GOOD LOOK: Gunshot Detection

Here's a Good Look at the actual technology behind ShotSpotter, Inc.'s gunshot detection systems in case any of you were curious to know more about the company Nathan is a project manager for.

doing the java jive

Before we get started, I think we ought to have a little mood music while you read this post. Please play the video above and then read on. :)

After a recent discussion on Facebook with a friend of mine, I realized many people seem to be a bit mystified by the art of preparing and drinking a good cup of coffee or shot of espresso at home. I decided to create this blog post as a guide for those who want to learn how to create espresso drinks very similar to the ones you pay several dollars for in your local coffee shop. Like anything worth doing well, this can require a bit of preparation and practice, but it isn't difficult at all. I value my little morning ritual of preparing myself a satisfying latte or espresso shot - it's relaxing, takes just minutes, and with practice can even be easily squeezed into any busy weekday routine.

I love coffee. I love it real good. Espresso shots like the one at right, hot cups of black drip coffee, coffee with a bit of cream or a bit more of whole milk, coffee-flavored ice cream and candy -- I'm thoroughly addicted. My addiction started when I was a good deal younger and still in middle-school - my Mother brewed the most delicious drip coffee using an individual filter like the one in this month's issue of Saveur, freshly ground quality beans, and boiling water from the kettle; the filter was stacked on top of a waiting coffee cup and allowed to slow-drip down, creating a fantastically rich and barely bitter brew I was allowed to enjoy a cup of on weekend mornings. Ever since, I have enjoyed a cup of coffee almost every single day of my life. I'm doubtful it's healthy, but it's certainly worth it! Everyone needs a good vice or two, don't they?

I won't discuss the entire history of coffee and the world's ardent love affair with it as it is quite extensive, but if you're interested it's well-worth reading about by clicking here. For centuries, people have been fascinated with and completely bewitched by the deep, dark, hot magical brew that has evolved and transformed to become the coffee we are familiar with today. 77% of adults in the United States drink coffee on a daily (52%) or occasional (25%) basis (source), and with such enthusiasm it's easy to understand why people like me have become such fanatics about coffee consumption.

Did you know coffee has 1,500 discernible components of flavor - three times more than wine (source)? Drinking coffee made from quality beans and produced with quality equipment has definitely elevated the humble deep-brown concoction to something far nobler and more enjoyable than its earliest forms, but if you squint you can still glimpse what coffee once was like centuries ago. Such a time-honored practice, in my opinion, should be respected and enjoyed in the best possible way and for me this means taking my coffee consumption more seriously than I once did.

And now, I'm going to lecture you for a bit. I couldn't possibly write this post without sharing my opinion on the mass-commercialism of coffee today (and as I warned you way back when I began this blog, I might from time to time rant about such strong opinions of mine). =) I'm not here to judge, but to educate. If you're not open to change, or to learning, or to self-improvement (and you haven't done this already), just move on. =) Go hit up Starbucks and get yourself a hot cup of their mess and suck it down quick. And be happy in that! I tip my cap to you!! But if you're interested in familiarizing yourself with the differences in the levels of quality in coffee available today, and understanding why I have changed the way I drink, order, and pay for coffee, read on.

Yes, I'm going to write about Starbucks. Starbucks has evolved into something so vastly different than what it was originally intended to be that it's almost unrecognizable. Starbucks is easily the most popular coffee chain in the world, and through clever marketing has become the gold standard (among those who don't know better) of coffee quality. I'm sure you've seen the phrase "We proudly serve Starbucks coffee," and that is definitely the attitude here - pride. The funny thing is Starbucks coffee isn't very good. It tastes bitter, almost burnt. If you have drunk a lot of Starbucks coffee, you may not notice this consciously. If you have ever drunk coffee from somewhere other than Starbucks, however, you almost certainly have noticed the new coffee doesn't taste anything like the Starbucks coffee you normally drink, and this is *completely* intentional. I'll let that sink in for a minute.

