tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-319863152024-03-12T23:53:38.945-07:00Espresso Coffee SnobsEspresso Coffee Snobs - The "How To" on being your own barista at homeJohn Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-41182265941977380522023-06-23T10:49:00.002-07:002023-08-16T13:35:00.506-07:00Unveiling the Secrets Behind Your Cup of Decaf<!DOCTYPE html>
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<h1>Demystifying the Decaffeination Process: Unveiling the Secrets Behind Your Cup of Decaf</h1>
<p>Introduction:</p>
<p>For many of us, coffee serves as a morning ritual or an essential pick-me-up throughout the day. However, not everyone can handle the stimulating effects of caffeine or may have medical reasons for choosing decaf coffee. Fortunately, decaffeinated coffee provides a solution, allowing coffee enthusiasts to enjoy the rich flavors and aromas of their favorite beverage without the jolt of caffeine. Have you ever wondered how coffee is decaffeinated? In this blog post, we'll explore the fascinating process behind decaffeination and the methods used to extract caffeine from coffee beans.</p>
<p>See my posts of the benefits of decaf coffee for <a href="https://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2023/06/from-caffeinated-to-decaffeinated.html">GERD (acid reflux)</a> and <a href="https://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2023/06/finding-freedom-how-decaffeinated.html">BPH (benign enlarged prostate in men)</a></p>
<p>Understanding the Need for Decaffeination:</p>
<p>Before diving into the decaffeination process, let's first understand why it's necessary. Caffeine, a natural stimulant found in coffee beans, stimulates the central nervous system, enhancing alertness and reducing fatigue. However, some individuals are sensitive to caffeine or choose to limit their intake due to health reasons. Decaffeination allows them to enjoy coffee without the side effects associated with caffeine consumption.</p>
<p>Methods of Decaffeination:</p>
<p>Several methods exist for decaffeinating coffee, each utilizing different techniques to remove caffeine while preserving the desirable flavors and characteristics of the coffee beans. Here are four commonly used methods:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<h2>Solvent-based Method:</h2>
<p>The solvent-based method is the most widespread and commercially used technique for decaffeination. It involves soaking green coffee beans in a solvent, typically either methylene chloride or ethyl acetate. The solvent selectively bonds with the caffeine molecules, extracting them from the beans. The beans are then rinsed and steamed to remove any remaining solvent traces. This method is highly efficient and allows for precise control over the caffeine extraction process.</p>
</li>
<li>
<h2>Swiss Water Process (SWP):</h2>
<p>The Swiss Water Process is a non-solvent-based method that relies on osmosis and solubility principles to decaffeinate coffee beans. In this process, green coffee beans are soaked in hot water to extract caffeine and other coffee solids, creating a caffeine-rich solution called "flavor-charged water." This water is then passed through activated carbon filters, which capture caffeine molecules while allowing the flavor compounds to pass through. The flavor-charged water is reused to maintain the coffee's original taste profile, while the caffeine-free beans are dried and prepared for roasting.</p>
</li>
<li>
<h2>Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Method:</h2>
<p>The CO2 method utilizes pressurized carbon dioxide to decaffeinate coffee beans. The beans are moistened and placed in a high-pressure chamber, where carbon dioxide is added. Under specific conditions, the carbon dioxide acts as a solvent, selectively extracting the caffeine from the beans. The CO2 is then depressurized, allowing the caffeine to evaporate, leaving behind decaffeinated coffee beans. The removed caffeine can be captured, and the carbon dioxide can be reused.</p>
</li>
<li>
<h2>Triglyceride (Natural Oil) Method:</h2>
<p>The triglyceride method is a relatively new and eco-friendly approach to decaffeination. In this method, coffee beans are soaked in a natural oil derived from either sugar cane or soybeans. The oil selectively bonds with the caffeine molecules, drawing them out of the beans. The beans are then steamed to remove any residual oil, resulting in decaffeinated coffee beans.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Quality Considerations and Variations:</p>
<p>Decaffeination is a delicate process that requires maintaining the integrity and flavor profile of the coffee beans. Careful attention is paid to the temperature, pressure, and duration of the decaffeination process to minimize the impact on taste. Nonetheless, it's worth noting that some variations may occur in the final product due to the decaffeination process. Some coffee enthusiasts argue that decaf coffee lacks the full-bodied flavor and aromatic complexity of regular coffee, while others find little difference in taste.</p>
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-5405060723020280492023-06-23T09:02:00.003-07:002023-06-23T10:51:29.225-07:00Finding Freedom: How Decaffeinated Coffee Helped Control Frequent Urination Due to BPH<!--Start Amazon native ads strip code for ECS-->Finding Freedom: How Decaffeinated Coffee Helped Control Frequent Urination Due to BPH<div><br /></div><div>This is a very personal post that deals with a very embarrassing topic, but I'm willing to share my personal experience in the hope that it may help other men who suffer from the embarrassing symptoms of enlarged prostate (BPH).<br /><div id="amzn-assoc-ad-872aebe2-f0d9-4799-88a2-6cd680c53d7c"></div><script async="" src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=872aebe2-f0d9-4799-88a2-6cd680c53d7c"></script>
<div><br /></div><div>Introduction:</div><div>Dealing with the inconveniences of frequent and urgent urination can greatly impact one's quality of life, especially when it stems from an enlarged prostate, a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As a coffee addict facing the embarrassing and disruptive consequences of my BPH-related symptoms, I was determined to find a solution without giving up my beloved coffee. That's when I discovered the unexpected benefits of switching from caffeinated to decaffeinated coffee. In this blog post, I'll share my personal journey and how decaf coffee successfully resolved my frequent urination issues associated with BPH.</div><div><br /></div><div>Understanding BPH and Its Effects:</div><div>BPH is a common condition among aging men, characterized by the enlargement of the prostate gland. One of the most bothersome symptoms is increased urinary frequency, often leading to urgent and inconvenient trips to the restroom. Caffeine, found in caffeinated coffee, can exacerbate these symptoms by acting as a diuretic, increasing urine production and triggering more frequent urination.</div><div><br /></div><div>Relief through Decaffeinated Coffee:</div><div>Recognizing the direct correlation between my caffeinated coffee consumption and my urgent need to urinate, I decided to explore the possibility of switching to decaffeinated coffee. As a lifelong coffee lover, the thought of giving up my daily ritual was disheartening, but I was determined to find a solution that would allow me to continue enjoying coffee without the disruptive effects on my urinary habits.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Transformation:</div><div>Transitioning from caffeinated to decaffeinated coffee proved to be a life-changing decision for me. Within a short period, I noticed a significant reduction in my urinary urgency and frequency. Previously, I would find myself needing to urinate up to four times in a single hour, which was not only inconvenient but also embarrassing, especially during work hours. Skipping my morning coffee to avoid disruption during important meetings became a regular occurrence. However, with decaf coffee, I was able to satisfy my coffee cravings without the subsequent increase in urinary urgency. I'm not saying you won't still need to pee, after all it's still a matter of "liquid in, liquid out", so don't drink a large cup of decaf before a meeting, but in drinking decaf I found it greatly reduced my need and frequency to pee.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unexpected Satisfaction:</div><div>One of the most surprising aspects of this transition was discovering that decaffeinated coffee satisfied my need for coffee just as well as its caffeinated counterpart. Initially, I was skeptical, assuming that the absence of caffeine would diminish the experience. However, to my delight, I found that the rich aroma, flavor, and comforting ritual of enjoying a cup of decaf coffee were still present, allowing me to preserve my coffee addiction while maintaining control over my urinary symptoms.</div><div><br /></div><div>Embracing Convenience and Empowerment:</div><div>The positive impact of switching to decaffeinated coffee cannot be understated. No longer did I have to fret over finding the nearest restroom or miss out on important meetings due to frequent urination. By incorporating decaf coffee into my daily routine, I regained a sense of convenience, control, and empowerment.</div><div><br /></div><div>Conclusion:</div><div>Living with BPH and the associated symptoms of frequent urination can be frustrating and limiting, especially for coffee enthusiasts like myself. However, my experience taught me that it is possible to find a middle ground that satisfies both our love for coffee and our need for relief. Switching from caffeinated to decaffeinated coffee proved to be the solution I had been seeking, allowing me to enjoy the pleasures of coffee without compromising my urinary comfort.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you find yourself grappling with BPH-related urinary symptoms and are reluctant to give up your cherished coffee habit, consider exploring the realm of decaffeinated coffee. Remember, everyone's journey is unique, and it's important to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice. By finding a solution that works for you, you can savor your favorite beverage and regain control over your urinary habits, bringing back convenience, confidence, and enjoyment to your life.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>See also: The benefits of decaf coffee for <a href="https://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2023/06/from-caffeinated-to-decaffeinated.html">GERD (acid reflux)</a></div>John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-12448703136951581022023-06-23T08:33:00.003-07:002023-06-23T10:50:35.542-07:00From Caffeinated to Decaffeinated Coffee: A Surprising Remedy for My GERD Troubles<!--Start Amazon native ads strip code for ECS-->From Caffeinated to Decaffeinated Coffee: A Surprising Remedy for My GERD Troubles
