Black pepper and coffee

[noboundaries]

I have a two decades+ old Cuisinart coffee grinder I no longer use. New I think they are $35-$45. Kids didn't want it, so I pulled it out of a garage cabinet this morning. Put it on the finest grind setting and tried some Costco whole peppercorns. MUCH more even grind than the blender, but not powder fine like the white pepper I have in the spice rack. Perfect grind size for 1/4 tsp. I KNEW there was a reason not to get rid of that well-loved grinder that still worked.

There are some mornings I forget to add the pepper. I know immediately it is missing with the first sip.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Guys, which coffee beans do you like the most? I recently tried Lavazza Super Crema Coffee Beans and it was awesome, most likely it's my favorite product.

Freedom Fuel from Black Rifle Coffee Company. Others they sell that I like are Blackbeard's Delight and Beyond Black. These are all dark roasts, but they have lighter roasts as well...

 

[bauchjw]

I’ve never had a bad cup of Black rifle, I also recommend Seven Seas Roasting, both veteran owned.

Coffee

sevenseasroasting.com

7 Seas “Dark Side of the Sea” is awesome for my taste, but I take coffee like life, Dark and bitter!

thank you for sharing! I’ll definitely try out the black pepper

 

[bauchjw]

I've been experimenting with adding spices to my morning pour-over coffee just to see if anything could actually improve the flavor of already great tasting, home-roasted, Arabica bean coffee. After trying several, the absolute winner is BLACK PEPPER!.

Give it a try on your next cup, or the next time you're tending the smoker overnight. Let me know what you think

Have a GREAT day!

Ray

Wow! I’m a convert! Wasn’t sure at first, wife laughed at me, but that is an awesome addition! Thank you!

 

[bill1]

...There are some mornings I forget to add the pepper. I know immediately it is missing with the first sip.

Update: I traveled a bit this year and after going a week with "just" plain coffee, it sure is good getting home to the special pepper stuff. And now that the Christmas rush is behind me (and to prove to my wife that we already own an espresso machine relegated to the lowest pantry shelf) I've started making an occasional espresso. Recall I put my pepper in with the grounds. Wow, the steam forced through the grounds really brings out the pepper flavor...I almost need to reduce my pepper mix. But the flavor is uniquely enhanced as well.
I know Ray is a pour-over guy but if you own an espresso machine, I encourage you to try the pepper in the grounds. Note it's important with any espresso machine to ensure you pack down the grounds well before tightening down the pressure seal.

 

[noboundaries]

Great to hear, Bill! We once had an espresso machine that is long gone. Now I use Bialetti moka espresso pots (3, 6, and 9 cup). I fresh ground black pepper this morning for a homemade BBQ sauce. I think I'll make a moka pot of espresso now and add the pepper! Thanks for the inspiration.

Ray

Update: yep, more intense flavor. Me likee. Added a little homemade Irish cream when I was halfway through the 3-cup mug. It even intensified the chocolate flavors there!

 

[Fueling Around]

Wow blast from the past.

Wife is still making various cocktails from her morning coffee. Adding MDT oil is the latest rendition.

...
Cafe Bustelo Espresso
...

I primarily drink espresso. Wife decaffeinated me over 10 years ago.
Wife found Cafe La Llave decaf at Walmart. Tried it and it has a kick without the caffeine.
It is definitely robusto as I assume the Bustelo brand.

 

[bill1]

...Wife found Cafe La Llave decaf at Walmart. Tried it and it has a kick without the caffeine.
It is definitely robusto as I assume the Bustelo brand.

Cafe la Llave (with caffeine, but still a green can) is what I use at work. For a pre-ground, grocery-store-bought canned coffee, I think it has no peers.
But Bustelo (yellow packaging) certainly isn't bad. I believe CLL is Cuban and Bustelo is Mexican.
One clear difference from comparable US products is they're both quite finely ground. I'd think that would mean they'd go stale faster (higher surface area to volume ratio) but an open can (partic CLL) ages remarkably well.

 

[Hockeydudde]

I can't find it anymore, but several years ago there was a long post and testing done by one of the respected members on home-barista. com. He decided that 1) Robusto in the blend helps it age gracefully. Part of this is the great body that Robusto brings. 2) the big Italian ground coffee producers are blending and roasting with the explicit purpose to promote graceful aging.
The sealed nitrogen purged packaging is a big part of it as well.

 

[jcam222]

I finally got around to trying this. I added 1/2t to my grounds in the Ninja coffee bar. That was to brew an XL cup of coffee. It was interesting although I felt as though 1/2t was a little much. Going to try 1/4t next cup.

 

[bill1]

... 1/2t was a little much. Going to try 1/4t next cup.

I love the pepper coffee but even I think you might want to consider halving that at least once more

 

[Smoke-Chem BBQ]

I tried it, not bad at all. I just used a few twists from the pepper grinder we have that makes the finest ground pepper, then gave the coffee a good stir before drinking.

All was good till I drained the last of the coffee in one gulp, without looking in the cup. There was a lot of pepper settled into the dregs of the coffee.

 

[jcam222]

I tried it, not bad at all. I just used a few twists from the pepper grinder we have that makes the finest ground pepper, then gave the coffee a good stir before drinking.

All was good till I drained the last of the coffee in one gulp, without looking in the cup. There was a lot of pepper settled into the dregs of the coffee.

I've been putting it on the grounds.......

 

[Smoke-Chem BBQ]

I've been putting it on the grounds.......

Well, that would solve the problem. My wife isn't enthusiastic about making the whole pot pepper-infused, so I've done it by the cup. Which works fine as long as it is stirred in (so it's not all floating on top), and you don't drink the last sip where the pepper has settled.