Here are the photo's of the completed Christmas Coffee Gift Packs. For more details visit my Facebook page
For the order form click here
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Christmas Coffee Gift Packs - Pictures
Here are the photo's of the completed Christmas Coffee Gift Packs. For more details visit my Facebook page
For the order form click here
Friday, November 19, 2010
Christmas Coffee Gifts - Ordering details
Dear All
Thanks for all the interest I have already received in my new range – coffee gift packs for Christmas!
To the right you'll see a picture of the order form. This is available on my Facebook page.
I have designed a handy form which enables you to custom design a gift pack to your liking! Simply complete the fields in the form to indicate your choices, and then "Save as" with your name in the file name (make sure you click out of any fields in the form, before saving).
Once I receive your order, I'll create an invoice for you with details on how to pay. The gift packs will be assembled about a week before Christmas and ready for you to pick up in time for your festivities! Both the coffee and biscotti will be prepared freshly just before assembly so that they will be in prime condition for Christmas consumption :)
Please have your orders in by December 12th. A number of pick up times will be available from December 19th. Delivery may be possible for some of my loyal customers! Just contact me if you would like to enquire about that.
If you would like a smaller pack with just coffee and biscotti than email me, and I can work something out for you.
And a further special deal - if you order three packs or more, I will give you a 10% discount!!
Tenth Day Roasters (and my creative biscotti making friend) look forward to providing you with some personal handmade gifts for Christmas this year.
Cheers
Chris Fordyce
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Christmas Coffee Gifts
As you begin to think about Christmas and the special time of year that it is, I’m sure you are also thinking about what gifts you might buy for your family and friends!
Why not buy them something handmade – and from someone you know!
This year, I will be making coffee gift packs – as always, roasted freshly to order. I will have two different packs on offer.
Starter Gift pack will include:
250gm of coffee (beans or ground)
Either two espresso cups and saucers (70mls in volume), OR two white cappuccino cups (170mls volume) and saucers OR two latte glasses
Some handmade biscotti, from another creative friend
Deluxe Gift pack will include:
500gm of coffee (beans or ground)
Two blue Rockingham cups and saucers (170mls)
Some handmade biscotti, from another creative friend
Please note:
• you are welcome to nominate which bean or blend you would like included – or if you don’t have a preference I will choose for you
• the picture above is the Rockingham cups. Check out my Facebook page for pictures of the other cups.
Coffee packs will only be made to order, and payment will be required before your order is put together. Contact me for an order form. info@tenthdayroasters.com.au
But for now, feel free to let me know if you’re keen, so I can work out my volumes (and also my friend who is making the biscotti for you)!
How to Store and Preserve your Coffee
Background
Coffee begins its life growing on a tree. From the moment the beans are picked off that tree, processed (having the outer skin and flesh removed), roasted and packaged for you, the goal at each step is to preserve its best qualities. Coffee is a living product, and just like the fruit and vegetables you eat, it has a limited shelf life. Your goal, like the coffee picker, coffee processor and roaster, is to join in the act of preservation – so that you get the best out of your coffee!
Storing your coffee
Once you have your coffee, store it in an airtight container, or the coffee bag it came in, if that bag has a one-way valve. The valve only releases carbon dioxide out of the bag and does not allow air to get in (Tenth Day Roasters coffee is sold in this kind of bag). Another alternative is to put your coffee into a valve pump canister. It works the same way, only letting air out. The main goal when storing coffee is to allow carbon dioxide to escape, but prevent air from coming into contact with the coffee, as it is air that speeds up the oxidization process. Oxidization causes the coffee to lose its complex aromas and flavours more quickly.
Preserving and using your coffee
Once your coffee is in a suitable storage vessel, store it in a cool, dark and dry place. If possible, store your coffee in a place away from other foods, as it is very absorbent of other aromas. Coffee has a limited shelf life and it should be used within a month from the date it was roasted.
Only put a minimal amount of coffee beans into your grinder. Do not store 250gm in your hopper! This will speed up the release of its coffee oils because the hopper is not an airtight environment. Thus your coffee will deteriorate much more quickly, shortening its shelf life for you.
Ideally, coffee beans should only be ground when required to make coffee immediately. This is known as grinding on demand. Once ground, coffee begins to lose its flavour much more quickly, because the surface area exposed to the air is so much greater. This is why using pre-ground coffee often tastes ‘stale’ compared to a freshly made espresso or cappuccino.
Follow these guidelines for looking after your coffee, and you should always have a fresh and flavoursome brew!
Coffee begins its life growing on a tree. From the moment the beans are picked off that tree, processed (having the outer skin and flesh removed), roasted and packaged for you, the goal at each step is to preserve its best qualities. Coffee is a living product, and just like the fruit and vegetables you eat, it has a limited shelf life. Your goal, like the coffee picker, coffee processor and roaster, is to join in the act of preservation – so that you get the best out of your coffee!