And for a minute or few more - all this writing about coffee has made me want some. =) I'll be back in a bit. ... That's better!! No, that wasn't a clever contrivance - I really did go make myself a delicious pumpkin-spice latte. And a double-espresso shot for Nathan. And I took some pictures for this post. =)

Anyhow, I drank a great deal of Starbucks when I was younger. It's not that Starbucks uses bad coffee beans or anything. The quality of the beans they use is actually quite good. But in the name of achieving consistency amongst all of their locations world-wide, and privately (according to several of my friends who were once Starbucks baristas) in the name of training palates to prefer the taste of Starbucks products, Starbucks over-roasts their coffee beans. They burn them. On purpose. This is why the coffee and espresso you purchase at Starbucks tastes bitter, requires so much sweetener, and leaves you feeling rattled and icky after you come down from the extra sugar/caffeine in your system.

When a coffee bean is over-roasted, it drastically changes many of the oils found in the bean from which coffee gets its distinctive flavor, and even actually *lowers* the caffeine content. Ever wonder why you have to drink such a large quantity of Starbucks coffee or have at the minimum a double-espresso or perhaps even more shots in your Starbucks espresso drinks to get that caffeine kick? This is why. When I discovered this, I began comparing coffee from local coffee shops to Starbucks coffee and realized there really was a startling difference in taste. That's when I began learning more about coffee, and also when I stopped drinking Starbucks. I encourage you to do some Googling about this practice of Starbucks' and read about it for yourself.

Another distinct difference between Starbucks and other less-commercialized coffee shops is the coffee drinks which are served. If you have ever tried to order a macchiato anyplace other than Starbucks, you have probably been disappointed when your drink arrives looking like this photo. This is actually what a macchiato looks like, not at all even remotely similar to the large container of syrups, flavorings, whipped cream, milk, and Starbucks espresso you may be used to. Starbucks altered several coffee beverages, while keeping their Italian names, to make them more attractive to consumers. The macchiato sold at Starbucks is loaded with calories, something many of us are trying to watch these days (as have generations of our fore bearers). It's worth considering, or at least it was for me, and once I began to learn about the many differences between Starbucks' commercialized sticky-sweet coffee drinks and their original counterparts, I became less and less enchanted -- the coffee I was drinking at Starbucks wasn't anything like the yummy drip coffee I remembered from my youth.

Starbucks' marketing campaign is quite clever, elevating the humble morning cup of coffee to a status symbol, a hallmark of quality and personal good taste. I'm sure if you think back to pre-Starbucks days, you'll remember it used to not matter what logo was displayed on your to-go cup of joe, but now it does. And depending on the company you keep, it matters a lot. By charging more for their product and thereby playing to the misconception of many that bigger and more expensive always equals better, Starbucks effectively priced many of its smaller competitors out of business while managing to turn astronomical profits.

They then proceeded to capitalize further by becoming ubiquitous and über-convenient. Starbucks' to-go coffee cups with their logo prominently displayed were marketed as more than eye-catching containers - they became veritable accessories which advertised to anyone who saw you with one that you were willing to burn through several dollars for the privilege of carrying it without a second thought. I'm not going to discuss today whether this is silly or not, and I am just as guilty of paying a premium price for my non-Starbucks gourmet coffee, but regardless of your opinion on social norms it is undeniable Starbucks has changed the face of coffee today, perhaps permanently.

But enough about all that. As I wrote, I am merely trying to educate you, dear reader, in case you weren't aware of the facts about Starbucks and why I no longer patronize their stores. I suppose in closing out this rant I would encourage you to give your local coffee shops a second chance -- find one whose' coffee you like the taste of, learn where their beans come from -- Are they locally roasted? If not, are they purchased from a reputable supplier or are they mass-produced? Are they grown in micro-batches like the beans of my favorite local coffee shop, Novo? Are they fair-trade? Re-educate your palate to appreciate the many subtleties of what is truly a delicious (and to many, like me, essential) beverage.

SO, we finally arrive at the lesson phase of this post. I have been asked by more than a few people how I can stand drinking the coffee I make at home and why their home-brewed cups of joe and espresso and lattes and such never taste as good as the coffee they purchase while out and about. My primary reason in writing this post was to discuss that in detail.

