Nicaragua v Mexico
Jamie decides to taste test two Fair Trade Organic coffees: one from Nicaragua, one from Mexico. And remember, buying Fair Trade coffee makes you a
very good person.
Control: both grinds are brewed in a stainless steel French press (however epicurean, in my opinion it is the only way to make decent coffee). The first is then poured into a stainless steel Thermos. I've decided to use stainless steel for two reasons: 1.) it won't give off any odd features (smells, tastes, etc.), and 2.) it looks sexy. Throughout the review, I'll attempt multiple tastes and smells which I will denote with numerals.
- Aroma:
- Unbrewed: Nicaragua: (1) Smells like coffee. (2) Strong. (3) Oily (in a good way). Mexico: (1) smells like someone sprinkled in chocolate cake crumbs. (2) A more subtle scent.
- Brewed: Nicaragua: (1) smells like wet coffee. (2) Much more aromatic, more layers. Mexico: (1) Smells like wet Nicaragua. (2) Smells like cooling wet Nicaragua.
1st Taste: Piping hot
- Nicaragua: (1) OH GOD I LOVE COFFEE! (2) Subtle, doesn't smack you in the face. You can't really taste the layers in the aroma, but you enjoy what you're tasting. (3) An underlying layer of cashews and Brazil nuts.
- Mexico: (1) A soft, almost comical flavour. (2) Like it's just sliding down your throat with a smile. (3) Hint of cinnamon.
In the meantime, my girlfriend makes toast with avocado. It's making me hungry, and I tell her so.
She replies. "You're supposed to be focusing on the coffee, Jamie. There's no time for you and avocados." True. Very true. I try to think of other things to take my mind of the scent of melting avo wafting through the kitchen. I'd open a window, but it's deep into Autumn now and quite cool out.
Five minutes pass, and the coffee is still steaming, but noticeably less. I decide to take a second taste.
2nd Taste: Cooling, but not cold
- Nicaragua: (1) Very slight bitterness--the kind you feel in the back of your teeth. Although not like the bitterness you get with Denny's coffee. Jesus Christ, I'd rather chew aspirin. (2) While the nutty notes have faded, other flavours have emerged: earth and peppered citrus. My girlfriend describes it as "smokey, like gumboot tea-infused coffee." Not an appetising image, but accurate... in a good way.
- Mexico: (1) Can you use the word "fluffy" to describe coffee? You know that texture at the bottom of scones or sugar cookies? Kinda floury, but not unpleasant. (2) A gradual easing as it cools, yet it retains its light-hearted nature.
As I wait for the coffee to fully cool, I decide to make a crumpet. I'm too hungry to just sit here and look out the window. Plus, Ami is sitting across from me munching away. During my wait for said crumpet, I grab the camera and take a snap for the blog (which you can see directly above). The toaster dings after I snap. The crumpet is then given lashings of Nutella (note to self: must write about how Nutella is nectar of the gods). It tastes so good, I have to take a picture of it. Oh, man. I love Nutella on crumpets. It goes perfect with a cup of coffee . . . wait, why is this coffee cold? And why do I have two cups?
Oh shit. The review. I totally forgot.
3rd taste: Cold (and after rinsing the sweet, glorious taste of Nutella out of my mouth, which, believe me, was a very difficult thing to do)
- Nicaragua: Aroma: (1) Smells like coal dust; like if I lit a match, it would singe my eyebrows--wholly unpleasant. Taste: (1) Surprisingly, the taste is hardly bitter at all. In fact, it's no more bitter than when it was Luke warm. (2) And the nuts are back! In fact, they must have left and brought some friends: almonds, pistachio--very complex taste. (3) Although drinking cold coffee (and I'm not talking about iced coffee) feels a bit odd, I wouldn't rush to refill this with anything warmer.
- Mexico: Aroma: (1) Hey, this is pretty nice. Soothing, even. Like you have all your closest friends in the lounge, and you're all listening to music--why am i thinking of clarinets? (2) And the taste is just the same: even, not sharp at all. (3) Refreshing, even. (4) This would make the perfect iced coffee.
Final: Nicaragua - 3 Mexico - 3*
*winner on penalty kick
A very close call, but Mexico wins on evenness and the ability to elicit images of wind instruments.
Mistakes: I had a blue cup for Nicaragua, and a brown cup for Mexico. The first thing I did was pour Mexico into the blue cup. I think that fucked me up a bit at first, but I soon got used to it.
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