My Two Beans Worth

This subdomain of Espresso Coffee Snobs is no longer updated

2023-06-23T10:42:00.003-07:00

Please note that this section of Espresso Coffee Snobs is no longer updated.

For the latest updates please go to https://espressocoffeesnobs.com

Thank you for visiting.

John

12 Days of Christmas Deals

2016-12-04T10:01:00.001-08:00

Help is at Hand!

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.

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.

Unbiased Reviews of Espresso-Makers, Coffee Grinders, and Coffee Beans

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 unbiased reviews of espresso-makers and coffee grinders and reviews of coffee beans suitable for espresso to get started.

Everything Coffee Store

Then for a great line-up of items from machines to books on coffee you can also visit my gift-buying guide for the coffee lover in your life...or yourself even! You will find everything categorized in easy-to-shop groupings.

Subscribe and Save!

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 Subscribe and Save 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 Subscribe and Save 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?).

Amazon 12 Days of Christmas Deals

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 12 Days of Deals program. There are bound to be some great deals in there for coffee and espresso-makers and accessories. So check out the 12 Days of Deals hub every day for the next 12 days.

Coffee Holiday Season Buying Guide

2016-11-01T20:41:00.001-07:00

Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine

With Halloween now behind us we are officially into the "holiday season" in the U.S. and many countries around the world.

Before we know it, it will be Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday! Followed closely by Christmas and all that obligatory present buying!

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.

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 Coffee Shop right here at Espresso Coffee Snobs.

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!

And if you are looking for my reviews, you can find my coffee bean reviews here and espresso maker and coffee grinder reviews here.

Espresso Machines

Coffee Beans

Coffee Grinders

Coffee Makers

Coffee Books

Coffee Making Accessories

Coffee Holiday Season Buying Guide

2016-11-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

With Halloween now behind us we are officially into the "holiday season" in the U.S. Before we know it, it will be Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday! Followed closely by Christmas and all those obligatory presents!

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.

If you have a coffee-lover or home-based barista in your life and are looking for something to get them for Christmas, then the perfect place to start for ideas or to grab a few Black Friday or Cyber-Monday bargains from Amazon is the coffee shop right here at Espresso Coffee Snobs. You will find all the hottest items in the coffee world right there. And the store is divided up into the following categories to help you go straight to the items you are looking for. Take a look and save yourself a lot of trouble.

Coffee

Whole Roasted Coffee Beans (you can find my coffee bean reviews here)

Ground Coffee

Single-Serve Pods and Capsules

Cold-Brew Coffee and Concentrate

Unroasted Green Coffee Beans/ Bulk Coffee Beans

Espresso Machines

Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines (here are my espresso machine and coffee grinder reviews)

Manual Espresso Machines

Super-Automatic Espresso Machines

Espresso Machine and Coffee Maker Combos

Coffee Grinders

Burr Grinders

Blade Grinders

Manual Grinders (for baristas with muscles, or who want to build their muscles)

Books on Coffee-Making and for the Home Barista

Books of Coffee Recipes, Barista Guides, History, and Everything Coffee

How Did the #1 Coffee Drink the Flat White Get Its Name?

2015-12-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

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 "flat white" coffee get its name?

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 Antipodes, 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".

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.

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!

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.

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 "Who invented the Pavlova" 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.

A New Toy for Christmas for the Coffee Lover

2015-11-22T17:21:00.000-08:00

Damn 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 KitchenAid siphon coffee brewer.

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!

Consumer Reports wrote "The process is slow, but the results are worth the wait."

Consumer Reports lists them as costing $200, but I see on Amazon they are currently offered at $180.

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.

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 Breville BES900XL espresso maker has been replaced with a newer model, the Breville Bes920xl Dual Boiler Espresso Machine).

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.

Death Wish Coffee

2015-06-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

I was intrigued recently to discover that I have some readers expressing a death wish!

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.

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?

Death Wish Coffee, The World's Strongest Coffee, Fair Trade, Organic, Whole Bean, 16 Ounce Bag

If you are wondering what coffee beans I actually do use at home myself, I am still using the same Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans that I recommended to my readers way back at the end of 2013 in this post: Coffee Bean Recommendation.

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?