The number-one reason for this unpleasant inconsistency, boys and girls, is not all coffee-making equipment and ingredients are created equal, plain and simple. You will get infinitely better results using a quality (and usually expensive) espresso machine or coffee maker than you will if you're just using a Krups machine or the like. This shouldn't be much of a surprise, as it is generally the case with any small appliance, but the differences don't stop there. You must also consider the water you use, the beans you are buying, the way you prepare them, and the quality of any additional ingredients you add to your coffee or espresso. Although this isn't always true, in this case like with most home-cooking you really do get out of this what you pay for/put into it.

So why does the coffee and espresso I make at home almost certainly taste better than yours? Here's how I do it, from start to delicious finish. I'll be focusing on making a latte here; there are plenty of other resources available online if you want to make other drinks like a cappuccino, for example, or if you need tips on making drip or French Press coffee. Forgive me for stating the obvious or explaining things you undoubtedly already know, but as my English professor Mrs. Klyse taught me, "When writing for a broad audience, you should always assume they know nothing about your subject."

EQUIP YOURSELF -> I start with specific equipment. We have a FrancisFrancis! X5 espresso machine which we purchased a few years ago as we primarily drink espresso drinks. This by no means is the very best or most expensive espresso machine on the market, but it produces excellent espresso and we love the design. When we have regular coffee, we make ours French-Press style in a Bodum Young Press. I like my lattes with more milk than traditionally required, probably due to years of drinking Venti-sized lattes at Starbucks, and favor oversize coffee cups while Nathan frequently drinks espresso shots. Different cups are required for each. Espresso cups are traditionally very small (the photo at the top of this post is of a double-size espresso cup; single-shot cups are half the size), and oversize cups are of course huge. You can find these cups for sale pretty much everywhere; Crate&Barrel has a very nice selection.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BEAN -> I use whole coffee beans, and purchase a variety of different roasts and blends from my favorite coffee shop, Novo. As we don't drink much regular coffee, I primarily buy beans specifically roasted to be made into espresso. Whole beans are *essential* if you want to produce a quality espresso shot or cup of coffee. Yes, pre-ground and pod coffee is simpler to use, but the flavors aren't nearly as potent or fresh after sitting ground in the bag / pod for awhile, and almost gone by the time you finish a half-pound unless you use it all within the first day or two of purchase. Even then, it's just not as yummy - take my word for it. Remember, the flavor of your coffee primarily comes from the oils within the coffee bean, and just like with spices freshly ground *always* tastes better. By the way, you should *never* store your coffee beans, whole or otherwise, in the freezer -- freezing the bean freezes the oils, which will *significantly* affect the flavor of the espresso or coffee you produce.

GRIND IT DOWN -> Because I use whole coffee beans, a coffee grinder is required. I favor burr grinders over the far more popular blade grinders like this one because the grind of coffee produced is far more consistent and a finer grind is easily achievable. Controlling the consistency of your grind and using as fine a grind as possible is essential for the way in which espresso is made (which is by forcing heated water through the ground beans using a tremendous amount of pressure). Think of water flowing through a layer of sand as opposed to a stream bed. We use this Cuisinart burr grinder, and I am very happy with the results. Again, it's not the most expensive burr grinder on the market, but it suits us just fine.

SMALL WONDERS -> To prepare espresso, unless you favor a completely automatic machine that does everything for you like this one, you will need a tamper (I recommend an aluminum tamper such as this over the flimsy plastic one which might have come with your machine) and a brush to remove coffee grounds from your espresso grinder as well as clean the brew head of your espresso machine. The stainless steel brush I use (I think I bought it at Crate&Barrel but I'm not sure) is double-ended and has shorter stiffer bristles on one end specifically for cleaning and longer bristles on the other end specifically for brushing loose grounds out of your grinder's receptacle. To prepare any espresso drink to be paired with steamed milk, you will also need a stainless-steel milk frothing pitcher and thermometer. Finally, you will need some way of measuring and containing your espresso shots - I use these, but espresso shot glasses are easily found in stores such as Williams-Sonoma, Sur la table, Bed Bath & Beyond, Crate&Barrel, etc. After amassing all of this stuff, you're ready to start making espresso.

