Aeropress Comparisons Part 2 - Single and Double Serving Tests and Results

Equipment (both tests):

• Flow-control caps. I have two flow-control caps and two steel standard caps, so simultaneous brewing with the same kind of cap is impossible (I lost my standard plastic cap, and the steel flow-control cap is too expensive to buy more than one).   Aeropress steel flow-control cap will be used for the glass and steel versions, and the Fellow Prismo cap will be used with the plastic brewer
• Plastic Aeropress - smoked version purchased during Alan Adler's AeroPress leadership
• Glass Aeropress Premium
• Aeropress Steel
• Preheat water - Mueller electric kettle that heats to boiling
• Brew water - Fellow electric kettle that heats to 200F/93C
• Timemore Millab E01 grinder set to 4.1
• 1 stainless steel carafe for brewing into
• 3 Fellow Carter mugs (12 ounce)
• 3 Pretty Dirt Pottery mugs (about 13 ounce)

Single Serving Test

Recipe - The Tim Wendelboe from the Aeropress Timer app: 

• Traditional (non-inverted) brewing
• 15g of coffee ground to medium-fine
• Water at 200F (93C). The recipe calls for 195g of water, but I used 240g
• Pour all 240g of water, stir for 5 seconds, steep for 30, stir for 10, and plunge for 30
• Beans: People Possession Tanzanian & Colombian blend, honey-processed

Temperature control:

The first time I attempted this sequential test, it failed for two reasons: 1) the temperature differences were significant between the first and last brew, making it difficult to taste the differences; and 2) the grind setting was much too coarse (unfamiliar grinder), and all three turned out weak/watery. So for the next try, all three will be poured into preheated Fellow Carter insulated flasks.

Process:

1. Grind beans.
2. Heat water and assemble brewer.
3. Pour preheat water into the brewer; wait 10 seconds.
4. Pour preheat water from brewer into steel carafe; wait 10 seconds. 
5. Pour preheat water from carafe into Carter mug.
6. Place coffee grounds in brewer. 
7. Start the Aeropress Timer app and brew according to recipe above.
8. Empty Carter mug, and transfer coffee into it.
9. Add an additional 100g of brew water to Carter mug, and seal it up.
10. Repeat 2 more times.
11. Wait 4 minutes and transfer to three room-temperature ceramic serving mugs.

Taste Results:

• Plastic - Smooth but slightly stuttery. Very good. 2nd place
• Glass - Smoothest to press, and easiest with a single serving.Very good. 3rd place
• Steel - Slightly sandpapery texture. Hardest to press, though not hard. Very good. 1st place

I thought the coffees were indistinguishable, but my daughter correctly identified which was which in a blind taste test, ranked them for me, and placed the steel in first place.  

Double Serving Test

Recipe - The Wren from the Aeropress Timer app:

• Traditional (non-inverted) brewing
• 45g of coffee ground to medium-fine
• Water at 200F (93C). The recipe calls for 200g of water, but I filled the brewer almost to the top regardless of volume
• Fill brewer, stir for 15 seconds, steep for 25, and plunge for 25
• Beans: Joe Bean Guatemala La Revuelta 

Temperature control:

For this test, I used room-temperature equipment with no preheating, and on sequential days. This isn't really a comparison between brewers, since only differences significant enough to remember from one day to the next will be noted, and I don't expect that to be the case.   Rather, it's a test of whether each brewer can make good coffee from that recipe without preheating (fwiw, I normally do preheat my brewer).

Process:

1. Heat water and assemble brewer.
2. Grind beans and place in brewer. 
3. Start the Aeropress Timer app and brew according to recipe above.
4. Add additional brew water to carafe until it reaches 700ml
5. Pour 350 ml into each of two serving mugs.

Taste Results:

• Plastic - made approximately 100 ml of concentrate, so required around 600ml of additional water. The plastic brewer is remarkably easier to press when using a large volume of coffee grounds, perhaps due to the larger diameter of the brew chamber.  The coffee was very good to excellent.
• Glass - made approximately 100 ml of concentrate, so required around 600ml of additional water.  Second easiest to press through this volume of grounds. The coffee was very good.
• Steel - made about 200 ml of concentrate.  Noticeably harder to press through this volume of grounds, though not impossible. It requires a bit of strong-arming (as defined by a middle-aged woman). The coffee was very good.