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<div><br /></div><div>Introduction:</div><div>For many coffee lovers, the thought of parting ways with their beloved caffeinated brew can seem unimaginable. However, sometimes life throws us unexpected curveballs that necessitate a change. In my case, that change came in the form of acid reflux, commonly known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). The surprising solution to my nightly discomfort turned out to be switching from caffeinated to decaffeinated coffee. In this blog post, I want to share my personal journey and the positive impact this switch had on my health.</div><div><br /></div><div>Understanding GERD and Its Symptoms:</div><div>GERD is a chronic digestive disorder that occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, leading to symptoms such as heartburn, regurgitation, and difficulty swallowing. While triggers can vary from person to person, certain foods and beverages, including caffeinated coffee, are known to exacerbate GERD symptoms. Caffeine is known to relax the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus more easily. </div><div><br /></div><div>Discovering the Culprit:</div><div>After experiencing frequent heartburn and discomfort during the night, I began examining my diet and daily routines for potential triggers. It didn't take long for me to notice a pattern: every time I consumed caffeinated coffee, I experienced heartburn within an hour. Recognizing the connection between my favorite morning ritual and my health issues, I decided to make a change.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Transition to Decaffeinated Coffee:</div><div>Switching from caffeinated to decaffeinated coffee seemed like a daunting task at first. I was concerned that the lack of caffeine would leave me feeling sluggish and less focused. However, my desire to find relief from my GERD symptoms outweighed my initial apprehensions.</div><div><br /></div><div>To make the transition smoother, I experimented with different brands of decaffeinated coffee to find one that offered a taste and aroma similar to my usual caffeinated brew. I discovered that there are many high-quality decaffeinated options available that retain the rich flavor I love, without the caffeine.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Positive Impact:</div><div>The results of my switch to decaffeinated coffee were nothing short of remarkable. Since embracing this change, my nightly struggles with acid reflux have completely disappeared. No longer do I wake up in the middle of the night with uncomfortable heartburn or a sour taste in my mouth.</div><div><br /></div><div>Moreover, I have been able to maintain my love for coffee without compromising my health. I still enjoy several cups of decaffeinated coffee throughout the day, savoring the flavors and taking pleasure in the soothing ritual. This shift has not only improved my physical well-being but also provided a sense of relief and peace of mind.</div><div><br /></div><div>Conclusion:</div><div>Finding a remedy for GERD can be a trial-and-error process, as triggers can vary from person to person. In my case, the unexpected solution was switching from caffeinated to decaffeinated coffee. By making this change, I successfully eliminated the nightly acid reflux that had been causing me discomfort and affecting my sleep.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're experiencing GERD symptoms and suspect caffeinated coffee might be a trigger, I encourage you to consider making the switch to decaffeinated alternatives. Remember, everyone's body is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. Consulting with a healthcare professional is always recommended to ensure you find the best solution for your specific needs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ultimately, my experience has taught me that sometimes the smallest changes can have the most significant impact on our health and well-being. So, if you're a coffee lover struggling with GERD, perhaps giving decaffeinated coffee a try could be the key to a good night's sleep and a happier, healthier digestive system.</div><div><br /></div><div>See also: The benefits of decaf coffee for <a href="https://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2023/06/finding-freedom-how-decaffeinated.html">BPH (benign enlarged prostate in men)</a></div>John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-72398803125578611142023-01-27T17:41:00.001-08:002023-01-27T17:41:00.179-08:00Benefits of Decaffeinated Coffee for Men with Enlarged Prostate <!--Start Amazon native ads strip code for ECS-->Decaffeinated coffee may be beneficial for men with an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Studies have shown that men who consume high levels of caffeine may be at a higher risk for developing BPH. The caffeine in coffee can cause the muscles in the prostate and bladder to contract, which can lead to symptoms such as frequent urination, difficulty urinating, and a weak urine stream.
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<div><br /></div><div>On the other hand, decaffeinated coffee does not have this effect, making it a safer choice for men with an enlarged prostate. In fact, some studies have suggested that men who consume decaffeinated coffee may have a lower risk of developing BPH. Additionally, a study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that men who drank decaffeinated coffee had a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is important to note that while decaffeinated coffee may be beneficial for men with an enlarged prostate, it is not a substitute for medical treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms of BPH, it is important to speak with your doctor to discuss the best treatment options for you.</div><div><br /></div><div>In conclusion, decaffeinated coffee may be a good alternative for men with enlarged prostate, as the caffeine in coffee can aggravate the symptoms. Drinking decaffeinated coffee may lower the risk of developing BPH and prostate cancer. However, it's always a good idea to consult with your healthcare provider, as they may have a different opinion or recommend a different course of action.</div>John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-6941113070686028992023-01-24T17:37:00.004-08:002023-01-24T17:45:25.038-08:00Benefits of Decaffeinated Coffee Explained <!--Start Amazon native ads strip code for ECS-->
<div>Decaffeinated coffee, also known as decaf, is a great alternative for coffee lovers who want to enjoy the taste of coffee without the effects of caffeine. Caffeine is a naturally-occurring stimulant found in coffee beans that can cause jitters, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping for some people. Decaffeinated coffee, on the other hand, is made by removing the majority of the caffeine from the beans before they are roasted.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the main benefits of decaffeinated coffee is that it allows you to enjoy a cup of coffee at any time of day without disrupting your sleep. This is especially beneficial for people who are sensitive to caffeine or have trouble sleeping at night. Decaffeinated coffee also allows you to enjoy the taste and aroma of coffee without the added stress on your body that caffeine can cause.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another benefit of decaffeinated coffee is that it can help to reduce your risk of certain health problems. Caffeine is known to increase blood pressure, which can increase your risk of heart disease. Decaffeinated coffee, on the other hand, does not have this effect, making it a safer choice for people with high blood pressure or other heart-related issues.</div><div><br /></div><div>Decaffeinated coffee can also be a great choice for people who are trying to cut back on their caffeine intake. Many people are unaware of how much caffeine they consume on a daily basis, and cutting back can be difficult. Decaffeinated coffee can help to reduce your overall caffeine intake without sacrificing the taste and pleasure of drinking coffee.</div><div><br /></div><div>In conclusion, decaffeinated coffee is a great alternative for coffee lovers who want to enjoy the taste of coffee without the negative effects of caffeine. It allows you to enjoy a cup of coffee at any time of day, reduces the risk of certain health problems, and can help you cut back on your overall caffeine intake. So next time you are looking for a cup of coffee, consider trying a decaffeinated option.</div>
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-30589615919612120642018-04-14T09:13:00.004-07:002023-08-22T10:54:42.846-07:00Does Coffee Cause Cancer?<!DOCTYPE html>
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<h2>Does Caffeine Cause Cancer?</h2>
<p>A very good question for all us coffee snobs and addicts, and a question we might feel inclined to run away from.</p>
<p>You may have seen news reports recently that a judge in California issued a ruling that shops that sell coffee will be required to post a notice that coffee beverages contain acrylamide, a known carcinogen.</p>
<p>A 1986 California law requires businesses to post warnings in their premises that warn visitors/customers and employees of the presence of any substances on the list of substances "known to the State of California to cause cancer", aka "carcinogens".</p>
<p>Acrylamide has been on that list since 1990. The suit brought in California sued large brand-name companies, including Starbucks, to require them to notify their customers of the presence of acrylamide in coffee.</p>
<p>As a self-described and self-diagnosed "coffee addict", I certainly feel a strong urge to dismiss this ruling and find myself minimizing the risks of continuing with my daily "addiction". Are you feeling similarly, I wonder?</p>
<p>Just how serious a carcinogen is acrylamide? My go-to source for all things related to the effects on my health of what I put in my mouth is Dr. Greger at his website <a href="http://nutritionfacts.org/">nutritionfacts.org</a>.</p>
<p>This is a good summary of the overall health benefits and risks of caffeine from Dr. Greger:</p>
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<p>My entire lifetime seems to have been accompanied by a debate over the health risks and benefits of coffee. I have to say that in my younger days, the weight of evidence seemed to be on the negative side, but in the last decade, there seems to have been more coming down on the positive side.</p>
<p>If you are on a quest to dig deeper into the evidence, CNN appears to be documenting research findings on the health risks related to coffee at this page <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/14/health/coffee-health/index.html">Health Risks of Coffee: Where do we stand</a>.</p>
<p>But I come back to the realization that my initial reaction was to dismiss this news. I have an internalized bias that any addict has towards negative news about their substance of choice.</p>
<p>Has your response to this news been similar to mine, and like me, will you continue to drink and shop for coffee, using "selection bias" to emphasize the beneficial health effects of coffee? What do you think?</p>
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-5342350494515428682018-03-25T08:56:00.005-07:002018-03-25T08:56:47.320-07:00Espresso Coffee Snobs Website Now Using HTTPS<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me feeling secure while enjoying a homemade<br />cup of latte and a homemade cookie</td></tr>
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Hello, Visitors.<br />
<br />
I'm pleased to announce today that I have made a change to my blog to help improve your online security. Now when you visit you will be automatically redirected to a server that uses HTTPS. You will see that in the url address bar when you visit.<br />
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There are three main benefits to using HTTPS:
<br />
<ul>
<li>It helps check that when you visit EspressoCoffeeSnobs.com, you aren’t being redirected to a malicious site.</li>
<li>It helps detect if an attacker tries to change any data being sent to you from my website blog.</li>
<li>It adds security measures that make it harder for other people to listen to your conversations, track your activities, or steal your information.</li>
</ul>
So today, in addition to enjoying a good cup of homemade espresso or cafe latte, you can rest easier that I am taking better care of your online safety as you explore all my posts about <a href="https://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/espresso-based-drinks-with-milk-how-to.html">making espresso coffee drinks at home</a>.
