Regardless of hype or advertizing, anything you can make at home is almost always better tasting and better for you than the retail equivalent. This is even more true with coffee, since you have the option of controlling virtually the entire process in your own kitchen, short of picking and roasting the beans. Building a better experience all comes down to two things though: space and ingredients.
Your Designated Coffee Area
It might seem a bit over regimented to set aside a specific space dedicated to making your coffee, but with all the tools, gadgets and equipment available it can really help to alleviate clutter from the rest of your counter. If you have the counter space start there, but if your kitchen doesn't allow for a dedicated coffee counter area look around at used furniture stores, yard sales and antique shops for a low table, preferably one with drawers, like a desk or china cabinet. You can make a project out of it, strip the old finish or paint, and give it a new surface in a weekend.
Avoid placing your coffee bar in a high traffic area if you can, but don't limit yourself to just the kitchen. If you have a home office, or if you regularly entertain at your home, all you really need is an outlet and somewhere to store your supplies. Just make sure the work surface is big enough to house your brewing equipment, whether that's a high tech espresso machine or low tech electric kettle and a French press.
Control Your Ingredients
Beginning with the water you use, the quality of ingredients in your coffee will determine the quality of the final product. Unless you have a filter on your faucet don't rely on tap water, since municipal water supplies often add things like chlorine or fluoride that can interact poorly with the flavor of the beans. Inexpensive filtered water is just fine, stores easily within your coffee bar, and will give you time to go buy that water filter.
When it comes to coffee, whole beans are always the best choice, but explore your options occasionally too. Never grind any more than you're planning to use immediately, since many of the complex flavors are the result of volatile compounds that dissipate quickly. Always store your beans in an air tight container, kept in a cool dark area and never freeze them, as this will create condensation on the outside of the beans when they thaw out, eventually resulting in mildew.
Great coffee doesn't have to come from a high end coffee shop, so long as you have the tools and knowledge to make it yourself. With a little time and a liberal dose of experimentation, you'll find that the coffee you make at home far surpasses any cup you've ever paid several dollars for.
To learn more, contact a coffee bar like Loft 950.
Share1 September 2015
Are you pregnant or planning to conceive? If so, it is time to begin learning about the medical professionals that will work with you through the nine months of pregnancy and through the labor and delivery. Many women are unaware of the important role that a midwife plays throughout a pregnancy. Knowing what a midwife does and how having a midwife can help you through what can be a difficult time will help you find one that you will feel comfortable with. My site is filled with information about pregnancy, labor and delivery and working with a midwife to help other soon-to-be mothers make the decisions that are best for their situations.