How to Keep Coffee Beans Fresh

2015-02-28T12:25:00.000-08:00

Despite 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.

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.

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!

Vacu Vin
Coffee Saver

For the last several years I have had one of these Vacu Vin Coffee Savers 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!

Recommendation for an Affordable Espresso Coffee Maker for the Home

2015-02-22T10:23:00.000-08:00

What to Look for in a Good Espresso Maker for the Home

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 Aerolatte whisk anyway, and it was much easier to clean up as well. (You can read about frothing milk with an Aerolatte whisk in my post Making Milk for Espresso Drinks.) 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!

My Espresso Coffee Machine Recommendation - Gaggia Evolution

For many years all I used to make espresso coffee at home was a Gaggia Evolution espresso maker, 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.

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.

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 guidelines to making perfect espresso shots.

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.

Note that since using my Gaggia Evolution for many years, I now use a Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL 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.

Here is a link to my review of the Breville BES900XL.

Next up: The next most important piece of equipment for making perfect espresso is a good conical burr grinder. Here is my review and recommendation for a conical burr coffee bean grinder.

The Guardian Online Cites Our Flat White Guidelines

2015-01-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

Wow! Can you believe that Espresso Coffee Snobs got a mention in the UK's Guardian newspaper?!

This post about making a "flat-white", which is a popular espresso-based coffee drink from Australia/NZ, was linked to in this article in the Guardian newspaper online yesterday. I only found out about it because I just noticed the traffic to my blog had suddenly taken a big jump.

The link to my Espresso Coffee Snobs post is in the article where the writer says "But it’s actually a little more complicated and pretentious) than that."

I guess I'm going to have to go to Starbucks to see how they do with their flat whites, but I know already that it really can't be a true flat white if you can get it tall, vente, or grande. As any of my devoted coffee snob devotees will tell you, one of the key things about a flat white is that the espresso is not to be overwhelmed by milk. If you do want to try one at Starbucks just to see, then I recommend you get a "tall" (small), but even that is going to have too much milk in it. In my opinion, Starbucks is just trying to ride the flat white wave that is encircling the globe.

Espresso Coffee Bean Recommendation - Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

2013-11-07T15:52:00.000-08:00

Coffee Masters Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Whole Beans for Espresso

For a long time now I have recommended Copper Moon Guatemalan Antigua Blend Medium Roast beans (that recommendation is dated March 2011), but I have recently found some beans that I personally prefer even more. I have always had a thing for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee beans. It seems that these “single origin” beans can be hard to come by, and they tend to be a little more expensive, but they make a wonderful espresso base for my daily flat whites and lattes and the flavor is perfect for my taste; a touch of the bitterness that is characteristic of coffee, but not overpoweringly so.

I recently thought about checking Amazon to see if they might have any (in the past they didn’t) and was very pleased to find that they do and at a good price too! They are roasted by Coffee Masters Gourmet Coffee and come as whole beans in 12-ounce bags in packs of 4. I placed an order and really, really liked them. They are now all I am using at home and I have added them to my monthly “Subscribe and Save” order with Amazon which means I get 15% off the price since I have more than 5 items on Subscribe and Save each month. Without the Subscribe and Save discount, the beans are currently selling for $35.79 for four 12 oz packs.

These beans make rich crema without fail, and the pressure dial on my Breville (reviewed here) sits perfectly at 9 bars with these beans, something that can be hard to achieve if beans are over-roasted.

Anyhow, since I often get asked for bean recommendations for making espresso, this is one that I definitely recommend you try so don't hesitate to give them a try. And the price is right - they will cost you less than anything you buy at Starbucks or Peets etc! And they qualify for free shipping too. Check out Coffee Masters Ethiopian Yirgacheffe here at Amazon.

How to Store Your Coffee Beans

2013-06-24T05:17:00.000-07:00

Few things are more welcome in the morning or after a fine meal than a rich, dark cup of freshly-ground coffee. Grinding your own coffee beans has never been simpler, but purchasing the freshest beans from the best fair trade merchants won't guarantee a quality cup of coffee if the beans are stored incorrectly.

All coffee beans contain pungent oils that give your coffee its deep aroma, smooth taste and rich mouth feel. Exposure to light, air and heat all degrade these oils, drying them out and leaving your coffee tasting weak and stale no matter how strongly it is brewed.