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<br />
Cheers!
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-47268370157281088842017-11-12T08:42:00.002-08:002021-10-20T08:42:21.477-07:00Coffee Making Holiday Gift Suggestions for the Home-Based Barista in Your LifeWow! It's only 10 days until Thanksgiving in the United States which means Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and all those crazy days of Christmas shopping are upon us once again.<div><br /></div><div>Please Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases<br />
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If you have a coffee lover in your life who considers themselves something of a home-based barista, then apart from sending them to my blog for all my <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/espresso-based-drinks-with-milk-how-to.html">tips and how-tos on making the perfect espresso and espresso-based drinks at home</a>, here are what you might call my "curated recommendations" to get them going or boost their skills as a home-based barista. Everything is available at Amazon through Amazon Prime and I have provided links to each product to save you time and to help you get it done from the comfort of your couch. My recommendations include gifts big and small, expensive to mere stocking-stuffers.<br />
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Note that my recommendations for espresso makers appear last, so if that's what you're looking for, scroll down.<br />
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You've got to start out with some beans. I've reviewed a few here over time, but a great go-to roast are these beans from Italy, the home of espresso. A full 1kg (2.2 lb) pack; none of the "fake 1lb" nonsense we unfortunately see so often in the world of coffee. My espresso bean recommendation: <b>Lavazza Super Crema Espresso beans</b>.<script type="text/javascript">
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The home-based barista always uses ground beans, so they've got to to have a good conical burr grinder. I've been happily using one of these Breville Smart Grinders for years now.
<b>Breville BCG820BSSXL The Smart Grinder Pro Coffee Bean Grinder</b>.<br />
Having forked out all that money, you've got to keep your beans fresh once you've opened them. Coffee beans oxidize very quickly once exposed to the air, so an airtight canister, and one with a one-way valve, will help maintain the freshness of your beans for as long as possible. Of course, the best way to keep your beans fresh is to use them quickly! Try one of these <b>Coffee Gator Canister Storage Vault</b> which comes in an attractive lineup of colors.
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Now that you have your beans and are storing them for freshness, you need a grinder. To achieve good crema when making espresso coffee, the grind of your coffee must be consistent. This is best achieved with a conical burr grinder, which essentially crushes your beans, rather than cuts them as happens when you use one of those coffee mills. Also, if you have a lot of experience with making espresso at home, you'll know that every roast needs to be fine-tuned for its grind, depending on the oils in the beans. I use a <b>Breville Smart-Grinder</b> which has 60 fine-tuned grind settings and other settings to let you determine just the correct "dose" of ground coffee. Not to mention, this is the quietest coffee grinder I've ever had.<br />
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Every home-based barista needs a "knock box" to help make them look like the Real McCoy. Try this one for size: <b>Osaka, Shock-Absorbent Espresso Knock Box</b>.<script type="text/javascript">
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This stainless steel <b>foaming pitcher</b> has volume markings on the inside for those whole like a little precision in their lives.
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Some have a little trouble mastering the steam wand, or their espresso machine doesn't have one or doesn't have a dual boiler which adds lots of complications to foaming milk, so these "<b>Aerolatte</b>" whisks are a perfect workaround and won't break your budget.
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The newbie might be struggling with getting the right temperature for their foamed milk, so one of these <b>milk thermometers</b> might be a great help.
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Some nice "demitasse" espresso cups are always great stocking-stuffers. There's a great variety out there from clear glass to fun colors. I like these since they are clear and I can impress my guests with just how much crema there is floating on top, plus being double-walled, the espresso is going to stay hot.
<b>Clevercafé Milano 2 oz Double Wall Glass for Espresso or Spirits, Set of 4</b>.<script type="text/javascript">
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Ok, so no one is going to become a home-based barista without an espresso machine, so time for a few recommendations there.<br />
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Over the years I have owned several brands, and unfortunately some were complete disasters. I use my espresso machine EVERY DAY, at least once. The only machine that has lasted for more than 3 years is the one I am still using, a Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler Semi Automatic Espresso Machine (this model has since been replaced with newer models, by the way). I can't remember exactly when I bought it, but it's something between 8 and 10 years now. It was the first model that Breville made in what has become a line-up of models.<br />
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A quick note here that my positive experience with my Breville espresso maker and grinder have turned me into a raving Breville fan. However, I've only owned the one Breville espresso maker, and the one Breville grinder. So it's a small sample, but the reviews at Amazon for new Breville products back me up. They are 4 stars or higher. Also note that I have never been contacted by Breville or given any free products from Breville for testing, so my opinion is my own.<br />
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If you are serious about making espresso-based coffee drinks at home, such as lattes and cappuccinos, it is best to have a machine with a dual (double) boiler. This means the water for the espresso and the water for foaming the milk are heated separately inside the machine. This is essential since the water temperature for extracting espresso and for steaming milk vary greatly. Machines that have a single boiler are problematic for this reason, and believe me, I know from bitter personal experience.
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Another great thing with at least the high-end Breville machines is that they use PID controllers to manage the pressure in the system when extracting the espresso shot. A PID controller is essentially something that constantly monitors and adjusts the value for something, in this case the "bars" of pressure being used. A perfect shot of espresso needs to be extracted under the right amount and consistent pressure. These machines make sure that will be the case, meaning you will always get good crema floating on top of your espresso.<br />
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So let's cut to the chase. Please remember that I have not used either of these machines since my old Breville machine is still running, but if and when it dies, from my 100% level of satisfaction with it, I will definitely be replacing it with a new Breville machine. There's no doubt in my mind about that.<br />
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If you're really feeling generous and loving (or perhaps just splurging on yourself), then the Breville BES980XL Oracle Espresso would be the equivalent of the model I bought all those years ago. I paid $1,500 for my machine back then, but it didn't come with a built-in grinder like this one does.<br />
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<b>Breville BES980XL Oracle Espresso Machine
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If your budget is still generous, but not to the extent of the Breville BES980XL Oracle Espresso Machine, then here is a mid-range machine from Breville, the <b>Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine</b>. This machine does not appear to have a dual boiler, but compensates for that with something called "Purge Functionality" that adjusts the temperature after steaming and before espresso extraction. The machine has 4 1/2 stars from almost 1,500 reviews at Amazon, so it seems that it is a very good machine and well-liked by those who have bought it.
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If you're on a budget like so many of us are, then consider Breville's basic manual espresso maker, the <b>Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma</b>. It has 4 out of 5 stars from almost 600 reviews, so it can't be bad, but will be more challenging for the home-based barista to produce good crema. With these basic machines so many more variables will come into play for creating crema, including bean roast, bean freshness, and grind.
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So they are my suggestions for this holiday season. I hope they have helped and that you will make someone very happy this holiday season. Happy holidays!</div>John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-82521822084058576932017-11-11T18:14:00.001-08:002017-11-11T18:15:16.635-08:00Affordable Espresso Coffee Maker Recommendation - UpdateSome time ago now I had recommended the Gaggia Evolution for a less-expensive espresso coffee maker for the home. This recommendation was based on my experience as an owner of a Gaggia Evolution.
However, the Evolution is no longer available so I would like to make a new suggestion for a more affordable espresso maker.<br />
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For something close to 10 years now, I have owned a Breville dual boiler espresso machine. I recommended it in this <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2012/01/espresso-machine-review-breville-dual.html">review: Espresso Machine Review: Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL</a>.<br />
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To my surprise, I am still using that same machine which in itself is a great recommendation for the Breville brand since I have never had an espresso machine last that long before.
Breville offers a lower-end model that they call the Barista Express. Although I do not own and have not used this model, based on my experience with the Breville brand, I would recommend you at least consider it as an option if you are looking for an espresso machine in the mid-range price band.
