Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee: Brewing a Great Cup

coffee mugs and accessories for brewing a great cup

victoria's secret pink striped satin pajamas
Pajamas (I call these my Eloise jammies ;) // Spode Mug

It is no secret that I am a major coffee fanatic. I love the taste and the morning ritual of brewing and sipping coffee. I don't reserve my coffee drinking to just morning, though, I enjoy an afternoon cup, and even in the evenings, sometimes I'll drink a cup of decaf! As we head into the colder winter months, I turn to coffee/tea even more so, because there is something so wonderful about warming up with a cup! 

I have a Nespresso which I love, but really only use it on weekends when I have time to make a cappuccino or sip my espresso. On the weekdays, I use a standard Cuisinart coffee maker. I'll usually have a cup at home as I get ready and then have one to take with me in a to-go tumbler. Sometimes I'll even wake up a few minutes early, grab a cup and get back in bed as I scroll through my e-mails/social media. 


I drink my coffee black, unless I'm having a cappuccino from a coffee shop or my Nespresso. I've tried a ton of different coffees and there are only a few that stand out in my mind as my favorites to brew at home that are also readily available. Coffee is a very personal thing, so I know what I recommend to some, may not work for others. I like a really dark, full bodied roast. I like my coffee extra hot, too. My favorites are seen above. La Prima Espresso brand coffee is hands down my favorite in the entire world. It's a Pittsburgh company, which I frequent in the Strip District area of Pittsburgh. But you can also shop online for their coffee. I brew their espresso as regular coffee and it is fantastic. It is bold and full of flavor! The others are brands you can find at your local target or order online! One not shown above that I enjoy is Costco's Kirkland brand Colombian roast. You can buy it in bulk and it's really inexpensive! 

I'm curious as to what your favorite brew-at-home coffee is? I'm always looking to try new brands and discover a new favorite! Some tips that I like for brewing coffee at home? It's good to have these items on hand:
I really like using a thermal carafe. Keeping your coffee on heat for too long ruins the flavor, so either brewing small amounts several times is good, or just transferring your coffee into a pretty thermal pitcher works wonderfully, too. This one is on my Christmas wish list. It's so elegant!  

A grinder really isn't necessary if you buy already ground coffee, but I really like my coffee to be fresh and finely ground. The one I have is only $30, so it won't break the bank, but it does take up cabinet/counter space! Having a grinder lets you control the consistency of the grounds and the freshness! This is also why I will sometimes use espresso in my coffee maker. The grounds are usually much finer when bought pre-ground.

I also like to suggest that you have other coffee blends in your home (store in freezer for max freshness). For example, I know I love a bold dark roast, but there are many who like blonde roast, or those who must have decaf because they are sensitive to caffeine. It's nice to be able to accommodate your guests when playing hostess!


Do you have any coffee brewing tips and tricks? Any coffee machines you recommend? Scroll above to see some of my favorite mugs (I'm a mug hoarder!!). My favorite? My grammie gave us these mugs years ago and I L-O-V-E them! They're so festive and fun around Christmastime and really make a cute gift! Have a fabulous day! 

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Fun fact from your Starbucks barista: the darker the roast, the less caffeine content since the roasting process burns off much of the caffeine the longer it spends in the roaster. To get the same caffeine content, you must brew by weight rather than volume (I.e using a scale vs the scoop method)

christina said...

This is a great post. I too am a coffee mug hoarder. I purchased 4 of the gold alphabet mugs from Anthropologie because I always want my mugs as a set. We just got the Breville coffee grinder last year since we are avid coffee drinkers and even though it's on the steeper end of the price range, it looks beautiful on our kitchen counter and you are able to choose how fine you want your beans to be. In the winter I like to have Reddi Wip and pepermint chips on hand for peppermint mochas or to add as a fun holiday topping to hot cocoa. Cheers!

Unknown said...

Raven's Brew Coffee makes some beautiful dark roasts. You can buy them through their site, I have seen them at Whole Foods, or try a sample pack on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ravens-Brew-Organic-Coffee-Variety/dp/B00C62UI6Q/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1446658377&sr=8-7&keywords=Raven%27s+Brew

My favorites are Deadman's Reach and Three Peckered Billy Goat!

Jenna @ LaFemmeLaFanciful.com said...

This post was SUPER helpful! I want to invest in a pretty thermos to keep my coffee warm while off the burner...I'm like you in that I like my coffee extra hot but don't want a burned taste!

I love Starbucks Mocha grounded coffee, but I agree about using whole beans. When I am at my boyfriend's and enjoy coffee there (he uses a grinder), I taste the difference for sure.

P.S. LOVE those Eloise pajamas. So lovely!

 

© Summer Wind Blog 2017 / site design by kiki and co. / disclosure