Moisture also attacks the innate flavors of your coffee beans, giving your coffee an unpleasantly earthy or moldy taste.

Fortunately, combating these elements is not at all difficult. Your first step in properly storing coffee is to break a large batch down into smaller ones. Every time your beans are exposed to light and air, they dry out a little bit. If you are purchasing coffee beans in bulk amounts of more than one pound at a time, scoop out enough coffee beans to last you for one week and place them into a smaller container. This keeps the number of beans exposed each time you open the container to a minimum. A glass, ceramic or metal canister with an airtight lid is the simplest option for your smaller container.

Once you have chosen the right size of airtight glass storage jar, make sure that it is not made of clear glass. Tinted glass, ceramics and metals block out the light that dries out coffee beans, affecting the taste of the resulting brew. But, even tinted glass jars don't block out all light, so store glass canisters in a pantry or cupboard and store ceramic or metal canisters out of direct sunlight to keep them from overheating.

Heat also dries out the essential oils inside of coffee beans, giving your coffee a stale taste. Store the bulk of your coffee beans in a cool pantry, garage, or basement. If you must store canisters on your kitchen counter, make sure that they are well away from any direct source of heat. For example, do not store your coffee beans right next to the coffee maker, toaster or toaster oven because they all give off heat. Counter space used to hold food fresh out of the oven or microwave is also too close to heat sources to hold coffee beans safely. The top of the refrigerator is also generally too warm.

But, just because you should avoid exposing coffee beans to heat does not mean that you should freeze them. During the Yuppie decade of the 1980s it became fashionable to store coffee and coffee beans in the freezer. But, fashion isn't always smart and in this case the habit probably did more harm than good. When you take coffee beans out of the freezer and open the container to measure them out, condensation forms. That means the beans are wet when you put them back in the freezer. Moisture soaks into the coffee beans, diluting the strong oils, swelling the beans, and if the wet beans are left out on the warm counter for long enough, fostering the growth of mold.

The best way to store coffee beans to keep them away from air, light, heat and moisture is to place small portions in glass, ceramic or metal canisters and set them in a cool, dry, dark place to ensure they stay at the peak of their flavor and freshness. The coffee bean enthusiasts at Espresso Coffee Snobs strongly recommend building a collection of highest quality glassstorage jars to serve all of your coffee bean storage needs. Check out the wide range of useful and attractive storage options available from the friendly experts at Wares of Knutsford for fine storage jars at great prices.

Coffee and Dark Chocolate Go Hand-in-Hand

2012-08-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

Do love of coffee and dark chocolate go hand-in-hand? They certainly do for me, and even though they say coffee is not addictive, I'm willing to 'fess up to a self-diagnosis of coffee and dark chocolate addiction! My stock choice is Trader Joe's dark chocolate with vanilla, or something like this 90% cocoa from Lindt. Perhaps some people would throw red wine in there, but I personally have "no comment" on that. ;-)

NPR had a couple of newsworthy stories this week about coffee and dark chocolate.

The first was about "cupping" coffee, which is to coffee what "wine-tasting" is to wine. Read all about how to "cup coffee" in this piece Coffee is the new wine: Here's how to taste it. Includes useful video.

The second piece I would like to draw to your attention was on the health benefits of flavanols in dark chocolate in lowering blood pressure. Seems like it is a minimal decrease, but that just means you should take a higher dose in my book. We also know that it's flavanols in red wine that bring the health benefits of red wine, right? So I would like to volunteer for a study that involves a double-dose of dark chocolate with a double dose of red wine a day. Here's the piece from NPR on the health benefits of dark chocolate.

Just to prove that my reporting is fair and unbiased, NPR also had a piece about how it could be coffee and alcohol that are giving you heartburn: Rethink your drink. Life is full of difficult choices it seems.

Espresso Coffee Machines – Why You Should Have One

2012-08-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

Everyday millions of people around the world wake up to the smell of coffee. Fresh or instant, one thing’s for sure, it’s usually to give us a wakeup call. For us real coffee addicts, nothing gives us a kick start to our day quite like an espresso, whether it’s one from our favourite coffee shop on the corner or one of the many available home espresso coffee machines.

