Behold: my stuff. Coffee edition.

 My current coffee daily home setup. Featured in this photo: 

A Presso manual espresso machine, circa 2010. This model is made by ROK now, and it’s parts are backwards compatible with the Presso. I replaced the original plastic piston system with the ROK glass composite system in 2020. I’ve used this nearly everyday for one stretch of about 5 years during my last stint in grad school, and I have been using it nearly everyday since early 2020. I mostly use it by feel, I sort of know the amount of pressure I’m achieving based on the feedback I’m getting when pressing down and my knowledge of the grind and dry weight of the puck. I can for the most part consistently and deliberately pull anything from a single ristretto to a double normale on this. 

An ROK coffee grinder, 2020. I added a piece of thick leather as dust cover. I like that this allows me to quickly switch between grinds and that I can control the dose that I put in the hopper. The long arm transfers a lot of force so I have an easy time even with light roasts. About 35 seconds to grind a double shot for the Brikka, ~40 for the Presso, at a comfortable pace.

A Bialetti Brikka 4 shot moka pot, 2017. This has frequently been in my rotation. I love it for darker roasts. Produces better coffee than the main Bialetti Moka Express model, in my opinion, but the coffee is prone to scorching because of the proportionately little water that goes in it, for the size and weight. Some heat management is key, especially towards the end of the brew. By happy coincidence, the basket is the same diameter as the Presso’s.

A 6.5 inch Lodge cast iron skillet with lid, 2010. I have roasted a couple batches of coffee in this almost every weekend since 2010. Never used it for anything else. I roast about 100g of beans at a time over a medium flame, agitate it by rolling the beans in the closed skillet once a minute early in the roast, and up to six times per minute once we’re past a light roast. Takes about 20 minutes to do a roast, after which I immediately cool the beans and separate the chaff. I store the roasted beans in mason jars.

An ROK tamper, 2020. It’s fine, good weight, a little on the small side for the Presso/ROK basket. 

A stainless steel “tumbler and davara.”  This is for preheating and cleaning the Presso. The davara also serves as a pedestal for the espresso cup during the pull. Can also be used to make and serve hot frothed milk with espresso and jaggery, which Aditi and I call a Madras Macchiato. Though maybe a Chennai Cortado would be more accurate.

A stainless steel double walled 75ml coffee cup.

A 3D printed dosing funnel for the Presso which happily also fits my Brikka basket.

A silicone tamper mat. 

A plastic knock box.

A digital scale with timer. 

A coffee brush.