Storing your coffee
Once you have your coffee, store it in an airtight container, or the coffee bag it came in, if that bag has a one-way valve. The valve only releases carbon dioxide out of the bag and does not allow air to get in (Tenth Day Roasters coffee is sold in this kind of bag). Another alternative is to put your coffee into a valve pump canister. It works the same way, only letting air out. The main goal when storing coffee is to allow carbon dioxide to escape, but prevent air from coming into contact with the coffee, as it is air that speeds up the oxidization process. Oxidization causes the coffee to lose its complex aromas and flavours more quickly.
Preserving and using your coffee
Once your coffee is in a suitable storage vessel, store it in a cool, dark and dry place. If possible, store your coffee in a place away from other foods, as it is very absorbent of other aromas. Coffee has a limited shelf life and it should be used within a month from the date it was roasted.
Only put a minimal amount of coffee beans into your grinder. Do not store 250gm in your hopper! This will speed up the release of its coffee oils because the hopper is not an airtight environment. Thus your coffee will deteriorate much more quickly, shortening its shelf life for you.
Ideally, coffee beans should only be ground when required to make coffee immediately. This is known as grinding on demand. Once ground, coffee begins to lose its flavour much more quickly, because the surface area exposed to the air is so much greater. This is why using pre-ground coffee often tastes ‘stale’ compared to a freshly made espresso or cappuccino.
Follow these guidelines for looking after your coffee, and you should always have a fresh and flavoursome brew!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Culinary Delights
Culinary Delights
Yes this is a blog entry that’s not about coffee! This time it’s about food and some great local cuisine I had while in the Cook Islands recently. It was a bit of a surprise how good some of the food was, especially the local specialities.
The Cook Islands is situated in the Pacific Ocean. To the west is Tonga and to the East is French Polynesia.
While I was in the Cook Islands, twice I had a local speciality called Ika Mata. Ika Mata is a traditional dish of the Cook Islanders. This dish uses local fish as its main ingredient. The fish is cut and diced and thrown into a bowl. Lime juice is added which ‘cooks’ the fish. The other key ingredient is coconut cream, which adds a beautiful texture and mouth feel to the dish. Then some red onion, coriander and salt and pepper can be added for seasoning and flavour. A very enjoyable and refreshing dish in a warm tropical country!
Another speciality of the locals is called Umu. This is their version of a BBQ, but in the ground. It is said to be similar to the Maori hangi in New Zealand. However, the hangi uses timber, creating a smoky flavour in the food. The umu mainly uses rocks as its heat/cooking source. The rocks initially warm the bed in which the cooking will take place, for three or more hours. We had a great Umu on a tour that we did. Lamb chops, chicken, kumera, taro and a local variety of spinach were added into the cooking tray. This was then wrapped in banana leaves (which release a natural oil during the cooking process) and then placed in the ground and covered with more banana leaves. Our tour guide told us that these banana leaves were ‘borrowed’ from a neighbour – if you know what I mean! So three hours after 4WDing up the mountains of Rarotonga, we returned to our Umu. It was delicious, though I think I ate too much! But the male tour guide was pleased and impressed with my apetite!
One other meal was so tasty that my wife and I ordered it the following night again from the same restaurant! It was a BBQ pork belly dish – which was very moist and juicy. But as impressive was the salsa! It was a green mango and paw paw salsa – it had a lovely sweetness and some coriander as well. Another enjoyable dish.
Yes this is a blog entry that’s not about coffee! This time it’s about food and some great local cuisine I had while in the Cook Islands recently. It was a bit of a surprise how good some of the food was, especially the local specialities.
The Cook Islands is situated in the Pacific Ocean. To the west is Tonga and to the East is French Polynesia.
While I was in the Cook Islands, twice I had a local speciality called Ika Mata. Ika Mata is a traditional dish of the Cook Islanders. This dish uses local fish as its main ingredient. The fish is cut and diced and thrown into a bowl. Lime juice is added which ‘cooks’ the fish. The other key ingredient is coconut cream, which adds a beautiful texture and mouth feel to the dish. Then some red onion, coriander and salt and pepper can be added for seasoning and flavour. A very enjoyable and refreshing dish in a warm tropical country!