A shot a day

An espresso can be described as a concentrated form of coffee that is made when hot water is poured over finely ground coffee beans.

Many question if an espresso can give you more than a quick pick me up due to the high amount of caffeine in it, and research suggests that it can. This might sound contradictory having just mentioned caffeine, however because espressos are brewed from one of the purest and healthiest forms of coffee beans, they are in fact loaded with antioxidants.

While instant blends do contain some level of antioxidants, a freshly brewed espresso will have a whole lot more. And even though we usually associate antioxidants with certain fruits and other foods, we consume a lot less of them in this form, making the fact that we can get them from our coffee a real benefit – especially for those of us who like to indulge in a couple of hot brews every day.

If you’re worried about consuming too much caffeine, you’ll be happy to know that you can get all the goodness of antioxidants in decaf coffee. But like the famous saying goes, it’s always best to enjoy things in moderation.

Espresso coffee machines

The first machine for making espresso was made in Italy in the late 1800’s. From then on it underwent many other changes before it developed into the extensive range of espresso machines we see today.

They come in different shapes and sizes with espressos being just one of the coffee based drinks they can make. This is ideal for those who like a bit of variety as one day you may feel like taking your espresso straight, whilst another you may feel like adding some frothy milk and transforming it into something a little more adventurous.

Espresso based drinks

As mentioned above, it only takes a few tweaks to transform an espresso into something completely different. Many of our favourite coffees start off as a shot or two of espresso, including cappuccinos, mochas and lattes.

Your favourite coffee shop or chain will use commercial coffee machines to make these speciality espresso variations, however it is possible to make them from the comfort of your own home too. All you need is a coffee maker, your favourite blend of beans and a little inspiration!

This post was submitted as a guest post by Refreshment Systems Ltd which offers a full-range of coffee machines to customers in the U.K.

Three Cheers for New Zealand's Ozone Espresso Roast

2012-05-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip home to New Zealand from the United States I had dinner at the Urbano Brasserie in Rotorua and finished up my meal with what turned out to be an espresso that was so enjoyable that I had to ask the owners what the coffee was. They told me their beans are supplied by Ozone Coffee Roasters, based in New Plymouth, New Zealand. In the course of the conversation I discovered that Craig MacFarlane, for whom I had worked in 1996 at the MacFarlane's Caffe in Inglewood, and who trained me as a barista, was associated with Ozone. I have since learned that Ozone has recently even opened a cafe in London, known as the Roastery Cafe, so it seems that Craig has lost none of his entrepreneurial spirit nor passion for excellence in coffee.

I purchased a 1kg bag of "espresso roast" beans from Urbano to bring back with me to California, and I have almost finished it now, unfortunately. Too bad you can't get their roasts here in the U.S.

Ozone can be found on Facebook here. And here's a link to a recent newspaper article on the Roastery Cafe in London. If you're either in NZ or London, see if you can track down Ozone coffee somewhere in your travels and see for yourself just how fabulous this coffee is.

Pecan Chocolate Espresso Coffee Cake

2012-04-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe I came across at the Washington Post for pecan chocolate espresso coffee cake. Just the mere line-up of ingredients in the name of the cake got my mouth watering. Another great thing about this recipe is that the batter can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. This makes it a great recipe if you are planning a brunch that involves lots of little dishes and need to take care of some items ahead of time.

Pecan chocolate espresso coffee cake recipe

Handpresso Auto Espresso Maker

2012-04-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

From the "what will they think of next" department comes the "Handpresso Auto", an espresso maker that plugs into the cigarette-lighter socket of your car. In the video it seems that the Handpresso puts out some pretty serious crema, but who knows what smoke and mirrors may have gone into that.

The video is entertaining in its own right, though, with a particularly cheesy "man gets the girl" ending. It must have been his "manpresso" wot did it.

The Life-Cycle of the Coffee Bean

2012-03-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about where your coffee comes from? There`s a long an fascinating journey from the first shoots of a coffee bean plant to the delicious and reviving beverage which so many of us enjoy every day. Let`s take a look at the "lifecycle" of the coffee bean.

