Freetrading Articles

You may have notice the barista at your favourite coffee house doing it; he or she grinds the coffee and dispenses just the right amount into the portafilter (the handle with the cup on the end that receives the coffee and attaches to the espresso machine). With me so far? Good. Then what happens? The barista uses a plastic or metal device that looks a bit like an old fashioned rubber stamp and pushes it into the coffee. Or at least, they should!!!

You may have notice the barista at your favourite coffee house doing it; he or she grinds the coffee and dispenses just the right amount into the portafilter (the handle with the cup on the end that receives the coffee and attaches to the espresso machine). With me so far? Good. Then what happens? The barista uses a plastic or metal device that looks a bit like an old fashioned rubber stamp and pushes it into the coffee. Or at least, they should!!!

This step is known as tamping. Tamping results in the coffee being pressed firmly into a condensed layer within the portafilter. If you don't usually do this when you are making coffee at home then this is a quick and easy way to greatly improve the quality of the coffee you produce.

So why does it make any difference? It's to do with what happens when you attach the portafilter to the machine and turn it on. The water (as steam) will be forced through the layer of coffee that is sitting in the porta filter. It follows the path of least resistance; any unevenness in the layer of coffee provides a route for the steam to move through that bypasses a lot of the coffee that you have paid for and placed there so lovingly. What a waste!! By tamping you foil the steam's sneaky attempts to find an easy way through; it has no choice but to work its way through all of the coffee. This way you maximise the potential of all of the coffee that you have placed into the porta filter.

What about convenience. If you are a one or two mug a day consumer, this is the perfect brewer. Think about all the wasted or burned coffee that has gone unconsumed. If you leave your normal pot on the heat for more than an hour, the result is an unwanted, ill-tasting beverage.

Cleanup? It's so easy. The only thing to clean is container you drink from. Another plus is the convenience of trying different blends on a daily basis. You may start off with your first mug of extra-bold and decide that you want the "donut house" blend a little later for your second go-round. With the Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker... no problemo. And even better, you can switch to decaf later in the day - just one portion, of course.

Having a group of friends get together with different tastes? Again, this is an easy solution. K cups, as mentioned, come in all types of blends, but you can also get many different teas, and even hot chocolate. So you will impress your family and friends with their favorite beverage. No one will go unsatisfied.