Jun 03 2024
Espresso is small, concentrated, intensely aromatic, and responsible for an enormous portion of the modern coffee menu. A cappuccino begins with espresso. So does a latte, macchiato, flat white, mocha, Americano, cortado, and affogato. Yet despite espresso’s familiarity, there is still plenty of confusion about what it actually is. Espresso is not a type of …
Jun 02 2024
Coffee has traveled an extraordinary distance to reach the modern kitchen counter. The plant’s deepest roots lie in Ethiopia, the first well-documented cultivation and coffee-drinking traditions developed across the Red Sea in Yemen, and from there coffee moved through the Islamic world, into European coffeehouses, across colonial trade routes, and eventually onto plantations throughout Asia, …
May 24 2024
Starbucks changes with the seasons almost as reliably as the weather. Spring brings floral flavors and colorful iced drinks. Summer shifts toward cold brew, Refreshers, and shaken espresso. Fall means pumpkin, pecan, chai, and baking spices. Then winter arrives with pistachio, peppermint, caramel brulée, gingerbread, and the holiday drinks people wait all year to order. …
May 02 2024
Great coffee starts with two basic ingredients: coffee and water. Yet changing the amount of either one can completely transform what ends up in your mug. Use too little coffee and the brew may taste weak and watery. Use too much and you may end up with a cup that is stronger than you intended—or …
Apr 26 2024
The secret to better percolator coffee starts before the water ever heats up: use the right grind size. Percolators brew differently from ordinary drip coffee makers. Instead of passing water through the coffee grounds once, they repeatedly circulate hot water through the brewing basket. That longer, repeated contact can produce the bold, full-bodied coffee percolators …
Apr 20 2024
Cold brew coffee is one of the easiest ways to make smooth, refreshing coffee at home. Unlike iced coffee—which is usually brewed hot and then cooled or poured over ice—cold brew is made by steeping ground coffee in cool water for several hours. The slow extraction produces a rich coffee concentrate or ready-to-drink brew that …
Apr 20 2024
The Bellman Espresso Maker is unlike almost anything else in the home coffee market. It looks a little like a stainless-steel moka pot, operates on your stovetop, builds pressure internally, brews concentrated espresso-style coffee, and includes a real steam wand powerful enough to texture milk for cappuccinos and lattes. There is no electrical plug, built-in …
Apr 08 2024
Traveling is much easier when you are willing to drink whatever coffee happens to be available. Unfortunately, that is not always a particularly appealing proposition. Hotel-room coffee can be unpredictable, airport coffee gets expensive, and bringing your normal pour-over setup means packing a brewer, kettle, mug, filters, coffee, and assorted accessories separately. The Pakt Coffee …
Mar 09 2024
French press coffee is one of the simplest ways to make a rich, full-bodied cup at home. There are no paper filters to fold. No complicated pouring pattern to master. No pump, capsule, or electronic brewing system. At its simplest, you need only: But simple doesn’t mean foolproof. French press coffee can taste wonderfully sweet, …
Mar 08 2024
Instant coffee has a reputation problem. Because it is processed, inexpensive, shelf-stable, and ready in seconds, it’s easy to assume that instant coffee must somehow be less healthy than coffee brewed from freshly ground beans. But is instant coffee actually bad for you? For most people, plain instant coffee is not inherently unhealthy. It is …
