My M I L gave me a NOS ZanZiBar moka pot several years ago. She said she got it in Italy on one of her first trips. That might date it in the 60's possibly. Does anyone know who the manufacturer is? Anyone else use one? Need some tips on how to use it.
ZanZiBar Moka pot
- Thread starter Snappy Lunch
- Start date
That's a beauty - apart from the name Zanzibar, it's virtually identical to the Spanish made 6-cup Cuperinox Moka pot that I bought recently
They're a bit temperamental to use, but once you've got the knack you'll be turning out coffee just the way you like it in no time.
I personally drink Cafe Americano, so I tend to brew my coffee a bit weaker than it was designed for
If you like Espresso, a Moka Pot makes something very similar.
The instructions on the box that mine came in suggest using cold water, but I find that it makes "stewed" coffee and taints the flavour.
There are a lot of blogs and instructables online, but I find the following method works for me.....
Before you use your Moka pot to make coffee for drinking, do a few dummy runs with the cheapest, nastiest coffee you can find, discard the coffee every time, give the inside of the top compartment a quick swill out with cold water and brew another batch.
After about 10 dummy runs, the top compartment will be nicely "seasoned" and should be light brown - this is a good thing because your coffee will taste of coffee not aluminium !!
Invest in a pair of oven mitts for screwing and unscrewing the top and bottom compartments together - the metal gets red hot
Only ever use the handle to move the pot between the hob and the table or for pouring - NEVER , EVER use the handle to screw or unscrew the pot
Top Tips
1. Use a quality coffee - finer ground than French Press or Drip Filter coffee, but slightly coarser than Espresso
2. Use "soft" water, bottled is ideal - hard tap water will make your brew taste nasty !!
3. Use hot water - either "off the boil" from the kettle, or like I do, a pyrex jug of bottled water heated in the microwave. Use the bottom of the steam escape valve as a fill level, measure how much
(mine takes 300ml) - never overfill or underfill the bottom compartment - always use the full amount of water and adjust the amount of coffee - not the other way around - Important !!!
4. Don't fill the filter to the brim with coffee unless you like your coffee very strong, it's wasteful - just use as little or as much as you want
5. Assemble the pot as tightly as possible - dampen the gasket slightly first - a cloth comes in handy for grip - only grip the metal NOT the handle for tightening - the handle will snap off if you try to hold it to tighten up
6. I use a ceramic hob, but electric ring, halogen or gas works too - always use a very low heat - you're bringing hot water to the boil, not boiling from cold - it's quicker and the coffee tastes better
7. While brewing your coffee, which usually takes 5-10 minutes, get your cups ready, fill them with hot water to warm them up
8. Leave the lid open - that way you can see what is going on. You'll hear it, then you'll see jet black coffee coming out and filling the top compartment, turn the heat off, there is plenty of residual heat to complete the brew. As soon as light coloured coffee comes out, take the pot off the hob and cool the bottom compartment, either by placing onto a cold, damp cloth, or by standing it in a washing bowl of cold water
8. Cool the base of the bottom compartment with a damp cloth or by dipping into a bowl of cold water - this halts the brewing process for optimum flavour
9. Pour the coffee into warm cups, add milk, hot water or sugar if required - pour any surplus coffee into a thermos for later
10. Unscrew using cloth or oven mitts, (I leave the top section in the bowl of waterwhile dealing with the bottom compartment). Cool the bottom compartment. Hold by the base and gently tap out the bulk of the grounds into a bin - only tap VERY gently to avoid damage. rinse out the remainder of the grounds in the sink. Swill out the bottom section, put clean the filter back into place, swill oout the top section, loosely screw back together. Dry the aluminium with a teatowel - the pot is ready for use again
It sounds a bit long winded, but when you get used to it, it will be 2nd nature
There are also some good blogs on the subject if you google
moka pot extensive
They're a bit temperamental to use, but once you've got the knack you'll be turning out coffee just the way you like it in no time.
I personally drink Cafe Americano, so I tend to brew my coffee a bit weaker than it was designed for
If you like Espresso, a Moka Pot makes something very similar.
The instructions on the box that mine came in suggest using cold water, but I find that it makes "stewed" coffee and taints the flavour.
There are a lot of blogs and instructables online, but I find the following method works for me.....
Before you use your Moka pot to make coffee for drinking, do a few dummy runs with the cheapest, nastiest coffee you can find, discard the coffee every time, give the inside of the top compartment a quick swill out with cold water and brew another batch.
