Anyone watch it?
Travel Channel
http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-show...gerous-grounds

My idea of the pursuit of the best coffee is trying it out at
different shops. This guy risks his life. I've watched two episodes
so far and no way would I travel with him!

Todd Carmichael travels the globe, hunting for the highest-grade
coffee in the world. Why? Because nearly a billion people drink coffee
each morning, making it the number 2 commodity in the world, second
only to oil. Todd focuses on the very best coffee out there -- beans
so rare, they are sought after by the world’s top chefs and
restaurants. These coffee beans grow wild in remote regions at high
altitude, and are vestiges of colonial strains, spread by European
explorers centuries ago. Todd has to go to some of the most exotic,
fascinating and dangerous places on earth to find it: from the cities,
villages and mountains of Haiti, Bolivia, Madagascar, Borneo, Cuba and
Vietnam. Buying the coffee beans direct from the farmers means Todd
must encounter treacherous terrain, danger and sometimes, even
opposition from entrenched middlemen. There’s an amazing story behind
every cup.

Todd Carmichael, of the all-new Travel Channel series Dangerous
Grounds, is the CEO and main sourcer for his coffee company La Colombe
Torrefaction, along with its chain of boutique cafes. A thrill-seeker
his entire life, Carmichael ran his first ultra-marathon at the age of
20 and soon after, sailed solo across the Atlantic. In 2008, he set
the still-standing world-record for the fastest unsupported trek to
the South Pole. In between coffee-sourcing expeditions to some of the
most dangerous parts of the world, Todd took the time to share his
strong opinions on coffee.

What’s your favorite type of coffee?
Ahh, lets see, Arabica of typical variety (heirloom) – shade-grown,
well-tended and as high as it will grow - major altitude. If I had to
pick a country, my heart requires me to say Ethiopia.

What is your favorite and least favorite coffee chain?
You’re killing me here – my preferred coffee chain is Caribou. My
least: Dunkin Donuts.

What is your most memorable coffee expedition?
My most memorable was in Ethiopia, in the Djimma national forest with
my newly-adopted son, Bek, then 10 months old, on my hip gripping me
with his little hand on my T-shirt. We were stuck in Ethiopia together
for a month due to his VISA problems, and although I was new to the
whole diaper change and baby bottle thing (our 3 girls were adopted
much older), I had decided we might as well use to the time to go on a
coffee buy together -- his first.

Do you ever cook with coffee? If so, what?
Yes, I do -- with lamb shoulder, I use it as a rub and it is
wonderful. Keep in mind, coffee is a spice. It works really well with
grilled lobster, too.

On 2012-11-16, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
> Anyone watch it?
> Travel Channel

Don't watch tv, but I drink good coffee.

This whole "rare", "hard to get" "World's greatest coffees" is jes
hype. I'm hardcore into coffee. I usta roast my own. Now, I jes
enjoy what I can easily obtain. Besides, having tasted all but the
rarest of coffees, I'm not impressed. Give me a good Ethiopian or
KenyanAA. All those high-end coffees like Kona and Blue Mountain and
Monsooned Malabar, etc, I've drank 'em. meh.... I've been so far
unimpressed, to the point I shall no doubt neglect my civet doody,
too.

Current fave: locally blended/roasted espresso blend, cone grind,
10oz moka pot.

nb

--
Definition of objectivism:
"Eff you! I got mine."
http://www.nongmoproject.org/

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
> Anyone watch it?
> Travel Channel
> http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-show...gerous-grounds
>
> My idea of the pursuit of the best coffee is trying it out at
> different shops. This guy risks his life. I've watched two episodes
> so far and no way would I travel with him!
>
> Todd Carmichael travels the globe, hunting for the highest-grade
> coffee in the world. Why? Because nearly a billion people drink coffee
> each morning, making it the number 2 commodity in the world, second
> only to oil.

Just think, in another 25 years or so once we've got some sanity and
moved off oil to nuclear and tidal energy, coffee will be #1.

On 11/16/12 8:08 AM, notbob wrote:
> On 2012-11-16, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>> Anyone watch it?
>> Travel Channel
>
> Don't watch tv, but I drink good coffee.
>
> This whole "rare", "hard to get" "World's greatest coffees" is jes
> hype. I'm hardcore into coffee. I usta roast my own. Now, I jes
> enjoy what I can easily obtain. Besides, having tasted all but the
> rarest of coffees, I'm not impressed. Give me a good Ethiopian or
> KenyanAA....