The plastic happened to make the best coffee by a small margin, but the last time I did tests like this, the brewer that made the best coffee varied from day to day.  It might be the vagaries of memory from one day to the next, or there are variables that I failed to control for. Probably both.

Articles in the series:

Aeropress Comparisons Part 1 - First Impressions: Aeropress Steel

Aeropress Comparisons Part 2 - Single and Double Serving Tests and Results (this article)

Aeropress Comparisons Part 3: Temperature Tests and Results (coming soon)

Aeropress Comparisons Part 1 - First Impressions: Aeropress Steel

Aeropress Steel

I admit it. I am a crow. 

I like shiny new coffee equipment, and I recently got yet another Aeropress.  I have a smoked plastic version that predates Alan Adler's retirement and sale of Aeropress to Tiny Ltd, the overpriced (but beloved) glass version released a couple of years ago, and I now have a just-released Aeropress Steel, along with a steel flow-control cap heavy enough to slay Goliath, should anyone sling it at him. Unless AP releases something extraordinarily different, the Aeropress Steel is my last one.  Really.

Differences from other versions:

• It has additional capacity, about 350 ml vs 315 ml for the glass and plastic versions. I really like that.
• It is made with just two materials: steel and silicon.
• The stir stick isn't as heavy-duty as the one that comes with the glass version. Whether this is good or bad is a matter of personal preference.
• It produces about the same cup of coffee as the plastic and glass versions (unsurprising, since it's the same brewer).
• The inside of the chamber has a textured surface, so it makes a slight swishing sound lacking in the other versions.  I don't care for this, but it's an extremely minor issue.
• It's fully dishwasher safe like the plastic one, but unlike that glass, which requires handwashing (I still say that was a stupid decision on their part). 
• Weight of the brewer (including cap, chamber, plunger, and stir stick) - plastic 215g (with Prismo cap instead of the original), steel 699g, glass 889g. So it's heavy, but not as heavy as the glass.
• Like the plastic version, it should be nearly indestructible, though I suspect that if you drop it off a house, it'll dent instead of bounce.
• Of the three, it's the hardest to press, particularly with a two-serving recipe. It's noticeably more difficult to push the brew water through that volume of grounds, though it's not problematic.
• Like the glass, the chamber is double-walled, so the outside doesn't get hot during brewing. You still have to be careful removing the cap, which does get hot. 
• You can't see through it so you have to brew by feel.   

Things I like: 

• It's not going to break
• It's lighter than the glass, so it's better for travel than the glass (but not the plastic)
• Greater capacity
• It's less expensive than the glass
• Dishwasher safe

Things I don't like:

• This is a minor issue, but the texture of the inside of the chamber is textured, and the swishing sound when it rubs is a little unpleasant. I wonder why they didn't use polished stainless steel inside the chamber?
• I can't see through the brew chamber walls (inherent in a non-transparent material). Not much can be done about that, but they should have done a better job providing other indicators. For example, only level 5 is printed on the inside. 1-4 are missing.
• The plunger seal is compressed when it's pushed all the way through. This is a major design flaw, but easily fixed by removing a gasket.

Level 5 is the only one printed on the inside

I either brew by weight or fill the brewer all the way up, so the lack of markings inside isn't really a big deal, but anyone who uses the level markings for the various recipes will find it annoying. I think they should have printed the levels on both the outside and on the inside.  And putting some sort of markings on the plunger barrel to show progress while plunging would have been really nice.

By far the most significant design flaw, however, is the plunger length. It's too short by about 2 mm. Many people store the plastic AP with the plunger pushed into the chamber, and the seal protrudes out the bottom just enough that it isn't compressed by the walls of the brew chamber.  If you store it compressed, the seal eventually stops expanding properly and starts leaking, requiring a new seal.  The plastic AP was cheap enough that people often replaced the whole unit, rather than chasing down a new part.  That's less likely with the steel version given its price, but the design guarantees the seal will need replacing sooner (it's the only part that will need replacing over time, and it's fortunately inexpensive).  

There is an easy fix, however. Just remove the rubber gasket around the top of the plunger. I think its purpose is to make it easier to remove from the storage stand.  Without the gasket, the seal protrudes fully from the brew chamber.  There are two minor drawbacks to removing the gasket: it's slightly harder to get a hold of the plunger to remove it from the stand, and there is a little up-and-down play when the plunger is pushed fully through the chamber, which means it can rattle if you give it a good shake.