If you get one, let us know what you think in the comments below.<br />
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<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script>John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-61312817241657302662017-04-26T07:34:00.002-07:002023-08-16T14:50:54.419-07:00My Favorite Flat White<!DOCTYPE html>
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<img alt="Flat white coffee" border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tuDewjnpyi8/WQCtuqt4vjI/AAAAAAABSWw/BtflvC3RugEa0iFKMbjowUzrMv6f6j3zwCLcB/s320/flat-white-coffee-licorice-cafe.jpg" title="Flat white coffee" width="320" />
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flat White Coffee at Licorice Cafe New Zealand</td>
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<p>I recently had the opportunity to indulge in the pleasure of drinking numerous flat whites during my trip to New Zealand. It was a trip of gastronomic delight and a bit of indulgence, resulting in a few extra pounds.</p>
<p>New Zealand's charm lies in its ability to offer exceptional coffee shops even in the smallest of towns. Unlike the United States, cafes in New Zealand, locally referred to as "cafes," not only provide an array of coffee but also offer a diverse food menu, and in some cases, even wine. These cafes are more akin to coffee-focused restaurants.</p>
<p>Among the flat whites I savored, the most exquisite and impeccably-crafted one was enjoyed at the Licorice Cafe in the quaint town of Motutere, located on the south-eastern shore of Lake Taupo in the heart of New Zealand's North Island. A lunch break stop en route, it left me not only content but also impressed by the culinary experience.</p>
<p>Noteworthy, the candy seen on the saucer is a "licorice allsort," a classic New Zealand confection comprising layers of black licorice and marzipan. It's a delightful tradition to accompany coffee with candy in New Zealand. Although historically chocolate fish was the candy of choice, other classics like "jaffas" (chocolate balls coated in orange candy) have since taken over. The presence of a licorice allsort resonates perfectly with the cafe's name.</p>
<p>If you're curious about experiencing a "flat white" or wish to recreate it at home, you can refer to my <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2008/07/how-to-make-flat-white.html">How to Make a Flat White</a> guide.</p>
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-18766435343045504382016-12-29T10:47:00.000-08:002017-11-12T07:08:47.813-08:00Kicking Horse Coffee Cliff Hanger Beans Review<!-- Microdata markup added by Google Structured Data Markup Helper. -->
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<span itemprop="name">Kicking Horse Coffee Cliff Hanger Espresso Beans Review</span>
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I noticed that one of the more popular espresso beans that visitors to espressocoffeesnobs.com were ordering from Amazon was
<span itemprop="name">Kicking Horse Coffee "Cliff Hanger Espresso"</span> beans so I thought I'd order some for myself and put them to the usual test.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2ii8Tnz" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" itemprop="image" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkrHLem06cN16jXovguE6EJ-1OLiDb8tI_uInGrYI1G0WqpfwxSX5ViL8qweCsgKHzJnYgjnoYa-ji_k9fnr1ZNl3koiN_u3H5Nr1vUnUBaA-EK58XvkTYOKditgH0nmPMAh-Nw/s320/IMG_20161207_105916.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2ii8Tnz" target="_blank">Kicking Horse Coffee "Cliff Hanger Espresso"</a><br />
Photo Credit: John Corney</td></tr>
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The beans come in a 2.2lb / 1kg package. I was surprised to see when I got them that Kicking Horse Coffee roasters are actually based in British Columbia, Canada. Who knew that Canada had coffee roasters. Just kidding! On top of that, the beans are both fair trade and certified organic!<br />
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The beans currently <a href="http://amzn.to/2ii8Tnz" target="_blank">retail at Amazon</a> for
<span itemprop="offers" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Offer">
<span itemprop="price">$29.42 for the 2.2lb bag ($13.37 per lb or $0.84 per oz)</span></span>.<br />
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I actually purchased the beans through the Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&tag=ecslink-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=bd0663599f1a0504f6fb706261030037&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=grocery&keywords=subscribe%20and%20save" target="_blank">Subscribe and Save</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecslink-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> program and after the 15% discount paid $25 for the order ($11.37 per pound or $0.71 per oz). Not a bad price.<br />
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The first thing I noticed when I opened the bag is that the beans were definitely a darker roast than I typically use. Because of the longer roasting, the beans were also shiny and wet-looking from the extrusion of the oils caused by the longer roasting. I was a little concerned about this as dark-roasted oily beans can result in less crema production when extracting an espresso shot.<br />
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However, as you can see from the below video, ample crema was generated during the extraction of my test shot and there was no burned flavor.<br />
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Speaking of which, as to flavor, my first impression was actually that it was kind of "woody". I know it sounds weird, but I don't mean it in a negative way; it's just the first thing that came to mind. And it's not that I've eaten a lot of wood in my life. :-) The balance of bitterness and sweetness was good, with no overpowering or lingering bitter or sour aftertaste.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJ2sIQkbz0tWPANJQ4U9G1jTiUh4C3kkMTBmRzV_KH_X0xlQ4BcIAisSyAsXZnVzZ0fRE_nFn3ly_Gu8i-5g_MNLt0q-EPaLjm7vtbm4i16pkU26xkv0dn3RQN34cC1vCJfHmVg/s1600/IMG_20161207_111546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Flat-White coffee made with Kicking Horse Coffee "Cliff Hanger Espresso Beans" " border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJ2sIQkbz0tWPANJQ4U9G1jTiUh4C3kkMTBmRzV_KH_X0xlQ4BcIAisSyAsXZnVzZ0fRE_nFn3ly_Gu8i-5g_MNLt0q-EPaLjm7vtbm4i16pkU26xkv0dn3RQN34cC1vCJfHmVg/s320/IMG_20161207_111546.jpg" title="Flat-White Coffee" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Flat-White made using Kicking Horse Coffee's <br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/2ii8Tnz" target="_blank">"Cliff Hanger Espresso Beans" </a><br />
Photo Credit: John Corney</td></tr>
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When I used the beans to make a flat-white, the flavor had the oomph to support itself and not be overwhelmed by the addition of milk.<br />
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I'm glad I didn't write this review immediately since you can see there were a couple of first impressions that left me wondering. At this point I'm almost through the entire bag of beans and in the next few days will take delivery of my Subscribe and Save order
<span itemprop="description">. I love these beans! Having made coffee with these beans every day for a month now I have fallen for these beans, so I wholeheartedly recommend them to you.</span> Buy some <a href="http://amzn.to/2ii8Tnz" itemprop="url" target="_blank">Kicking Horse Coffee "Cliff Hanger Espresso Beans"</a> and see for yourself.<br />
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See all my <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/coffee-bean-reviews.html">espresso bean coffee reviews</a>.<br />
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-12413211783462882382016-12-04T10:02:00.002-08:002016-12-04T10:41:09.861-08:0012 Days of Christmas Deals<h2>
Help is at Hand!</h2>
The number of shopping days until Christmas are getting to be less and less. Wow! It's actually less than 3 weeks till Christmas now.<br />
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Help is at hand! Take the hassle out of shopping and like me, shop online from the comfort of your couch in your pajamas! Here are my many ways to buy the best for yourself and the coffee-lover in your life, and save money too.<br />
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<h3>
Unbiased Reviews of Espresso-Makers, Coffee Grinders, and Coffee Beans</h3>
Don't forget to check out my reviews. Everything I have reviewed I have bought with my own money and used in my home over many years, be it espresso makers or coffee beans. That means you can rely on my reviews to be unbiased and based on long periods of personal use, unlike many of the reviewers at Amazon who now receive the items they are reviewing for free from Amazon and its vendors. So start with my <b>unbiased</b> r<a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/coffee-equipment-and-accessories.html">eviews of espresso-makers and coffee grinders</a> and <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/coffee-bean-reviews.html">reviews of coffee beans suitable for espresso</a> to get started.<br />
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<h3>
Everything Coffee Store</h3>
Then for a great line-up of items from machines to books on coffee you can also visit my <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2016/11/holiday-gift-buying-guide-for-coffee.html">gift-buying guide for the coffee lover in your life</a>...or yourself even! You will find everything categorized in easy-to-shop groupings.<br />
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<h3>
Subscribe and Save!</h3>
Amazon always has a terrific line up of items for the coffee snob. I have bought all my coffee-making equipment from Amazon for many years now, not to mention my monthly order of coffee beans through the Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=subscribe+and+save&sprefix=subscribe%2Caps%2C337&crid=3T1BTRWP3YJJE&_encoding=UTF8&tag=ecssubsave-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=922751892285bcdd65ecd6a0ffd29b7b&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">Subscribe and Save</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecssubsave-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> program. There's nothing like saving 15% on your beans (provided you order 5 or more items each month; less than 5 and your savings are 5%. I find it easy to fill my monthly <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=subscribe+and+save&sprefix=subscribe%2Caps%2C337&crid=3T1BTRWP3YJJE&_encoding=UTF8&tag=ecssubsave-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=922751892285bcdd65ecd6a0ffd29b7b&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">Subscribe and Save</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecssubsave-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> order with other household items that I need on a regular basis from Amazon's grocery aisles so I always score the 15% discount every month. What's not to like?).<br />
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<h3>
Amazon 12 Days of Christmas Deals</h3>
And last but not least, be sure to keep an eye open starting today for great deals for your coffee gift ideas with Amazon's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/b?node=5550343011&ref_=pe_2549360_217658010&_encoding=UTF8&tag=12daze-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=3896e2f81cafec5b94a989cb619a3b8b&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">12 Days of Deals</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12daze-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> program. There are bound to be some great deals in there for coffee and espresso-makers and accessories. So check out the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/b?node=5550343011&ref_=pe_2549360_217658010&_encoding=UTF8&tag=12daze-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=3896e2f81cafec5b94a989cb619a3b8b&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">12 Days of Deals</a> hub every day for the next 12 days.<br />
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-84578968322124855802016-11-01T20:39:00.001-07:002016-11-14T20:48:36.371-08:00Holiday Gift Buying Guide for the Coffee Lover in Your Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3-krQmsXQS2qNqyDYwrKyu2zNWjLkR2kht6XZ3a7YHDczcspsFrKpOYwRy7Ar8US0DRPctf7pSizQv4AdlkAIHgtJ377R0P23g-Fj__55g0P1bJHPs-kCaylWFF4_JLiWIlJfQ/s1600/espresso-maker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3-krQmsXQS2qNqyDYwrKyu2zNWjLkR2kht6XZ3a7YHDczcspsFrKpOYwRy7Ar8US0DRPctf7pSizQv4AdlkAIHgtJ377R0P23g-Fj__55g0P1bJHPs-kCaylWFF4_JLiWIlJfQ/s320/espresso-maker.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
