Is It Easy To Set Up Your Own Espresso Bar
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by: Kimberly Reason
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Word Count: 521
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 Time: 4:45 PM
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Are you getting ready to treat yourself to a home espresso machine? Here is a list of common accessories that will improve your home espresso brewing experience.
Let's start with the espresso grinder and the espresso tamper. The most important accessory to your espresso machine is your coffee grinder. A poor grinder can actually burn your coffee prior to brewing so a good grinder can actually improve the taste of your coffee. The better quality grinders are burr grinders. Don't skimp on your grinder.
The second add-on is an espresso tamper. An espresso tamper isn't a requirement but the ones that come with espresso machines are almost universally poor. Espresso tampers come in a wide variety and costs. The main features to evaluate are fit, ergonomics (does it feel good in your hand?) and materials.
A steamer or frothing pitcher makes you look like you know what you are doing. Many espresso drinks (lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, etc) call for either steamed or frothed milk so this will be a required item. You don't need to get a giant pitcher; one the size of a can of soda pop is good enough for home use.
Now we come to espresso and latte cups. There is a huge variety of designs and styles to choose from. One of my favorites is the simple espresso shot glass. These are made with special heat resistant glass and double walled construction to retain as much heat as possible. The other really cool avenue to explore with espresso cups are the porcelain designer cups. These are short production run cups with unique art from known designers (famous artists, architects, etc). These espresso cups can become very collectable once they are out of production.
Along with the espresso cups you will want to add espresso spoons. Just like with espresso cups versus latte cups, there are latte spoons to match to your cups. Some of these spoons can be quite elaborate in their construction while others are plain.
An espresso recipe book will keep you brewing for a long time. Some of the more popular recipe books have over 200 coffee recipes! Here are a couple of recipes to get you started. A latte is espresso with steamed milk. A mocha is a latte with chocolate syrup and a cappuccino is 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk and 1/3 frothed milk.
Flavors come next and there are LOTs to choose from. Although there are flavored powders (ex: chocolate, mocha, etc) most flavors are added as syrup. There are dozens of flavors of syrup and they range from the perennial favorite of chocolate to seasonal flavors such as pumpkin.
With some many options it is sometimes hard to know where to start. The best place to begin is with the basics (coffee grinder, espresso cups) and move on to the next options when you need them. Espresso brewing is a surprisingly deep hobby and with a few of the right add-ons you will have fun learning new recipes and improving your skill for a long time to come.
Article Source :: Simply Articles
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Stock your new home espresso bar it with quality expresso cups and glass espresso cups.
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