The Reading Room

AeroPress coffee is the most versatile home brewer made. One device covers espresso-style concentrate, pour over, cold brew, and travel. Here is the classic recipe plus 4 variations and the key variables that change the cup.

Slight change of subject.Take a look at these vintage movies (1925 and 1936) about some regions of Colombia. They show Manizales and a coffee farm, Cali, Bogota and several other cities.The country around Cali and its sugar cane plantations and industry,...

Tiamo is a Taiwanese-based company that specializes in knock-offs of more expensive Hario and Kalita gear. I'm not aware of any reviews of Tiamo drippers, so I thought it might prove useful to somebody if I were to provide one.I...

Orphan Espresso is a husband-and-wife team located in Troy, Idaho. They're well-known for their espresso-machine restorations, and their specialization in hand grinders--Zassenhaus, PeDe, Peugeot and the like. Over the past year or so, they've taken what they've learned from hand-grinder...

Now we move north. More or less in the mid-western part of the country, smack in the Central Cordillera (the central range that splits the country South to North), with the Cauca river between the Western and the Central ranges,...

Hello folks!I just wanted to point people's attention to this great ROASTe review of Deep Cello Nostromo by Barking Burrito! We really appreciate it when someone understands exactly what Deep Cello is about and is doing. We spent six months convincing...

What makes Colombian coffee from Nariño special? High altitude, volcanic soil, shade-grown farms, and a bright, floral, sweet cup.

This one's been long overdue.I've had the good fortune to have tried three excellent coffees, both at home and at work--with my wife, with my coworkers, on my CafeSolo, my Softbrew, and on my Trifecta.  As I sampled and shared...

I don't have a specific link/quote in mind, but I've noticed here and there that people often differ with respect to what methods they consider easier, or (alternatively) more hassle-free.Take the Aeropress, which I’ve been using quite a bit of...

I love using my slow cooker. Over the weekend my dad had a craving for pulled pork. So early Sunday morning I put a five pound piece of pork loin into the slow cooker. To that I added two cups...

Compare the top coffee brewing methods, from French press to pour-over to espresso. Learn how each shapes the cup and how to pick your favorite.

A home barista is anyone who brews coffee with attention to craft rather than convenience. These 5 skills , dialing in grind size, mastering ratio, controlling temperature, reading extraction, and tasting deliberately , improve every cup regardless of brewing method.

I read a ROASTe blog post on "Desserts and  Coffee" earlier today and, duly inspired by that, I made the appropriately journalistic move of exploring further. There's a great pie shop near my house--Petsi's Pies, if you're ever in Cambridge...

Well, its official, I am addicted to all things coffee. Not so much of the drinks with milk and flavor syrups, they are good, but I am talking about straight coffee. Black. Single origins, blends, natural processed, chemical processed. I...

Coffee is one of the most versatile baking ingredients available. Used in desserts, it deepens chocolate flavor, adds bitter contrast to sweet caramel, and creates a signature flavor of its own. Here are 5 ways to use coffee in desserts and how each one works.

Blend vs single origin: one shows a place clearly, the other builds balance. Compare 5 key differences, the honest drawbacks of each, and how to choose.

What does research say about coffee and health? A balanced look at the associations, the caveats, sensible limits, and when to cut back.

My steamed milk has always lacked the fine texture of my local coffee shop's.  For ages, I've wondered why this has been the case.  Using a two hole tip on my espresso machine's steam wand (which reduces steam pressure and exposure to heat), I had achieved...

I recently modded my Mazzer Major with a funnel.  Along with all of the convenience of no longer having to deal with a doser, I am also experiencing the torment of a new sort of problem- static.  To sum up...

Why does coffee taste smoky? Learn what causes smoky coffee, how to tell good smoke from burnt, and how to tame or enjoy the flavor.

Coffee roast levels , light, medium, and dark , are defined by temperature, time, and the chemical reactions that happen inside the bean. Each level produces a distinct flavor profile, acidity, and body. Here is what actually happens at each stage and how it affects the cup.Coffee Roast Levels: What Happens at Light, Medium, Dark