I have been blogging for a few weeks and am extremely excited to talk today about coffee. My favorite beverage, my necessary morning boost, and favorite flavor of any dessert. I love a delicious and bold black coffee, espresso latte and Americano equally. I mean, an oat milk latte after work really hits the spot. I used to buy coffee out seemingly everyday. I did not feel my coffee at home compared to what I could purchase at a coffee shop. But, over the past few years, I have found a lot of information and new tools to become a coffee expert, sort of.
Of course, the beans are the most important part of your coffee routine. Buying local, freshly roasted beans significantly improved my everyday cup of coffee. This is a simple change and I don’t know why I did not do it sooner. I would buy beans from Dunkin or the grocery store, but they are not as fresh and therefore lacked flavor. There are a lot more roasters available which makes buying freshly roasted and ground beans a lot more accessible than it used to be. Of course buying whole beans and grinding them at home has long been an option. But buying freshly ground coffee for your specific machine locally, is very convenient and a lot more accessible than it used to be. Like most things, it is trial and error. There are a lot of types of coffee, and trying different roasters will help you narrow down your preferred flavors and acidity for the perfect brew. I have ordered from local shops and online retailers, like La Colombe, a delicious roaster I tried in Chicago. I have loved some and really struggled to get through others. While I have a few reliable tried and true local brands, I have recently been trying out a new subscription service that makes the coffee buying process very streamlined and guarantees a perfect cup.
Trade Coffee is a subscription coffee service that matches you to coffee roasters across the country and ships straight to your door. Trade has you fill out a survey, asking about how you brew your coffee, preferred roast, knowledge of beans and if you add milk. After the quiz, it matches you to several different options. For my first bag I selected a bourbon bean from Irving Farm since I was familiar with this type of bean. I received an email when the coffee was roasting and then another when it was on its way. I am so happy to report that I was obsessed with my first bag! It was so delicious, not acidic, and the perfect flavor. I usually drink my coffee black and this coffee was just sublime. I was extremely satisfied with my first bag and can’t wait for my second. I had Trade select the next one for me and should be receiving it sometime this week. The best part of about Trade is the option to try different roasters! My mom, the original coffee fanatic, had a mail order subscription to Gevalia many years ago. It was a very convenient service, but you could only ever buy Gevalia. While their coffee was tasty, I prefer Trade’s option to try different regional roasters.
The second change I made was moving away from drip coffee. There is nothing wrong with a drip machine, but I definitely think you can extract more flavor from an Aeropress, french press or pour over coffee. I started using an Aeropress four years ago and was an immediate convert. Aeropress functions similarly to a french press, which is very easy to use. And the clean up is easier than a french press which is ideal for daily use. You can make the cup pretty much as strong as you want by making a concentrate, or allowing to soak for longer periods of time. And espresso could also be made using the same machine. Very conveniently, Trade Coffee can grind your beans to the exact coarseness optimized for the Aeropress, ensuring a perfect cup of coffee at home. The only downside is you cannot really make several cups at once, so on the weekends I sometimes use a french press.
The last step to a perfect cup of coffee is drinking it at your preferred temperature. I used to make coffee and put it in a thermos. But it would stay way too hot at first, and by the time it was a better temperature I was busy seeing patients. Or I would take the lid off to cool it down, and then it would get too cold and I could not reheat it in the metal thermos. Is this just me? Anyone else been here before? But then, I found Ember. Game changer. It heats up or cools down your beverage to be enjoyed at your preferred perfect temp. It makes me so happy! I charge it overnight and then can enjoy my coffee on my way to work. At work I can reheat my coffee if I get busy seeing patients before finishing my coffee. It is so convenient, and I have noticed I do not throw away as much coffee as I used to.
These are all really small changes, but all together I am much happier with my home brewed coffee. I still enjoy a specialty latte or coffee from my favorite local shop, but I am really happy to have a weekday brew I can count on. On my already rushed mornings, it saves me time and money. I am excited to see what other coffee I will receive with Trade, and to support roasters across the country. What is your preferred coffee brewing method? And what are some of your favorite coffees?
