Goroka, the current speciality coffee pod in the Nespresso range is, alas, deeply sub-interest. It is too bitter with no depth of flavour; quite simple and unsatisfying if I am honest. This is a shame as I have had some great coffee from Indonesia, from where this hails. I'll stick to Ristretto and Arpeggio, the strongest two blends. They make damned-fine cups of espresso.

This is the world's most expensive coffee which is made in Indonesia from beans that have been eaten and crapped out by civet cats. I had this when I was in Flores (wild place, man), it was smooth but very silty. Not amazingly nice, if we are honest.

I mention this because the coffee is now available (albeit blended with Jamaican Blue Mountain) in the UK. For a limited time you can get it in the Peter Jones department store coffee shop. If you really want to, of course. But just think how you can scandalise the boring, picky and fussy eaters of this world by offering them a cup of cat shit coffee.

The coffee machine has been a real hit. I have decided I like the three strongest Nespresso blends best, but I cannot decide between them. The Ristretto and Roma blends include some Robusta beans, but this does not diminish the quality of the coffee they produce. The second strongest, Arpeggio, is Robusta-free, and is also a damned-fine cup of espresso. I can heartily recommend the Nespresso system, and my machine in particular, they make really good coffee in a style which suits the idle.

I was given my christmas present today, it is a Krups XN5005 Nespresso Cube coffee machine:

We chose idleness over complexity when it came to the coffee machine; this uses Nespresso capsules rather than having to fart around with a grinder and all of the associated crap. This does mean one is limited as to where one can get coffee from, and what sorts one can get, but I have to say I am all for convenience if the quality is good.

And the coffee? I've tried two flavours so far and they have both been very good. Excellent crema and real depth of flavour. I was impressed.

I love espresso, so many thanks to my wonderful partner Daniel for this thoughtful christmas gift. It will be much used.

Vie Shot orange, banana and carrot, Knorr
Lawks, this smells like cockatoo shit. It is really repellent. The taste reminds me of vomit from when one has been having too many orange-based cocktails. This is actively unpleasant and undrinkable.

The neighbours have a very good espresso machine, a Francis Francis X1. It came from here. The reason why I know it is good is because it always produces a very good crema on the espresso. The orange/brown foam on top is very present and persistent. The coffee it produces is rich and full of flavour. It is also easy to clean and maintain, it takes coffee pods as well as ground coffee and can make one or two shots at the same time; the perfect coffee machine for what is known as the pro-sumer market. Current beans in the grinder are a light-roast espresso bean; my personal preference is for something a bit darker and stronger but this is good, it has a reasonable degree of balance in its flavours and it is not over-whelming. I feel deeply invigorated after a cup. It is also handy for making one of the raw materials for espresso martinis.

You'll note I do not only drink alcohol.