Top Coffee Machines!

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It is said that flavoured syrups are the coffee bean’s best friend. Good syrup adds wonderful texture and depth to your drink so this is hard to deny. With such an incredible range of available flavours out there, you can be as creative as you like.  But it’s not just coffee, they can be added to tea too. A couple of dashes of fruity syrups, some brewed tea and a slug of ice and you have yourself a Tropical Breeze iced tea.

And why stop there? Flavoured syrups can be used in some many ways.

In Italy, pavement cafes keep carbonated soda water behind their polished bars. Customers like to sit and watch the world go by without resorting to endless alcoholic sustenance. Instead the barista creates delicious light mocktails adding one or two syrups to the soda. Some more adventurous ones add a splash of lime syrup to light beers and in some countries it has been know for bars to serve beer with strawberry syrup!

For children, flavoured syrups are excellent slush or granite bases. On a scorching summer’s day there is nothing better. So keeping some in the cupboard ensures you can knock one up in no time. Grab your ice cubes from the freezer, wrap them in a clean drying-up cloth and crush with bottom of a sturdy mug or glass (or, if the mood takes you, a small hammer). Put the crushed ice in a tall cup and pour your chosen syrup(s) over. In goes a straw and outside they go.

If you are a bit of a purist when it comes to tea and coffee, then consider making a frappe°.  What’s a frappe°? Well it depends where you are in the world. It could be a frozen coffee drink, a fruit drink with shaved ice, or an ice cold milkshake. In the UK, it tends to be the latter. It always involves being cold, usually with ice and is always refreshing, especially when the sun is out.

Of course, flavoured syrups don’t just work with drinks. They make wonderful, dessert sauces. Chocolate or caramel syrups are fabulous when poured over cold ice cream sundaes or drizzled over pancakes and waffles.  Even a plate of fruit can benefit from a few drops of sweet syrup. Syrups can also be used to intensify the flavour of cake, muffin and pudding recipes. 

It would be a mistake to think only sweet syrups have a place in the kitchen. Spicy syrups like ginger provide piquant marinades for salads, cold meats and fish.

So, you don’t need to be a culinary expert to incorporate syrups into your drinking and eating habits. Instead let your imagination run riot (or, if you are feeling a little nervous, download some recipes from the Internet). The possibilities are endless and with such fantastic flavours to choose from you can’t go wrong.

It was not that long ago that coffee came out of a tin and required nothing but a pot of boiling water to activate its essential properties, but our world has changed and people these days value quality and complex flavors. Today’s consumers want to choose their own brand of coffee beans sourced from exotic places like The Bahamas or Kenya. More than that, today’s coffee enthusiasts want to experience the full measure of creating a perfect cup, from the grinding of our own beans to the heady aroma that comes from a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

There are literally thousands of coffee bars in the world, identifiable by their aroma and the types of coffees that are available. With many beverages such as the extravagant cappuccino or flavored coffees to the no frills, straight up filter coffee. What they all have in common is that each order is freshly brewed.

At Home

It may not be possible to recreate a fully stocked coffee bar in our home, but everyone may agree that a freshly brewed cup of coffee first thing in the morning is not a luxury anymore, for many of us it is essential. Most homes boast a coffee machine designed to brew freshly ground beans. These machines usually work by allowing a slow drip of hot water to pass through ground coffee beans into a pot below. It does not use pressure to force the water through and this often results in the coffee getting cold while we wait for the cycle to finish. Many people find that it is just too time consuming to make a cup of coffee in this manner.

Senseo Innovation

That is why a new breed of coffee making machine is rapidly gaining popularity;

one that uses pressure. Senseo manufactures this coffee machine and it provides much innovation to the market of home coffee brewing machines. The Senseo Gourmet Coffeemaker pushes pressurized water through a pre-packed coffee pod. These coffee pods are packed with just the right amount of coffee, which allows for the best possible result.

Senseo allows you to brew one or two cups of coffee at a time. Brewing your cup of coffee with the Senseo Coffeemaker can be completed in a few simple steps. First, fill the water tank, followed by opening the lid and placing in your coffee pod. The last step is to switch it on and watch how your Senseo Gourmet Coffeemaker allows just the right amount of pressure and just the right amount of water to flow through the pod. In two minutes, you can have a perfectly brewed, hot cup of filtered coffee to kick start your day. However, it gets better: because of the pressurized system that is used by the Senseo Gourmet Coffeemaker; your cup of coffee should have a thick foamy layer on top as well.

