Archive for the ‘Household’ Category
Ever wonder what the most popular brand of coffee is in America. You see it in every store that sells coffee, except coffee stores that sell only their own brand. There are new brands on the shelves that offer coffee up to $12.99 per pound, which you can grind right there in the store or grind when you get home. Folgers takes first place when considering overall market share. That is, they sell more coffee than anyone else in America. Market share is based on all types and flavors of coffee sold by them. Time for another cup of coffee! More tomorrow!
LavAzza Grand Roast Coffee is $8.90 per pound (case price).
Just went to get another cup of coffee and the pot was empty. The thermal container is empty and I still would like another cup of coffee. What should I do? I don’t want a cappuccino from the mix we have on hand. I want a cup of coffee. Ahh! The pod coffee maker! My LavAzza coffee pods are ready and my coffee maker makes coffee from pods. Yeah! Have you ever been stuck without a way to make one great cup of coffee when the coffee maker isn’t really what you want to use. This is a great reason to get a coffee maker that is also a pod maker. One more cup of coffee and I’m good to go for this evening.
The picture below is a Hamilton Beach coffee maker that also makes coffee from coffee pods. P.S. The one I have is old, but still works well. Love it!
Ways to Store Coffee Beans
Un-ground, green coffee beans can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. However, once they are roasted you need to keep them in an airtight container and in the dark, if possible. I keep mine in a bag that comes with a tape that you can reuse. Roll the bag as closely to the beans as you can and reseal with the piece of tape provided after each time coffee is taken from the bag. The only time I grind beans is just before I am going to use them. I use a burr grinder because I notice the burnt taste that blade grinders make even when it is slight. Burr grinders use ceramic plates that grind the coffee and never get hot.
One last thought. Plastic bags keep beans well for quite a while as long as you get as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing the bag. It stores best when you put the bag of coffee beans in a drawer where it is cool, dark and dry.
Amaretto Mochaccino
It has been snowing and hailing off and on all day today. So, thought I would warm up with an Amaretto Mochaccino. Also thought you might to know the recipe I use.
The ingredients:
- 1 -2 ounces of chocolate syrup, 4-5 ounces of steamed milk; If you don’t have a espresso machine frother, the directions below offer a great way to get steam-frothed milk. I have incorporated that into my recipe.
- 4-5 ounces steamed milk
- 2 ounces espresso
- 1/2 ounce amaretto
Frothed Milk Ingredients and Equipment:
- Fresh milk
- Equipment
- Small jar with a lid
- Microwave oven
1. Find a jar with a lid and fill it with as much milk as you normally like in your coffee (or other hot beverage!). The milk should fill the jar no more than half way to allow room for the foam.
2. Shake the jar with the lid on as hard as you can until the milk has become frothy and doubled in size. This takes us about 30 seconds.
3. Take the lid off and microwave for another 30 seconds. The foam will rise to the top of the milk and the heat from the microwave will help stabilize it.
4. Pour the chocolate syrup and frothed milk into a 12 oz cappuccino mug using a spoon to hold back the foam.
5. Slowly add the espresso and almond syrup to the frothed chocolate milk. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, and drizzle with chocolate sauce.
Picture & Original recipe from Coffee Bean Review
Suggested inexpensive espresso machine, click here
Hamilton Beach has come out with an updated BrewStation® Summit coffee maker. It makes up to 12 cups of coffee at a time. In fact, it offers versatile brewing by offering a choice of bold, regular, iced coffee or small-batch options from 4 cups or more. Bold coffee just makes the coffee stronger, but not bitter just like a quality percolator does. Other features include a programmable clock/timer and an adjustable auto shutoff that you can customize from 0-4 hours.
It also has an insulated tank that helps prevent heat and flavor from escaping. This is why you can count on it being at an ambient temperature for up to four hours. This new Summit BrewStation is Hamilton Beach number is 48464.
14 Ounces of Hot Water in a Thermal Mug Instantly
Ever wanted a small amount of hot water in a hurry? Most of the hot water electric kettles make a quart or more. The Toastess personal 1 cup thermal travel mug does a great job of creating 14 ounces of hot water in a hurry. It has a permanent nylon filter that some electric kettles do not have. The kettle’s hot water goes right into a thermal mug that has a tight fitting lid that will keep your hot water hot for a longer time than some electric kettles. It also offers simple use with an illuminated on/off switch
Toastess Personal 1 cup Thermal Travel Mug Coffee Maker
Pasquini Espresso Machines
Ever wonder what the difference is between an automatic and a semi-automatic espresso machine. These two espresso machines from Pasquini offer a good example. Both offer a passive cup warming area on the top of the machine. The features of the Pasquini automatic offer a commercial quality espresso machine that is designed for the home that uses programmable volume settings. Simple buttons at your fingertips preset the amount of you desire and then stop automatically. If you want to make your espresso your exact taste, you can do so manually.
The Pasquini Livia 90 is among the very best semi-automatics. Its commercial quality and design are combined to distinguish Pasquini from all other home machines. This machine that will last a decade or two and is a machine that is ready to go in 7 minutes from flipping the on switch, which can be left on, ready to make espresso, all day long. Here’s a programmable machine that needs no recharge time between shots, and the only one that can make espresso and steam milk at the same time.
Delonghi KG49 Blade Electric Blade Grinder
Have small children that want to get into everything they shouldn’t. Then, this grinder is for you. It automatically stops the blades when a hand removes pressure from the lid. The lid cannot be removed while blades are turning. The bottom of the grinder has a self-contained cord storage that is not visible to the children.
Additional benefits for you are that this Delonghi grinder has stainless steel grinding blades that are durable and long lasting. A quantity control knob allows you to grind 4-12 cups of coffee at a time while easy operation is one-touch push button control. It also has a removable ground coffee container, which makes filling your coffee basket easy. An integrated brush allows for quick and easy cleaning of any left over ground in the container. One more benefit, this Delonghi KG49 grinder weighs less than three pounds.
Viking Sure-temp Coffee Maker
Ah, at last a coffee maker that does it all without breaking the bank. The Viking 12-cup Sure-Temp Professional Coffee Maker comes in Silver VCCM12MS or Black/Silver VCCM12MB. Both of these coffee makers are made of stainless steel throughout. There exclusive Sure-Temp brewing system ensures the proper combination of brewing time and temperature, which is between 195 and 205°F.
Other features include a cup select that allows you the flexibility to brew from 4 to 12 cups without making a weaker cup of coffee. While it’s brewing you can make a brew break for up to 20 seconds, which allows you to pour a quick cup before the pot is finished brewing. Once the coffee is in the double-walled thermal stainless steel carafe, there is no residual taste and the coffee stays warm for hours without added heat.
If you want tea water in stead of coffee, the hot water bypass allows you to brew exceptional tea without residual coffee taste. You can also adjust the amount of water you want for your tea water from 4 to 12 cups. This Viking Silver with Black trim is available while inventory lasts. P.S. This Viking coffee maker weighs 19 pounds and comes with a one-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
Coffee Maker Set
How many of you like a combination of related things that come in a set? Melitta is offering a set of coffee making appliances. The style could be considered modern or avant garde. The complete set includes a grinder, a 6 cup or 12 cup percolator, a 1.7 quart electric kettle or either a 10 thermal coffee maker or a 12 cup programmable coffee maker.
If you had to choose, which ones in a set would you choose? Send me your opinion and I will let you know which combination had the highest combination choice. Remember, you can choose a set of two or three along with a set of four Melitta appliances. On Friday, March 16th, I will let you know what combination got the highest number of choices.
Remember: Sign in and offer your choice!