Left: Seal not extending fully with gasket
Right: Seal fully extended after gasket removal 

My initial impression of brewing with it is that it makes coffee that tastes like it came from an Aeropress. It really doesn't make coffee that is all that different from the plastic or glass version. I also think this may be the best value-for-the-money of the two premium versions. It's dishwasher safe, nearly indestructible, has a greater capacity, and is lighter and less expensive than the glass version.

The plastic one is a great brewer, and I used mine for years, even though I don't like brewing in plastic.  I love the glass version - being able to see the brewing is really nice, but it's expensive and breakable. You give up the nice view with the steel version, but otherwise, it's all upsides. I bought the steel version to be my travel brewer until the glass one breaks (when, not if!). Then I'll use the steel one for both everyday use and travel.

Steel Flow Control Cap:

Left: Standard cap
Right: Flow-control cap

Years before the steel and glass versions came out, I discovered that I liked how recipes brewed inverted tasted, but I didn't actually like brewing that way - using the brewer upside-down is wobbly and prone to being knocked over. I happily switched from the regular cap to the Fellow Prismo which has a valve that prevents flow-through during brewing. The coffee comes out only when you plunge.   The steel flow-control cap was released at about the same time as the AP Steel, and I'm delighted to have a valved cap that works with the glass and steel versions. Not much to say about it - it works perfectly, is heavy, and sometimes makes an amusing farting noise when pressing.  Glad to have it, but it's expensive.

Articles in the series:

Aeropress Comparisons Part 1 - First Impressions: Aeropress Steel (this article)

Aeropress Comparisons Part 2 - Single and Double Serving Tests and Results

Aeropress Comparisons Part 3: Temperature Tests and Results (coming soon)

Espresso-making with the CoffeeJack v2

    I haven't actually used the CoffeeJack 2. Yet.  So this isn't a review.  Oh, I do have it in my possession, but I haven't pulled any shots, partly because I'm a regular coffee brewer, and not really an espresso maker, and I need to understand espresso a bit better before I can use this cool little device.

    Because I'm a tech writer and a flowchart and process nerd, I made myself a flowchart which I'm just dying to show off:

    Click to enlarge:

    It's a crash course in espresso-making concepts and how they apply to this machine.   It violates some best-practice rules for flowcharting, but I decided that keeping it all on one page was more important to me.

    Pretty cool, huh?  I do love a nice flowchart. I'm giving it away under a Creative Commons license (there's info about how to get an editable version at the bottom of the image). Or you can click here (you need a google/gmail account to save and edit the file, though).

    Anyway, I will eventually write a review of the CoffeeJack v2, but I have to learn how to dial in a shot first, so it'll be a while.  But the early impressions in the online groups are quite promising.

 Here's the introductory video from the Kickstarter campaign, so you can at least see how cool this thing is.   The campaign has ended, and they are in their shipping phase, and it's not yet available for sale, so unless you were a backer, you'll have to wait a bit to get one. I've linked info below.

Those gears give it an almost steampunk vibe, am I right?

Links:

• Kickstarter (ended) with lots of info: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coffeejack/coffeejack-v2-gear-powered-portable-espresso-machine/description
• https://www.coffeejack.co.uk/ (the v2 isn't available for purchase at the time this article was published - if you go to the buy now button, only the v1 is listed for sale).
• Full review video by Lance Hedrick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQmtF_UI9Ps
• Full review of the v1 (which brews very differently) by James Hoffman, detailing how the company got slammed by COVID during their first campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnSUFXfRddE&t=2s Note: their v2 campaign went FAR better, and they delivered on time, though there were some mishaps along the way (what crowd-funded campaign doesn't?)

Recipe: Classic Baked Mac & Cheesy

 I adapted this recipe from Murray’s Classic Mac & Cheese and the Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Joy of Cooking.  My version is a little more rustic; I simplified the instructions and techniques and made a few substitution suggestions. I also provided metric conversions for those who use it.

This recipe uses a LOT of cheese, but it makes 8-10 servings. It's delicious and decadent, and I tend to think of it as a celebration food, made for a feast day or a birthday dinner.