With Halloween now behind us we are officially into the "holiday season" in the U.S. and many countries around the world.<br />
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Before we know it, it will be Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday! Followed closely by Christmas and all that obligatory present buying!<br />
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My head hurts thinking about it, and if you're like me and so many others, more and more you want to avoid the crush, and rush, and craziness of the malls and do some or most of your holiday gift buying online.<br />
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If you have a coffee-lover or home-based barista in your life that you are planning on buying a present for, then the perfect place to start for ideas or to grab a few Black Friday or Cyber-Monday bargains from Amazon is our <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/store.html">Coffee Shop</a> right here at Espresso Coffee Snobs.<br />
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You will find all the hottest items in the coffee world available from Amazon broken up into different categories to make it easy for you to find what you're looking for. Happy holiday shopping for your favorite coffee-lover or family barista!<br />
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And if you are looking for my reviews, you can find my <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/coffee-bean-reviews.html">coffee bean reviews</a> here and <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/coffee-equipment-and-accessories.html">espresso maker and coffee grinder reviews here</a>.<br />
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Espresso Machines</h2>
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Coffee Beans
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Coffee Grinders</h2>
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Coffee Makers</h2>
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Coffee Books
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Coffee Making Accessories
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-5551843324287230072016-10-22T08:12:00.000-07:002016-10-29T14:37:22.253-07:00How to Make Pumpkin Spice Latte at Home'Tis the season for pumpkin spice latte, or should I say pumpkin spice EVERYTHING in America. Here's how to make your own pumpkin spice latte at home.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6d0b6UM_oQTTupNDKXqqMi6Y0KglqqVleg2rdEoKunpkFV80P8U8XpBg66SblOYiuiIyuSBBjLnRHLhlv3hnIZOiDovz0CCNRPF1yVQ2_3216OTq5WkHSPbFBZ9b4F5mdbfDwIg/s1600/LRM_20161029_130351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ingredients for Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte" border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6d0b6UM_oQTTupNDKXqqMi6Y0KglqqVleg2rdEoKunpkFV80P8U8XpBg66SblOYiuiIyuSBBjLnRHLhlv3hnIZOiDovz0CCNRPF1yVQ2_3216OTq5WkHSPbFBZ9b4F5mdbfDwIg/s400/LRM_20161029_130351.jpg" title="Ingredients for Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients for Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This tradition takes over America once the calendar turns to October, and since I am all about helping you make your own espresso-based coffee drinks at home, I thought I'd share with you a recipe for making your own Pumpkin Spice latte at home.<br />
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It's pretty simple, and can be way healthier than what you will get at Starbuck's if you wish to go the full do-it-yourself route.<br />
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Method 1 (with a little help from your friends at the local store)<br />
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<ul>
<li>Extract a double (or single if you must) shot of espresso into your cup <br />(if you are new to Espresso Coffee Snobs and not up to speed on how to make espresso, review my posts about <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/p/espresso-based-drinks-with-milk-how-to.html">making espresso and espresso-based drinks at home</a>)</li>
<li>Add on of the following if you have access to them at a local store (warm them first to your desired temperature):</li>
<ul>
<li>"Silk" brand Pumpkin Spice Soymilk</li>
<li>"So Delicious" brand Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk</li>
<li>Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Almond Beverage</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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Method 2 (the full do-it-yourself approach for health nuts like me)</div>
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<ul>
<li>1 teaspoon unsweetened canned pumpkin</li>
<li>¼ cup heated soymilk</li>
<li>½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or more to taste)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave nectar</li>
<li>Optional - whipped cream (non-dairy if you want to keep this completely "plant-based" and cholesterol-free)</li>
</ul>
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Invite some friends over and enjoy a happy pumpkin-spiced Halloween season.</div>
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-68422306399063997672016-07-17T14:49:00.001-07:002017-11-12T07:12:10.680-08:00Salimbene Superbar Beans Crema and Taste Test<h3>
<span itemprop="name">Salimbene Superbar Beans</span> Crema and Taste Test
</h3>
A few weeks ago I received an email from someone who wrote:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span 12pt="" font-size:="" new="" roman="" serif="" times="">How come you don't
mention
<span itemprop="description">Salimbene coffee from Naples as the winner of Best Italian Roast for
2015, in a blind tasting by "Crema" Magazine, a European coffee
magazine for espresso lovers.</span> For the first time its available in the USA on
Amazon.com.</span></blockquote>
I let them know that I'd check it out, which I have now done.<br />
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I purchased a <a href="http://amzn.to/29MLZ1F" itemprop="url" target="_blank">2.2 lb (1 kg) bag of Salimbene Superbar beans through Amazon.com</a> at my own expense. According to the packaging, the beans are roasted at <a href="http://www.caffesalimbene.com/en/content/4-italian-espresso-coffee-naples-since1933" itemprop="brand" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Brand" target="_blank">
<span itemprop="name">Cafee Salimbene</span></a> in Naples, Italy, the city from which espresso coffee originates. The beans cost
<span itemprop="offers" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Offer">
<span itemprop="price">$39.85</span></span>, which works out at $18.11/lb, one of the more expensive beans I have bought, and the most expensive beans I have reviewed to date.<br />
<br />
The packaging and logo is understated with a vacuum-seal valve. The packaging notes that the blend is 80% Arabica beans. The labeling on the packaging states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A rich, finely textured, almond-reddish coloured crema seals down into the cup the aromas of this harmoniously structured blend. The real, good Italian Espresso blend with a rich body and lingering taste thanks to the presence of highest quality washed Robustas. Salimbene's Superbar is made of coffee beans grown in 8 countries from Central and South America, Africa and Asia.</blockquote>
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Upon opening the package, I observed that the roast is a dark roast, but not to the extent that the oils are being extruded from the beans, a critical characteristic for making espresso crema: beans that are roasted very dark to the point that the oils make the beans slick and wet often fail to produce good crema when making espresso, especially when using a less-expensive domestic espresso machine.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3e-WRtQJWu-LWRaWJjLTZ8cWmxKh0UMIiONu_JOR8itRmpS_XqNUzlWdrHOy4oBd3VWlZ5LsHonBgfnO6MOvxtXip0kzisdC-E9Sm29mP77zSJE3xGlB6-Xvhp6_BYvuM0qxPfw/s1600/20160716_103957_Stanford+Court.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Salimbene Superbar Coffee Beans" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3e-WRtQJWu-LWRaWJjLTZ8cWmxKh0UMIiONu_JOR8itRmpS_XqNUzlWdrHOy4oBd3VWlZ5LsHonBgfnO6MOvxtXip0kzisdC-E9Sm29mP77zSJE3xGlB6-Xvhp6_BYvuM0qxPfw/s200/20160716_103957_Stanford+Court.jpg" title="Salimbene Superbar Coffee Beans" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salimbene Superbar Coffee Beans</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The beans were not noticeably aromatic. I'm sure we've all gotten ecstatically heady breathing in deeply the aroma of roasted coffee beans, but that is not the kind of hit you are going to get with these beans. The aroma is quite subtle.<br />
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I ground 4 tablespoons of the beans in my <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2011/11/coffee-grinder-recommendation-update.html">Breville Smart Grinder</a> at the normal fine grind setting that I use for making espresso and extracted a shot into a glass demitasse so that the results of the crema produced were easily visible.<br />
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<br style="clear: both;" />
The beans did in fact produce a good level of crema. (See video below)<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyyePnv_GXu4J_tL0R-9mMYYsAh0Q6vVse5GY7xEpP2HbXRkIpzqpDvk9xeXSfqYFjZcxM6ZtMMW6M2fhrp-RhLjv_Ac9Rx7XeqtmwJPNHYhyphenhyphen3J36wTi-9Bk4M-mDbP4CSSTNiQ/s1600/20160716_102556_Stanford+Court.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Salimbene coffee espresso crema" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyyePnv_GXu4J_tL0R-9mMYYsAh0Q6vVse5GY7xEpP2HbXRkIpzqpDvk9xeXSfqYFjZcxM6ZtMMW6M2fhrp-RhLjv_Ac9Rx7XeqtmwJPNHYhyphenhyphen3J36wTi-9Bk4M-mDbP4CSSTNiQ/s200/20160716_102556_Stanford+Court.jpg" title="Salimbene coffee espresso crema" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salimbene coffee espresso crema</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The taste profile of the espresso was pleasantly mild in its bitterness. Bitterness is an essential component of the taste profile of espresso coffee, but in poorer blends can be overwhelming and unappealing, often leaving an unappealing and lingering aftertaste. Not so with these Salimbene beans: a perfect balance of constrained bitterness - that does not even become apparent at first taste - and mild levels of contrasting sweetness. A perfect balance! No wonder the roast won the blind-tasting mentioned in the message I received.<br />
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I wholeheartedly recommend these beans. If the price point is too high for you, however, I have several other recommendations for you to consider, and perhaps you can treat the Salimbene beans as a special occasion treat to impress guests.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/29MOrFv" target="_blank">Salimbene Superbar beans can be purchased at Amazon.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/search/label/coffee%20bean%20review">See all my coffee bean reviews</a><br />
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-54731403023873567382016-07-10T08:02:00.002-07:002023-08-11T09:01:47.216-07:00Tips on Using Soy Milk to make Soy Latte or Soy Flat-White at Home <div class="tr-caption-container">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoaBx4VzgGpzyTLp1-OKyAjJyfAO-xfJdxEAw__Ta4-JXdwi0s1BHxrxz0fL8T-eS0BLeukbJxgU2NB5x2Bs0u6KBA4tRRGr2_1RpJID94vI2u9Wosqwp6qPQF1f5fZTjFDciWg/s1600/20160710_061159_Stanford+Court.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<img alt="soy latte" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoaBx4VzgGpzyTLp1-OKyAjJyfAO-xfJdxEAw__Ta4-JXdwi0s1BHxrxz0fL8T-eS0BLeukbJxgU2NB5x2Bs0u6KBA4tRRGr2_1RpJID94vI2u9Wosqwp6qPQF1f5fZTjFDciWg/s320/20160710_061159_Stanford+Court.jpg" title="soy latte" width="320" />
</a>
<p style="text-align: center;">Preparing soy milk for soy latte</p>
</div>
<p>
Of course in my "snobby" post on <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2008/07/how-to-make-flat-white.html">making a "flat-white"</a>,
I insisted you use whole milk, so if you're good with that, then go for it. But today's post is about using soy milk instead
for making lattes and flat-whites.
