My single serve coffee maker makes a great coffee!

I have had this coffee maker for a few months. So far, I love it, because it makes great coffee and the versatility to be able to make a single serve. We use a regular brewer in the morning and the single serve for only one family member who likes an afternoon cup of coffee.

I had been looking for an alternative to K-Cups and I really like the single-serve Senseo pods, as there is no plastic waste and you are not brewing your coffee in a plastic cup with a glued in filter. The pods are a little harder to find, but I ordered them on Amazon. It also looks really sharp with stainless finishes and nice display. It’s also easy to use. I was more than happy to let this machine take the place of two on my countertop.

So far, the only drawback that I have seen is that if you get a flimsy paper filter, it sometimes will fold in while you’re brewing the coffee and grounds get in the coffee. I started to be more careful about not handling the filters and making sure the rigid side was on the side that folded over and so far have not had that problem again. The price is great for such a high quality and versatile product. I am very happy with my purchase. – Rubiclone

Grinding your own coffee at home

Making better coffee at home is spending a little extra time on a few, simple steps, such as using the correct temperature water, weighing coffee instead measuring by volume, and grinding your own beans on the spot.

Of everything you might encounter when grinding coffee at home, it is arguably one of the most crucial steps, as grind size alone can dramatically change the taste of your cup. Grind size and consistency can be the difference between one of the best cups you’ve ever had and a bitter, undrinkable mess.

Discover how grind size affects your cup and which is right for your brew method of choice.

When it comes to grind size, there are three factors which make the biggest difference: contact time,extraction rate and flow rate. To put it simply:

• The extraction rate of coffee grounds increases with a larger surface area.
• To increase surface area, grind the coffee finer.
• The higher the extraction rate, the less contact time is needed.
• A finer grind can reduce the flow rate of water, increasing the contact time.

Knowing this, if you have a brew method with a short contact time, the grind should be finer. In an immersion brewer, which steeps coffee grounds in water for several minutes, the contact time is much higher and, thus, requires a more coarse grind than most other brew methods.

If the contact time is too high or the grind is too fine, it will result in an over-extracted brew which can be bitter. If the grind is too coarse or the contact time is too short, the coffee will turn out weak.

Finding the proper balance between the two will help in producing the best cup of coffee possible.

Another popular question is how finely to grind coffee? How coarse or fine your grind depends on your brewing method. For now, what you need to know is that:

(Reference: Make Good Coffee)

• Different brewing methods take different amounts of time to combine water and coffee into one hot brewed beverage.
• The longer the heated water is going to be exposed to the coffee, the coarser a grind you will use.
• In the drip brewer common to North American households, you would use a medium grind.

Using a Fine Grind

With espresso, the steam of water is forced through the ground coffee. This means the water is exposed to the coffee for a much shorter time and therefore, a fine grind is used. As mentioned at the outset, your source for whole beans will have an industrial grinding machine where you choose the setting and grind onsite. In a specialty coffee shop, you can trust this machine. Otherwise at a grocery store or outlet of a smaller coffee chain, assume the machine will not give an accurate grinding. These machines require maintenance and calibration on a regular basis, and it’s up to you to trust in whether that is happening often enough or at all, particularly with grocery stores.

Using a Medium Grind

Remember to grind what you need right before brewing. Use a burr grinder preferably. Finally, grind to a coarseness that suits your brewing method. In the case of conventional North American drip brewing, go with a medium grind.

French Press: Brew a perfect cup of coffee

One thing is certain, ask a dozen people the best way to brew the perfect cup of coffee and you’ll get a dozen answers. Last week, we asked you which you thought was the best, and then we examined the best french press coffee makers based on those nominations. We put them to a vote, and now we’re back to highlight the winner.

The venerable French Press and all its brands and varieties (you nominated Bodum, Grosche, Espro, the IKEA Upphetta, and a few others) took the top spot after a fierce battle for first place with just over 30% of the overall vote. Those of you who voted for the French press praised its ease of use, simplicity, and most importantly, its delicious coffee.