Coffee plants traditionally grow in parts of Asia, Latin America and Africa. There are two main plants in the genus Coffea which are used to produce coffee; these are C. canephora and C. arabica; C. arabica is the most common type of coffee to be traded around the world and its strong, rich flavour makes it a favourite with coffee connoisseurs. Coffee can be grown from seeds or from shoots and seedlings, though starting from scratch with seeds is the preferred method of growing coffee as this produces the highest quality trees. Top notch arabica coffee beans attract higher prices for coffee growers.

Coffee shoots should be grown out of direct sunlight, in a shady area with good drainage. In the early stages of growth, coffee requires plenty of care and attention to ensure that they are not stunted or choked by weeds. By eighteen months, the coffee plant will have reached heights of around 60cm (24in) and is ready to be transplanted outdoors. Because of the hot climate and bright sunlight in coffee growing regions, it is important that young coffee plants are gradually exposed to direct sunlight before they are transplanted; this gradual exposure generally takes place in the nursery and makes for strong, healthy coffee plants. The coffee harvesting season usually lasts between four and six months.

The coffee plant bears fruit which is green when unripe and a pretty bright red when ready for picking. These bright red fruits are known as coffee cherries. Once the cherries are ripe, they are picked - picking once took place by hand but is often done by machine nowadays. The coffee fruits are then sorted according to colour and ripeness and the flesh which covers the beans is removed and discarded. Once the beans have been separated out, they are washed and soaked to remove the slimy outer coating on the beans, in a process known as fermentation.

After fermentation, the coffee beans are dried thoroughly, either by being placed in the sun for 2-3 weeks, or using a drying machine which can dry the beans in under 36 hours. Once the beans are dried, they are ready for shipping to Western coffee consuming areas such as Europe, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Once the beans have been shipped, they are roasted in a machine which reaches temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius (392F).

The roasted beans are now ready for distribution and sale; they can be purchased as beans or pre-ground. Buying whole coffee beans makes for the tastiest, freshest coffee. In today`s hectic world, it can be hard to find the time to enjoy the finer things in life. If you want to enjoy freshly ground coffee every day, you need a bean to cup coffee machine. These all-in-one grinders and coffee makers take the hassle out of grinding your own coffee, leaving you free to sit back and savour this delicious drink.

Flat White, the Wellington Way

2012-03-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

New Zealand and Australia; kissing-cousins, comrades in arms, sport-warriors, and gastronomic rivals. First there was the great pavlova battle - which country was it that invented that pinnacle of epicurean puff of marshmallow? Apparently, the Kiwis.

Now the battle is on for which country came up with the flat white coffee. According to Australian food historian, Michael Symons, that claim to fame goes to the Aussies. But, as Symons puts it, "perfected" in New Zealand, particularly Wellington.

The flat white should soon be recognised as the single greatest Antipodean contribution to world gastronomy - so long as it's made the Wellington way.

I even see myself in Symons when he writes:

Returning to Sydney [from Wellington] four years ago, I discovered baristas of [the Wellington] calibre almost impossible to find, so I invested instead in my own Mazzer grinder and ECM Giotto machine, and am still learning.

I experienced a similar conversion to home-made flat whites when I moved to the U.S. from New Zealand. This, I have to say, was the genesis of this blog which grew out of my home-based endeavor to perfect espresso coffee-making at home.

I'll leave it from here to allow you to read Symons extensive argument that the flat white "is truly milk coffee's fulfilment, now taking over the world."

Then you can read my step-by-step on how to make a flat white at home.

Who Invented Espresso?

2012-02-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

In 1903, Luigi Bezzera, a manufacturer from Milan, in what I guess must have been one of the first ever "time and labor" studies, experimented with forcing water under pressure through the coffee grounds, as a way to speed up the brewing process so that his workers could "save time" on their breaks, and presumably get back to work faster!

While not lacking in imagination, Bezzera did lack sufficient capital to market his invention, and in 1905 sold his idea to Desidero Pavoni. Pavoni was not lacking in innovation either, and added a pressure relief valve to prevent too much pressure in the brewing process which would result in a bitter taste. To this day, Pavoni's pressure relief valves are found in all high-quality espresso machines.

Before long in the early 1900s there were kiosks all over Italy advertising "CAFE ESPRESSO - LA PAVONI" meaning "Fast coffee - La Pavoni" and the way Italians, and eventually the world prepared and consumed coffee, was forever changed.