</p>
<p>
Many people prefer or need to use a non-dairy milk for various reasons, be it lactose intolerance or because they are vegan/vegetarian.
I actually adopted a vegan diet nearly 4 years ago and have used soy milk since then, so in that time I have learned something
about making soy latte at home.
</p>
<p>
From that experience I have discovered that there is one key difference in using soy milk rather than cow's milk: the temperature
you steam the milk to is critical. If you heat soy milk to the same temperature as regular milk (up to 140F/60C) then you will find
it breaks apart and your lovely cup of soy latte or soy flat-white will become <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flocculent" target="_blank">flocculent</a>
(that's the perfect word for what happens - it just so happens that I remember that word from high school chemistry).
</p>
<p>
I have found that up to around 120F/49C is about the right temperature to avoid this happening.
</p>
<p>
However, that means that the temperature of your cup of soy latte or soy flat-white is not going to be so hot, right? And most of
us like our coffee to be hot. So here's a trick I use to get around that problem: I put a small amount of water in my cup first
(about 3 tablespoons, I guess) and I put that in the microwave for 30 seconds. This way the cup is very hot to start with and there
is the base of hot water makes the entire cup of coffee hotter too. This small amount of water is not so much that there is any
noticeable dilution in taste so I just leave it in the cup when I extract the espresso into it. So give that a shot.
</p>
<p>
To summarize:
</p>
<ol>
<li>Heat your cup with a small amount of water for 30 seconds in the microwave - you can throw out the water if you prefer, but I leave it</li>
<li>Steam your soy milk to around 120F/49C - any hotter than that and the soy milk will break down</li>
<li>While the soy milk is foaming, extract your espresso into the hot cup, with or without the hot water left in the cup</li>
<li>Pour the foamed soy milk into the espresso</li>
</ol>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-872aebe2-f0d9-4799-88a2-6cd680c53d7c"></div>
<p>
Below is a video I put together this morning of me doing it. Because I was fussing with making the video you will notice that I
foamed the soy milk for too long and when I tested the temperature it was around 140F, and sure enough when I drank below the foam
and crema that was floating on the top, the soy milk had broken down and was "flocculent". So don't do as I did, do as I say. ;-)
</p>
<p>
Here's to "soy latte"!
</p>
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-24142884079952000782016-05-31T09:25:00.000-07:002016-05-31T09:25:27.914-07:00Nice and Easy Flat WhiteI love this short video clip of a barista making a flat white coffee. I like how he's nice and relaxed; obviously very experienced. I'm not sure where this was taken, but the hangul suggests Korea. <br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 8px;">
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 28.046875% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;">
<div style="background: url(data:image/png; display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BGEwTGeh5IA/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">6월에는 볼게 많다 #정글북 #워크래프트 #타잔 좋네 . . . . #latte #라떼 #latteart #라떼아트 #cafe #카페 #coffee #커피 #rosetta #tulip #로제타 #튤립 #specialtycoffee #카페라떼 #cafelatte #플랫화이트 #flatwhite #바리스타 #barista #윙튤립 #wingtulip #ラテアート #カフェラテ #拿铁艺术 #拿铁咖啡</a></div>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A video posted by @h_e_y_j_u_d_e_ on <time datetime="2016-05-31T14:03:37+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 31, 2016 at 7:03am PDT</time></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-90031217353199543432016-05-15T11:15:00.002-07:002017-11-11T17:50:57.185-08:00illy Medium Roast Espresso Beans Crema Test<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a data-amzn-asin="B001E5DYTO" href="http://www.amazon.com/Medium-Roast-Whole-Coffee-8-8-Ounce/dp/B001E5DYTO?ie=UTF8&creativeASIN=B001E5DYTO&linkCode=w00&linkId=JOLI4F7RZAO5O5HH&ref_=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til&tag=ecslink-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="163" itemprop="image" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlCgLmIAuVJzXNzdKeXo8CFsRx3k8e_-hbppsfTL2p4sysG5TFcuUefKf_p40lAEJxVXYDcfV7SXivBBMT3TFRieI45HtSXeYpJDDA5O-DHl_b7CfYrM7wj7sgaiJG_ix2Jy75w/s200/illy.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a data-amzn-asin="B001E5DYTO" href="http://www.amazon.com/Medium-Roast-Whole-Coffee-8-8-Ounce/dp/B001E5DYTO?ie=UTF8&creativeASIN=B001E5DYTO&linkCode=w00&linkId=JOLI4F7RZAO5O5HH&ref_=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til&tag=ecslink-20" target="_blank">illy Medium Roast</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's time for some beans from the home of espresso coffee to step into the ring and show whether or not they are up to the "<a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2008/07/how-to-make-perfect-espresso-crema.html">crema</a> test".<br />
<br />
The "
<span itemprop="brand" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Brand">
<span itemprop="name">illy</span></span>" brand has been around since 1933 and was founded by Francesco Illy, the inventor of the "Illetta", a precursor to today's espresso machines. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illy" target="_blank">illy: wikipedia</a>).<br />
<br />
For the test I purchased <a data-amzn-asin="B001E5DYTO" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E5DYTO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001E5DYTO&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=XRAKP4OLMVOEZCQQ" target="_blank">two 8.8 cans of illy Medium Roast Whole Bean Coffee 8.8-Ounce from Amazon.com</a> using "Subscribe and Save".<br />
<br />
How do the illy beans compare to the <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2016/04/lavazza-super-crema-espresso-test.html">Lavazza Super Crema beans</a> from my last test?<br />
<br />
Crema:Passed, but slightly less crema than was produced by the Lavazza beans<br />
Flavor: More sweet and less bitter than the Lavazza beans<br />
Packaging: 2 x 8.8oz tins with screw lid (Lavazza: 1 x 2.2lb bag)<br />
Price before discounts:
<span itemprop="offers" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Offer">
<span itemprop="price">$24.25 for two 8.8 oz tins</span></span>. $1.37/oz (Lavazza: $0.68/oz)<br />
<br />
Noteable:<br />
The "illy" beans are packaged in the tins with an inert gas to maintain freshness as opposed to the more typical vacuum-seal.<br />
<br />
When consumed, the cans can be reused to store your favorite trinkets.<br />
<br />
Conclusion<br />
Pros
<span itemprop="description">: Recommended for flavor and crema production. Great espresso for latte, flat-white, and cappuccino. Great tasting espresso for after-dinner fix.</span><br />
Cons: Price; one of the more expensive brands<br />
<br />
My equipment as seen in the video:<br />
<a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2011/11/coffee-grinder-recommendation-update.html">Breville Smart Grinder</a><br />
<a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2012/01/espresso-machine-review-breville-dual.html">Breville Semi-Automatic Espresso Maker</a><br />
<br />
<br />
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<!--End ecs-responsive-bottom-of-post -->John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-71731153363012444302016-04-10T14:25:00.002-07:002023-09-06T19:45:40.605-07:00Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Beans Crema Test<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Beans</title>
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<h2 itemprop="name">
Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Beans
</h2>
<br>
Readers of Espresso Coffee Snobs will know that my recommendation for coffee beans suitable for making espresso coffee with excellent crema is these <a data-amzn-asin="B000I6O5W0" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I6O5W0/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000I6O5W0&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=KLR2CS5J5RFJ2VOO" target="_blank">Ethiopian Yirgacheffe</a> beans (pack of 4 12oz bags) available from Amazon. Over the last couple of months I've had a couple of people outside of the U.S. contact requesting a recommendation that's available in Europe since these beans appear to be available only from the U.S.<br>
<br>
<br>
Unfortunately, I don't have any knowledge of the European market, but I have noticed that one of the most popular beans ordered from Amazon through my blog is <a data-amzn-asin="B000SDKDM4" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SDKDM4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000SDKDM4&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=SBNAKYTNNA3Z5SKP" itemprop="url" target="_blank">Lavazza Super Crema</a>. Since
<span itemprop="brand" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Brand">
<span itemprop="name">Lavazza</span>
</span>
is one of the most famous European brands for coffee and available in many countries around the world, I thought I'd place an order from Amazon and put them to the test to see how good they were at making a good espresso shot with crema. I ordered them through Subscribe and Save at Amazon for which I also received a coupon for the first purchase, so they were quite a good deal. On Subscribe and Save with a 15% discount, they are currently
<span itemprop="offers" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Offer">
<span itemprop="price">$20.40</span>
</span>
for one 2.2-pound (1kg) bag of beans. A very good price when most "pounds" of coffee beans in the U.S. are actually 12oz, not 16oz! Without the Subscribe and Save discount, the 2.2 lb package is $22.99 at the time of writing.<br>
<br>
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<br>