Another speciality of the locals is called Umu. This is their version of a BBQ, but in the ground. It is said to be similar to the Maori hangi in New Zealand. However, the hangi uses timber, creating a smoky flavour in the food. The umu mainly uses rocks as its heat/cooking source. The rocks initially warm the bed in which the cooking will take place, for three or more hours. We had a great Umu on a tour that we did. Lamb chops, chicken, kumera, taro and a local variety of spinach were added into the cooking tray. This was then wrapped in banana leaves (which release a natural oil during the cooking process) and then placed in the ground and covered with more banana leaves. Our tour guide told us that these banana leaves were ‘borrowed’ from a neighbour – if you know what I mean! So three hours after 4WDing up the mountains of Rarotonga, we returned to our Umu. It was delicious, though I think I ate too much! But the male tour guide was pleased and impressed with my apetite!
One other meal was so tasty that my wife and I ordered it the following night again from the same restaurant! It was a BBQ pork belly dish – which was very moist and juicy. But as impressive was the salsa! It was a green mango and paw paw salsa – it had a lovely sweetness and some coriander as well. Another enjoyable dish.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Your Guide to Making Plunger or French Press Coffee
Background Information
Making plunger coffee can be rather rewarding and satisfying, when it is done well. Like all methods of brewing coffee (espresso, filter, syphon) there are a variety of opinions and techniques on how to do it.
Some coffees that are not so suitable for espresso based drinks, may be more enjoyable as a plunger or drip filter coffee. This may be due to the coffee having a high level of acidity and brightness. Too much acidity and brightness is not normally overly desirable in espresso based coffees, but is a very positive and enjoyable attribute in a plunger (or drip filter style) coffee.
This guide is not meant to be seen as a set of absolute ideas – but to provide you a good starting point on how to make great plunger coffee. Always feel free to experiment with these variables: volume of coffee, volume of water, grind setting and steep time (or infusion).
Your Guide:
First, you need to start with freshly roasted coffee – but it should be at least 4 or 5 days after it was roasted.
Second, you will need about 2 tablespoons or 30 grams of freshly ground coffee. It should be ground coarsely. You will also need about 8oz of water or about 225-250 mls. Check out this clip from 49th Parallel Roasters.
Third, preheat your plunger with some hot water. Discard water. Check out this cool little clip from Ritual Roasters, even if it is a bit cheesy!
Fourth, put the coffee into the plunger. Boil the water. You may want to add more water, but this will make the coffee taste ‘weaker’ (unless that is your taste preference). Wait 30 seconds after the kettle has boiled. Saturate the coffee with the water. See that all the coffee grounds are now wet.
Fifth, let the coffee infuse (or steep) for 3-5 minutes. This is a step you can experiment with. If you prefer a coffee that doesn’t taste as bold (or strong) then plunge closer to three minutes. Or if you prefer to have a coffee tasting bolder and fuller, then wait closer to 5 minutes. Note, if the coffee tastes a bit sour it most likely hasn’t been infusing for long enough or if it’s too bitter/harsh then you have let it steep for too long! For a more detailed and technical approach, check out this great clip from CoffeeGeek.
Now, plunger your coffee and enjoy!
Making plunger coffee can be rather rewarding and satisfying, when it is done well. Like all methods of brewing coffee (espresso, filter, syphon) there are a variety of opinions and techniques on how to do it.
Some coffees that are not so suitable for espresso based drinks, may be more enjoyable as a plunger or drip filter coffee. This may be due to the coffee having a high level of acidity and brightness. Too much acidity and brightness is not normally overly desirable in espresso based coffees, but is a very positive and enjoyable attribute in a plunger (or drip filter style) coffee.
This guide is not meant to be seen as a set of absolute ideas – but to provide you a good starting point on how to make great plunger coffee. Always feel free to experiment with these variables: volume of coffee, volume of water, grind setting and steep time (or infusion).
Your Guide:
First, you need to start with freshly roasted coffee – but it should be at least 4 or 5 days after it was roasted.
Second, you will need about 2 tablespoons or 30 grams of freshly ground coffee. It should be ground coarsely. You will also need about 8oz of water or about 225-250 mls. Check out this clip from 49th Parallel Roasters.
Third, preheat your plunger with some hot water. Discard water. Check out this cool little clip from Ritual Roasters, even if it is a bit cheesy!
Fourth, put the coffee into the plunger. Boil the water. You may want to add more water, but this will make the coffee taste ‘weaker’ (unless that is your taste preference). Wait 30 seconds after the kettle has boiled. Saturate the coffee with the water. See that all the coffee grounds are now wet.
Fifth, let the coffee infuse (or steep) for 3-5 minutes. This is a step you can experiment with. If you prefer a coffee that doesn’t taste as bold (or strong) then plunge closer to three minutes. Or if you prefer to have a coffee tasting bolder and fuller, then wait closer to 5 minutes. Note, if the coffee tastes a bit sour it most likely hasn’t been infusing for long enough or if it’s too bitter/harsh then you have let it steep for too long! For a more detailed and technical approach, check out this great clip from CoffeeGeek.
Now, plunger your coffee and enjoy!
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