JUST ADD WATER -> Follow the directions of your machine specifically. All will require you have water in some sort of container stored within the machine; always make sure you have enough water in the container as running out in the middle of pulling an espresso shot or steaming process can damage the pump within the machine.

PURE AND SIMPLE -> I use *only* filtered water, *never* tap. We do this for all our cooking, food-preparation-rinsing, etc. The benefits of filtered water are widely known, and the quality of the water you use to prepare your coffee or espresso will *definitely* affect the taste of your coffee, tea, espresso, or really *any* food you prepare using water. In case you weren't aware of why filtered water is a good thing, read this.

CLEAN IT UP -> I *always* clean the brew head of my machine before I begin (and before I start heating the machine) because there is always ground coffee clinging to this area from the last time I used it. You might prefer to do this as part of your cleanup process after you finish brewing your espresso so that your machine is ready for next time, but I prefer to do this while the machine is not heated so I don't burn myself. ;) I use the short end of the brush for this process, and remove all of the previously used coffee grounds.

HEAT IT UP -> At this point, I turn on my machine and attach the portafilter (the assembled arm and filter attachment that come with your espresso machine and attach to the brew head) onto the brew head. I let these components heat up which helps ensure consistent temperature in my pulled espresso shots. Your machine will have directions on how long this process should take or even indicators (like mine) to watch for to tell you the machine is pre-heated and ready. I also heat my cup(s) - my machine has a cup-warmer along the top which I can store the cup on while I am pulling the shot; you can also heat your cup with heated water run through the steam wand, or heat your cup for a few seconds in a microwave. This step is all about controlling the temperature of the finished product and keeping your drink, which takes a bit to assemble, as hot as possible.

ONE LUMP OR TWO? -> At this point, I add any coffee syrup I am choosing to use to my empty coffee cup. *NOTE*: I never sweeten plain espresso shots. If you want these to be sweetened, it is traditional to serve them with a small lump of raw sugar alongside of the shot.

I don't always sweeten my espresso drinks, but I usually do depending on my mood. I could go on and on about coffee syrups, but I will briefly state it's best to use a quality (and yes, probably more expensive) coffee syrup whose' primary ingredient isn't corn-syrup and with no added chemicals, coloring, etc. I use Monin Coffee Syrups consistently; their quality ingredients make the best-tasting syrups out of the various brands I have tried. I add a very small amount of syrup to my heated cup before pulling my espresso shot because I am striving to lightly *accent* the taste of my espresso with whatever flavored syrup I am using.

I am of the opinion the taste of the syrup should not overpower the taste of the espresso at all, but be a delicate note in the finished coffee drink. This will of course come down to personal preference, but remember, most people over-sweeten their coffee / espresso to mask a bitter taste, and if you are properly brewing your coffee / espresso, it should not taste bitter at all. This is why over-sweetening is a very common practice for people who patronize that wildly popular mega-coffee shop I mentioned at the beginning of this post. =)

FINE AND DANDY -> *Always* grind your coffee just moments before you are ready to pull your espresso shot, ensuring the best results and taste possible. The ground espresso you use should be as finely ground as possible while still allowing water to be forced through it, and here we get into timing. Your goal, according to the National Coffee Association of U.S.A., Inc., is to have the coffee in contact with the water as briefly as possible (completely the opposite of brewing regular drip- or press-style coffee), usually within the range of 20 - 30 seconds. Your machine may have specific guidelines here, but the overall rule of thumb comes down to personal taste - if your pulled espresso shot tastes flat, you are probably under-extracting your espresso (allowing not enough time for the shot to brew), and if it is overpowering you are probably over-extracting it (allowing too much time for the shot to brew).

How much ground espresso (referred to as the DOSE) do you use? Your machine should certainly have instructions on this, but the general rule is 8 grams (approximately 0.3 oz or two tablespoons) per shot of espresso, and so a double-shot pulled all at once would be twice that amount as well as require a slightly coarser grind than what you would use for a single shot. You will undoubtedly have to play with this a few mornings to determine your espresso preference.

