Posts Tagged ‘Coffee Drinks’

Unique Coffee Shake Recipe

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Coffee is enjoyed by countless people on a daily basis. In fact, statistics have shown that fifty percent of the population in the United States of America that are at least eighteen years of age consume coffee or coffee drinks every single day. Also, independently owned coffee shops in the United States of America estimate a whopping twelve billion dollars in sales on an annual basis. Who does not love coffee?

Well, as most people are aware of, coffee contains a substantial amount of caffeine. Many coffee drinkers drink coffee not just for the great taste, but also for that extra caffeinated kick. For some, coffee is a great way to start the day. In fact, many people drink coffee throughout the day to enjoy a great tasting beverage that also keeps you up and awake.

Besides the traditional cup of coffee, there are numerous coffee drinks that are very tasty and delicious. Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha, Espresso. All of these coffee drinks mentioned are great! There also exist coffee dessert drinks, the ultimate tasty upper that combines the great taste of coffee with caffeine and sugar and your favorite topping in the form of a blended shake-type drink.

Now, you could get these great dessert coffee drinks either at your typical independent coffee shop or your favorite popular franchise coffee shop for a few bucks. But would not it be great if you could make these great coffee dessert drinks in the comfort of your own home?

Well, this is the part of the article that you are going to absolutely love because we are going to give you a great recipe for a coffee shake that you can make in your own kitchen at home!

The Ingredients

In order to make the Great Coffee Shake, you will need some vanilla ice cream, ice cubes, and either espresso or regular coffee. As an added bonus, you may also want to include your favorite flavor of syrup topping such as chocolate or caramel, and some whipped cream for a final topping.

The Appliances

The kitchen appliances and equipment that you will need are a coffee maker or an espresso machine, a blender, and some cups and eating utensils for the final product.

The Directions

This recipe makes two servings so if you need to make a bigger batch, just multiply the amounts of ingredients according to how many extra servings you will need to make.

First, make your coffee or espresso. Prepare your coffee as strong or light as you want depending on your personal choice. Let your coffee cool a bit as you will not want to melt the ice cream with it.

Next, get your blender and drop two heaping scoops of vanilla ice cream into it. Drop in a shot of espresso or a quarter cup of regular coffee along with a small handful of ice cubes. Blend these ingredients together on high until you see that all the contents are mixed together forming a thick and icy shake.

Now, take the cups that you will be serving the Great Coffee Shakes in. Decorate the inside of the cups with your preferred syrup, adding as much or as little as you desire.

When you are done applying the syrup to the inside of the cups, transfer the blended ingredients from the blender to your cups. Finish it off with whipped cream on the top, and you can even add more syrup on top of the whip cream if you wish.

And there you have it! A Great Coffee Shake!

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Espresso Machines – All inclusive, convenient, Money safer

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Did someone say coffee? Well there’s no getting around the espresso craze. Ever since the 90′s hit, there’s coffee shops on every corner. If you’re not drinking a hot latte, you’re probably drinking an iced one, or maybe even a cappuccino. It’s crystal clear that espresso rules our daily regimes.



There are, however, alternatives to hitting the long lines of Starbucks every morning. Stylish espresso machines are now becoming more common in our homes. Yes, it’s true; people everywhere are relinquishing their
baristas of their duties and making their own delightful coffee drinks.

If you’re like everyone else on the planet, you’ve most likely been in a coffee shop in the last decade. It’s hard to avoid their taunting aromas. Unfortunately, the downside is all too clear; the price. Since when does a cup of coffee run four bucks? It’s a good thing we do have alternative options when it comes to a fine blend.

Espresso machines are there for us to buy, hence eliminating the horrible cafe bill. If you consider yourself an avid coffee drinker, like myself, in other words, everyday, an espresso machine may be for you. The Internet has the largest variety of machines you will probably find anywhere. Whether you’re looking for a simple “do it yourself” type of machine that runs 50 bucks or an all inclusive machine that’ll cost $500, it can be found with the click of a mouse.

Espresso Machine Bestsellers

There are certainly an ample number of choices, but you have to find the best espresso machine what’s right for your daily caffeine fix. One wants to spend, as much as $5000 on an espresso machine, however, that’s not necessary at all to get a fine latte or shot of java.

When I decided to make the switch, I dove into the web with a price in mind. I first considered that I spent 8 bucks a day on coffee. Then I pondered the time it would take to pay off the machine I was searching for. The result was, NOT long. I found a nice, yet practical in my opinion, machine that ran around $500. After considering a single cup coffee maker,
I went for the all-inclusive route. It grinds the beans and makes a perfect espresso shot, all at the press of a button. It also is able to froth/steam milk with ease. Any coffee beverage I desired was at my fingertips and it paid itself off within a couple months. That’s pretty sweet! No more lines, no more waiting, no more mess, and especially no more 4 bucks a drink.

If you too drink lattes from coffee shops on a daily basis or are just tired of dealing with the hassle, an espresso machine for your home is perfect. My only advice is to do your shopping around before selecting. Always check reviews and prices first.

Nespresso Essenza D90 Espresso Machine …easy, fast, ready to Go!

Monday, March 8th, 2010

nesspresso essenza d90
Essenza Espresso Machine in Piano Black/Aeroccino In-Pack

For a limited time only, receive a $50 Nespresso Club Credit good towards the purchase of espresso capsules and accessories when you purchase any Nespresso Espresso Machine $299 and up! Just mail in the rebate form below! Click here for more details an…

How To Make A Great Espresso!

