Cooking with ~Chef Pochy~

[pochercoaster]

No, I'm not actually a chef. I do, however, cook a lot, and I've made some pretty tasty dishes in the last two years or so, when cooking really started to "click" for me (working in a kitchen probably helped). When I first started cooking about 6 years ago or so I was pretty horrible, but I didn't give up and got A LOT better. (Just ask my husband!)

Anyways, cooking is one of my favourite past times- when I can find the time- and I want to share some of my favourite recipes and tips with y'all.

I'll start with something that looks simple but actually involves many variables for optimal taste: coffee. After all, how can you cook if you are tired from failing to feed your caffeine addiction?

Now, I will happily suck down any run of the mill brown-coloured swill. I even had a Tim Hortons coffee last month and enjoyed it. Coffee is the drink of the people, and I got no patience for snobbery with it. If you enjoy the coffee you drink, don't let nobody tell you otherwise!

HOWEVER. For me, and for many others, coffee is an indulgent morning ritual. I'm always sad when I finish my cup, because I want to have more (but don't, because jitters). So I want to savour my coffee as much as possible, and that means using knowledge, observation, and a bit of skill to make the best coffee possible.

So without further ado: HOW TO MAKE A POUR-OVER CUP OF COFFEE

CREDENTIALS:
I have worked in three different coffee shops, two “meh” chain places, one pretty good independent place, and have easily brewed somewhere in the thousands pots of coffee. In addition to that, I have made myself a daily cup of coffee for 8 or so years now. While most of what I'm going to say can be found online, it's knowledge that I gained from daily practice and observation.

WHY POUR-OVER?
I have nothing against a good coffee machine with a carafe. However, they simply make too much coffee for one person. They require more cleaning, they break, and they don't allow for as much control as making a pour-over coffee. K-Cups are okay, but they seem wasteful and expensive.

WHAT YOU NEED:



1. An electric kettle. You could use a stove-top kettle, but it takes longer and uses more power.

2. Paper coffee filters. I always buy Melita because that's what's available at my local grocery store.

3. A two-tablespoon scoop/measure. Or a one-tablespoon scoop, but you'll be doing double the scooping!

4. A coffee grinder. A burr grinder is best for ensuring your coffee is evenly ground, but a $20 blade grinder works in a pinch. I've been using the same capresso blade grinder for two years and it's been pretty faithful, but I intend to upgrade to a burr grinder soon.

5. Cold, preferably filtered water. My Brita filter and I are not on speaking terms, so I just use cold tap water, but filtered is best for optimal taste.

6. A conical single-cup coffee filter. Hands-down, this is the best single-cup coffee filter.

I have tried MANY different filters, and most have some unfortunate flaw. If the filter is not cone-shaped, for example, it will make a flat, watery tasting coffee. If there is no cut-out in the bottom of the filter, you can't observe how full your cup is, and risk making it overflow. If it's mesh it will taste weird over time, despite daily washing. (A cone-shaped mesh filter is the next best option to the filter linked above, though.)

7. And, of course, coffee.

HOW TO SELECT AND STORE COFFEE:

Buy whole-bean coffee and grind it per cup. Grinding it all at once will cause it to rapidly lose flavour.

Select beans that are stored in opaque containers/bags (such as Starbucks bagged coffee- it's properly packaged for freshness). If you buy bulk beans, make sure it's from a bin that gets rotated frequently. Beans should look slightly shiny- not dull- but they should also not be sticky.

Please do not store your coffee in the fridge or freezer, unless you like stale coffee. Store your beans in an opaque airtight container, in a cool, dark place (not in the sunlight.) If you don't have a container that meets this criteria but the beans came in a proper bag, simply roll up the bag tightly, clip it, and store it in a cupboard.

Whole beans start to lose their freshness around the 2-week mark, so try to buy only enough coffee to last you 2 weeks.

About roasts:

Darker roasts generally have less acidity and caffeine than lighter roasts, so if your stomach is sensitive this makes them a good choice. I favour Starbucks French roast, which I buy in 2lb bags from Costco.