Did you know that the sock I mentioned above spawned the paper coffee filter? You can read here about the history of the paper coffee filter.

What is a Macchiato, Really?

2012-02-09T20:09:00.000-08:00

What Everyone Ought to Know About a True Macchiato

Macchiato comes from the Italian word that means "stained". Quite literally it is a short espresso with a dollop of steamed milk foam added to it, one to two teaspoons max.

In this Starbucks-obsessed world there is some confusion as to what a macchiato is because Starbucks sells a long coffee drink with caramel flavor added to it that it calls a macchiato.

To distinguish the true macchiato from the one on offer at Starbucks, you will find many coffee shops refer to a true macchiato as an "espresso macchiato".

Many that I have ordered here in the U.S. have been presented me in a full-sized (12oz) paper cup, drowned in milk-foam. That's what I call a cappuccino, or bad training.

A true macchiato

This picture of a macchiato I made at home should give you an idea of what a true macchiato should look like and how to make one.

If you're not feeling like a lot of milk, but in dire need of a double shot, give the real macchiato a go at home. You will need good quality fresh whole beans that have not been roasted to the point that they have been shiny from the oils. A mid-roast is best. Hopefully you have a good independent coffee shop in your town that does its own roasting and you can buy some beans there. If not, then head on over to Amazon and order what I use most of the time: Coffee Masters Gourmet Coffee, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Whole Bean, 12-Ounce Bags (Pack of 4).

Oh, and this snobby post I just wrote reminded me of this very funny video in which two bitchy barista girls terrorize a customer for having the audacity to ask for a "caramel macchiato". Enjoy!

http://FunnyOrDie.com/m/652h

Chocolate Espresso Cake Recipe

2012-02-06T18:49:00.000-08:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, how about whipping up this devlishly rich and dense chocolate cake as proof of your undying love and affection.

With coffee thrown into the mix, your valentine may be suspicious that you baked the cake with yourself in mind, but it's worth the risk, no?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-schler/chocolate-cake_b_1246751.html

Make your home espresso maker last

2012-01-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

There's one thing you can do that will extend the life of your home espresso machine, and that is always use distilled water.

All tap water contains dissolved lime to a greater or lesser extent. "Hard water" is the term used to describe water on the high end of mineral content. The harder your water, the more lime in the water.

Even "soft water" has some mineral content. When heated, lime solidifies as "scale" on contact surfaces. If you boil water in a kettle at home, you will no doubt have already noticed this buildup on the sides and bottom of the kettle.

This same buildup of scale happens inside the plumbing of your espresso machine. It might be "out of sight", but it won't be "out of mind" for long if you don't take action to either remove it after it's accumulated, or take steps to prevent it happening at all in the first place.

Just think of those narrow plumbing tubes inside your machine as your arteries, and the lime content in the water as bad cholesterol in your blood. Overtime, the arteries of your beloved espresso machine become blocked, its blood pressure rises, and before you know it your machine is in bad shape and setup for a "heart attack".

It is recommended that you regularly "descale" your machine with a product such as Cleancaf. By regularly, that means at minimum once a month, and more depending on how frequently you are using your machine. It's a time-consuming process, and never completely removes all the lime buildup.

An even easier and more effective method is to avoid the buildup of scale in the first place. The only way to do that is to use distilled water. Yes, it adds to your cost, but it will honestly extend the life of your machine by years, and save you valuable time by not having to do the regular descaling. The more expensive your machine, the more using distlilled water makes sense.

You could of course buy distilled water, but a cheaper option is to make your own at home. I personally use one of these Countertop Water Distillers which I have had for about 5 years now, and it's still going strong.

Anyhow, give it some serious consideration. There's nothing like preserving the life of your espresso machine, while at the same time eliminating an extra cleaning duty from your weekend list of chores.

How to Make a Cappuccino

2012-01-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

I like to think of Cappuccino as the Marge Simpson of espresso drinks, with foamy milk piled high on top of the espresso just like a beehive hair-do.

As with all espresso-based drinks, start by turning your espresso machine on and giving it plenty of time to warm up. Place your cup(s) on the warming area on top of the espresso machine, or heat them with hot water just prior to making your drink.

Because of the large volume of milk foam used in making a cappuccino, a large open cup is best.

