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Posts Tagged ‘coffee shops’

If you are like so many other Americans, then you probably are addicted to your daily coffee run. However, you truly need to put some thought into your purchases because buying a five dollar cappuccino on a daily bases can really add up! That is why so many people have started to purchase their own quality home espresso machines, which can be an investment, but are worth it when you do the math. However, if you still do want to swing by Starbucks from time to time, then you need to be smart in the way that you order to save yourself some money.

First of all, focus on a simple order. If you order one of the featured drinks on the huge billboard, it may cost you anywhere upwards of six dollars because it is a specialized drink that has many different components. If you are purchasing a fancy coffee shop drink, then it will be much more expensive than your average cup of Joe. If you purchase a regular cup of coffee, it will cost almost half what a fancy cappuccino would, so it is best to keep that in mind. It is also great to know that a regular 8 ounce cup of Joe does have more caffeine content than a shot of espresso by itself, so that is what you need to look for if you are trying to stay energized throughout your day.

If you want something a little different than coffee, it would be good to choose a café au lait, which is a drink with coffee and steamed milk. This simple drink will also cost about 30% less than a regular latte. Along those lines, make sure that you are avoiding adding any extras to your coffee drink. Once you start to add flavor shots, extra espresso shots, or even soy milk, it will increase the price of your coffee drink by up to a dollar. You can always use the free sugar or sugar substitutes available to you if you want to sweeten your drink.

Make sure that you focus on ordering a medium-sized drink instead of a large. A medium-size coffee drink will have the same amount of espresso or coffee as the largest size, but it will cost less because less milk is added. It is also important to use any type of customer rewards perks that your local coffee shop offers you. If you are going to an independent coffee house, they will often times give you a punch card that will enable you to buy a certain number of drinks to get one free.

Lastly, consider taking all of the money that you are spending on your daily coffee drink to invest it in a premium home coffee and espresso machine. The advantages to doing this are huge because it will save money in the long run, and you also will be able to become your own professional barista to make custom cappuccino and latte creations! So worth it…

Have you ever gone with a friend to the local coffee shop online to find out that there is no such thing as “just a cup of coffee” anymore? You stand there in awe and feeling rather out of place as your friend quickly fires off her order, something along the lines of “a grande, skinny, caramel macchiato with a double shot and equal, no whip”. If you felt like you were in a foreign country don’t despair. The lingo is easy to learn and yes you can order just a cup of coffee.

First things first, coffee shops have morphed into gourmet coffee shops. They now offer everything from coffee to lattes and iced cappuccinos. You can get Jamaican coffee, dark roasted, light roasted, chocolate and even pumpkin flavors when they are in season. Before you feel like you are in a foreign land and go running out the door take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with these common terms that gourmet coffee shops are most likely to use.

Gourmet Coffee Lingo

Acidity: The acidity level of a coffee is typically a general overall description of the coffee. Coffees with a high acidity level may be described as having a bright, dry flavor. Good quality coffees should have a higher acidity level; this comes from longer roasting periods.

Arabica Bean: The Arabica bean is the most common type of coffee bean found in gourmet coffees. These beans are of a higher quality than coffee you buy in cans at your local grocer. Arabica beans are rich and bold with a strong aroma.

Bitterness: A coffee’s bitterness factor has more to do with the water it is brewed with than the bean.

Blend: Blends are usually a mixture of coffee beans to create a balanced, unique flavor. Often Arabica beans will be blended with Robusta beans.

Body: The body of the coffee is how it feels when it rests on your tongue. A flavorful, aromatic coffee has more body than a weaker coffee. The body of a coffee is determined by the fat, protein and fiber content of the coffee.

Earthiness: A coffee that is described as earthy usually has a smooth, full body. They are generally from Indonesia and surrounding areas. This term does not imply an organic attribute.

Exotic: If used in a coffee shop it should be implying that there are spicy, herbal, fruity or floral undertones. Oftentimes coffee shops overuse this term in a marketing effort to entice customers.