Pasta:

• 1 lb / 450g  elbow macaroni (Feel free to substitute anything bite-sized that has nooks and crannies that can trap the cheese sauce. You shouldn’t have to cut the pasta or twirl it around your fork)

Cheeses:

• 6 oz / 170g Gouda
• 10 oz / 285g Cheddar
• 6 oz / 170g Fontina (or Gruyère, Swiss, or Provolone)
• 8 oz / 225g Taleggio, rind removed (or Muenster).

• Or: 30 oz / 850g of your favorite cheese(s).  Steer clear of non-melting cheeses.

Rustic Mornay Sauce:

• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 qt / 950 ml milk
• 8 tbsp / 113g  butter
• 1/2 cup / 65g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Toppings:

• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 tbsp / 42g butter
• 1 cup / 55g panko breadcrumbs
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (minced) or scant teaspoon dried thyme
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Paprika, optional (either sweet or smoked).

Instructions:

1. Grate all cheeses and combine, and divide the mountain of cheese in half. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F / 175°C.
2. Melt 1 tbsp / 14g of the butter in a pan and saute the onion until it is slightly browned. Add the bay leaf, garlic,  and milk, and heat until milk is hot, but not boiling. Turn off the heat.
3. In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining 6 tbsp / 98 g of butter and slowly add the flour, whisking to combine, and cook for 2 minutes. Ladle in the warm milk mixture into the roux, whisking constantly, until combined and smooth. Discard the bay leaf.
4. Add the nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Add half the grated cheese, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat.
5. In a separate pan, cook the macaroni according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Aim for slightly al dente. Drain and place macaroni in a bowl. Add the remaining grated cheeses and toss to combine.
6. Pour the Mornay sauce over the macaroni and toss to combine. 
7. In a small pan, melt 3 tbsp / 42g of butter and add the panko breadcrumbs, thyme, and lemon zest.  Add black pepper and/or paprika, if using.
8. Place the macaroni & cheese mixture into a shallow baking dish (a lasagna pan works well) and top with the breadcrumbs.
9. Bake for 20 minutes and the breadcrumb topping is browned and serve immediately.

Reheating:

• Microwaving works, but the bread crumbs will not be crisp.
• Oven bake again, but it takes a long time to get hot through. Cover with foil for the first half, then remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes.
• Best way: Microwave until warm, then in a small, oven-safe dish, airfry at 350F/175C for about 5-10 minutes (convection should be on).  

Recipe: Maroilles Cheese Tart (Tarte au Maroilles)

When I was researching my grandparents' experiences in WW2, I came across descriptions of this traditional dish from northern France. It sounded so good, I wrote it into the story. I researched recipes, did some conversions, and cobbled together this recipe, which I think is reasonably authentic.

Maroilles is hard to find in the US - I had to order it from a cheese shop in New York City that imports it, and have it overnighted to me (yes, that was expensive, and so we offset the shipping cost by buying a LOT of cheeses, which was a lot of fun, but my arteries are probably not thanking me). I've provided substitution suggestions below (Muenster is probably the closest widely available cheese on this side of the Atlantic).

Prettiest dish I've ever made

Dough Ingredients:

• 2.25 teaspoons or 1 packet of active dry yeast
• 4 fl ounces (120 ml) of milk
• 2.25 cups (280 g) flour
• ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp (60 g) butter
• 2 tsp sugar

Filling Ingredients:

• 10-12 ounces (280-340g) of Maroilles cheese (or a Muenster or maybe Sharp Cheddar. Look for a local pungent, soft-ripened, washed-rind cow's milk cheese.  Any not-too-hard, slightly creamy/funky cheese will be delicious in this tart)
• 8 fl oz  (240 ml) of crème fraîche*
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 generous pinches ground cumin, or 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
• Sprinkle of paprika (preferably smoked), optional

1. Leave the milk and butter out until it is room temperature.  The butter should be very soft.

2. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the milk, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Beat the eggs into the milk.

3. Place the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a standard mixing paddle, and make a well in the center. Pour the milk mixture into the well, and mix well.

4. Work butter into the dough. 

5. As soon as ingredients are well combined, switch to a dough hook or knead by hand for 5 minutes. The dough should be sticky and stretchy.

6. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 60 minutes or until doubled in volume.

7. Butter and lightly flour a 10” (25 cm) diameter baking dish, springform pan, or even a cast iron skillet. Ensure the sides of the dish are well buttered/floured.

