…and Aeropress coffee maker! This $25 maker is similar to a french press, with some obvious advantages (reduced acidity, less brewing time, etc). It’s also one of the few coffee brewing devices I do not currently own. Maybe Santa will be nice to me this year? Note, you can read more about it in this post from about a year ago here.
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Add comment November 30th, 2006
Ok, here’s a simple one, a recipe for Vodka Espresso:
2 ounces espresso 2 ounces vodka 1 dash of sugar syrup or other sweetener Shake to mix, then serve over crushed ice.
Enjoy!
Add comment November 29th, 2006
Ok, this one is a bit ridiculous…it’s the ‘Dunker Mug’, a coffee mug with a space underneath where it can hold ‘dunkable treats’. Umm, ok. I suppose it’s handy if you’re not just sitting down in one spot to enjoy your snack, but then, if you don’t have time to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee, rethink your life! Ah well. If you have an extra $25 burning a hole in your pocket and think this is the answer you’ve been seeking, head on over to FireBox. Assuming you’re right handed, of course (not the best solution for lefties!).
Add comment November 29th, 2006
Chances are, you’ve had some flavored Torani syrup before - it’s the bottles of flavor additives you’ll find in probably any espresso shop, and is used for mint mochas, vanilla lattes, etc. Well, over on their website, they have a neat collection of recipes that, not surprisingly, use their flavorings. It’s not just coffee recipes, there are a lot of other drinks featured there. A lot of it is pretty bizarre, but hey, if you’re looking for some oddball ideas, it’s worth checking out, just follow the link above! Here’s one of the more complicated ones for the ambitious coffee chefs:
Torani Cafe Diabolique
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Torani Hazelnut syrup 1/2 cup Torani Caramel syrup 6 cups fresh brewed coffee 10 whole cloves 4 sticks of cinnamon Peel from 1 medium orange, cut into strips 1 cup half-n-half Cocoa powder, for dusting Instructions:
Simmer together coffee, cloves, cinnamon, and orange peel for about ten minutes. Add Torani syrups and Half-&-Half. Ladle into mugs and dust with cocoa powder. Serves 8-10
Notes:
Regular or decaffeinated coffee can be used in the above recipe. A dark roast bean and strong brew work best.
Add comment November 28th, 2006
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm believer that coffee should never be poured into a cold cup. I always use hot water to preheat my cups, or else just let them warm up atop the espresso maker as it does the same. I just can’t see why someone would want to spend a thousand dollars for this, the Jura-Capresso Z-Series Cup Warmer that does nothing more than heat up your cups. Well it DOES look good, I’ll admit, so I suppose if your kitchen isn’t cluttered already, it’d make an attractive blob on your countertop, but c’mon people, a thousand dollars for something to heat up your coffee cups? Isn’t that getting a little ridiculous? (via Appliancist)
Add comment November 28th, 2006
Design firm Jolex has develped a novel approach to drinking coffee. They set out to solve the problem of temperature - the ideal temperature for drinking coffee being quite a bit lower than the ideal temperature for brewing it. While details are scarce, it appears to work like this - it’s an insulated thermos (similar to your typical travel mug), which keeps the brewed coffee as hot as possible. When taking a sip, the coffee passes through a special lid which is responsible for cooling the coffee to the desired temperature. So, only the coffee being drank is cooled, the rest in the insulated thermos remains hot. If I had to guess, I’d say the top part of the lid contains an efficient heat sink, and the valve for sipping opens or closes based on the temperature of the liquid. So, when sipping, the coffee travels across the heatsink, but is unable to escape the lid until it has reached the desired (adjustable) temperature. This means there will be a limited flow rate from the device, as the heatsink will need to cool off. It could be adequate for sipping coffee, but obviously will not work for pouring coffee continuously. You can read more about it at the Brugo website, or buy it here for $20. (via Digg)
Add comment November 27th, 2006
If you’re looking for a good stocking stuffer for the espresso-lover in your life, you might want to check out the Moka Brown espresso and cappucino cups over at Sweet Maria’s. They’re just like the ones you’ll find being used by cafes all over Italy, and as such remind me of my Italian vacation every time I use them. They’re not a good choice for everyone, lots of people would prefer the fancier Illy cups or similar. For many though, they can be that perfect little touch that completes the espresso experience, and are pretty darn cheap, too ($4.25 per cup/saucer combo). Sweet Maria’s also started carrying these cups in various solid colors, which could be a nicer way to integrate these sturdy, everyday cups into most kitchens. (note, I am in no way connected with Sweet Maria’s, I’m just a very satisfied customer of this awesome local company!)
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Add comment November 26th, 2006
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