Fun fact: Kona coffee is expensive because it's grown in Hawaii (where employees are paid proper wages, there is only a limited amount of space for coffee production, and shipping is expensive), not because it's super duper special tasting. Like, yeah, it's a good coffee, but it's not $30 a bag good unless you really want to spend that much. Kona that isn't expensive is usually just a blend of Kona with other beans, thus reducing the price.

Espresso beans are best saved for espresso, not regular 'ol coffee.

TIME TO MAKE COFFEE:

Alright, so you have everything you need to get started.

Measure the amount of cold, preferably filtered water you need by pouring it into your mug and then pouring that back into your electric kettle, PLUS a couple more ounces (since the coffee grounds will absorb some of that water instead of dripping into your mug.)

Set your kettle to boil. While it's boiling, measure and grind your coffee. The rule of thumb is 2tbsp for every 6oz of water. My mug is somewhere around 12oz, so I use 4tbsp of whole beans. Dump your beans into your grinder.

If you use a blade grinder like I do, then the proper way to grind your coffee is in a few, short bursts, not a continuous grind, because that will overheat the coffee (and your grinder's cheap-ass motor), as well as ensure a more even grind.



Note the size of the coffee grounds. (Also note this cool-ass mug I found with one of my favourite novels on it )

The coarseness of the grind is important. For a pour-over coffee, grind it to the same coarseness as, say, coarse salt or coarse sugar. If your grinds are too big your coffee will taste flat/weak. If the grinds are too fine (powdery) your coffee will taste too bitter/strong, in addition to taking forever to brew.

Set your cone filter atop your mug and place the paper filter inside it. Carefully dump your ground coffee into the filter, being careful to keep it inside the paper. Shake the filter gently to level the coffee.

Once the water has finished boiling, wait about ten seconds before pouring so you don't scald the coffee. Don't wait much longer than that, however, because heat is essential to a good brew.

Then, begin to pour. Pour slowly and carefully- the coffee will swell and travel up the sides of the filter. If you are not careful, the coffee will travel past the paper filter, go into the cone and then you'll end up with grounds in your coffee. You will need to pause in between pours. Your goal is to saturate all the coffee grounds evenly and as continuously as possible, with a few pauses so the grounds don't overflow. FYI, it takes me somewhere around 2-4 min to complete the pour-over. I usually use the pauses to microwave oatmeal or make toast or something.



Note how the coffee travels up the side of the paper filter, and how I left a buffer zone so it doesn't overflow. Also note how my filter has a cut-out in the bottom so I can observe how full the mug is.

Once you are finished brewing your coffee, there may be a couple ounces of water still left in your kettle. Dump it out, since letting water sit in your kettle will encourage scaling.

Toss out the paper filter with grinds in it, wash out your permanent filter, and garnish your coffee as you like. If you take sugar and cream/milk, add the sugar first so it dissolves better, then add the cold liquids.

Now you're ready to enjoy a delicious coffee!



A NOTE ABOUT MAINTENANCE:

Do clean all your coffee equipment regularly. Nothing tastes worse than old, rancid coffee. De-scale your electric kettle as needed, and wash your permanent filter, coffee scoop, coffee canister, and any washable parts of your grinder regularly. Use a very lightly dampened paper towel to clean out the inside of your grinder, immediately following with a dry towel.

I hope this was a useful and enjoyable tutorial. It's very basic and there is a lot more information about coffee-brewing on the internet if it sparked your interest. I am always ready to refine and revise my coffee-brewing process as I come across new information.

Stay tuned for some actual recipes and tips!

[MasterOfMagic]

Originally Posted by pochercoaster

I'm always sad when I finish my cup, because I want to have more (but don't, because jitters).