TAMP IT DOWN -> Once you have loaded your ground espresso into your portafilter, you need to tamp it down. I load my portafilter twice - once all the way to the marked maximum indicator before compressing the grounds quite firmly (using enough pressure so I am close to hurting my hand) with the tamper, then I gently tap the portafilter with my finger to settle any grounds clinging to the wall of the filter. I then load a second time with the rest of the coffee I have ground for the amount of shots I am brewing (usually a double) and repeat the tamping and tapping process. You are striving to create as firm and level a compaction as possible. If the grounds aren't firm or level, the forced hot water could blast a hole through the center of the dose which will result in over-extracted grounds immediately surrounding the flow of water and under-extracted grounds closer to the wall of the filter and leave you with an espresso shot that tastes, well, nasty.

THINK CREMA -> Any good espresso machine worth its salt will easily produce wonderful crema as long as your espresso is ground finely enough (but not too finely). Crema (named for the town in Italy and the delicate floating layer of tan-colored bubbles formed when espresso is extracted) is highly desired and essential to a well-pulled shot of espresso. To read more about crema, go here. As you are pulling your shot of espresso, you should see it separate into three distinct layers - a dark layer on the bottom, a dark tan layer in the middle-top, and a tan-colored layer of crema forming immediately on the very top of the shot. Just like in this picture. =)

*GASP* I WOULDN'T DO THAT IF I WERE YOU! -> If you are brewing more than one espresso drink at a time, *NEVER* reuse your ground espresso!! 0_0 That is a BIG no-no. The espresso you make from doing this just tastes bad. Don't do it!!

POUR OUT AT ONCE! -> Avoid letting your beautiful espresso shot sit for too long!! Immediately serve it in your heated espresso cup, or if you are making a drink with steamed milk and your machine requires you to pull a shot and steam milk separately (as mine does), pour it from your shot glass into your heated coffee cup.

ALL FROTHY AND SWIRLY -> Unless your machine allows you to steam your milk while simultaneously pulling an espresso shot (many do not), it's now time to do this. In either case, *always* start with a chilled stainless steel milk frothing pitcher. How much milk you use will be dictated by the size of your pitcher as well as the size of your cup. Avoid using too much milk or

your cup will runneth over!! Nyuk nyuk nyuk. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

What kind of milk you use will be according to your personal preference and dietary restrictions; I use whole milk as it produces the very best froth and taste. I'm not going to discuss the soy nonsense, but I'll tell you flat out I don't like it. It's your drink, however, so your mileage may vary. I tilt my pitcher (with thermometer attached) at an angle until the milk reaches 100 degrees, at which point I rest the pitcher flat and continue to steam the milk. You may have seen people froth milk by swirling the pitcher around, a practice largely unnecessary if you have a quality machine which will have a steam wand specifically designed to properly create froth, so I don't do this. Depending on your machine, again your mileage may vary - some experimentation here will be necessary in

determining what you will have to do to produce steamed milk velvety with smooth creamy froth. You should steam your milk to at least 150 but no more than 170 degrees Fahrenheit (more than this and your drink will taste scalded as well as your risking injury when sipping it). I steam my milk to 160 degrees because I like it hot like that. =)

MIX IT UP -> Pour the steamed milk into your waiting coffee cup, mixing it with the espresso shot you prepared earlier. If you want to, you can practice getting all fancy with coffee art, but I don't bother as I'd rather leave that to the pros.

Some people advocate holding back the froth from the still-liquid part of the milk in your pitcher with a special spoon, but I have never found this to be necessary when using properly frothed milk as the froth should be so dense and heavy that it will naturally separate itself from the rest of the milk as you pour.

SAVOR THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR! -> You should now have a perfectly concocted espresso drink made just to your liking with a layer of velvety-smooth, tightly-compacted frothed milk on top.

Take a moment to appreciate its beauty before you savor it, sip by sip, until it is allll gone. =)

Making a great cup of coffee or espresso or latte or whatever at home will require a bit of practice and tweaking, but I think it's completely worth it. I look forward to this ritual every morning and skip it in favor of take-out coffee only if I'm in a terrible rush or traveling. After some practice, you'll quickly be able to speed up your routine to under a few minutes which is the same amount of time you'd spend traveling to a coffee shop to grab take-out coffee anyhow. I hope I've encouraged you to try it out for yourself, or at least to appreciate the art of producing quality espresso.