My coffee is awful this morning.

[Pressureangle]

Hmm

"Don't miss the V11 Cafe, down in the heart of Maggie Valley for the world's best Italian Motorcycle BS and pretty good espresso, too"

Just have to find some conscientious Stupefyin' Jones to run it lol

[PJPR01]

I remember on a very long family trip to Europe in 1978, my dad was fond of swiping those little espresso cups from every cafe we visited, by the end of the 5 month trip galavanting around Europe in a Mercedes van that we had quite a collection by the end.  A real treasure trove of cups and saucers.  Cafe Meinl, Agip 6 legged dog and others come to mind, special cafe's in Trieste, Bolzano, Bassano del Grappa were some of the favorite haunts on that trip.

[guzzler]

7 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

Yep, like a motor oil topic, but at least with this moto guzzi group, less hostile!  

I’d second much of whats been shared…. Italy used to be the spot for espresso when i was younger, as even the gas stations  in teh 80’s (Pavesi, etc) would serve up decent or even really good espresso.  I’d brag about it to my kids, then over the years most of those places replaced the barista with a machine.  Gross.  Had the proper chemical effect if looking to get jacked-up to rip down the auto-strata and into downtown Rome, giving the bird to everyone as a matter of course on a normal day, but the machines even from illy and other brands produce rotgut.  That said, to be fair, i also have to say that those old Italian places where the whole population would be there espresso shots, i distinctly remember seeing locals get their espresso cup, then grab the sugar container and and do a long pour of white crystals.  That part tends to get glossed over in my fond memories.  So maybe the Jo wasn’t as great as those gas stations….

And as others have pointed out, Oz is where odds are high you can get a great shot.  Love to hit New Zealand to tour and sample espresso, and i suppose the Sauv Blancs and even Pinots they’re famous for…. Vacation list for eventually. 

We got back to NZ to visit a cousin about an hour north of Auckland a few years ago....

Ooh wee... did we enjoy the Pinot in Auckland!

In the summer when it's a bit warm for Shiraz I do enjoy a Marlborough Sauv. Blanc too!

Yep, add good wine to that list of things life's too short for..!

Cheers 

NZ pies are the best too!

[guzzler]

Just in case you all missed it the first time....

Jeez dunno what happened there!

[Gmc28]

8 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

I remember on a very long family trip to Europe in 1978, my dad was fond of swiping those little espresso cups from every cafe we visited, by the end of the 5 month trip galavanting around Europe in a Mercedes van that we had quite a collection by the end.  A real treasure trove of cups and saucers.  Cafe Meinl, Agip 6 legged dog and others come to mind, special cafe's in Trieste, Bolzano, Bassano del Grappa were some of the favorite haunts on that trip.

You just named off a bunch of great places to ride around too!  I’ve spent more time in the NW part of mountains in Italy than up around Bolzano, but the time i have spent up there to NE keeps it hot on my “get back there” list.  Ideally on a motorbike, but even way back in my old worn-out-clutch 78 Ford Escort (German made ford) I enjoyed poking around that area.   All the espresso i drank only made me even more anxious when wondering whether I’d make it up some of those grades with the clutch slipping so bad on that car.   And to link the espresso and motorcycle themes together in this thread/post, I have the distinct memory of driving up some of the steep grade switchbacks up in the mountains around Bolzano, clutch slipping, and being passed like i was standing still (ok, i almost was…) on the outside (left) of a right hand switch back by motorcyclists just haulin-ass and scraping pegs.

5 months?  Wow, that sounds like a helluva gallavant. 

[PJPR01]

How very cool...if my memory is correct, we would often visit a very small village up in the mountains near Bolzano called Brez where my Dad had lots of friends from his earlier days roaming around Europe...I distinctly remember the old timers drinking a lot of Grappa, at age 13 it tasted awful  To get there we had to go up a very twisty curvy road...I would love to go back there and ride a motorcycle.   The food was amazing, the water very tasty, but lacking in iodine it seems as many of the older people had goiter.  Really interesting trip...

My parents had spent a lot of time in Ortisei (St. Ulrich) in the early 60's...so my sister was born in Bolzano...and he would go back and visit a lot.  Lovely scenery all around...every road a tasty treat.  Going back and forth over the Brenner several times was a treat.

[gstallons]

Stop talikn' like that .  I have never had food like that . the only exciting foods i have had were farm cooking and soul food cooking . These are both wonderful menus but I am sure there is more. although candied sweet potatoes from a farmer's table or ribs from a backyard full of brother's is making me hungry right now . 