Jitters just mean you aren't drinking enough

Have you compared this to using a french press? I used to make my coffee at work with one, and I swear that was some of the best coffee I've had.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

Pros: Caffiene

Cons: Didn't call thread title "Cooking with Ar-Poch-kasso"

[pochercoaster]

Originally Posted by MasterOfMagic

Jitters just mean you aren't drinking enough

Have you compared this to using a french press? I used to make my coffee at work with one, and I swear that was some of the best coffee I've had.

I have not, but I've long been intrigued by french presses. I haven't tried one yet because it seems like more cleaning and I'm lazy, but I suspect the increased contact time the coffee has with the water makes a pretty rich drink.

I found this information on pour over vs french press:

...Common complaints about the press are that it’s too oily (as the wire mesh doesn’t trap any of the oils like a paper filter), too bold (the subtle flavors being overpowered by the oils and remaining fine grounds), and that the grounds plunged to the bottom continue to brew until all the hot liquid has been removed (resulting in minor over-extraction). Still, there are those that champion the rich taste, heavier texture, and full body flavor… some will even tell you that they like that slight bit of “soot” that comes with each cup. For me, french press coffee is best in the afternoon and evenings, as the richness can be a little too much early in the day.

[...]But no matter the approach, coffee brewed through a paper filter is a a completely different world than it’s pressed equivalent. It’s light-bodied, largely oil-free, and lets the brighter notes of the bean really shine through. For me, it’s the perfect early morning cup, and a great way to end an evening meal.

Now I really want to try a french press!

Edit: something I've come across a few times on pour-over articles is to pre-wet the paper filter to avoid a paper-y taste. I think I'll brew two cups tomorrow and do a blind taste test to see if there's a difference.

[Overcast]

I would also have enjoyed a typo like Cooking with Pooch. So I could reference a similar sounding channel.

[pochercoaster]

Ur link is broken, bro. Remember youtube tags only require the string of letters/numbers at the end of the url in the tag, not the whole url.

Edit: Shyria, Overcast- I was gonna say, I don't need gimmicks for a cooking show, but those are both adorable and amazing. Fuck it, cute animal gimmicks for the win! What's a cooking show without cute gimmicks?

[Overcast]

Ha ha, I fixed it the exact moment you kicked my legs out. BEHOLD.

[MasterOfMagic]

[pochercoaster]

MoM, that video is amaaaazing.

I tried pre-dampening the paper filter for my coffees the past few days, and I think it tastes smoother. However I didn't do a blind taste test, so I may just be imagining it.

I should have a soup recipe up on Sunday or Monday.

[pochercoaster]

BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH BACON AND BEER

Alright, so this is a Dave Lieberman recipe, not my own. (I changed it very slightly, but not enough to claim it's original.) But it's just so good and easy that I want to share it.

The beer is treated as an optional ingredient, but I highly recommend including it. Also, it's important to get really good bacon. I'm personally hooked on black forest bacon from whole foods, which cooks up beautifully and smells and tastes amazing.

Of course, it's important to have good ingredients throughout, especially with a recipe that uses lots of processed stuff- I try to pick up things that don't have tonnes of unnecessary additives. Get good ketchup and sour cream 'n stuff.



INGREDIENTS

10 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 white or yellow onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 can or bottle of beer
15oz chicken stock* (about 2 cups)
1 15oz can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
4 15 oz cans of black beans, drained but not rinsed (do get good canned beans without tonnes of salt, since you are not rinsing them)
salt and pepper
1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
juice of 1 whole lime
sliced scallions, for garnish
sour cream, for garnish
shredded cheddar, for garnish

*You may want to use low-sodium stock because there's plenty of salt in the bacon and other ingredients, but I used Kirkland brand regular-sodium chicken stock in it and it was just fine, not too salty. (This may also relate to the quality of your other ingredients- perhaps mine weren't as excessively salty.) If you have leftover chicken stock, simply freeze it in an ice cube tray for future use.



This is what my favourite bacon looks like.

DIRECTIONS

Originally Posted by Dave Lieberman recipe

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder [AND BEER]. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. Cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

This is what it looks like when it's done.

So there you go. It's a hearty, relatively cheap, fast and easy recipe.