The Systemic Kid

For what it's worth, I use 30% starter to flour ratio.

Yes. Tartine recipe. The dough took on a very springy texture towards the final few hourly folds increasing in volume. Put the two loaves into the fridge around 11.00pm and checked at 5.00am following morning as I figured it would likely be ready to bake off - which it was.

Me too.

Haven't baked bread for a few weeks - good to get back into it. 80% hydration - eight folds over eight hours and retarded in the fridge overnight. Pleased with the uniform open crumb

This is a pretty good recipe for getting a sourdough starter going. Make sure you use organic rye flour. Don't give up if it doesn't succeed first time round. The process is a tad capricious. You can increase the odds of the starter kicking off by adding a small amount of grated apple to the first mix.

Having owned a HG1 - yes.

Few months back, paired a Niche alongside my EK43s against a Londinium Mk II and a Londinium R. The Niche produced good shots but was, understandably, not able to hit the notes the EK could. Point to note, the beans used were a lighter roast. Above, you mention your tastes are towards medium dark. So you might want to think about a conical grinder. With a budget of £1k, you should be able to get a really top class grinder that will get the best out of a Londinium - especially if you are willing to consider used. A word of caution - advice is just that. If you can, try and find some hands on experience - especially regarding a decision to go for a conical vs flat burr grinder using beans roast profile you enjoy.

I have an M47 - great hand grinder. Capable of grinding fine enough for espresso but would not recommend pairing it with a Londinium if you want to get the best out of the lever.

Dear old Amazon - 12 pack.

Good recipe for base tomato sauce: couple of tins of tomatoes - San Mariano are worth the extra cost, half an onion and a generous dob of butter. Melt the butter and add tomatoes and onion (uncut). Reduce down to whatever thickness you prefer. When finished, discard the onion. Season with salt and pepper and a little sugar.

Same boat here - ordered last week. Got shipping update yesterday. All good things..... and all that.

Budget of £400 will cover a machine/grinder combo with enough spare for bits and pieces - weighing scales, tamper etc. A separate machine and grinder is more capable of producing better tasting shots than a bean to cup machine but you will need to gain experience in order to get the best out of such a set up. So, there is a learning curve which shouldn't be too daunting if you have the commitment to take it on. You have to decide if the potential reward is worth the effort or to play safe and go for a bean to cup machine. You might want to consider some training. There's a brilliant one man outfit in St Ives - Mount Zion. He might be worth approaching depending where abouts you are in Cornwall.