Seattle Coffee Gear | The Grind
Seattle Coffee Gear
February 2012
Recipe: Chocolate Martini
Cupid is on high alert this month and what better way to facilitate his romancin' ways than with a delectable cocktail? This is of the particularly dangerous variety: It tastes like candy! So please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Combine everything but the chocolate sauce in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
  2. Garnish chilled martini glass with chocolate drizzle.
  3. Strain cocktail into martini glass. 

New Product Feedback
With the redesigned non-pressurized portafilter and new bottomless portafilter we're introducing, SCG is excited to get into the product manufacturing game! We have a few ideas up our sleeve regarding new accessories and optional upgrades for some of our machines, but we would love your feedback!

Is there an accessory, machine upgrade/improvement or other piece of gear that you've been looking for but just can't seem to find? Please share! We'd be very interested to hear about any ideas you might have -- whether it's how an existing piece of equipment could be improved or for an accessory item you think would be a must-have.

Please send any suggestions to info@seattlecoffeegear.com and we'll include them in our product development process. Thanks in advance!
 

Ask the Experts
Q. I just received my new espresso machine and grinder; how do I go about dialing them in?

A. If you're new to traditional espresso extraction, the process of dialing in your grinder to pull an excellent shot can sometimes seem daunting.

While we wish we could send you a carefully plotted chart of specific grind settings, every grinder and machine will be slightly different -- and the coffee that you use is going to play a big part in the grind setting you use, as well.

Things to keep in mind: Make sure you're using fresh coffee, dosing similar amounts into the portafilter each time, tamping with the same pressure each time and then adjusting either finer or coarser to reach the 20 - 30 second extraction window for double shots. Also, when you're making adjustments to the grinder, dose 15 - 30 grams out (depending on your grinder) before you try your next shot.

For more tips and a walkthrough, checkout this updated primer we shot with Gail.
Seattle Coffee Gear TV
Featured Products
It ain't Chemex coffee if you don't use Chemex filters! We learned this lesson the hard way (via much YouTube ribbing) and found that the cup brewed using Chemex's signature filters is definitely smoother to the pallet. Maybe it's the weight of the paper filter, maybe it's the double-layer on one side -- whatever the reason, picking up a box of these for your Chemex is well worth it. 
Bodum Yohki
Bodum Yohki
$19.95 - 24.95  
When Bodum discontinued these lovely containers a couple of years ago, it was a very sad day around SCG (and our pantries). So you can imagine the revelry once we learned they were bringing them back! Available in two sizes, these versatile storage containers will keep your coffee or other dry goods fresh -- we even used them once to store homemade chutney! 
If you're going to get serious about making coffee at home, then you need to get serious about your grinder. And if you're going to get serious about your grinder, then  you probably should consider this big bad boy! With 68mm conical burrs and three variations of dosing, this grinder will make short work of your daily coffee preparations. Go ahead and show off for your friends. 
 
The Grind Special
We're seriously digging Caffe Umbria's coffee and we want to share that love with you. This month, pick up a bag of their Gusto Crema, Terra Sana Organic or Arco Etrusco whole bean blends on us! To redeem, add your preferred bag to your cart and enter the code UMBRIA100 during checkout. 
Offer applies to purchases made between 02/02/2012 and 02/29/2012 and valid only while supplies last. Limit one per customer. Not valid with any other coupons or discounts. Must be applied at time of order and cannot be redeemed retroactively. Free shipping in the continental US on orders of $49 or more, otherwise shipping fees apply.