As you can see from the video below, the beans produced very good crema. The flavor of the espresso is best described as "bittersweet". Personally, I still prefer the flavor of the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, but taste is a personal thing. So if you can't get the Yirgacheffe beans in your country, or are having trouble with producing crema, consider giving these <a data-amzn-asin="B000SDKDM4" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SDKDM4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000SDKDM4&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=SBNAKYTNNA3Z5SKP" target="_blank">Lavazza Super Crema espresso beans</a> a shot.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-9952476726891381692016-02-26T20:55:00.001-08:002016-02-26T20:56:13.859-08:00What happens to the caffeine from decaffeinated coffee beans?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCxsfTyzaOYNsO7D0YKqIOnQ1OX64-MW-orzG5hn23VsIcpMAYLMJnZMswKO3VQHpsMGZ_KSDtr20YKWTTyC8VXeJxRmLf1fUQa5h2YeZG3pUHQMaHYggXHbYT8eEh6O2HUL3OA/s1600/green_coffee_beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCxsfTyzaOYNsO7D0YKqIOnQ1OX64-MW-orzG5hn23VsIcpMAYLMJnZMswKO3VQHpsMGZ_KSDtr20YKWTTyC8VXeJxRmLf1fUQa5h2YeZG3pUHQMaHYggXHbYT8eEh6O2HUL3OA/s320/green_coffee_beans.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The process of decaffeinating coffee <br />
starts with green coffee beans like these</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Have you ever wondered about what happens to the caffeine in coffee beans that are processed into decaffeinated coffee beans? You know, I had never thought about it myself, and if I didn't know better, I would have thought that it just ends up going down the drain. Well, it doesn't.<br />
<br />
I heard <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/02/26/467844829/inside-the-anonymous-world-of-caffeine" target="_blank">this fascinating story</a> on NPR this morning about a company in Houston that makes decaffeinated coffee beans and sells the extracted caffeine in powder form to companies such as Coca Cola, Pepsi, and Monster for their caffeinated products. I guess it makes sense when you think about it that caffeinated drinks have to get their caffeine from somewhere, but it had just never occurred to me. In fact I think in some way I thought it was synthesized caffeine in those products.<br />
<br />
A mere 4 oz of extracted caffeine powder is enough to kill several people!<br />
<br />
Before you check out the story, what color do you think the extracted caffeine powder is?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-37473659596909872012015-12-16T15:41:00.000-08:002018-04-29T15:31:58.809-07:00Why is a Flat White Called a Flat White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0quDHErJ2_zln31pPcZ23bU-_MmDjuacXyPxRVLyYVdkn6H0BfxHQJWr5bjl7nyqmOGxMWU5JO7RvIacv3e8MCSo5f8ENRVQob-YngyPVpCl4q_7Am2PGmfoymgq76p5RPqekg/s1600/flat-white-in-tulip-cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0quDHErJ2_zln31pPcZ23bU-_MmDjuacXyPxRVLyYVdkn6H0BfxHQJWr5bjl7nyqmOGxMWU5JO7RvIacv3e8MCSo5f8ENRVQob-YngyPVpCl4q_7Am2PGmfoymgq76p5RPqekg/s320/flat-white-in-tulip-cup.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Today we take on a question as deep and meaningful as "Is there a God?" and "What is the origin of the universe?" Yes, where did the famous "<a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2008/07/how-to-make-flat-white.html">flat white</a>" coffee get its name?<br />
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The answer to this riddle starts in Modoor, I mean, New Zealand. Or was it Australia? It was definitely one or the other. Let's just say it starts in the <a href="https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=on&q=define:antipodes" target="_blank">Antipodes</a>, aka Australia and New Zealand, where a good old-fashioned cup of coffee with milk is referred to as "white coffee", and a cup of coffee without milk in it is referred to as "black coffee". So in New Zealand, if you are visiting some friends at home and they offer you coffee and ask how you take it, and you like it with milk, then you simply reply "White, thanks". So that's the first step in unravelling this mystery: in the lands where the flat white comes from a cup of coffee with milk in it is called "white coffee".<br />
<br />
For many decades, Aussies and Kiwis were quite happy with their white and black instant coffee, and then along came a wave of post-World War II immigration from Europe, much of it from Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands. Like many new immigrants struggling to get on their feet in a new land, they opened restaurants, bakeries, and coffee shops offering goodies from their homelands. The Dutch introduced New Zealand to drip-filtered and percolated coffee, for the first time challenging the dominance of instant coffee. Coffee snobbery went from whether you were a Gregg's or Nescafe instant coffee drinker to whether you preferred filtered coffee to percolated coffee.<br />
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Sometime around the late '80s or early '90s owner-operated "cafes" exploded across the antipodean landscape. In New Zealand, the traditional Italian cappuccino prevailed, and with a Dutch twist was always topped off according to taste with either a sprinkle of chocolate powder or cinnamon, and accompanied on the side by a chocolate covered pink marshmallow fish! The summit of coffee sophistication had arrived!<br />
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Well this cappuccino thing piled high with foam wasn't to every bloke's liking, possibly seen as too "girly" for a ruby player, so some smart entrepreneurial person came up with the idea of a cappuccino with a haircut, a flat-topped cappuccino if you like. Since coffee with milk was traditionally known as "white coffee", and this new concoction had the milk foam flattened out, that clever person put their new invention on their menu as a "Flat White". And so the "flat white" was born.<br />
<br />
So there you have it; mystery solved. Or is it? Who was that clever person who came up with this idea and name that would one day set the world of coffee snobbery afire? Well, just like the great "<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-11897482" target="_blank">Who invented the Pavlova</a>" war that consumed Australia and New Zealand for decades, no doubt this one will too. Whoever it was, I'm sure they must be kicking themselves not to have thought to trademark their invention.<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2010/04/making-milk-for-espresso-drinks.html">Making the Milk for Your Espresso Drink</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2011/12/how-to-make-latte.html">How to make Latte</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2012/01/how-to-make-cappuccino.html">How to make Cappuccino</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2008/07/how-to-make-flat-white.html">How to make Flat White</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2012/02/what-is-macchiato-really.html">How to make Macchiato</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2010/04/recipe-for-homemade-blended-iced-coffee.html">How to make blended iced coffee</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2010/04/types-of-espresso-coffee-drinks.html">Types of Espresso Coffee - Espresso Coffee Terminology</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2010/04/what-is-espresso-coffee-expresso.html">What is Espresso Coffee (Expresso Coffee)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2008/07/how-to-make-perfect-espresso-crema.html">How to make good crema when making espresso coffee</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2010/04/golden-rule-of-espresso-coffee-making.html">The Golden Rule of Making Perfect Espresso</a></li>
</ul>
<br clear="all" />John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-88482849542424484242015-11-22T17:21:00.002-08:002017-11-12T07:18:41.860-08:00A New Toy for Christmas for the Coffee LoverDamn Consumer Reports! The cover story for their latest edition is "The Great Gift Guide - Top products of the year based on style, performance, safety, and sustainability", and within the "Pleasure Seeker" section they featured this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y2KGYPE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00Y2KGYPE&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=3YPJTZBTXDKC5BWY" rel="nofollow">KitchenAid siphon coffee brewer</a>.<br />
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You know, I have to confess to being a sucker for new gadgets, and ever since I read the review, I can't get this thing out of my head. I think this method of brewing coffee was invented by the Japanese some time ago, as they were around when I was living in Japan in the early 1990s. But this takes it to a new level - no need for a Bunsen burner and lab coat!<br />
<br />
Consumer Reports wrote "The process is slow, but the results are worth the wait."<br />
<br />
Consumer Reports lists them as costing $200, but I see on Amazon they are currently offered at $180.<br />
<br />
After reading through several of the reviews at Amazon, people seemed to like or love them with the following two drawbacks: First, there is no warming plate, so the coffee needs to be drunk immediately, or transferred to a thermos flask or the like. Second, clean up seems to be a bit of a hassle.<br />
<br />
I'm a 99.9999% espresso coffee brewer here at home, but occasionally I do just want a simple cup of coffee at which time I make an Americano with my espresso maker. (I just noticed that my <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005I722YC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005I722YC&linkCode=as2&tag=ecsnobs-20&linkId=32JXDETOWGHMLU5H" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.48px;"><span style="color: blue;">Breville BES900XL espresso maker</span></a> </span>has been replaced with a newer model, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P87U1WW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00P87U1WW&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=PWZNMCHAFLHQZTQE" rel="nofollow">Breville Bes920xl Dual Boiler Espresso Machine</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecslink-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00P87U1WW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />).<br />
<br />
Anyhow, I will just have to wait and see what Santa might put in his sac for me. If you end up getting one of these for yourself or as a Christmas gift, please let us know what you think in the comments below.