8. Reserve a ping-pong ball-sized ball of dough (no bigger than 1.5" or 3.75 cm). On a floured surface, roll out the remaining dough until it’s big enough to cover the bottom of the dish.  According to French sources, it should not climb the edges, but should sit flat in the bottom of the dish. Place the ball in the center (it's to prevent the cheese custard from pooling in the center).

9. Let the dough rest another 30 minutes.

10. Preheat oven to 375F (190C).

11. Beat the egg, egg yolk, and creme fraiche together, season with black pepper and cumin or nutmeg.

12. Scrape off the thickest/hardest parts of the rind, and slice the cheese thinly.  Spread nearly all of the cheese on the dough in the tart pan. The remaining cheese should be cut into smaller chunks.

13. Spread the egg mixture over the cheese, and place the remaining cheese chunks on top (it creates a nice texture).

14. Sprinkle with paprika if using.

15. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is bubbly and browned.

Serve with a local craft beer (or cider or wine), and a fresh salad.

Variations: You could try including asparagus, sauteed leeks, or caramelized onions under the cheese. I've also seen suggestions for crushed walnuts.

* Crème fraîche can be hard to find in the US, particularly if you don't live near a major metropolitan area. It's VERY easy to make. Place a pint (470 ml) of heavy cream and 2 tbsp of buttermilk with active cultures into a canning jar and give it a good stir. Screw the lid on, and place somewhere warm for 12-24 hours (aim for about 80F (27C). Inside the oven with the light turned on is a good place to try. Check after 12 hours, and if it's not nice and thick, leave for another 4-12 hours until it's got the consistency of sour cream, then refrigerate. It lasts about a week in the fridge. It can be frozen, but freezing makes it grainy, so it should only be used for cooking after thawing.

Printed Copies Make it Real

    I finished Biscuit a couple of weeks ago.  

    Let me rephrase. I finished a major revision a couple of weeks ago.  It's now in the hands of an editor, and once that's done, I intend to try to find a traditional publisher.   

    In the meantime, I had four copies of the book printed and bound, just as souvenirs for my family and me.  It's not for sale anywhere, nor will it ever be. It's still an unpublished manuscript. And someday, I hope that it will be published for real.

And because this was just for me, it's not just any version, but the version that is the most blue-sky, the most ... mine. If I could have whatever I want, this is what I'd include:

• A nice, large 11-point font, with a wide 1.2 line spacing (the extra space between lines makes it more pleasant to read, but it adds to the page count).
• All 160,000 words of the story, before anyone makes me cut it down by 20k-30k words
• A full-length afterword (all 3K words or so)
• Letter from my grandfather to his commanding officer, written after he immigrated
• Essay written by my grandfather about the day he became a US citizen
• Glossary
• List of foreign phrases and their translations.
• A metric-imperial conversion table.

Anyway, I got my copy, and it makes my heart go pitter-patter.  Almost five years of work went into it, and it's looking good.  It feels great, and I'm proud of it.

First page of chapter 1

Cover design inspiration

It's a bit hefty.

Last printed page

Recipe: Maple Bourbon Ice Cream with Raspberry Ripple

This recipe is pretty special because we made the maple syrup and raspberry jam ourselves from trees/canes in our own yard.

I adapted Max Falkowitz's Maple Ice Cream recipe from Serious Eats, but used my own base recipe and substitutions.  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup real maple syrup (Grade A or B)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp bourbon (optional)
• 1/2 cup (or so) of old-fashioned raspberry jam (preferably seedless). Can substitute store-bought, but look for one that has as few ingredients as possible (ideally just berries, sugar, lemon juice or ascorbic acid. Avoid low sugar varieties as they might freeze too hard).

Custard Instructions:

1. Place cream, milk, yolks, and maple syrup in a saucepan with a cooking thermometer.
2. Stirring frequently/constantly, raise the custard to 175-180F. Remove from heat immediately upon reaching 180. 
3. Chill until very cold (if using a compressor ice cream maker, this step may be omitted or shortened).
4. Place the custard in the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add bourbon at the end when the ice cream is the consistency of soft-serve.
5. Remove the dasher from the churn and dollop in jam and barely stir. Pack in freezer containers and transfer to the freezer for hardening off.

Substitutions for raspberry jam and other flavors:

• Candied pecans or walnuts
• Broken pieces of ginger snaps
• Peach preserves/jam ripple
• Candied ginger
• Omit the bourbon
• Increase the salt to one full tsp for a salted maple ice cream.