Let’s address the cow in the room here. It may not have been the smartest idea to leave in our attempts at moo-ing in this episode. I thought about deleting it, but ultimately realized that it was a pretty good example of what a conversation between coffee expert Chris (Coffee Cycle Roasting) and I is really like in real life. Just today we had a planned in-person meeting that was rescheduled as a phone call.
When we connected, I said, "It’s probably good we’re doing this on the phone. We tend to get distracted in-person.”
He replied, “We get pretty distracted on the phone too.”
He isn’t wrong.
For a Coffee Smarter Episode, which are oft succinct, this podcast episode covers a lot of ground. We talk about a bunch of different types of milk and how they interact with our coffee. We talk about latte art and how to drink an espresso and cupping and piston driven espresso machines. I think the most important thing Chris references is how coffee knowledge has historically been passed down from person-to-person.
There are a million books on every facet of coffee now, as there are on any topic you can imagine, but even now, most learn about coffee by talking to their barista, their roaster, by watching a youtube video, or even listening to this show. Coffee industry pros teach new employees the ropes and their tricks of the trade. They in-turn pass that information along to the next person, and the next, and so on and on. To a lesser extent, they do the same to inquisitive customers.
That is the collaborative part of hospitality that I love. The teaching of how to do things differently or better or more efficiently. The passing along of random bits of knowledge about equipment or the psychology of customer interactions. The willingness of one coffee roaster to teach another how to use a machine or share the contact info of a great plumber.
We also briefly talked about Capuchin Monks–they are the ones with the hoods–on the show. Like I said, we cover a lot of ground. I hope you enjoy it.
HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE OAT MILK
I am from Wisconsin and used to drink a lot of milk, but switched over to alternative milks in my mid-20s which was…awhile ago. For a long time I reached for almond milk, but during the pandemic, I switched over to oat milk once I realized how easy it was to make at home, especially if you plan on using it up quickly (3-5 days). The ingredients include rolled oats–which I buy in bulk for like a $1.25/lb–water, and a pinch of salt for taste.
I don’t bother soaking the oats, but a lot of recipes suggest it. I haven’t experienced much benefit in the few times I tried. Dump everything into a food processor,* and do a quick blend. Strain into a mason jar. You could strain into a pitcher or something else, if you want, but it looks cooler in a mason jar.
If you prefer a sweetened milk you could add a date, drop of vanilla extract, splash of maple syrup, or just plain sugar. When you’re done you’ll have a jar full of milk, and a bunch of blended up oats. Don’t throw that stuff out! You can use it in baked goods, or I use it to prep overnight oats by tossing it into a jar with some fruit. Delicious!
Finally, the water and the blended oats in the oat milk will separate if they sit for awhile. You’ll need to shake up your jar when you pull it out of the fridge. If you don’t like the separation, look into adding a bit of lecithin which is a fat found in a lot of foods, but for this purpose often comes from sunflower seeds.
Check out this primer on oat milk and this recipe, both via AllRecipes.com
*In my experience, a food processor with a flat blade will blend the lightweight rolled oats more fully than a blender with raised blades.
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QUOTES IN CLOSING
“Over second and third cups flow matters of high finance, high state, common gossip and low comedy. [Coffee] is a social binder, a warmer of tongues, a soberer of minds, a stimulant of wit, a foiler of sleep if you want it so.”
― New York Times, 11/14/1949
As relayed by the excellent, “Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee & How it Transformed Our World,” by Mark Pendergrast
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Roast! Coffee Smarter Week 3