u/PrettyZone7952

I found out about the new color-contrast guidelines (being reviewed) and the “Accessible Perceptual Contrast Algorithm” a few years ago, and I’ve been really impressed with the thought and effort that’s been put into it.

The TL;DR for anyone new to color contrast discussions is that older color models didn’t account for the difference in brightness that people perceive when looking at different hues (eg, “blues are darker than yellows at higher saturations”)

https://git.apcacontrast.com this site goes into excruciating detail if anyone is curious.

I’ve been trying to use the APCA guidelines in my design work, but I’m also working on updating my technique to use extended gamut colors (which don’t seem to have any support on existing contrast-checking tools or in Figma).

The TL;DR on extended gamut is that newer, high-end displays (all iPhones and Macs for years, plus many other high-end phones and computers) can show more colors outside of sRGB. You can play with those colors in CSS or with sites like https://oklch.com

I’m curious if anyone else has been pushing out into extended gamut colors, and if so, how you’re managing your palettes and contrast-ratios.

What I’m about to reveal may feel a bit blasphemous, but I “roast” my coffee in the microwave. (Photo of a recent batch)

Over the last couple years I’ve refined my technique to the point that I can get a fairly consistent light roast that tastes like first crack (or on the fence) but with absolutely no smokiness or “toasty” flavors. Just fruity, nutty, and herbal. It takes about 10-12 minutes of stirring every ~25 seconds (which is as tedious as you imagine), but I like the result.

On a random side-quest easier this week, I wandered by a roaster and decided to order some beans. I’ve never seen a roaster like theirs — some sort of “air fryer”-looking industrial contraption. I asked for the lightest roast they could achieve, and the beans came out in under 2 minutes. They’re definitely a “light roast”, but much darker and smokier than anything I’ve brewed at home in a long time.

That got me wondering: are their beans smokier than mine because they were roasted hotter & faster? Maybe the lack of smokiness in my beans is that I really take my time heating them slowly to ensure they all cook evenly and don’t overheat.
If that’s the case, I wondered if something like a pressure cooker could soften them up or unlock flavors in a similar way, but even more slowly and at a lower heat.

Has anybody tried pressure cooking?