wrote:
WhirleyPop.
Ok, what's a Whirly Pop?
Scroll down to about the middle of the page:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/prod.stovetop-popper.shtml
BTW, I've roasted most of the coffee I've had at home for the last 15
years, much of it purchased from Sweet Maria's. I currently use the
AlpenRost and IRoast machines shown at the top of the page. The
machines add about a dollar a pound to the coffee, but the beans are
somewhat cheaper and higher quality than you can get at the
supermarket, or even the gourmet stores.
For example, most of the very good beans are 5 to 6 dollars, the top
quality Costa Rican is $7 (from the same farm its $16 at the local top
rated roastery). If you like Kona, you get get it for $15 a pound
when you might pay $18 for a half pound from a roastery.
The real advantage is that I always have fresh coffee, roasted just
the way I like it. The downside is that you must roast at least 12
hours in advance, because the coffee must "rest" for a while before
brewing. If I forget to roast the night before, its tea for breakfast!
For trips up to a month, I roast up a lot, measure out daily
"baggies," and then seal 6 or so into Foodmaster vacuum bags. These
can be frozen for longer trips.
Tips for coffee: The water should be clean and very hot, just off a
boil. The flaw in cheap brewers is that the water is tepid by the
time it hits the coffee. Beans should be ground just before brewing.
If you must use preground, keep it air tight, and don't keep it in
the fridge or freezer for daily use. (Every time you open it moisture
condenses onto it!) If you don't use it within 15 minutes of brewing,
decant into a Thermos.
And most of all, Starbucks roasts that way because it hides the flaws
in cheap coffee, not because it tastes better. If you like coffee
flavored milk, its fine.