Looking for blend suggestions that might serve me well to roast my own
for making those extra tasty iced coffee w/sweetened condensed milk
drinks in the upcoming summer months.
Many Viet restaurants here in the States use Cafe du Monde, the
coffee/chicory blend from New Orleans. Others use Trung Nguyen, a
coffee brand that is rapidly becoming the Starbucks of Vietname
(hopefully less burnt!).  I have an empty box of the Trung Nguyen
(which I have tried in the context of this drink anf find to be very
good).  It mentions "culi robusta", a variety about which I can find
info only on Viet language websites. The side of the box lists
ingredients as:  Arabica, Robusta, Chari, Catimor.  I know that Trung
Nguyen imports some of their green beans due to the poor quality of
most Viet Robusta and the small (but increasing!) acreage dedicated to
Viet Arabica.  Further research shows Catimor as a specific variety of
the Arabica type plant (e.g. bourbon and cataui are others if I
understand correctly). Chari appears only as a growing region in
Cameroon Africa - 85% of Camertoon's output is Robusta.
Any and all suggestions appreciated.  I'm using an Alps and can roast
as dark as needed (it runs hot enough).  I have a nice selection of
greens from all continents and regions on hand but will appreciate any
interpretation and guidance on the above.  Currently have Uganda Nanga
Farms robusta and also some Uganda Budisi (sp?) is on order.  other
africans inlcude Harar and Sidamo. Have some Indians - both monsooned
and Pearl Mountain.  Severals Brazils on hand that I use as espresso
base and also some Guat Huehuetanango and some very nice Mexican Tollan
Organic pea beans that I picked up on a trip to Cozumel.
Help!  I'm not wild about the idea of buying cafe du Monde and the
Trung Nguyen is available only in preground form (and pricey at that).
Thanks!
Owen O'Neillhttp://espressotravelguide.comDo you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingohttp://search.yahoo.com

Owen
I am a fan also.....I consider it dessert.
I have tried one of my roasts, have forgotten now what bean - taken to
smoking oily dark. Even the roast char taste got overwhelmed by the
sugar / milk. It was also missing a certain "taste" that I associate
with it developed by drinking it in some of the many Vietnamese
restaurants here in Dallas. Visually, it also was missing the color
tone (reddish) that I am used to seeing when the coffee first mixes
with the milk.
My guess that both some chicory and robusta will be needed for a home
roast  blend. And if your taste memory is from restaurants using Cafe
du monde I think the chicory is going to be a must have part of the
mix. I always have a can of cafe du monde carelessly stored somewhere
in the house. No little jars, no roast date, just Robusta plus Chicory
plus cans of sugared milk -  keeps forever .
good luck
terry
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