Every barista (professional maker of coffee drinks) will have his or her method. Here’s mine… It all starts with water. No coffee grounds, no matter the quality, can overcome an association with poor water. It must be fresh and very hot. Yes, even water can get stale, thanks to mildew, poor cleaning practices, and inadequate filtering. The optimum temperature is 203F (95C), nearly boiling.

Next comes the coffee. Select arabica – whether from Brazil, Bogota, or elsewhere, grown above 3000 feet (915m) and delivered fresh for roasting. Either self-roasted or bought within a few days after, the coffee should have that ‘fresh food’ smell.

Robusta – though easier to grow and more disease resistant – has more caffeine and less flavor. It should be reserved for those quick pick-me-up cups, not used for an espresso to be savored.

Finely ground in burr, not blade, grinders the roast should be dark – French or Viennese. The name refers to the color, not the origin. Blade ‘grinders’ actually chop, not grind. Burr grinders have pyramid shaped teeth on two plates that grind the beans between them.

The distance between the plates determines the fineness of the granules. Sand grain-sized is good, powder is too fine, and small-gravel too large. Of course, the grind should not be exposed to air any longer than necessary. Coffee, like any food, will oxidize and absorb odors from the air. Neither is conducive to a good cup.

And, last but not least, a good espresso requires a clean machine of good quality. ‘Good quality espresso machine means: generates heat by boiler or thermoblock and is capable of producing pump pressure of 9 bar or better. A ‘thermoblock’ heats water as it passes through the machine on the way to the pump. Avoid the cheaper units that rely on steam to create pressure.

Now you have the basic elements. Next comes the process.

Pre-warm the equipment by running good water through a clean machine. You can turn the machine on, let the water heat, and run a cup through with no coffee to warm the surfaces and flush the system. Add your ground roast and pack down slightly, as you would pipe tobacco. Just as with pipes, you should be feel some springiness, but the coffee shouldn’t scatter.

Insert the hopper in the machine firmly and place a warmed espresso cup at the outlet. Start the machine and in about five seconds you should have a thin, steady stream. (About 20 seconds for a double shot.)

For a cappuccino, warm half a cup of organic milk in the microwave about 90 seconds, froth, and add to the espresso. Garnish to taste with cinnamon, nutmeg or chocolate. For those who like it sweet a little organic sugar goes a long way.

Simple, straight forward, and easy. Start with good ingredients, keep your equipment clean, and don’t burn the roast. The result? A great cup!

Costumer Reviews Nespresso Essenza D90

Living in Italy: ALL ITALIANS have this machine

By K. R. Warmkessel (Genova, Italy)

I live in Italy and I have to say that after being in Italy for 7 years, I finally discovered how to make the perfect cappuccino at home. This makes a cappuccino exactly how I would get it at my neighborhood coffee bar. The machine makes a dense rich espresso with a nice cream on top and the aeroccino makes a perfect thick foam. The aeroccino also heats the milk to the perfect temperature and clean up is super quick. The machine is little in size which is a plus in a tiny Italian kitchen. At first I wasn’t so convinced on being committed to buying only Nespresso capsules, first for the price and second for the quality of coffee. Then I recalculated that I spend 1.10 euro at the bar every morning compared to .34 euro to make it at home….hence a definite savings. Plus the quality of coffees they offer (12 varieties in total) happens to be excellent! I’ve noticed that all of the Italians here also have this espresso machine in house. So if the Italians say it’s good, and they’re passionate about their food and drink, it’s got to be good. I’ve owned several machines over the years and this one is truly THE BEST!!

Best espresso ever

E. Neely (Corvallis, OR USA)

I love the Nespresso system, it takes the guess work out of making great espresso and tastes fantastic. This system is so fail-proof my 8 year-old begs to make my morning cup!

Espresso Machine Bestsellers

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Keurig

Coffee People, Donut Shop K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50) [Amazon Frus...
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Customer Review: This is my first cup of coffee every morning, and I make sure I never run out of it. Is it too strong a statement to say it's why I get out of bed in the morning? My second cup is always one of a variety of flavored coffees, but Donut Shop is hands-down the best wake-up coffee made for the...
 


Coffee Mugs

Black & Decker DCM18S Brew 'n Go Personal Coffeemaker with Travel Mug
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Customer Review: An ongoing problem with this coffee maker is that the coffee grains plug up the drain hole for the mug. This has happened many times and sometimes never really drains out or you must wait an extremely long time for it to do so. Our solution has been to trim what conical filters we had and ...
 
Thermos Stainless King SK1005MB4 16-Ounce Leak-Proof Travel Mug, Midnight Blue
Amazon Price: $22.58
Customer Review: Only using this for coffee, but it really keeps it hot on the inside for hours, and cool on the outside, just like it supposed to. I lost my old Nissan thermos which worked great and recently bought a Cuisinart stainless steel one to replace. But the first time I used it, I realized it hel...
 
Copco 2510-9963 Acadia Reusable To-Go Mug, 16-Ounce Capacity
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Customer Review: My two year old is obsessed with coffee cups. Now I found a great new sippy cup for him that looks like a coffee cup but has a great screw on top and can be filled with his favorite drinks. This cup is microwave and dish washer safe.
 


Senseo

Senseo Dark Roast Coffee, 18-Count Pods (Pack of 6)
Amazon Price: $24.00
Customer Review: I'm no huge coffee connoisseur, but this stuff is great. Full flavor, never burnt tasting, has a chocolaty flavor, and the foam is great. The Senseo pods are a breeze to use. It's much faster to make a cup than with the Krups machine, tastes better, and it's more environmentally friendly...
 

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