The Practicalities

Senseo coffee pods are mess-free and require no expensive filters; they also ensure you are not left with coffee grounds at the bottom of your cup. Whatever your taste in coffee, Senseo coffee pods covers them all. You can choose from mild roast, medium roast, and dark roast, even decaffeinated.

Senseo Gourmet Coffeemakers have a ‘SensAuto-off’ switch, which turns the machine off after an hour, so you do not have to worry about accidently leaving the Senseo on. They are designed with removable parts that are completely safe in the dishwasher. Senseo offer accessories such as replaceable water tanks that make your coffee experience even easier.

Senseo Options

Senseo Gourmet Coffeemakers come in a one-cup option as well as the basic 1-2 cup option, each offer the same incredible basic functions. Senseo has another option available called the Senseo Supreme. The Supreme offers many added features for your convenience.

While still allowing the 1-2 cup option, the Supreme allows more control over how much coffee can be brewed and you can change the amount per cup, great if you have different sized coffee cups, or mugs.

The spout is different too – adjustable so that you can accommodate taller cups. The water tank has increased in size so that you do not have to refill it that often. There is also an LED indicator, which keeps you informed on the water levels.

Another added feature allows you to enjoy frothed milk without all the fuss. The Supreme has an integrated milk container, which includes a feature that froths the milk. This offers luxurious foam on top of your coffee. There is also a cleaning button that is designed to remove all milk residues from the machine.

The Senseo Gourmet coffeemaker is a beautifully apportioned, sleek, and modern coffee machine that can grace any kitchen counter. They are available in different colors to suit most tastes and can become a conversation piece in your home.

There is nothing that lifts the spirit and puts one in a pleasant and relaxed mood than the smell of freshly brewed coffee. This delicious beverage is enormously beneficial in the office not only because of its stimulating attributes, but the effect it has on the brain as well. Needless to say, the chances are that workers will become energized and potentially more productive. Most office workers simply love their coffee because it gives them the necessary lift to make it through the day. The effect of the coffee aroma on the average personOften the unique smell and aroma of coffee takes one back to pleasant times with family or friends; this can be a welcome break from stressful workloads or never ending office tasks. According to recent research done on the effect coffee has on the brain, it has been discovered that it definitely improves short term memory and speeds up your reaction time as well. In other words you can actually become more alert and productive by drinking coffee; this rumor is not completely untrue. The scent of coffee has such a powerful effect on the human brain that it is even being used in alarm clocks. The smell of fresh brewed coffee is definitely a lot more pleasant than having a buzzer or loud music go off in your ears. On weekdays the lovely smell can get you leaping out of bed and head straight for the coffeemaker, or, on weekends, make you roll over and continue having pleasant dreams of a scrumptious breakfast accompanied by your favorite coffee.Studies into the effects of coffee highlight the beneficial qualities of coffee. There are of course negative effects of drinking too much coffee, however a moderate amount of coffee consumption during a work day will most likely keep a person alert and productive. Those who drink more than a moderate amount open themselves up to risks such as accelerated heartbeat and anxiety. That being said, the one-cup-in-the-morning coffee drinker tends to lose steam in the latter part of the day while the 3-4 cup-a-day worker lasts till the end. It really depends on the specific person in question. A vast majority of workers agree on the fact that a good quality, warm brew is soothing and relaxing. Some feel that management is taking good care of them when the coffee service has been hired that provides good quality and affordable coffee. Office policies differ vastly and in many cases workers are allowed to have coffee anytime during the day and may even leave the office from time to time for a quick trip to the coffee shop. There are some companies that do not allow workers to leave the office during work hours, but they may enjoy a cup of coffee any time of day. The benefits of a coffee delivery service Time is of the essence in every business, as is money. However, not only can the employee save money by utilizing a coffee service, but the company also can benefit in the long run. Coffee drinkers drink coffee all day long, perhaps reaching 10 cups a day. All of this coffee drinking during the work day can slow production, especially if there is no coffee available in the office. Some research has shown that large amounts of coffee consumption can also lead to dehydration and loss of concentration. Nutritionists suggest that heavy drinkers should occasionally include fruit juices and water in their consumption to prevent this from happening. Too much caffeine can also be the cause of rising stress levels. This is according to research but like everything else no two people are affected in the same way.Other products and servicesCoffee services do not only specialize in coffee but in other beverages as well. The various types of coffees may include the hot brew that is either decaf or with hot milk. The cold varieties would be press iced coffee, iced latte or mocha. Espressos would include cappuccino, macchiato, mocha or latte.Obtaining a free quote from coffee delivery service providers is not difficult at all. The quote will include what type of services you require as well as the amount of people that will make use of the service. Other services like filtered or bottled water are also offered. Hot soup as well as hot chocolate and sandwiches are also on the menu of some service providers. Besides offering gourmet and organic coffees some companies also have a snack menu that can be ordered daily. Reliable and reputable service providers can save time and money when it comes to providing coffee to office staff members. An office coffee service will help to keep your workers focused, energized and comfortable, knowing that there will always be fresh-brewed coffee nearby to give them that extra boost.

