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Tangentially related would be Navy coffee, which sailors say is made in pots that are never cleaned and develop a "varnish" of sorts.
by jollyllama 4y ago
Tangentially related would be Navy coffee, which sailors say is made in pots that are never cleaned and develop a "varnish" of sorts.
- nerdponx 4y agoPeople say the same about Bialetti-style "moka pot" coffee makers. The reality is that any "varnish" is just old rancid coffee oil.
- NegativeLatency 4y agoI think a pretty big component of it is protein? Mine only comes off with the special cleaner, or powdered detergent (not the liquid kind which is missing some anti enzyme cleaners) (or lots of scrubbing)
- b3morales 4y agoPolymerized oil seems more likely, similar to the impossible-to-clean gunk that forms on kitchen surfaces from cooking fats.
- munificent 4y agoIf it gets hot enough to polymerize, then it's probably essentially the same as a seasoned cast iron pan.
- Groxx 4y agoGiven that 1) the coffee stays on top, away from the heat, 2) you boil water in them, which restricts the maximum temperature, and 3) they have rubber seals: unless you're disassembling them and popping them into the oven frequently, I very much expect the answer is no. Just rancid. I will caveat this with "I am not a fan of moka pot coffee" though. I think it's usually awful. Better than, like, diner coffee, but still.
- aidenn0 4y agoIndeed, for me moka pot is just one tiny step above percolator coffee.
- Cpoll 4y agoI agree. People: clean your moka pots! If you believe the patina improves your coffee, test your theory: Brew a batch with just water, and give it a taste.
- alfiedotwtf 4y agoI used to believe in the "don't clean your Bialetti", but then one day I realised it's the same gunk that's in the bottom of by coffee machine drip tray. Yuck!
- salawat 4y agoNavy cooks will bust the bubble promptly. They clean the pots religiously, the difference is that each cook treats the brew differently. If a cook left a vessel or had a mate make the coffee, sailors'll notice the change in treatment. Also, you have to keep in mind, Navy coffee is a mythic thing. Taking on a spiritual character from being a source of constancy and solace in an otherwise stressful/hostile environment. It's a morale thing.
- hinkley 4y agoMakes me wonder if the coffee subplot in The Expanse was just a coincidence or someone had experience with Navy coffee, directly or by reputation. Holden just about cries when he has his first cup of Real Coffee from their salvaged Martian Navy frigate.