[p6x]

I saw the "The Fall Guy" yesterday at iPic.

Throughout the movie, Ryan Gosling, a.k.a. "Colt" is craving for coffee, with many unsuccessful attempts using different machines.

Can anyone remember a show where coffee is an important element of the plot?

I will start: a Korean show, "Would you like a cup of coffee" that revolves about an apprentice Barista that must learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee from the owner and master of the bar.

I like the philosophy that revolves around making good coffee, on top of the Korean search for perfection in the respect of others. It would be considered shameful to serve anything but perfectionism.

Since we talk about Bars, there is something that I miss a lot from my younger days. Bars, Café, Pubs.... you know, places where you would encounter anybody and talk to like you had known them since you were born.

I must admit that I don't find this any longer here, or there. Anywhere you go where people congregate, it is all keeping to oneself. Silence. No more exchanges.

I still remember the days when we would go to the bar after any major event, to discuss it with perfect strangers. Whatever opinion they had, we would always reunite around a café, sometimes adding strong liquor in it;

We would always repair the world, making it a better place.

We should go back to those Bars, Café, Pubs... Pronto!

[Scud]

For making coffee at home, we have settled on a French Press. As with all machines It requires starting with good coffee... and prefer the darker roasts.

The press is fabulous, because it is simple to use, and you can let the ground soak for a while before pushing the plunger down, to extract ALL the flavor. We like a double-walled, insulated press (as opposed to glass ones that are most common) as the coffee will stay hot enough to enjoy the second cup.

I even have a mini french press for camping, as all I need to do is boil water to have a proper coffee.

We also have a Breville Barista Touch machine, which makes a fine espresso and steams milk for all the fancy drinks. We're very happy with that machine.

And a coffee story...

A while back, I had an opportunity to goof off for a couple days before work in Germany. So I rented a 1200GS and went to Austria. From there, I set myself a mission to have a cup of coffee in three different countries on the same day. Woke up and coffee at the Hotel Enzian in Landeck (which is very motorcycle-friendly). Then another cup of coffee atop the Stelvio pass in Italy. The third was in Switzerland at a roadside cafe on the way back to complete my loop. 

Coffee Rated by Quality High to Low: 1) Italy, 2) Austria, 3) Switzerland

Coffee Rated by Price Low to High: 1) Austria*, 2) Italy, 3) Switzerland

Winner: Italy 

*the Austria coffee was "free" as breakfast was included at the hotel

[Gmc28]

2 hours ago, Scud said:

For making coffee at home, we have settled on a French Press. As with all machines It requires starting with good coffee... and prefer the darker roasts.

The press is fabulous, because it is simple to use, and you can let the ground soak for a while before pushing the plunger down, to extract ALL the flavor. We like a double-walled, insulated press (as opposed to glass ones that are most common) as the coffee will stay hot enough to enjoy the second cup.

I even have a mini french press for camping, as all I need to do is boil water to have a proper coffee.

We also have a Breville Barista Touch machine, which makes a fine espresso and steams milk for all the fancy drinks. We're very happy with that machine.

And a coffee story...

A while back, I had an opportunity to goof off for a couple days before work in Germany. So I rented a 1200GS and went to Austria. From there, I set myself a mission to have a cup of coffee in three different countries on the same day. Woke up and coffee at the Hotel Enzian in Landeck (which is very motorcycle-friendly). Then another cup of coffee atop the Stelvio pass in Italy. The third was in Switzerland at a roadside cafe on the way back to complete my loop. 

Coffee Rated by Quality High to Low: 1) Italy, 2) Austria, 3) Switzerland

Coffee Rated by Price Low to High: 1) Austria*, 2) Italy, 3) Switzerland

Winner: Italy 

*the Austria coffee was "free" as breakfast was included at the hotel

Some proper science, that!

i’ve had some good espresso in Switzerland, but in fairness I had to seek it out (google map search), and i paid dearly for it.  Versus Italy where there were ok odds that I’d find a cafe just by walking around that would pull a decent shot, and it would probably be not much more than a euro (not long ago).  So I’d agree, Italy wins.  

My complaints about Italian coffee are all focused on espresso, and about how in the past you’d never see a machine to spit out “super automatic” espresso, but now see them all too commonly.  So between the places that don’t do a good job with espresso, and then the machines, the odds have gone down significantly of just walking into a place and being sure you’d get some good espresso.  Can certainly still be found, it’s just tougher sledding for great-shot-seekers. 