In second place with another 30% of the vote, missing the number one spot by a mere 17 votes, was the Bialetti Moka Pot, which had taken the lead in early voting and looked to be the outright winner…until Monday rolled around. Still the Moka Pot has a huge following, and for good reason. In third place with over 23% of the total vote was the Aerobie AeroPress, the portable, single-cup hand-pressed coffee maker that everyone loves. In fourth place were the Pour-overs, including the Chemex, Hario V60, Melitta, and the Clever Coffee Dripper, with close to 13% of the vote. Finally, bringing up the rear was the Technivorm Moccamaster, an amazing (but pricey) automatic drip maker, with 4% of the votes cast.

Of course, we also mentioned a number of honorable mentions in the full roundup, so if your favorite didn’t make the top five because it didn’t get the nominations required, it might be included in the honorable mentions.

Shared from, http://lifehacker.com/most-popular-coffee-maker-french-press-505541790

Getting the best out of espresso machine

The coffee served at Prufrock and several other cafes is now so good that despite shelling out £100 on a De Longhi machine, my home attempts are a bitter disappointment. I’ve come to up my game but the sheer coffee geekery here has me feeling out of my depth. A blackboard advertises a “milk texture” class (sold out) and in the training area, all polished counters and prototype Simonelli machines, Challender casually flings about such befuddling notions as brew ratios, volatile aromatic gasses and TDS (total dissolved solids). Some intense hours later, I emerge with the lowdown on getting the best out of any machine.

The coffee

Decent coffee, like the stuff Prufrock uses from London roasters Square Mile, comes with a roast date. “Between about nine and 11 days after roasting is when we get really excited about the taste,” says Challender. Their standard espresso is made from capao, a Brazilian single-origin dark-roasted bean. Dark roasts tend to be more complex, with chocolate and caramel flavours; lighter roasts are more fruit and florals.

The recipe

The drink you end up with depends on water temperature, dose of dry coffee, amount of espresso you’re making, the time it takes the machine to produce your shot, and grind consistency. You’ll need a small set of digital scales, and a timer to record the recipe.

Temperature

Prufrock’s machines are set to between 92C and 96C. Some domestic espresso machines don’t hold their temperatures as consistently as commercial behemoths. Perfectionists can find instructions at home-barista.com for pimping machines with a precise temperature control (a PID). Or accept your limitations and get the rest right.

The dose

“We most like the taste of our 30ml double espresso,” says Challender, “when it uses 18g dry coffee, so that’s what the coffee baskets in Prufrock’s machines comfortably hold.” A traditional Italian 30ml double espresso is made with a 14g dose.

Extraction and the grind

Challender prefers the coffee when it takes 30 seconds to extract – that’s 30 seconds between switching the water flow on and off again. Timing depends on achieving good grind, which requires frequent adjustment as no two batches of beans are the same and even a change to the temperature of your grinder burrs (burr grinders trump blade grinders for evenness of grind, and won’t overheat and cook your coffee) will make the fineness fluctuate. You need full control.

Perfecting your recipe

All of the above differs according to your machine, coffee and palate, so experiment. Once happy, keep an eye on the extraction time – if it comes through quicker than usual, your grind’s probably too coarse.

Read the full post at TheGuardian.com (http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/may/09/how-to-make-the-perfect-espresso)

A Great Coffee Shop

Usually, malls are dry places for creativity, where only the big chains can afford the exorbitant rental prices, stifling independent and artisan retailers, so when you see something different in a mall, it catches my eye, and no more so that coffee or/and food shops.

I recall about 7 years ago walking into a mall in Cairo and seeing the famous Venetian coffee shop, Caffe del Doge – sceptical, I went in and was really intrigued by the enthusiasm of the baristi – the coffee was typical Italian, dark roast, but prepared with care and lots of etching (not latte art, but using chocolate syrup to draws patterns). Back then, I thought that was the best coffee shop in a mall. Then about 3 years ago, I went into Westfield Stratford in London and was pleasantly surprised to have coffee at Grind. Attention to detail in preparation, coupled with great espresso machines, topped up with cakes, customer friendly staff in a very busy environment made for a very electable coffee shop environment and for me back then, the best coffee shop in a mall.

The brainchild of Tom&Serg, Common Grounds is their third outlet in Dubai, after the Sum of Us. The latter location is now their coffee heaven location, where all their coffees are roasted and dispatched to their shops, with espresso blends and filter roasts  on offer.

