Posts Tagged ‘Kitchen’

A Coffee Shop In Your Kitchen

At least here in the United States, a cup of coffee used to be a simple thing. Ya paid yr dime, ya got yr cup o’joe and that was it. Today, we choose from mica lattes, frocchopinos, double latte espress, and that doesn’t even count the basic espresso and cappuccino. I am reminded of Enrico Fermi, who, when atomic particles such as muons and kaons were being discovered and named in the 1930’s, remarked that”If I wanted to remember all that I would have become a botanist.” He must have understood, because he went on to develop the process that led to the Atomic bomb, but like him, I understand coffee but am overcome by all these varieties. With a grind and brew coffee maker, turn your kitchen into a coffee bar.
Here are but a few: We have the frappe, a popular drink in Europe and Latin America that we have recently adopted. Cold espresso blended with two teaspoons of sugar, milk and crushed ice. A refreshing drink made even more so if you add some brandy and créme de cacao.
If you feel like something completely different, try a Cappuccino Borgia. Borgia, if you will remember, poisoned anyone who got it his way. Luckily, the poison in this drink is orange juice. Six tablespoons of orange juice and a quarter cup of milk is blended into an espresso. For a real treat, be a true Italian and try it as a gelato: peeled orange and a half cup of chocolate ice cream.
Back to this century and this hemisphere, and you can try a Calypso Cooler. Add mashed bananas to chilled strong coffee and two cups of coffee flavored ice cream. Sit by the pool and relax. Or go off the deep end and add four tablespoons of rum.
If you like a little kick to your coffee, try Caffe Zabaglone. Place a quarter cup of dry Marsala, a quarter cup or sugar, a pinch of salt and four egg yolks in a pan and cook slowly over low heat until thickened. Add a cup of strong Italian blend coffee and you’ve got a drink that it breakfast in a cup. It is also said to cure a hangover!
The next stop on our world culinary tour of coffee drinks is New Orleans. A competitor in the breakfast as a drink category is the Mardi Gras. Mix eggnog, bourbon and heavy cream. Pour into a cup of double straight American roast coffee and you won’t know whether to wake up or go to sleep.
The Turks are purists when it comes to their coffee, so all you will find in a Turkish coffee is cardamon. But the Scandinavians decided to take Turkish coffee and make Cardamon Kaffee. To an eight of a cup of cognac, add two teaspoons of curacao, a teaspoon of sugar and a cracked, seeded pod of cardamon. Heat the mixture in the microwave for 10 seconds and then light with a match. Pour over double strength coffee, but wait until the fire is out before you drink.
Maybe these drinks aren’t as strong as atomic bombs, but they can rock your world!

Choosing Your Next Coffee Maker

A coffee maker is an electric appliance that produces brewed coffee automatically, consisting of a hotplate, coffee pot, filter basket, and water reservoir. When it comes to coffee makers there are many, many to choose from. But if you are a coffee lover, you are probably very discriminating in your preferences so it’s worth your time to do your analysis.
But first, determine what you want in a coffee maker. Are you satisfied with going to the nearest box store and picking one up for about twenty dollars? That’s fine, they make a decent cup of coffee. Or maybe you’re looking for something with a bit added style. Something that will fit into your kitchen decor nicely. Or something of best quality that will outlast the 20 buck special.
What options are essential to you? Should it have a clock built in that will allow your coffee to be ready and waiting when you hit the kitchen? Programmable coffee makers are a type of coffee maker that is becoming additional more popular not only in the workplace, but in homes as well.
Another type of coffee maker that is gaining popularity is the single cup type. Whether you just need one cup of Joe to start the day or you are trying to limit your caffeine intake by fixing just one cup at a time, the single cup coffee makers are an excellent solution. They are also accomplished for the stay at home types who may just want a single cup mid-day and don’t want to make a whole pot. They also are available in a programmable version.
There are many ways to brew your coffee using the ever-reliable coffee maker. Decaf and coffee types that contain caffeine can be equally as appealing to the taste buds. For an analysis of more coffee subjects, visit http://www.fmcoffee.com.
As you begin your analysis of coffee makers, the first thing that you need to think about is what kind of coffee drinks you want to make. Do you prefer regular coffee, espresso, latte, or cappuccino? Espresso makers create a powerful and strong coffee that can really wake you up in the morning. But maybe that’s not you cup of tea. Just know that there are unique and different types of cappuccino, espresso and coffee makers on the market.
If you are a gourmet coffee drinker, you may want to opt for a Cafetiere. A Cafetiere is a French coffee maker that is also known as a French press. Since no filters are used, this coffee pot makes rich, strong coffee. But beware: if you are not going to serve the coffee immediately, avoid using a Cafetiere. If left to sit, your coffee will continue to brew and you will be left with a coffee that is very bitter.
So weather it’s a single cup style, a traditional coffee maker, an espresso, capuccino, or latte type, enjoy your down time with a terrific coffee. And here’s a bonus: once you have a new coffee maker, you will be able to save time and money by spending less time waiting in lines at the coffee shop.