Just back from a couple weeks in France, and hard to find good shots there, so i just drink the drip or the machine made espresso, and occasionally find a decent shot somewhere.  Or stick to wine. 

[Pressureangle]

8 hours ago, p6x said:

Can anyone remember a show where coffee is an important element of the plot?

 

Saving Private Ryan.

[guzzler]

8 hours ago, p6x said:

I saw the "The Fall Guy" yesterday at iPic.

Throughout the movie, Ryan Gosling, a.k.a. "Colt" is craving for coffee, with many unsuccessful attempts using different machines.

Can anyone remember a show where coffee is an important element of the plot?

I will start: a Korean show, "Would you like a cup of coffee" that revolves about an apprentice Barista that must learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee from the owner and master of the bar.

I like the philosophy that revolves around making good coffee, on top of the Korean search for perfection in the respect of others. It would be considered shameful to serve anything but perfectionism.

Since we talk about Bars, there is something that I miss a lot from my younger days. Bars, Café, Pubs.... you know, places where you would encounter anybody and talk to like you had known them since you were born.

I must admit that I don't find this any longer here, or there. Anywhere you go where people congregate, it is all keeping to oneself. Silence. No more exchanges.

I still remember the days when we would go to the bar after any major event, to discuss it with perfect strangers. Whatever opinion they had, we would always reunite around a café, sometimes adding strong liquor in it;

We would always repair the world, making it a better place.

We should go back to those Bars, Café, Pubs... Pronto!

 I think a lot of people these days are very self- absorbed and lost in their digital world (s)....

Exception being us bike nuts,we seem to be able to talk to each other without any dramas.I've even found that it's (the bike) a good conversation starter with some er normal people too!  

[gstallons]

9 hours ago, p6x said:

I saw the "The Fall Guy" yesterday at iPic.

Throughout the movie, Ryan Gosling, a.k.a. "Colt" is craving for coffee, with many unsuccessful attempts using different machines.

Can anyone remember a show where coffee is an important element of the plot?

I will start: a Korean show, "Would you like a cup of coffee" that revolves about an apprentice Barista that must learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee from the owner and master of the bar.

I like the philosophy that revolves around making good coffee, on top of the Korean search for perfection in the respect of others. It would be considered shameful to serve anything but perfectionism.

Since we talk about Bars, there is something that I miss a lot from my younger days. Bars, Café, Pubs.... you know, places where you would encounter anybody and talk to like you had known them since you were born.

I must admit that I don't find this any longer here, or there. Anywhere you go where people congregate, it is all keeping to oneself. Silence. No more exchanges.

I still remember the days when we would go to the bar after any major event, to discuss it with perfect strangers. Whatever opinion they had, we would always reunite around a café, sometimes adding strong liquor in it;

We would always repair the world, making it a better place.

We should go back to those Bars, Café, Pubs... Pronto!

Well , the bars are still there , it's the people that are missing . 

[p6x]

On 6/1/2024 at 6:28 PM, gstallons said:

Well , the bars are still there , it's the people that are missing . 

Next time I am in Paris, I will try to show you what it used to be.

I found an Air B&B close to a café which has been there since the early 1900, owing to the painting they have inside the Café: "Le Tramway".

As this café was right down to my apartment, I used it as my headquarters, and in seven days, I knew everybody in the place. Waiters, Waitresses, regulars, owner.

The café is the one making the corner of the building. It still looks like that today. On the left-hand side is the Tramway that gave the name to the place. This is one of the early 1900 Tramways. A mechanical one, no overhead power lines.

It still happens!

 

[p6x]

On 6/1/2024 at 11:54 AM, Gmc28 said:

Or stick to wine.

Even wine is to be taken cautiously. A lot of blending happens out of the customers' knowledge. As with Honey.

Bread used to be for French, what good coffee used to be for Italians.

In fact, one staple of the French restaurant was to always have a basket of bread (free) on each and every restaurant table. It still happens occasionally, but it is gone for the most part.

Bread used to be at the core of everything. From breakfast and the "tartine", till diner with "la trempée". A simple veggie soup, where you would immerse strips of bread. The "soupe à l'oignon" preserves a bit of that tradition.

The bread situation is bleak nowadays. The Boulangerie where you would go get the bread every morning is long gone, replaced with what is called "Bread Depot". They only cook the bread that is delivered by industrial companies. Long gone the Boulanger that would wake up in the wee hours of the morning to make his own dough and his own bread.

All the traditions have been ironed out. All the knowledge has been computerized, so instead of an experience coffee brewer, you find the 16 year's old kid, that will push the button.