Right. Here we go!
Most coffee is garbage. I drink mainly espresso, but
any decent coffee starts with a decent espresso.
From there, it is personal choice as to where you go for your taste. I do not like the lighter, high altitude, citrusy type of bean that are fashionable these days. I like a 465 (ish) degree second-cracked darker bean in the Vienna style: smokey; caramelly;, chocolatey, similar to a traditional Italian espresso.
Starbucks generally use a very dark bean for a consistent result, as it is easier to achieve than with lighter beans. They also use a 18-23 second extraction, which gives an under-extracted espresso every time. Most Star*ucks now use crap machines as well. They used to use La Marzocco, which are very good machines, but most have the mushroom-like hopper feeding their machines now and they are g-a-r-b-a-g-e....I think it is to get the punters through the transaction process quicker. Then they add the syrupy, sugary, diabetes-inducing sh*te to hide the crap coffee.
If I ever buy an espresso here in the Philippines I always guide the barista. Most enjoy the process as they learn a lot in a short time - stuff they do not learn in training.
As for camping, I would go with an Aeropress, or a more robust Bialetti Brikka. Both rely on a bit of effort to get right and
will only give a close approximation of an espresso.
Currently, my Bialetti Brikka Crema is getting me through the morning Cabin Fever. The process is as follows:
1) Moisten filter and tubes to assist water transfer when boiled. Keep coffee receptacle dry though
2) 20 grams coffee -do NOT tamp (can eyeball the 20 pretty accurately)
3) Fill lower container with boiling water to just below safety valve
4) Place on correct level heat. Should hiss within a few seconds and start releasing some light, tea-coloured coffee within a minute
5) Just before the water goes through to the upper chamber the coffee colour changes to the correct shade
6) As soon as the water is seen to be bubbling into the upper chamber, immerse the lower chamber into cooling water
7) sling it in the bin and crack open a beer
That, or a three-in-one instant