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<!--End ecs-responsive-bottom-of-post -->John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-35006413072065624492015-06-21T07:41:00.001-07:002018-04-15T19:59:21.385-07:00Death Wish CoffeeI was intrigued recently to discover that I have some readers expressing a death wish!<br />
<br />
I noticed that on two separate occasions readers had purchased "Death Wish" coffee from Amazon from my blog. According to the product information, Death Wish coffee has twice the amount of caffeine as regular coffee beans! It's organic too, so I guess these pirates are really just "renaissance men" in disguise. It is available as whole beans, ground coffee, and even in K-cups.<br />
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Anyhow, my days of pulling all-nighters, be it cramming for exams or on the dance floor, are behind me, so I don't think I'm up for beans with double the caffeine, but how about you?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006CNTR6W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006CNTR6W&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=HQYZAF3XBLL7N6FO">Death Wish Coffee, The World's Strongest Coffee, Fair Trade, Organic, Whole Bean, 16 Ounce Bag</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecslink-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B006CNTR6W" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<br />
If you are wondering what coffee beans I actually do use at home myself, I am still using the same <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I6PYWA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000I6PYWA&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=IAL7SM5QUTHJYDVQ">Ethiopian Yirgacheffe</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecslink-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000I6PYWA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> beans that I recommended to my readers way back at the end of 2013 in this post: <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2013/11/espresso-coffee-bean-recommendation.html">Coffee Bean Recommendation</a>.<br />
<br />
I get through about 4 bags of these beans every month on average so they come as a regular part of my Amazon "subscribe and save" order. To still be using these beans 2 years later is quite a recommendation in itself, don't you think? <br />
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<!--End ecs-responsive-bottom-of-post -->John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-3418492290951478092015-02-28T12:25:00.002-08:002015-12-16T14:40:18.113-08:00How to Keep Coffee Beans FreshDespite what you might hear, do not keep your coffee beans in the freezer or fridge. Freezing your beans will make your beans lose a lot of their flavor highlights, resulting in a flattened flavor.<br />
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Coffee beans are very perishable, with their flavor and freshness being quickly impacted by exposure to the air and light. A key negative impact for home-based baristas like us is that there is a very noticeable reduction in how much crema can be produced within a week of opening a new package of coffee beans. So either you have to use your new beans within a week, or for longer storage, keep them in a way that will extend their freshness.<br />
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The key to keeping your coffee beans as fresh as possible for as long as possible is to keep them in a dark air-tight container. I used to keep my coffee beans vacuum-sealed in a "Bean Vac" coffee canister from Sharper Image. It was battery operated and as soon as you closed the lid a vacuum pump would start up and vacuum seal the canister. It was great but eventually the vacuum seal started to fail and the pump would kick into action on a regular basis including the dark of night!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XR2GMK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000XR2GMK&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=DM5WMBUHXTRPKEXO" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000XR2GMK&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=ecslink-20" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vacu Vin<br />
Coffee Saver</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecslink-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000XR2GMK" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
For the last several years I have had one of these <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XR2GMK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000XR2GMK&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=UH7ZTLEAYZKKJQID">Vacu Vin Coffee Savers</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecslink-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000XR2GMK" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
that I got from Amazon, and it keeps my beans as fresh as when I first opened them without any rude-awakenings in the middle of the night or pressure to use up a full pound within a week. No batteries required; just some pump-action from your biceps and a little elbow-grease. That's exercise with your daily habit!
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<!--End ecs-responsive-bottom-of-post -->John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31986315.post-67392907924425877512015-02-22T10:23:00.002-08:002023-08-13T10:15:34.222-07:00Recommendation for an Affordable Espresso Coffee Maker for the Home<h2>
What to Look for in a Good Espresso Maker for the Home </h2>
If you're going to make that perfect cup of espresso coffee, you're going to have to have an espresso maker that is up to the task. My recommendation in this post is not going to be an expensive top-of-the-line model, but a modestly priced machine that will enable you to turn out perfect crema nonetheless. And it's the machine that I personally used for many years in my home.<br />
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If you are visiting Espresso Coffee Snobs, it's probably because you are new to the world of espresso-making at home, and perhaps not yet so passionate about espresso coffee that you're willing to drop a cool thousand bucks on a machine. Don't panic! There are many machines made for the home that will make perfect espresso and are priced less than $300. No one machine is going to be without its drawbacks in the $300 range, let alone the $1,000 range for that matter, but from my personal experience, I know that my recommendation will do a great job, and far better than it's similarly-priced competitors.<br />
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There are some brands that you can basically rely on to get you on your way to the perfect shot. Over time I have had 2 Krups machines (German), a Delonghi (Italian), Briel (Portugese), and a Gaggia. As you can see, it's a trip around the world.<br />
<br />
There's no point in going over my entire life-story of espresso machines, however; we just want to get to the one that I finally settled on as the best of the bunch.<br />
<br />
Until recently, I never spent over $500 for a machine, and mostly a lot less than that in fact. The Briel I owned was a monster. Heavy, sturdy semi-commercial machine that had separate steamer boiler and a built in grinder. I loved it for its weight; I never had to hold the machine while I loaded the portafilter, and it made great espresso. I almost thought I was back behind the coffee bar. The horrible thing though was that if I had the steamer unit turned on, pressure would build up on the portafilter side to the extent that when removing the portafilter it would explosively blow the coffee grinds all over the kitchen walls! Perhaps it had a fault, but I couldn't be bothered hauling it into a service shop, and as you'll read below, the one time I had done that before, I had to suffer coffee withdrawal symptoms for a long time!<br />
<br />
I abandoned using the steamer as a result of this flaw, and anyway, that's when I discovered I could make just as good milk foam with an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KZUNK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0002KZUNK&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=A7R2UU2GKSWUUKZJ" target="_blank">Aerolatte whisk</a> anyway, and it was much easier to clean up as well. (You can read about frothing milk with an Aerolatte whisk in my post <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2010/04/making-milk-for-espresso-drinks.html">Making Milk for Espresso Drinks</a>.) Anyhow, back to the Briel. After about a year or so the grinder gave up the ghost, and then after about 2 years, so did the pump. It's a common thing with domestic machines if you use them daily; I have found they have a life of about two years on average, if you use them as much as I do. As I alluded to above, I once tried that with one of my Krups machines when it needed some servicing. I took it to a listed Krups service agent, and they had to send out for a part that took months to come! You know that that just won't do for an espresso coffee snob, so let's get to my recommendation for an espresso maker that will last well and make great espresso!<br />
<br />
Update November 2017<br />
<br />
The Gaggia Evolution that I recommended below is no longer available. I am still using the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005I722YC/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005I722YC&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=O7IS7MIYG3UQBCOK">Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL</a> espresso maker that I bought about 10 years ago! This high-end domestic model has also undergone several updates. Breville does offer a less expensive model in this series know as the "Barista Express". Based on my long experience with my Breville, I recommend you check it out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
My Espresso Coffee Machine Recommendation - Gaggia Evolution </h2>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019CVU6Q/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0019CVU6Q&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=RZOZLVEZO7I5KTEL" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0019CVU6Q&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=ecslink-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecslink-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0019CVU6Q" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
For many years all I used to make espresso coffee at home was a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019CVU6Q/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0019CVU6Q&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=OKPBLIP3GMIV47H6">Gaggia Evolution espresso maker</a>, and I liked it a lot. They really pump out great crema, so you'll be on your way to becoming a pro with one of these. If you want to use the steamer, that too is really up to the task with its separate dedicated boiler that won't take hot water away from extracting your espresso shots. The steamer side can also be used to supply scalding-hot water. The boiler head is made from brass so it's designed to retain the correct temperature while you're busy pulling multiple shots.<br />
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I do have to mention a couple of minor drawbacks with this machine. The housing of the machine is completely plastic, so it's a light machine and when using it you may find the machine moves when locking the portafilter in place, and again when removing it. Also, the water tank is a little on the small side so needs pretty regular topping up.<br />
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But these are minor drawbacks in an area where you can spend as much money for a machine that will never make espresso shots as good as this machine does. So despite these minor drawbacks, I am very happy with this machine, and it is my favorite espresso maker in this price range. It can be relied on to produce the goods, that all-important crema, provided all you are following all my other <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2008/07/how-to-make-perfect-espresso-crema.html">guidelines to making perfect espresso shots</a>.<br />
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It also comes in some pretty cool neon colors if you want to jazz up your kitchen, including a bright red, and a lime green. You can expect to pay around $250 at Amazon.com for one, and much less if you're prepared to buy a reconditioned unit.<br />
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Note that since using my Gaggia Evolution for many years, I now use a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005I722YC/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005I722YC&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=O7IS7MIYG3UQBCOK">Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL</a> espresso maker. This is definitely more expensive than the Gaggia Evolution, so depending on your budget and level of "coffee snobbery", I recommend either machine.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005I722YC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005I722YC&linkCode=as2&tag=ecslink-20&linkId=2NMHHT6PUFI375O4" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B005I722YC&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=ecslink-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=ecslink-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B005I722YC" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />Here is a link to my <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2012/01/espresso-machine-review-breville-dual.html">review of the Breville BES900XL</a>.<br />
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Next up: The next most important piece of equipment for making perfect espresso is a good conical burr grinder. Here is my <a href="http://www.espressocoffeesnobs.com/2011/03/conical-burr-coffee-grinder.html">review and recommendation for a conical burr coffee bean grinder</a>.
John Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07886360413052039824noreply@blogger.com6