I admit it, I am a bit of a coffee snob. I never ever drink instant coffee, why would I when I have a Nespresso* machine that makes coffee in literally seconds. I am always on the look out for different ‘flavours’ and by flavours I don’t mean mint or orange but coffee with undertones of vanilla, or fruits or dare I say it chocolate. My machine uses little coffee pods and until recently I wasn’t aware that I could buy other brands of pods that are compatible with my machine. Lucky for me I can and Carte Noire sent me a range of their espresso capsules that are compatible with most Nespresso machines.
Apparently there are four S’s involved in the art of coffee tasting.
- Seeing
Look at the colour and appearance of the coffee. This can give an indication of its strength and degree of roast. The darker the colour usually means a stronger taste.
- Sniffing
This is a great way of trying to work out what undertones are in the coffee, cup your hand over the coffee and inhale deeply.
- Slurping
According to the experts when tasting a coffee it must be slurped, preferably from a spoon. This sends the coffee onto all of the taste buds and the aroma is also pushed up into the nasal passages.
- Savouring
Think about where the flavours are on the tongue and the weight of the coffee between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. The darker the roast the thicker it will feel. The coffee should have a great body and richness, it should not be thin and watery.
I did a little taste challenge on myself and also an unsuspecting visitor. Unfortunately we both failed miserably and won’t be giving up the day jobs just yet. However here are a few words that we used to describe the coffees:
- Mild
- Strong
- Lemony
- Bitter
- Creamy
- Smooth
- Hint of chocolate
I can’t drink strong black coffee but all of these are great with milk. They go up in strength with No.9 Intense being the strongest coffee.
My favourite is No.7 Aromatique, but it has to, of course, be with milk. It probably has something to do with it’s cocoa, nutty and caramel undertones.
My visitor liked No.3 Élégant best which has biscuity notes.
No.5 Délicat has a blend of mellow lemon.
No.9 Intense is rich in ‘cigar box’ flaours such as smoke, wood and tobacco.
Each coffee pod comes sealed in an individual foil sachet and they are bought in boxes of 10 at a RRP £2.79, that is quite a big saving on Nespresso branded pods. The Carte Noire espresso capsules are available now from supermarkets.
The pods are as easy to use as the Nespresso ones, there is no resistance when you use them as I have found with some other pods. I am not sure if the pods are recyclable. I will definitely be using these again and would recommend them. The coffee tastes as good as any you would find in a coffee shop.
“This post is an entry in the Foodies100 Espresso Collective Challenge, sponsored by Carte Noire. Each box of Carte Noire Espresso capsules contain 10 single servings and are available in supermarkets at an RRP of £2.79 and are available in four intensities. To find out more about the new Carte Noire Collection Espresso click here
*Nespresso® is a registered trademark of a third party without any link with Mondelez International group. Compatible with all Nespresso®* machines bought before July 1, 2013. After that date, compatible with most Nespresso®* machines bought. For additional information regarding compatibility, please see UK: www.CARTENOIRE.co.uk/