Yeah, we prefer Ethiopians (Yrgacheffe, Harrar, etc.) and Kenyans
blended with Indonesians.

But his company, La Colombe Torrefaction (http://lacolombe.com/), sells
some really fine coffee. And they sell in 2.5 and 5 lb bags as well.

-- Larry

pltrgyst wrote:

> Yeah, we prefer Ethiopians (Yrgacheffe, Harrar, etc.) and Kenyans
> blended with Indonesians.

We bought a 5 lb. bag of Yrgacheffe but it's not to our taste. It's
green beans but if you'd like it, you're welcomed to send me an email
and I'll put what's left, probably 4 lbs. worth, in a box and send it to
you. It is generally just too mild for us - we tend to like our own
blend and that's 2/3 Sumatra.

-S-

On 2012-11-16 13:08:42 +0000, notbob said:

> This whole "rare", "hard to get" "World's greatest coffees" is jes
> hype.

Or... or maybe people have different tastes. It's at least a possibility.

On 11/16/12 1:55 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
> pltrgyst wrote:
>
>> Yeah, we prefer Ethiopians (Yrgacheffe, Harrar, etc.) and Kenyans
>> blended with Indonesians.
>
> We bought a 5 lb. bag of Yrgacheffe but it's not to our taste. It's
> green beans but if you'd like it, you're welcomed to send me an email
> and I'll put what's left, probably 4 lbs. worth, in a box and send it to
> you. It is generally just too mild for us - we tend to like our own
> blend and that's 2/3 Sumatra.

Thanks, but I sold my roaster a couple of years ago, since I now have a
good roaster a few blocks away from the house.

-- Larry

"Pete C." wrote:
>
> Just think, in another 25 years or so once we've got some sanity and
> moved off oil to nuclear and tidal energy, coffee will be #1.

The U.S. is predicted to become self-sufficient
in oil in a few years. That will take a lot of
oil out of international trade.

On 2012-11-16 20:17:27 +0000, pltrgyst said:

> On 11/16/12 1:55 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>> pltrgyst wrote:
>>
>>> Yeah, we prefer Ethiopians (Yrgacheffe, Harrar, etc.) and Kenyans
>>> blended with Indonesians.
>>
>> We bought a 5 lb. bag of Yrgacheffe but it's not to our taste. It's
>> green beans but if you'd like it, you're welcomed to send me an email
>> and I'll put what's left, probably 4 lbs. worth, in a box and send it to
>> you. It is generally just too mild for us - we tend to like our own
>> blend and that's 2/3 Sumatra.
>
> Thanks, but I sold my roaster a couple of years ago, since I now have a
> good roaster a few blocks away from the house.

I like coffee but I never even thought about roasting it myself. In a
little Kobe coffee shop we ordered coffee at the counter and watched
the guy toast up some beans in a skillet. By the time he actually began
grinding at making the coffee, we were slavering. Jeez it smelled good.

I should read up on this. I assume I can get a light roast bean and
"finish" in in a toaster oven. The wife really prefers a roasty
flavor. That might be fun.

On 2012-11-16 22:02:40 +0000, Mark Thorson said:

> The U.S. is predicted to become self-sufficient in oil in a few years.
> That will take a lot of oil out of international trade.

That's very heartening. Can you quote any sources that are predicting
this in a "few years"? I'd love to be able to hammer political
opponents with that information.

If it exists.

gtr wrote:
> On 2012-11-16 20:17:27 +0000, pltrgyst said:
>
>> On 11/16/12 1:55 PM, Steve Freides wrote:
>>> pltrgyst wrote:
>>>
>>>> Yeah, we prefer Ethiopians (Yrgacheffe, Harrar, etc.) and Kenyans
>>>> blended with Indonesians.
>>>
>>> We bought a 5 lb. bag of Yrgacheffe but it's not to our taste. It's
>>> green beans but if you'd like it, you're welcomed to send me an
>>> email and I'll put what's left, probably 4 lbs. worth, in a box and
>>> send it to you. It is generally just too mild for us - we tend to
>>> like our own blend and that's 2/3 Sumatra.
>>
>> Thanks, but I sold my roaster a couple of years ago, since I now
>> have a good roaster a few blocks away from the house.
>
> I like coffee but I never even thought about roasting it myself. In a
> little Kobe coffee shop we ordered coffee at the counter and watched
> the guy toast up some beans in a skillet. By the time he actually
> began grinding at making the coffee, we were slavering. Jeez it
> smelled good.
> I should read up on this. I assume I can get a light roast bean and
> "finish" in in a toaster oven. The wife really prefers a roasty
> flavor. That might be fun.