What is the first thing that most workers do when they get to work? Is it sit down and immediately become productive? Probably not. Most likely they head for the coffee. They grab a cup of coffee, say a quick hello to their co-workers, and then they start their daily tasks. For many workers, if they were to skip those first five coffee minutes, they wouldn’t feel like they would be able to be very productive in the morning. In fact, a lot of ideas start flowing around the coffee area first thing in the morning as workers come to life and start to chat.

If this is what happens regularly in your place of business, and you feel like you spend more time restocking the coffee supplies than you do the rest of your job, it might be time to consider hiring a coffee service. A coffee service can routinely stock your coffee supplies, making sure that you never run out (and you know you don’t want that to happen). That’s not all a coffee service can do, though.

What a coffee service can supply

Yes, coffee services deliver coffee. But they do so much more.

Other services a coffee service may be able to perform

Hiring a coffee service for your place of business can save you a lot of time, a lot of headaches (both figuratively and literally), and even save you money. Replacing over worked coffee machines routinely and buying coffee, teas and their accompaniments at retail prices can really add up. Coffee from a service can cost as little as 10 cents a cup.

A good coffee service will come out and provide you with a tasting of their coffees and other beverages before you purchase. They will also speak to you at length about the coffee habits of the people you work with so they can determine your needs. Many coffee services will also throw in the first coffee machine for free as a bonus to signing on to their service. Shop around for the best office coffee service in your area.

If you had suggested to someone a few years ago that they should add syrup to their coffee they would have looked at you blankly and wondered what on earth you were talking about. The closest people came to syrup was probably a tin of golden or even black treacle in the kitchen cupboard!

Syrup in coffee was something a few people on the Continent indulged in when they had the time to sit outside their favourite café or bar, putting the world to rights with their companions and asking the barista to “just add a shot of vanilla”, or perhaps amaretto, to their espresso to give it a bit of a twist.

But not any more. Because if you haven’t heard of coffee syrups then you really are in the minority, and missing out.

Even here in the UK, where we can be a bit slow to embrace new culinary ideas from abroad, the idea of adding syrup to coffee is becoming more and more popular.

Coffee shops – both chains and independents – are taking advantage of this new popularity and stocking a wide range of flavours. They have realised that people want to add a dash of something new to their espresso, they want to liven up their latte, makeover their macchiato, and ring the changes with their cappuccino.

For coffee shops, it makes commercial sense. Each bottle of syrup contains a number of shots, the cost of which can be passed on to the customer with a small mark-up. A slight increase in price for the customer, but a big profit for the coffee shop.

For coffee lovers, syrups really ring the changes and add a new interest and more choice for both the coffee aficionado and the occasional coffee drinker alike. And they make only a small difference in price to your usual drink.

So, where did the practice of adding syrup to coffee come from? It is thought to have started as a syrup flavoured with actual coffee, and originated from New England. It was created in the 1930s, when drug stores started mixing leftover coffee grounds with sugar and milk, and marketing the drink at children, whose parents were in the store having ‘proper’ coffee. Bit different to a cola with a straw!

Some coffee shops in the States also started making simple sugar syrups, by dissolving sugar in water, then using the syrup as a coffee sweetener.

At some point, someone thought of bottling this syrup and it was marketed.

But all this was a far cry from the syrups we enjoy nowadays, with their very wide range of flavours – vanilla, cinnamon, amaretto, ginger, and caramel to name but a few.

You can add them to coffee in your local coffee shop, you can enjoy them at home, and they are so versatile you can even use them in cooking.

While coffee-based beverages remain as popular as ever, more Americans are looking for a do-it-yourself way to enjoy high-end coffee bar style cappuccino and espresso drinks at home. Fortunately, there are many affordable products on the market to assist the home brewing enthusiast in their quest for the ultimate coffee concoction. Regardless of which product you choose, there are endless recipes and combinations of ingredients to literally spice up your daily infusion.

