Gourmet Coffee

In lieu of a traditional wedding, my fiancé and I decided to take our nuptial on a beach in Hawaii. We had originally planned to get married in my hometown of Des Moines, but when we started considering the cost of the venue, dress, cake, catering…it just didn’t seem like a practical way to celebrate the rest of our lives together. In order to bring some of our closest relations, we allocated some of the money we had set aside for the wedding to help with airfare and accommodations.

Our ceremony took place on the beach, with my uncle performing the ritual. After the ceremony, we had dinner at a local restaurant and spent the rest of the night—and the week—enjoying ourselves at a secluded resort on the Big Island. I wanted to be sure that all of our guests left with a lasting memento of our ceremony, so I created Hawaiian-themed wedding favors, complete with everything from macadamia nuts and espresso coffee beans, to a picture frame adorned with seashells.

I’ve always had a tendency to drink my coffee on the weaker side. When making my brew in the mornings I always cut the recommended scoop amount by about three quarters. And if I’m at a restaurant and don’t have any say over how they brew my coffee, I request that they fill the mug half full with hot water and half with coffee. What can I say; coffee has been about its utility and not its flavor in my mind for years.

It wasn’t until I attended my neighbor’s dinner party two weeks ago that my opinion on what constitutes great coffee completely changed. Just after our meal, the hostess brought around a tray of Italian espresso coffee, cream and sugar. After the three glasses of wine I drank that night, I was much in need of a caffeine boost. Not wanting to expose my freakish coffee obsessions, I poured myself a cup, without any water, figuring I’d only have a few sips and be satisfied. But with just one mouthful of this brew, my taste buds hummed with delight; I even went back for seconds.

An expert operator of an espresso coffee maker is a “barista,” which is Italian for a bartender.  In Italy as well as other parts of Europe, a barista is considered a career position, often with skills - such as being able to grind espresso coffee beans - and training passed down from generation to generation.

 In other parts of the world, the job of the barista has been frequently seen as an employment choice for young people, one to get them started in employment, but is not seen as a career choice.  As a result, many coffee shops have moved to fully automatic espresso machines which allow a minimally-trained employee to create an espresso drink by merely pushing a button.

We all know that coffee drinks from stands and cafes are expensive, and those expenses can add up at the end of the month. For example, if a person were to spend $5 on a coffee on all the weekdays, at the end of the month that number would be in the range of $100, at the end of the year, $1200, and when looking at a number like that, even on a median household income of $66,000 per year, that’s a little less than 2% of total income, and 4% if you have a spouse that drinks the same amount of coffee! When thinking about it this way, it’s a little ridiculous to imagine that 4% of a household income can be devoted to coffee. Instead of purchasing all those expensive coffee drinks, buy an espresso machine for the home and purchase your own espresso coffee beans, creamer, and other flavored ingredients.

Doing this can save a lot of money throughout the year, as the ingredients for coffee cost far less than purchasing the finished product at a coffee stand or café. Next time you’re thinking about purchasing that coffee drinks, avoid it, and purchase an espresso machine instead, and enjoy delicious coffee at home while saving money!

Oh my! That’s what I say every time I walk into the perfume section of a major department store. I get so overwhelmed with all those smells that I can hardly stand it. My nose can’t take it either. Whenever I leave the store I am all stuffed up and can barely breathe.

I recently learned a technique that helps clear lingering aromas from you nasal passages – smelling espresso bean! Who would have guessed that these little black beans could offer so much relief? I bring them to the mall every time I go shopping now - just in case I have to walk through the perfume section.

Ingredients:
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 shot strong Italian espresso coffee, room temperature
1/4 cup skim milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
6 coffee beans

In a small saucepan, combine the egg yolks, sugar, flour, vanilla, and Italian espresso coffee. Whisk until well blended. Add a bit of milk and turn the heat to medium-high, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Gradually add the milk to the egg mixture, continuing to stir so as not to let the eggs begin to cook at the bottom edges of the pan. Once all the milk has been added, allow mixture to boil.  Reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring the entire time. Let mixture sit until it thickens. Remove from the heat, letting the cream cool.  In a separate bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, mix the cream until it becomes thick whipped cream. Using a spatula, gently fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the egg custard mixture. Separate the custard into 6 tall glasses. Chill the filled custard glasses in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving. As a garnish just prior to serving, top each glass with a spoonful of the remaining whipped cream and a coffee bean.

Recipe courtesy Mario Batali on the “Molto Mario” TV show (The Food Network)

A few months ago, I went on a little excursion to Europe and fell in love with the Italian espresso coffee out there.  When I got back to the States, I had a bit of trouble finding anything that replicated the refreshing and bold taste of Italian coffee.

Luckily, some friends of mine pointed me out to some online retailers and I’ve been buying up different bags of coffee beans. Eventually, I found a company that replicated the taste well enough that I feel like I’m back in Italy when I drink their coffee.

For the coffee lovers we have a produt that can meet you greatest desires. This is a Gourmet coffee blend in various flavors.