Coffee Moment
A cup of coffee always has a story and a memory that goes with it. Just like cigarettes and alcohol, usually we will not forget our first impression about it. You all must have a story about the first cup of coffee you drank, or an unforgettable moment with a cup of coffee. I had that experience, a very embarrassing experience about me and espresso.
This incident happened when I was a teenager, a young age full of enthusiasm and passion. The time when every teenager wants to get acquainted with the opposite sex and try to look charming. For men who do not have a handsome appearance, one way to attract women is with knowledge. I'm quite confident about my abilities and intelligence, so I successfully asked a woman out.
Long story short, we went to the Mall for a date. After walking around the Mall we decided to hang out at an American-style coffee shop (I forgot, is it starbucks or maxx coffee?). When I saw the menu and prices, I ordered an espresso. because at that time, I saw that espresso was priced cheaper than other menus. My style at the time was feeling very knowledgeable about good coffee, and pretending to know best was a very stupid decision.
I'm still a teenager who doesn't know that espresso is strong coffee served in a small cup. It was a very embarrassing moment because I had to go on a date with a cup of espresso that tasted very bitter, my girlfriend asked "why did you order a drink with such a small cup?" and I can't even answer. My date failed, but there was one lesson I learned. Perhaps, this one quote can represent:
It's okay to be honest about not knowing than to spread lies. While it is often said that honesty is the best policy, silence is the second best policy." - Criss Jami
The Flair Espresso Manual Maker
Am I so hating espresso? no, I like it and I used to drink a cup of espresso regularly in the morning. It feels like a single punch to the face, leaving us instantly refreshed and energized. Because of that, I also have one tool for making espresso manually, namely The Flair Espresso Manual Maker or often called Flair.
Flair is a manual espresso maker which is relatively new compared to similar manual espresso makers, such as ROK Presso. From the manual book that I read about this tool, the prototype of this tool was made by a technical engineer named Sergio Landau. Just like the story of the invention of other coffee brewing tools. Flair was also born from the desire to create perfect and perfectionist coffee (espresso). It's very easy to use, and we have to thank Sergio Landau for finding such a good tool.
Flair consists of several components, :
- Base portafilter (complete with screen): where the coffee grounds are placed
- Brew cilyender: like a tube to hold water before pressure is applied,
- Plunger: used to apply pressure to the water in the brew cylinder.
- Tamperless stainless steel
- Filling funnel (to help put the coffee into the base portafilter)
Making Espresso With Flair
At first I used this tool, it was a little bit complicated because of the disassembly system of each component, but when I got used to it I was able to do it quickly and neatly.
The first step is to put ground coffee powder into the base portafilter. I used 12 grams of coffee grounds, then tamped the coffee grounds using a stainless steel tamper. The purpose of tamping is to compact the coffee grounds so that a thick and perfect coffee extraction occurs.
Then, unite the portafilter base with the brew cylinder. That setting, put hot water with a temperature of 92 C into the brew cylinder to the limit (thin line in the brew cylinder). Don't forget to put the plunger down.
After that, press the flair handle to apply pressure to the water. You will see slowly drop by drop of espresso coming out, and one cup of espresso is ready to drink. I'm sorry if I can't describe how to make espresso properly or structured. Hopefully the photos can help you understand better.
Output
The espresso made by Flair is very good, based on my experience. This tool is one of the best espresso producers, we can see thick crema with a charming gold color being processed this time to make espresso. The taste of the espresso has a bold and strong character, similar to espresso from an expensive machine.
I bought a Flair for IDR 2,400,000, in 2017. I don't know if it's expensive or cheap to get a cup of espresso but it still works and I still use it to this day. Maybe, if you like espresso or want to make a simple coffee shop, this tool is worth your collection or use.
Call me Isdarmady, because I have a full name that is very long, namely Isdarmady Syahputra Ritonga. I am a head of the family who work as Farmers Vegetables Hydroponic and Consultant Hydroponics, sometimes I also sell coffee from various regions in Indonesia.
I have expertise dispensing coffee with a variety of techniques and tools brewing, because I have the desire to make a coffee shop with hydroponics as centerpieces. Help me realize that dream.
Thanks for read, vote, re-blog and support me in Hive. Maybe god will reward the kindness, let’s success together.
Hello @isdarmady, I'm picturing you sitting with that small cup of bitter espresso🤣 on your first date.
It amazing how much knowledge you've gained about coffee:)
Don't imagine it was a very embarrassing moment haha.
But, I'm sure many people have a moment of being deceived when they first order espresso.
Congratulations @isdarmady!
You raised your level and are now a Minnow!
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