Can you teach me about coffee?

[ChalkandScissors]

I've recently tried coffee for the first time in many years, and decided I quite like it.

But so far it's just been the cheap instant stuff I've been drinking, and I'm wondering if there are better ways to imbibe.

I like it black or with a bit of cream/milk. I don't like sweet drinks, so most of the frothy stuff is out, I gather?

Do I need a machine? Is there a tutorial on what to buy and how to use it? So lost!

Get one of these www.amazon.co.uk/s?ref=nb_sb_noss_2&k=stovetop+coffee+maker&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

And one of these www.amazon.co.uk/s?ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_11&crid=19YCARPGJET15&sprefix=coffee+grin%2Caps%2C485&k=coffee+grinder&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

And buy fresh beans which you put in the grinder...and then in the stovetop coffee maker.

Don't even bother with those 'fancy' machines which you have to buy all the special pods and filters...and don't touch a plunger...they're shit.

Make your coffee on the stove. When it's ready, pour some in a mug, add hot water and milk and that's the best coffee out there.

I've tried it all having been drinking coffee for years and this is the nicest way.

You don't HAVE to have a grinder and beans...you can buy packs of ground fresh coffee in Asda and Tesco and so on...and that's lovely too.

The stovetop coffee maker is very simple. It's in three parts basically.

The Bottom part holds the water, then into that goes a little cup thing with a metal tube that sits in the water...into the cup thing goes the ground coffee then you screw the jug on top.

Put it on the stove and the water bubbles up through the ground coffee and into the jug so when it's done, you can pour it straight out without undoing anything.

Don't use boiling water - ever. It ruins coffee by making it bitter. Ideal temp is around 95°c to get the best flavour.
You don't need to buy anything fancy. A jug,spoon and strainer will produce perfectly drinkable coffee.

DH is devoted to his espresso machine but I think he likes the 'performance' aspect. It takes forever to produce one tiny cup.

Ooh, thank you for these tips. I think I have a grinder somewhere in the kitchen that could work for beans. I love the smell of coffee beans!