I use an air popcorn popper - it makes a fairly uneven roast but my wife
and I have found that we actually prefer that so we're very happy. You
can achieve anywhere from light to burned this way and it's a great way
to start home roasting - and for some of us, it's all you ever need. I
tried a purpose-built roaster once and didn't like the results so I went
back to the popcorn popper. Look up Popcorn Pumper or similar - $40 or
so on ebay.

-S-

gtr wrote:

> > This whole "rare", "hard to get" "World's greatest coffees" is jes
> > hype.
>
> Or... or maybe people have different tastes. It's at least a possibility.

Who said "world's greatest"? Depending on who you ask, the "best"
coffee comes from Yemen, Jamaica, Costa Rica, etc.

But if you can't tell the difference between the good stuff and
supermarket cans, it might as well all be the same.

Mark Thorson wrote:

> The U.S. is predicted to become self-sufficient
> in oil in a few years. That will take a lot of
> oil out of international trade.

It will also destroy a lot of groundwater. Frack away!

Coffee smells great but tastes awful-why is that? Every now and then I
find myself at 4am out of pop with a vicious caffeine withdrawal
headache. Finally found the solution.

A small plastic container of Hills Bros. sugar free double mocha
Cappuccino. I can taste the coffee in it but not enough to repel me and
it stops the headache immediately (faster than pop) so it has a good
caffeine level, plus its delicious...and it keeps in the cupboard well.

Some day I may actually reach the point of liking coffee.

I have watched his show-people like that shouldn't have kids imo.

gtr wrote:
>
> On 2012-11-16 22:02:40 +0000, Mark Thorson said:
>
> > The U.S. is predicted to become self-sufficient in oil in a few years.
> > That will take a lot of oil out of international trade.
>
> That's very heartening. Can you quote any sources that are predicting
> this in a "few years"? I'd love to be able to hammer political
> opponents with that information.
>
> If it exists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/bu...s.html?hp&_r=0

That article is based on a report by the IEA,
which is the most reliable source of data on
energy issues.

They predict that the U.S. will become a net
oil exporter by 2030.

"George M. Middius" wrote:
>
> Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> > The U.S. is predicted to become self-sufficient
> > in oil in a few years. That will take a lot of
> > oil out of international trade.
>
> It will also destroy a lot of groundwater. Frack away!

Not to mention that we'll be growing coconuts
and pineapples in Oregon and Maine. :-)

On 2012-11-18, Mark Thorson > wrote:

> They predict that the U.S. will become a net
> oil exporter by 2030.

.....and Santy Claus is gonna give everyone a 200 ft motor yacht, this
Christmas.

Whatta rube....

nb

--
Definition of objectivism:
"Eff you! I got mine."
http://www.nongmoproject.org/

On 2012-11-18 00:40:59 +0000, Mark Thorson said:

> gtr wrote:
>>
>> On 2012-11-16 22:02:40 +0000, Mark Thorson said:
>>
>>> The U.S. is predicted to become self-sufficient in oil in a few years.
>>> That will take a lot of oil out of international trade.
>>
>> That's very heartening. Can you quote any sources that are predicting
>> this in a "few years"? I'd love to be able to hammer political
>> opponents with that information.
>>
>> If it exists.
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/bu...s.html?hp&_r=0
>
>
> That article is based on a report by the IEA, which is the most
> reliable source of data on energy issues.
>
> They predict that the U.S. will become a net oil exporter by 2030.

Thanks very much for the relay. I find too many "if's" in the article.
First they say that part of this shift is because of access through
shale via fracking and horizontal drilling. We'll have to see how much
folks like this approach considering it's pollution effects, and
earthquake effects. Also this self-sufficiency is also the result of
increased production "combined with new American policies to improve
energy efficiency..." We'll see if such policies survive the daily
mini-Jihads in congress.

All these circumstances also seem to assume that no
climate-change-related interference takes place too. Quite an "if".

Still I think the whole thing is quite positive. I hope this won't lead
to abandoning alternative energy sources, but I assume that will be the
case.