After about 10 dummy runs, the top compartment will be nicely "seasoned" and should be light brown - this is a good thing because your coffee will taste of coffee not aluminium !!
Invest in a pair of oven mitts for screwing and unscrewing the top and bottom compartments together - the metal gets red hot
Only ever use the handle to move the pot between the hob and the table or for pouring - NEVER , EVER use the handle to screw or unscrew the pot
Top Tips
1. Use a quality coffee - finer ground than French Press or Drip Filter coffee, but slightly coarser than Espresso
2. Use "soft" water, bottled is ideal - hard tap water will make your brew taste nasty !!
3. Use hot water - either "off the boil" from the kettle, or like I do, a pyrex jug of bottled water heated in the microwave. Use the bottom of the steam escape valve as a fill level, measure how much
(mine takes 300ml) - never overfill or underfill the bottom compartment - always use the full amount of water and adjust the amount of coffee - not the other way around - Important !!!
4. Don't fill the filter to the brim with coffee unless you like your coffee very strong, it's wasteful - just use as little or as much as you want
5. Assemble the pot as tightly as possible - dampen the gasket slightly first - a cloth comes in handy for grip - only grip the metal NOT the handle for tightening - the handle will snap off if you try to hold it to tighten up
6. I use a ceramic hob, but electric ring, halogen or gas works too - always use a very low heat - you're bringing hot water to the boil, not boiling from cold - it's quicker and the coffee tastes better
7. While brewing your coffee, which usually takes 5-10 minutes, get your cups ready, fill them with hot water to warm them up
8. Leave the lid open - that way you can see what is going on. You'll hear it, then you'll see jet black coffee coming out and filling the top compartment, turn the heat off, there is plenty of residual heat to complete the brew. As soon as light coloured coffee comes out, take the pot off the hob and cool the bottom compartment, either by placing onto a cold, damp cloth, or by standing it in a washing bowl of cold water
8. Cool the base of the bottom compartment with a damp cloth or by dipping into a bowl of cold water - this halts the brewing process for optimum flavour
9. Pour the coffee into warm cups, add milk, hot water or sugar if required - pour any surplus coffee into a thermos for later
10. Unscrew using cloth or oven mitts, (I leave the top section in the bowl of waterwhile dealing with the bottom compartment). Cool the bottom compartment. Hold by the base and gently tap out the bulk of the grounds into a bin - only tap VERY gently to avoid damage. rinse out the remainder of the grounds in the sink. Swill out the bottom section, put clean the filter back into place, swill oout the top section, loosely screw back together. Dry the aluminium with a teatowel - the pot is ready for use again
It sounds a bit long winded, but when you get used to it, it will be 2nd nature
There are also some good blogs on the subject if you google
moka pot extensive
Those directions are quite complete!
Be careful about leaving the lid open the first time or two. Depending on the design of the pot, amount of heat used, or if the grounds packed too tightly, the coffee can make a mess. I normally close it, and open it after I remove it from the heat.
You will have water left over in the bottom, as pictured above. This is normal. If you try to make all the water come out of the bottom compartment with heat you will overcook your coffee.
If you like a little sugar in your coffee, I suggest adding it to the top compartment before brewing. I don't add too much, but I find a 1/4 teaspoon per cup is a good amount. (I normally drink my coffee black.) I then stir the sugar into the coffee as the coffee comes out. It ends up tasting a bit like a Café Cubano (it is really good with Demerara or light brown sugar).
I like Café Bustelo in my Moka pot. YMMV.
Be careful about leaving the lid open the first time or two. Depending on the design of the pot, amount of heat used, or if the grounds packed too tightly, the coffee can make a mess. I normally close it, and open it after I remove it from the heat.
You will have water left over in the bottom, as pictured above. This is normal. If you try to make all the water come out of the bottom compartment with heat you will overcook your coffee.
If you like a little sugar in your coffee, I suggest adding it to the top compartment before brewing. I don't add too much, but I find a 1/4 teaspoon per cup is a good amount. (I normally drink my coffee black.) I then stir the sugar into the coffee as the coffee comes out. It ends up tasting a bit like a Café Cubano (it is really good with Demerara or light brown sugar).
I like Café Bustelo in my Moka pot. YMMV.
That Bustelo coffee looks like it packs a punch !!
I've been like a kid in a candy store buying up every brand of coffee in sight
So far I've only tried Markus from Aldi and Marcilla coffee - both of which are nice and strong
I think I'll enjoy the others when I break the seal on the packs.....