Cappuccino is made by using mostly the very foamy milk formed when steaming the milk and which floats at the top of the milk in the pitcher (jug).

Immediately after steaming your milk, extract a double shot of espresso directly into your cup.

Start out by pouring milk into the cup from the pitcher until about one third of the space above the espresso has been used, then using a spoon, pull the foamy milk from the top of the pitcher into the cup. Finally, heap on top some of the very light and airy foam from the very top of the milk. Place enough of this fluffy foam on top that it comes up above the sides of the cup.

In many countries, a cappuccino is finished off with a sprnkle on top of either ground cinnamon or chocolate powder. In New Zealand and Australia, a cappuccino is commonly served with a chocolate candy on the saucer, such as a "chocolate fish" which is traditional New Zealand treat of chocolate covered pink marshmallow. Perhaps as a "double-fix", you could accompany your cappuccino with Chocolate Espresso Bean Blend - White, Milk & Dark Chocolate. You can have all the white and milk chocolate ones provided you save the dark chocolate ones for me.

Espresso Machine Review: Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL

2012-01-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

Update as of December 2016:

It appears that the Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL that is the subject of my below review has been replaced with the "Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine" and only used models of the original 900XL are available at Amazon. The new 870XL espresso machine includes an in-built conical burr grinder and currently sells at Amazon for $599.95, which is definitely great value in my opinion. I haven't used or reviewed this machine, but because of my positive experience with my Breville 900XL espresso machine and Breville Smart Grinder, I believe it would be worth your while reading reviews at Amazon and considering the 870XL for your purchase,

Review of the Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL Espresso Machine

It didn't start out that I was going to buy a Breville "Dual Boiler". I have been happily pumping out espresso shots with a Gaggia Evolution for about the last 5 years (original Gaggia Evolution review here). Five years is a long time to keep a domestic espresso machine running in the home, but something that can be achieved by only ever using distilled water like I have all this time. (I distill my own water using this Water Distiller.) However, it was a matter of either having the Gaggia serviced (I suspect is needed a new gasket around the group head there was a small stream of water coming out of the center of the filter basket as I extracted the espresso. So off I went to Amazon to check out was was up the the Gaggia Evolution these days. Just like what happened a few months ago when I went looking to replace my grinder a couple of months ago, one review led to another and I end up on the page for Breville's new "the Dual Boiler" BES900XL machine. I read all the reviews at Amazon and also searched the web to see what I could find and everything seemed to agree that this was a well-designed machine that would only make my shots better than my old Gaggia machine. And what's more, it had a double boiler which would allow for steaming milk if I so desired.

I've now lived with my new machine for almost 3 weeks and I have not one regret about this purchase.

Here's what's to love about the Breville "Dual Boiler" BES900XL

Most important of all, it turns out the most amazing crema-rich espresso shots I could only imagine getting by being back behind the espresso bar in my old barista days working with a commercial machine, and it turns them out without fail every time
As its branding name suggests, it is a "double boiler" machine. This means it has a tank for storing and heating the water that will be used for making the espresso, and another that will be used for steaming the milk. This is important because the water temperature for making steam for foaming the milk has to be near boiling point, which is way too hot for making espresso. Most domestic-grade espresso makers are single boiler machines, and this is problematic for making both espresso shots and steam, and is the reason why I have always recommended that if you have a single boiler machine, you foam your milk using an Aerolatte whisk. (Read my post about foaming milk - includes a video of using an Aerolatte whisk). The steam coming out of this machine's steam wand is as good as any you'll see on a commercial machine at your local coffee shop. It's awesome!
Pressure used for extraction is generated with a 15 bar Italian pump, but extraction pressure in the group-head is controlled to 9 bars by an over-pressure valve (OPV). A dial on the face of the machine displays the pressure in bars as the extraction takes place
Water temperature for extraction is controlled with PID. PID is a controller that continuously monitors a set value and adjusts up and down to maintain the set value. An example of PID that we can all understand is cruise control in our cars. In the Breville BES900XL, the extraction temperature is set (you can change it yourself within a range) and the PID controller ensures that that temperature is maintained. (I have mine set to 200F/93C). Even the group head itself is heated separately to ensure constant temperature at all points.
Extraction can be done using the pre-set timed single or double shot buttons, or to your own judgement by using the "Manual" button. You can easily set the extraction timings to something different from the factory settings for the single and double shot buttons!
Pre-infusion is part of the deal. Rather than the coffee puck being slammed hard with full pressure at the beginning of the extraction, preinfusion allows water to enter the coffee puck at a controlled lower pressure for a controlled time before the pressure is raised to the full 9 bars of pressure. This allows the coffee grinds to become saturated and for any cracks in the puck that were not removed by tamping the coffee to fill in before applying full pressure. This helps prevent chanelling of the water through cracks in the puck resulting in a poor extraction. Pre-infusion is designed to all but eliminate bad extractions. And I can tell you I have not had even one poor extraction from this machine.

