only to find that out later
>>that they were a blend of arabica and the flavour was not the same.
>>Graham
>>
>>
> Have you tried Coffee and Chicory?
> --
> A.G.McDowell
An alternative (and cheaper) approach would be to take advantage of all the
shredded retread tire parts one finds along American roadways. Although
these rubber shreds present a real road hazard, they present an opportunity
to those who love French coffee. The next time you encounter retread
shreds, pull your car off onto the shoulder of the highway and collect as
many pieces as you can. Then, grind them in with your coffee to get the
desired French coffee taste.
In order to avoid damaging your grinder, make sure there aren't any steel
belts in the rubber you put into the bean hopper.
Hope this helps.
ken
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Date: 25 Jul 2006 00:03:48
From: graham
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
|
"Ken Fox" <morceaudemerdeThisMerdeGoes@hotmail.com > wrote in message
news:4iki3rF47flpU1@individual.net...
> "A.G.McDowell" <mcdowella@nospam.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:ydhLTJA4fQxEFwEZ@mcdowella.demon.co.uk...
>> In article <EIRwg.220493$iF6.14815@pd7tw2no>, graham <stereo@shaw.ca>
>> writes
>>>I have never been able to duplicate the flavour of the coffee one has for
>>>breakfast in French hotels - a sort of bitter, smoky, strong, eye-opening
>>>taste. Is it because the beans were possibly robusta?
>>>I have bought coffee from their supermarkets, only to find that out later
>>>that they were a blend of arabica and the flavour was not the same.
>>>Graham
>>>
>>>
>> Have you tried Coffee and Chicory?
>> --
>> A.G.McDowell
>
> An alternative (and cheaper) approach would be to take advantage of all
> the shredded retread tire parts one finds along American roadways.
> Although these rubber shreds present a real road hazard, they present an
> opportunity to those who love French coffee. The next time you encounter
> retread shreds, pull your car off onto the shoulder of the highway and
> collect as many pieces as you can. Then, grind them in with your coffee
> to get the desired French coffee taste.
>
> In order to avoid damaging your grinder, make sure there aren't any steel
> belts in the rubber you put into the bean hopper.
>
So that's what all the convenience stores, FF outlets and lunch counters in
the US use!
Graham
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 13:43:11
From: notbob
Subject: Re: French coffee - robusta?
|
On 2006-07-24, Ken Fox <morceaudemerdeThisMerdeGoes@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Hope this helps.
It did. With all the miserable heat, I needed a good laugh. ;)
nb
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