Sunday, October 24, 2010

my favorite treat

i am not totally obsessed with my morning coffee
but i will admit, i am bummed when served
bad coffee

for the longest time i had a percolator i bought on ebay
from the 50's
it made incredible coffee
when it worked

several years ago
my mother discovered a coffee machine
that changed all of our lives
thankfully
my brother and his wife
gifted one to us
(most likely from annoyance)
i might have said, one too many times
how much i loved it

this is not really a coffee maker
it is an espresso machine
one that will have you dropping your starbucks run
like a bad habit
seriously

although expensive
it is a heck of a lot cheaper than a daily pilgrimage
to a coffee shop
and
you don't have to wait in line
burn your hand with an overly hot cup
give a tip
make eye contact with strangers
or
get dressed
...would you like me to go on?

3 years in
and i still love it
friends
i give you
the nespresso
it makes espresso, or a 5oz lungo for your favorite fancy drink
there never was an easier way to have
a double half-caff, no foam, 2 splenda, skinny with a twist
or whatever silliness
 you like to drink

*sadly, i didn't receive anything from nespresso to say the nice things i said here. i just thought you should know
because the machine is THAT good
i thought saying something nice about it, was much better than saying something mean about the other machine i have--which is another pod type machine that makes the worst coffee and hot chocolate imaginable. but i won't go there.
 not today, anyway

if you are looking for more reasons to put this on your "i want it" list...i have a few 
including this fabulous cocktail
Vanilla Coffee Martini
In a shaker with lots of ice mix 2 oz of vanilla vodka, 1 oz freshly brewed espresso, 1 oz Kahlua, splash of cream de noya (almond liqueur). Shake, shake, shake. Serve in a martini glass with 3 espresso beans.

update: This summer I made a "slimmed down" version of this drink. 2 oz vanilla vodka, 1 oz freshly brewed espresso and enough splenda to make it sweet for you. Add lots of ice and a splash of milk or cream. Delicious!
this ice cream
Ice Cream in a Pinch
I took about 1 cup of custard and added to it  1 cup of milk chocolate chips melted in about 1/4 cup of cream making it a bit of a ganache. I threw in a shot of very strong espresso and whisked it all up.  The mixture was cool, so I didn't have to chill it in the fridge and I dumped it right into the ice cream machine.  30 minutes later I had a mildly chocolate, minimally coffee flavored, very smooth ice cream.  As I packed it into the tub for future eating, I swirled in nutella...for nutella ripple ice cream. 
or 
 shacheratta
Pour 4-5 oz of strong coffee into a martini shaker.  Add a lot of crushed ice.  shake it till you break it. strain it into your glass, then strain the foam on top. the foam looks and tastes like milk, but it isn't.  i had this for the first time in ravenna, italy...and i have been making it ever since.

just sayin....

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