Located in a mall, Common Grounds had to be different – first off all, it’s in the Mall of the Emirates extension – this remains one of Dubai’s most popular malls and is famous for the one that has the ski slope, amongst other popular attraction and designer shops. The shop is not too far from the movie theater area in the corner. For this location, Tom&Serg had to offer more food and dessert and own 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When I visited I had a burger, prior to my flat white of course

by Fromcoffeewithlove.com

Espresso Tips And Tricks

In case you’re simply transitioning, odds are you’re simply starting to examine espresso and what it can accomplish for you. You most likely have numerous inquiries regarding how to blend it, what sort of beans to purchase, and so forth. The article underneath has espresso tips and traps that can offer assistance.

At the point when making espresso at home, give the pot a snappy blend before you serve. Blending your espresso a smidgen will improve its flavor and smell. Subsequently, you’ll appreciate the inconceivable odor and the tasty taste of your espresso.

An awesome tip when preparing espresso is to dependably utilize the right water. You can’t simply utilize any water when fermenting espresso. In case you’re utilizing messy faucet water, you can presumably expect an obnoxious some espresso. Great water to utilize ought to have a few minerals in it that will extricate the best flavor.

Exploit any rehash client program that your nearby café runs. Indeed, even a solitary unit autonomous spot may have a punchcard framework where you get a some espresso for each five that you purchase. Never discard these, notwithstanding for spots you don’t successive much. They can in any case mean free measures of joe after some time.

Does your faucet water tastes awful? It could impact the way your espresso tastes. In the event that your faucet water has a disagreeable taste, consider utilizing filtered water to make espresso or get a channel introduced on your tap. You will find that your espresso tastes vastly improved on the off chance that you utilize cleaner water.

Ensure you utilize the best possible blend of water and espresso blend to make the right number some espresso. A traditional mug for espresso contains six ounces, and a one-container measure holds eight. The best proportion is 2 tablespoons of espresso for each 6 ounces of water. Your mix will be diluted on the off chance that you utilize a measuring container. If you are searching for cheap espresso machine under $200, check out here.

Make sure to consistently get out your espresso producer or pot. In the event that you hold up too long between cleanings, your espresso will probably have a foul taste and you might even discover espresso grinds in it. A decent general guideline is to get it out in any event once per week.

Source from http://biggsroadhouse.com/espresso-tips-and-tricks-you-can-use

 

Waiting on Easter

Being present :: I talk about it in nearly every post.  Taking in your surroundings, realizing that you are living in a day that holds immense blessing, keeping perspective, and living a full, whole life.

My post title is not a mistake.  I realize we are nearly two weeks past Easter.  However, some of us completely missed it amidst all the shuffle.  While blessings do come like booms of thunder, the most precious ones come in a still small whisper.  Did you miss the whisper?  Has the busy-ness of life gotten in the way of the fullness of life?

Pause for a moment and write down 5 things you are grateful for today.  It can be something as simple as coffee.  Just get to a place of joy within and let it bubble over to every task you take on today.

My 5 things :: The cool breeze that we’ve enjoyed the last 2 days  (we don’t usually get that this time of year),  allergy medicine, Pandora, the sweet man that helped me carry my groceries out in the rain, and my husband’s cheesy jokes.

Whether it’s two weeks late or right on time, Happy Easter.  He is Risen.  Have you soaked that in?  Have you celebrated?  It’s never too late to start.

Good tips: How to make a perfect cup of coffee

Automatic Stainless-Steel Bread Machine

Imagine how delighted I was during my wedding anniversary party when an invited guest of mine gave me the automatic and stainless-steel bread machine as a gift! I couldn’t believe my eyes as the bread machine is on my wish-list of must-have household/ kitchen appliances.

It’s pure magical and I totally think that it’s the best bread machine ever! Not only is the bread machine can be programmed on automatic mode, the design looks really futuristic with its amazing made-in-Japan stainless-steel!

The automatic bread machine bakes horizontal loaves and has convection bake function for crispier crust including 300 plus pre-programmed recipes. Among the bread machine’s main options for baking include gluten-free, low-carb, cake batter, and jam, with additional pizza / bagel / pasta-dough options.

Not only that, the machine also has fruit, nut, and herb ‘add-in’ dispenser, 24-hour delay-bake timer, and 1 year limited warranty. There’s almost nothing that the bread machine is unable to do with its programmable features, and I’m entirely satisfied.