First you need choose the basis of your beverage: coffee or espresso. Coffee can be drip-brewed, percolated, instant or cold-pressed. Any of these methods are very inexpensive. An espresso-based beverage is more likely to satisfy the sophisticated palette of the coffee connoisseur. To do this at home however, requires more of an investment in the brewing equipment. Real espresso machines cost upwards of $1,000. An affordable and popular alternative are the single-serving type of machines such as the Tassimo, where you invest in the machine and purchase pre-portioned packages of espresso varieties to brew a serving at a time.

Still confused about the difference between coffee and espresso? Espresso is a method, first originated in Italy, of extracting flavor from the heart of the coffee bean. The technique employs a pump-driven machine to force hot water through the ground coffee beans at high pressure in a short time frame — usually between 20 and 35 seconds. The amount of water used is only about ¾ of an ounce, and the resulting taste is described as smooth, thick, rich or sweet. So the obvious differences between coffee and espresso are 1) the amount of water used and 2) brewing or pressing time. Coffee is generally brewed for 4 to 6 minutes depending on the method and individual preferences.

Cappuccino is espresso mixed with equal parts of steamed and frothed milk. If you don’t purchase an espresso machine with milk-steaming capabilities, you will have to steam and froth your milk the old-fashioned way — on a stove. The frothing process involves skimming and stirring the hot milk. To layer the milk and espresso, allow the freshly frothed milk a moment to rest and separate (foam on top and milk on the bottom). Pour the steamed milk into your cup first, then pour in the espresso, and top it with the frothed milk using a spoon.

The creative possibilities go on from there. One of the most popular twists on the cappuccino is adding a sprinkle of powdered cocoa or cinnamon. Other combinations take their inspiration from favorite foods such as traditional desserts or candy bars. Try these super-easy recipes or experiment with making your own!

Milky Way Cappuccino– 2 shots espresso, 1 shot chocolate syrup, 1 shot caramel

Java Chai Espresso — 1 shot espresso, prepared chai concentrate, steamed milk, ½ ounce almond syrup

Cafe Corretto — 2 shots espresso, 1 shot brandy, cognac or flavored liqueur

Cafe Romano– 1 shot espresso, served with a twist of lemon or lemon peel

Rocky Road Cappuccino — 1 serving of your prepared cappuccino, 1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur, 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce, 1 teaspoon of marshmallow crème and ¼ teaspoon finely chopped nuts

Butterscotch Creme Cafe — 1 serving coffee, 3 tablespoons butterscotch syrup, 2 tablespoons of half-and-half cream

Ginger Spiced Coffee — 1 serving coffee, 1 small piece finely chopped crystallized ginger, 1 cinnamon stick

Cafe Borgia — 1 cup coffee, 1 cup hot chocolate, 1 shot cream, sprinkle of grated orange peels

Chocolate Mint Truffle(for the non-coffee drinker) – 1 cup hot chocolate, 2 chocolate coated mint candies topped with 1 tablespoon whipped topping and 1 fresh mint sprig

Espresso Martini — 1 shot espresso cooled to room temperature, 1 shot premium vodka, 1 splash liqueur in flavor of your choice (try amaretto, Irish creme, Godiva chocolate or any favorite), garnish with 3 whole espresso beans

Mexican Coffee — your favorite brewed coffee, 2 cups whipped topping gently mixed with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

French Vanilla Coffee– your favorite brewed coffee, equal portion of milk heated to scalding temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cinnamon stick, sweetener to taste

If you are hosting a winter party and feeling a little adventurous, you may want to try a festive twist on the usual coffee and eggnog choices. Try this Betty Crocker recipe for 16 servings of Cappuccino Eggnog:

Ingredients — 6 eggs, slightly beaten; 2/3 cup table sugar; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 5 cups milk; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups hot espresso; 1 cup coffee liqueur or brandy; 2 cups heavy whipped cream; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; ground cinnamon

Directions — Stir together eggs, granulated sugar and salt in a Dutch oven pan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over low heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring constantly, just until mixture coats a metal spoon; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Stir together coffee and liqueur. Gradually stir coffee mixture into egg mixture; keep warm. Just before serving, beat whipping cream and brown sugar in chilled large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Gently stir 2 cups of the whipped cream into egg mixture. Pour into mugs. Top with dollops of remaining whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve immediately!