Cool Design Details

Apart from all the excellent technical details listed above, here is a list of the exceptional design features of the machine that I love:

No need to worry about the weight of the machine; when you need to move it, there's a dial under the easily-removed drip tray that lifts the machine onto three wheels, two at the front and one at the back), rendering the machine totally maneuverable on the wheels. By the way, the weight of the machine means there's no sliding of the machine when you lock the portafilter into place.
There's a compartment under the machine that is accessible by removing the drip tray. Here you can store the three of the four filter screens not in use at any one time
The overall design is chique, with a brushed stainless-steel finish, and smart back-lit buttons and read-out displays
Auto-power on: You can set the machine to turn itself on at a predetermined time every day so that your machine is warmed up and ready to go as soon as you are in the morning
Auto-power off: Machine turns off when idle for more than 4 hours. No need to sit at the office worrying if you turn your machine off.
The machine has a hot water dispenser, perfect for making Americanos, or quickly heating a cup.
A back-lit water level indicator viewable from the front of the machine so that you know when it's getting to be time to distill some more water.
The water tank is fillable from the top front of the machine, or from the back of the machine. Who would use the back of the machine option when you have access to fill from the top front?
The steam wand connects to the machine with a ball connector meaning you can move it any which way you like.
There's a nice silicon finger ring attached to the steam wand that allows you to marry your machine, I mean, move it without burning yourself.
The steam lever is variable through a quarter turn, so that you can control the steam pressure as much as you like with ease.
All the settings behind the automatic single and double-shot buttons are able to be customized to values you prefer including: pre-infusion pressure and duration, overall extraction time, and extraction temperature.
There's a large cup-warming surface on top of the machine

Two caveats

The machine is reasonably large and tall. You will need more counter space than with many domestic machines, and no less than 15in/38cm of overhead clearance to sit the machine underneath your kitchen cabinets, and note that that doesn't allow for placing cups on the cup warmer.
You'll fall in love with this machine, so be prepared for resulting domestic strife as your spouse, partner, significant-other, cat or dog vies for attention! Also, you might find your friends are dropping in at your place for your latte (how to make a latte) or flat-white (how to make a flat-white) rather than at their favorite but expensive coffee shop. Start charging now!

The down-and-dirty
This is a "prosumer" espresso machine. In other words, you are really stepping up into the role of pro-home-barista with this machine. But I'm here to help with that will all my step-by-step guidelines on how to make espresso like a pro at home. This machine will cost you a bit more than many other domestic machines, but believe me; it's worth it! If this is your passion and you have the budget (did I hear a shout out of "Coffee Snob"?) then don't go past this machine.

If you're a coffee snob and aspiring home-barista but don't have this kind of money to spend at this time, then go for either the Gaggia Evolution or Gaggia Classic (Gaggia reviewed here). Both served me very well over the last 7 years. Whatever machine you use, stretch your budget by investing in a water distiller and use only distilled water to avoid the build up of lime in the internal plumbing of your machine. Do that, and whatever machine you buy, it will last for many years longer than if you use water straight from the tap or fridge dispenser. This way, over time you will get your money back compared to buying your favorite cup of expensively-priced coffee everyday at wherever. Cheers!

Is the Breville Dual Boiler espresso maker out of your price range? Then consider the Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine. I have not used this machine, but it has 4.5 out of 5 stars from user reviews at Amazon, and is available for about half the price of the Breville Dual Boiler BES900XL that I recommend in this post. Be sure to read a few of the reviews at Amazon to help guide your decision.