Starbucks Recipes –

Delonghi Cafe Nero BCO-264 Combo Coffee/Espresso/Cappuccino Maker

The DeLonghi Espresso Maker & Combination Machine is a 3-in-1 machine that makes coffee, espresso or cappuccino. Dual brew cycles and an anti-drip design are just some of this machine’s unique features. The Accuflavor selector allows you to choose the strength of coffee just the way you like it. This DeLonghi Espresso Maker self primes with no annoying start-up preparation. This machine allows you to select either 5-cup or 10-cup brewing settings.

This All-in-One Machine brews coffee and espresso all at the same time, and it allso prepares cappuccino, latte or hot chocolate.

Saeco Odea Giro Automatic Coffee Machine

Meanwhile, the Odea Giro features Saeco’s latest innovations including a Giro (dial) interface, ceramic disc grinder, drip tray with manual Touch Lift technology, and OptiDose, to adjust the aroma of your favorite coffee. By using the coffee maker’s Rapid Steam, the redesigned steam wand creates delicious frothed milk in seconds. What’s more, it also dispenses piping hot water for tea. Using the Giro dial to adjust beverage volume, it is easier than ever before to customize and brew gourmet coffee drinks at home with a Saeco. Add to this its modern form and function, the Odea Giro makes a decided bold statement in both style and flavor in any kitchen.

More free coffee recipes for home entertaining:

Coffee Recipes –

Finding the Best Espresso Machine Starts With These 3 Simple Features
By Sidney Brill

It has bumped its way to the top of your wish list and the time has come for your very own espresso machine. The idea of pulling your own espresso shots, or serving magnificent cappuccino and latte at home is appealing and you are set to buy. You want to arrive at the best espresso machine that your wallet will allow. Shortly into the research phase you begin to feel confused by the selection available. Prices range from $50 to $10,000 and the choices in functionality are equally diverse. To make matters worse, there is a huge body of information available and most of it seems contradictory from one source to the next.

So just how do you decide on which is the best espresso machine with so much questionable information about? The most efficient way is to first learn how genuine espresso is made. The specifications and features of each machine instantly become much more meaningful the minute you understand these things. You can then insist on the “must have” features and operate within your budget to select the remaining features.

This is a great place for a quick coffee chemistry lesson. I promise, it won’t hurt a bit. Hot water forced under pressure through finely ground and tightly compressed coffee grounds makes espresso. That sounds simple enough. Doesn’t it?

Just appreciate that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts here. A number of factors must come together for the finished product to approach the glorious result found in the best coffee bars and cafes. Grind, roast, pressure, temperature, time and tamping technique all have a role to play. The machine has the greatest impact on time, temperature and pressure, so that’s where we’ll focus our discussion.

The extraction time (how long it takes for the water to flow through the coffee), the water temperature, and the pressure are all most heavily influenced by the machine. These “must have” performance features should be considered first when trying to decide on the best espresso machine for you. Your espresso machine should provide the following:

• Pressure – A minimum of 9 to 13 bar pressure is required.
• Temperature – the water should be about 95 degrees C during extraction.
• Time – The extraction should take about 25 to 30 seconds.

The best espresso machine is that which you can afford and will deliver the required performance in these areas. Lower priced machines usually fail to meet these baseline requirements, especially where pressure and extraction time are concerned. Crema (the brownish-red foam on top) does not develop using a machine that produces pressure below 9 bar. You will not have real espresso without crema.

The mixture is significantly effected by extraction time and temperature and a machine that fails either will produce a shot that is too weak or too strong. Now I should mention that the operator (that’s you) controls the tamping and grind and these also affect extraction. Be that as it may, the world’s most skillful barista won’t get acceptable results if the machine doesn’t do its part.

Naturally, the machine’s ability to control these and other factors for you will increase along with price.The machine’s capabilities beyond these three important factors are technically speaking, a matter of convenience. There is no question however that your overall satisfaction with the machine you select and your willingness to use it on a regular basis will be further enhanced by its other more exciting features.

You can learn about these other features and find out which are most important by visiting us at http://www.homegourmetcoffee.com. Be sure to join our FREE gourmet bean of the month club while you are there.

With almost 500 different espresso machines from economical steam to multi-group commercial machines, you are sure to find your best espresso machine there.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sidney_Brill

Expert Glossary of Coffee Terms
By Mark Ramos

As a coffee lover, this is something that you need to know! You may have frequented a coffee house or two in your day, but it is very important to understand exactly what all of those crazy words mean so that you can order your drink to the best of your abilities. Even better, you can take the time to create some of these drinks at home on the way to become your own professional barista!

Let us begin:

• Americano: This is a traditional drink that is only espresso and hot water, similar to a strong cup of Joe.
• Cappuccino: This is in espresso-based drink, and the number of shots can vary, depending on which size you order. The espresso shot will be topped one third steamed milk, and the rest with foam, so it contains much more foam than a latte.
• Caramel Macchiato: This is espresso, steamed milk, vanilla, and foam. It will then be topped with caramel sauce, and this drink is a Starbucks creation.
• Chai: This is a black tea that has flavors of cinnamon, black pepper, star anise, and cardamom. This is often served as a latte, hot, or iced.
• Decaf: This is a drink without caffeine, and it can either be an espresso, coffee, or tea.
• Double: This is two shots of espresso within one drink. You will order this when a drink normally has one shot, and you want to add one shot to it.
• Espresso: This is a concentrated coffee brew that is traditionally from Italy. It comes within a shot, and it has a rich and deep flavor. There will also be a caramel colored crema of foam on top of the shot.
• Espresso con Panna: This is a shot of espresso that is served with whipped cream on top.
• Espresso Macchiato: This is an espresso shot that has foam on top.
• Frappuccino: This is a blended coffee drink that can have the flavors of any customized latte. Many coffee shops serve these blended drinks flavored with mocha, vanilla, caramel, or a variety of other choices.
• Half-caf: Just like it sounds, this is when you want half caffeine and half decaf within your espresso drink.
• Latte: This is an espresso drink that has a shot of espresso, topped with two thirds steamed milk, and then foam on top.
• Mocha: This is a traditional latte that has chocolate flavors.
• Triple: This is for someone who wants the maximum caffeine dosage, which will be a third espresso shot added to your drink.

Hopefully this was helpful, and you can consider it to be your Coffee Bible when you enter into any coffee shop location! Just a few tips – remember to have your drink order completely ready by the time that you reach the counter because you will be scorned if you spend too long at the counter trying to decide your drink. Other than that, the options available to you in a delicious coffee drink are endless!

For the best Bunn Coffee Makers with a great selection, check out Mark Ramos’ website, The Coffee Bump.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Ramos

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