Rico is a brand made locally in Mallorca
Bonka is made by Nestle, so should be consistent
Hacendo is Mercadona supermarket's own brand -
The Intenso should be like rocket fuel - it's 50% Natural / 50% Torrefacto (beans coated with sugar before roasting)
Unfortunately I daren't use sugar more than once in a blue moon - a 700 dental bill put me off sugar
But I'm planning on buying a 300g Valor Drinking Chocolate Bar, which is high cocoa and sugar free, (designed to mix with hot milk) and melting a piece into my coffee like a sugar free, dairy free mocha
- Thread starter
- #5
Thank you all for the instructions, great tips. I knew there had to be more to it than the generic instructions that I have.
I did get a can of Café Bustelo and will try it tomorrow. Looking forward to my "coffee adventure".
My Great Grandmother always had a 2 chamber Percolator on her stove (metal). My grandmother and Great Aunts had the glass ones. I never remember seeing my Grandfather and Great Uncles without a cup of Joe.
I did get a can of Café Bustelo and will try it tomorrow. Looking forward to my "coffee adventure".
My Great Grandmother always had a 2 chamber Percolator on her stove (metal). My grandmother and Great Aunts had the glass ones. I never remember seeing my Grandfather and Great Uncles without a cup of Joe.
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Rinsing was mentioned, but I want to reinforce something- do not clean the pot with soap in water. If you really must do something, just wipe the inside with a wet paper towel. This will get rid of big deposits (if you have any), yet will not clean it so much that the aluminum doesn't get seasoned. I have a 6 shot Moka (Bialetti brand) that I use to make me and the wife café con leche. While the coffee is brewing, I nuke a two cup mixture of half condensed milk, half whole milk. Once the milk is nice and hot, I use a battery operated frother on it. As I pour it into the coffee cup, I drag a spoon across the froth (it will be lighter) so that the coffee gets about half solid milk, half froth.
I hope you like the Bustelo! I've always been a fan. It makes me think of South Florida and Cuban food. I don't know if you can get pastelitos de guayaba where you are, but they are a fine accompaniment.
- Thread starter
- #8
I will try the café con leche tomorrow, sounds great. I am hooked on the moka pot now, only after one day. Makes great coffee. I like it so much I went right out and bought a small one, for when my wife drinks hot tea instead of coffee.
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- Thread starter
- #9
We really enjoyed the Bustelo. Will be looking for some pastelitos. I can see where this could snowball into another AD. Yes, CAD is coming.
These things are certainly addictive - my only regret is that I never got into them years ago (but I could say the same about DE shaving)
I never used to drink coffee at home, and only drank it socially whenever I went into a bar early in the mornings or meeting with friends
Now I'm on 2 brews every day, and each one gets better as I practice
I'm also getting ready to try another Spanish social addiction Taza Chocolate - hot chocolate made from chocolate melted in hot milk, although I'll be experimenting with milk made from soya, rice or tiger nuts because I don't use anything that came out of a cow's udder!!
Once I get the knack for hot chocolate, I'll be adding Moka Pot coffee into the mix - Moka Mocha !!
I like the extra strength the coffee has- not as high as espresso, but more than drip. They also seem to make decent coffee better.
I really like the Taza with the hot peppers in it. Excellent! I recommend it with almond or cashew milk.
Yes, definitely. That is why there are so many sizes of these moka pots - they work best when used at intended capacity.
The diameter of the filter sieve is a lot bigger on the larger pots and you need a certain minimum thickness of the coffee ground layer on the sieve (to get the right pressure).
From my experience filling the coffee holder less than about 3/4 full will most often result in a nasty tasting brew.
br,
ToM
That's good to know, I'll start looking into the smaller ones.
- Thread starter
- #16
I bought the smaller one at Big Lots for $6.00. If they have any more I might go back and get a few more for gifts and such.
You are correct tomtom42, I found out the hard way to fill the sieve all the way. anything less makes for bad tasting coffee.
You are correct tomtom42, I found out the hard way to fill the sieve all the way. anything less makes for bad tasting coffee.
Well if I remember correctly that was what the instructions on the Bialetti 3 cup model I received as a gift some years ago said (Only one I own that came with instructions). In my experience it varies a bit with how fine your coffee is ground, with a finer ground I got away with a bit less coffee, but this a gamble :=)
Remember: NEVER tamper the ground coffee in a moka pot - if the safety valve doesn't work the pot CAN blow up...
br,
ToM
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