Varietal: Refers to the region the coffee was grown in.

Espresso: A highly concentrated coffee beverage served in a 2-3 oz. portion. It should have a frothy top layer called the crema. You can sweeten this if you like; there is no right or wrong way to drink it. In drinks that are espresso based (cappuccinos and lattes) you can specify a single, double, triple or quad shot (1, 2, 3, or 4). This determines how much espresso is in your drink.

Cappuccino: Cappuccinos are lighter than coffee due to the amount of milk involved. This drink starts with a shot of espresso and is mixed with hot, steaming milk. The froth from the milk is then floated on top. Cappuccinos come in a variety of flavors.

Latte or Caffe Latte: These are very similar to cappuccinos except that they have more steamed milk than a cappuccino. It resembles an American coffee with a lot of milk more so than it does a cappuccino. Mocha Lattes are a very popular drink made with chocolate added to the latte. Other flavors are available.

Sizes: Depending on the gourmet coffee shop you are at, you may encounter different names for the size of beverage you order. Typically these are short (8 oz), Tall (12 oz) Grande (16 oz) and Venti (20 oz).

Skinny: Skinny drinks have no fat and no sugar, meaning that they are made with fat free milk if milk is involved and no sugar is added.

Ordering a coffee at the local gourmet coffee shop no longer has to be intimidating. Just walk right up and ask for your own double shot and get ready to for your own caffeine jolt. You should now know that your friend ordered a 16 oz. non-fat, sugar free, caramel flavored espresso with a bit of steamed milk with equal added and no whip cream. Gourmet coffee has never been easier or more fun. 

Espresso and cappuccino have become popular drinks both with people who like coffee and people who don’t typically drink coffee. Espresso is the stronger of the two drinks and also the basis for the majority of coffee drinks purchased in coffee shops.

However, people don’t have to go to a coffee shop to get their favorite espresso and cappuccinos; they can make them at home.

Commercial espresso machines are huge and very expensive, not to mention the training and skilled involved in using them. The good news is that the same companies that designed the commercial cappuccino machines have also designed home espresso makers.

Shopping List

Espresso Maker

To set up a home espresso and cappuccino bar, there are some items that must first be purchased. The most important thing is the espresso maker.

There is a wide variety of espresso makers available for home use. There are automatic and semi-automatic espresso makers that are reasonably priced. Choosing one involves some research to determine what is needed.

Home espresso machines range from off the shelf, retail store versions that aren’t very expensive but also aren’t designed for heavy use, to ones designed for heavier use that are automatic and do everything with the touch of a button.

Once the espresso maker has been decided on, a coffee bean source should be located. This too should be done with some thought and research. Low quality beans will result in low quality espressos and cappuccinos.

Coffee shops or direct from the growers via the Internet are two good places to find top quality beans. Coffee shops use a lot of inventory which helps to assure that their products are fresher than those that might have been sitting on the grocer’s shelf for months.

Once these two items have been purchased the remaining items are the basics that should be on hand for making the best espressos and cappuccinos without going to the local Starbucks.

Mugs

A variety of espresso cups and cappuccino mugs are needed. Espresso should not be served in a typical coffee mug, it takes away from the whole experience and  makes it more like drinking a shot of coffee.

Espresso cups are demi cups that are often kept in the warmer of the espresso maker, if it has one. If not, hot water can be poured into them just prior to pouring the espresso.

Cappuccino mugs come in several different shapes. There are tall, fluted mugs that can also be used for lattes and there are large soup bowl looking mugs.

Cappuccino mugs should be large enough to hold the liquid, foam and any toppings without spilling out.

Miscellaneous Items

Other items that should be kept on hand for a cappuccino and espresso bar include:

Home espresso and cappuccino bars are an added luxury that will impress friends and make the neighbors envious, not to mention the money that will be saved by not stopping at the coffee shop every morning.