Archive for the ‘Cappuccino Makers’ Category
There are literally million of self-described coffee lovers in the world, but few of them enjoy their java without any additional add-ins. If you observe a few drink orders at Starbucks, chances are that you will hear everything from mochas and espressos to cappuccinos and macchiatos being ordered. With this wide range of coffee beverages now available, it is surprising that many people still have a standard drip coffee machine in their home.
Today several premium coffee makers available allow you to have professional-style beverages in the comfort of your own home. Many people complain that the coffee they brew themselves doesn’t compare to what they order in a coffeehouse, and the problem is that they are using inadequate equipment. A premium cappuccino maker, for example, will allow you to heat and steam the milk for your coffee, making it indistinguishable from its $4 coffeehouse counterpart.
There are dozens of takes on the cappuccino, but before you try to get too fancy, it is important to master the basics. Cappuccino makers, like all appliances, each have their own traits and quirks, so it is important to get familiar with your machine. Here is a basic cappuccino recipe to help get you started:
~As a starting point, you will want three equal parts of espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk.
~Once the milk is freshly frothed, let it sit so that the foam separates from the rest of the milk.
~Pour the steamed milk in the bottom of your cup, and then slowly add the espresso on top.
~Finish by topping with the frothed milk.
A cappuccino may sound like a fancy beverage, but it is actually quite simple. By definition, a cappuccino is a mixture of espresso, hot milk and steamed milk foam. In recent years, this Italian coffee drink has developed a loyal following in the United States.
If you are accustomed to ordering a cappuccino from a coffee shop, the prospect of making your own can be a little daunting. The key to any great tasting coffee beverage is using premium ingredients, especially when the recipe is as simplistic as a standard cappuccino. If you are nervous about steaming the milk and preparing the various accoutrements, you may want to consider purchasing your own cappuccino maker.
One of the main reasons that people are reluctant to give up their $4 coffeehouse beverages is that they feel that they will not be able to recreate that same flavor and decadence in their own concoctions. When I was debating making the switch to home brewing, I have to admit, I had similar reservations. Instead of throwing in the towel, I decided to research some of the premium cappuccino makers that were available.
While Starbucks or The Coffee Bean may seem like they have proprietary information that sets them apart, the truth is that their products are created with the same ingredients as everyone else. Just like with any craft, the key to perfection is practice. It also doesn’t hurt to invest in a cappuccino machine that has programmed settings for creating a variety of specialty beverages.
Tully’s opened its first store in Kent, Washington, in 1992. The founder of Tully’s Coffee, Tom Tully O’Keefe, planned to rival the quickly expanding Starbucks coffee. Tully’s quickly developed into a strong regional specialty-coffee retailer. In 2006, Tully’s Coffee made its first net profit. But more recently, the president and CEO has described Tully’s focus as no longer on competing against the mega giant Starbucks, but on serving fine hand crafted coffee (and expanding into the Wholesale market).
It now operates nearly 100 stores in the Greater Puget Sound area of Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Southern Idaho, more recently Arizona, and licenses its brand for use in South Korea and Japan. It has also opened several stores in Stockholm. Tully’s sold the most profitable unit of the company-its Japan partnership-for $17.9 million in September, 2005. Also in 2004 Tully’s entered into an agreement with Northwest University (located in Kirkland, Washington) to open a coffee shop on campus which would be run by the student body. To this day it remains quite busy serving the 1100 to 1200 student and staff population at Northwest. It used to be that you had to travel to one of their storefronts to enjoy their premium brews, but now you can even by their beans and brew coffee in your own cappuccino maker.
Coffee and cappuccino makers fixtures seem to be a fixture in nearly every American household. While most people drink coffee for the rich taste or a quick caffeine fix, there are, in fact, a plethora of health benefits associated with coffee.
~Caffeine reduces risk of skin cancer: Sorry, venti quaffers, this prevention method is topical. Lotions containing caffeine (both from coffee and green tea) have been shown to prevent the occurrence of cancerous tumors on the skin. This is obviously one of the better health benefits of coffee.
~Have a smile with your morning brew! If you’re a caffephile, you don’t need the results of a recent Johns Hopkins study to affirm that a cup or two a day increases your sense of well-being and happiness.
~Caffeine may reduce chance of Parkinson’s Disease: A 30-year study has shown that non-coffee drinkers have a higher chance of developing Parkinson’s Disease than their coffee-drinking counterparts.
~Most Americans get their antioxidants from coffee: That doesn’t mean it’s the best source of antioxidants, just that it’s the most consumed. But, it’s true, coffee is very high in antioxidants.
~Coffee may cut colon cancer in women: A 12-year study on Japanese women found that drinking 3 or more cups of coffee per day may actually halve the risk of developing colon cancer. They found no beneficial effect from green tea on the colon – in this case, it was strictly a coffee thing.