Drinking

Coffee makes you smarter. Don't believe it? Ask any coffee drinker to give it up and then ask them how smart they feel the next morning at 8 a.m. Probably kind of slow; hence, coffee makes you smarter (that's how Aristotelian logic works, right?). While a cup of coffee is all fine and good for achieving higher brain functions, the fount from which the elixir bubbles is usually as dumb as a doorknob. Most coffee makers aren't good at making one cup; they excel at making a pot. Despite the brainpower that a 12-cup carafe provides, … Read more

In the beginning, there were pressure cookers. Then, somebody figured out that the same treatment could be applied to coffee. Not only would it produce a cup of coffee significantly faster, but the end result would feature a concentrated flavor unparalleled by conventional brewing methods. As espresso became more refined (and associated machinery less bulky), the ability to grab an espresso anytime, anywhere, spread to seemingly every nook and cranny. Including the home.

The Breville BES900XL Dual Boiler continues the tradition of well-made espresso availability, bringing it into the home while offering some advanced features. Dedicated steam and espresso boilers … Read more

It should come as no surprise that so many variations of coffee drinks exist. After all, when amped up on coffee, the logical thing to think about is even more coffee. While regular drip coffee is always a good starting point for inspiration, to really dive in deep, the completeness of espresso is needed. When considering high-octane options, possibilities for beverage creation expand at a rate limited only by the pace of the caffeine jitters--but to get to all the great possibilities such as cappuccinos and lattes, first a method for obtaining the elixir is necessary.

The Espressione 3-in-1 Coffee Beverage System … Read more

A nice, cold glass of freshly squeezed orange juice to start the day can't be beat (not counting coffee). As an eye-opener, the tangy beverage is a healthy option and doesn't compare to the stuff from the grocery store shelf. Alas, to create this delicious and nutritious drink, at least a modicum of coordination is required--something that mornings do not have an abundance of. If the coordination required for walking is about all that can be mustered in the morning, the good news is that freshly squeezed orange juice is readily available at many locations--and possibly about to … Read more

The average coffeemaker requires very little thought to operate. This is a good thing: precoffee mornings are not the best time to tax the brain. Still, mornings are mornings and not the best time to mess around with potentially scalding hot liquids. Luckily, the catch-22 of needing coffee to make coffee has been addressed by the inclusion of automatic timers on many coffeemakers. This solves the issue quite nicely; after one has been properly caffeinated the machine can be set up again for the next day. But sometimes something stronger is needed.

Giving coffee-lovers another option in the morning (or … Read more

Water is great on its own, but considering that it lacks caffeine, it can be improved upon. Luckily, the process of doing just that is quite easy. Just heat some water and add ground coffee beans or tea leaves; soon, the resulting brew will be a flavorful beverage with a kick. It being such an easy procedure for creating coffee or tea, it can be easy to get carried away with minutiae. Sometimes, all that is needed is a means to heat the water and a separate something to steep either the tea or the coffee to be. Or just … Read more

There are a few obvious obstacles to overcome when considering starting a wine collection. First off, of course, is price. But that entry point has been obliterated as good wines can now be bought at almost any price. However, having a collection implies keeping a collection, which would thereby necessitate a place to keep the collection. Luckily, wine fridges are abundant and attainable. That leaves what is perhaps the biggest barrier, and one that is not so easily explained away: space limitations. If you have nowhere to store a collection, you have nowhere to store one. Simple as that, end … Read more

Making decisions isn't always the easiest thing to do in the morning. Coffee drinkers and tea lovers usually know what they want, but sometimes they want a change--coffee instead of tea or vice versa. Naturally, the process of making the newly desired brew would have to change, possibly ending with disastrous results because of the sleepy-eyed, precaffeine morning. Unless of course, the same familiar equipment was used.

Practically speaking, making a mug of coffee or a cup of tea requires different contrivances to get the job done. One could use a French press to extract all the goodness out … Read more

Coffee drinkers are a particular bunch. The easiest of the pack to deal with is, of course, the coffee drinker who prefers the beverage to be served in its natural state: black, no cream, no sugar. But when it comes to those who like to embellish coffee with particular proportions of milk, froth, and sometimes sugar, it is telling that there are names for such things, such as cappuccino and caffe latte (not to mention what the barista might mutter under his or her breath about a particularly precise concoction).

Those who would rather forgo the trip to the coffee … Read more