FoodRevo blog

Okay, you’ve either gotten married or are planning to pretty soon. Congratulations! I’m sure you’re aware that this means you will be responsible for at least half the meals you and your loved one will eat from here on out! Not to mention future children, your visiting family members and – of course – inlaws.

A while back, one of my young daughters (who I hope wasn’t getting any ideas), asked me which 10 recipes I thought every newly married person should be able to make. After thinking, off and on, about it for a few days, I came up with what I believe are the top ones. Before we get to the recipes, I’d like to just share a few words that would have made life a lot easier on me had someone shared them with me when I first began cooking!

Cooking is an art. It isn’t a chore to be endured or a duty to get out of the way. It truly can be one of the most rewarding and satisfying things you’ll ever do. Just like most things, anyone who wants to become good at it can. Anyone who wants to become great at it can. There’s an ancient Chinese Proverb that says, “The only difference between a good housekeeper and a bad one is an hour a day.” I took the liberty to edit the proverb to tell you, “The only difference between a good cook and a bad one is an hour a day.” If you make up your mind to become a great cook and dedicate even just one hour a day to honing your skills, you’ll earn your apron’s stripes!

A few things you should always remember:

Never leave the kitchen when you’re baking cookies or biscuits. I wouldn’t advise ever wandering away from the kitchen while cooking, but when it’s something like cookies or biscuits, doing so is usually disasterous. They’re just looking for a reason to burn and take your departure as the open door they need.

When getting cookbooks, go to the used bookstores – or check online auctions or Amazon.com. The cookbooks that were written in the 70s and 80s were some of the best. You’ll find ingredients you’ve actually heard of, for one thing, plus they tend to have more of the basic recipes you’ll need for starting out.

Watch Food TV! It is really addictive, and even more informative. I’d suggest you not ever, under any circumstances, miss an episode of Paula Deen’s “Paula’s Home Cooking”, Rachel Ray’s “30 Minute Meals” or Alton Brown’s “Good Eats”. They’re the top, in my opinion. After you’re more familiar with your way around the pots and pans, you’ll be ready for Emeril, but you have to work up to him!

Now, to the top ten recipes you’ll need. Either consult some of those cookbooks I told you about, or a website, such as foodtv.com or buttermilkpress.com, or ask various family members for their favorite recipes for each. They’ll get a real kick out of that. Plus, if you happen to ask an inlaw for their favorite recipes, you’ll get off on an especially agreeable note!

Breakfast/Brunch:

1. French Toast and Pancakes. Nothing will impress him or her quite like a tall, warm stack of delicious pancakes with butter melting off the sides.

2. Egg dishes: Scrambled, fried and poached. Note: When cooking eggs, remove them from the skillet before they actually look completely done. They continue cooking even after they’re removed to the platter.

3. Buttermilk BIscuits. Buttermilk in a recipe makes everything instantly better. Whether it’s biscuits, pancakes or cornbread, it’s presence improves the flavor ten-fold.

4. Great coffee. You absolutely must be able to make a sensational pot of coffee. Do your research, try out different beans and always, always grind your own coffee. You can get a grinder for under $20.00, and it will be 20 of the wisest dollars you ever invest.

Lunch:

5. Hamburgers and their cousin, Cheeseburgers. I’ll let you in on a family secret, a little garlic salt is the difference between, “Honey, this is good.” and “Wow! My mom (dad) never made burgers like this!”

6. At least one really good homemade soup. I know, the little red and white cans are awfully convenient (and you’ll find about 10 in my own pantry), but being able to make a sensational potato or vegetable soup is a great big feather in your culinary cap.

Supper/Etc:

7. Fried Chicken. Back to the Buttermilk for a minute, soaking your chicken in buttermilk (in the fridge) for about an hour before coating and frying makes for a juicier, more flavorful meat.

8. Mashed potatoes. Never. Under. Any. Circumstances. Use. Instant. Potatoes. Don’t even look their way in the store. Peel, boil, and mash your potatoes with milk, butter and….pssst, another family secret, sour cream. It’s worth the effort.

9. Yeast rolls. Okay, I’ll admit it, these aren’t as easy to make as the other 10 or so foods talked about here. That’s because yeast is tempermental. It can be likened to Goldilocks, of all things. It gets angry if the liquid is too hot, it gets angry if the liquid is too cold. It wants it just right, and when the temperature isn’t just right, whereas Goldie laid down, your bread will lie down. Flat rolls. Ugly rolls.

10. (3-way tie!) Chocolate Chip Cookies, Apple Pie and Your sweetheart’s favorite cake. Master the desserts and even when the main meal isn’t up to par it’ll be okay. The last thing a person eats, after all, is the thing they’ll most recall. You know the saying, all’s well that end’s well.

Congratulations, good luck, and have fun. It may sound like something out of a 1940s cookbook, but that really is the biggest secret. To most things in life, actually.

Visit buttermilkpress.com Buttermilk Press for more articles, cooking tips, food facts, resources, and more. E-mail the author at mailto:joi@buttermilkpress.com joi@buttermilkpress.com

The Group Toast

Drinking to people used to be and still is in many ways the same today as it was done many years ago in Greece. Out of respect, the person performing the toast should stand up, and everybody stands up too. If the person being toasted to is important enough, everybody else must also raise their glasses. If wearing a hat, men should always remove them. While the toast is spoken it is very important to look the person you are toasting to in the eyes. To end the toast, a silent bow or a simple little nod of the head will do. Everyone then sips the wine.

Taking small sips for the toast is the modern and correct way of doing it. A long time ago, you were expected to drink everything in the cup and most often it would be a rather large cup that would be passed around and shared. Today we have our own glasses which we use instead of sharing just one cup.

The Two Person Toast

Toasting is also very popular between two people. In ancient Greek times, this was called “proposes” or “the drink before”. The person who initiated the toast sips first and then hands the cup or bowl to the person being honored. If it was a special occasion such as a wedding, the cup itself would usually be a permanent gift to the receiver. For example, a bowl full of wine might be given from a father-in-law to the son-in-law. The cup or bowl would become the symbol of the bride (given away as we still call it) by her father. The two men and two families have now become one through the shared wine.

Evelyn Whitaker writes articles for german-toasting-glasses.com German Toasting Glasses german-toasting-glasses.com german-toasting-glasses.com which specializes in custom german-toasting-glasses.com engraved wedding gifts from Germany.

Many of us have spent the weekends watching football or playing pool and one thing that can typically be found in our hand is beer. Beer is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages on the market. They come in a huge variety of brands and types, from dark ale, to beer that has reduced calories and carbs. It is an extremely versatile drink that is served from barbeques, to even the fanciest weddings and there are few adults who have not sipped a frosty brew at least one time in their lives.

What’s interesting is that despite all the people who drink it, if you were to ask them what the ingredients were, most would not be able to tell you. So for all you beer lovers out there, here’s some beer trivia for you about what it’s made from and why.

The primary beer ingredients are yeast, malted barley, hops, and water. Starches are also used because they help to ferment the sugars that increase the alcohol content. They also contribute to the flavor and body of the brew.

Malted barley is used because it contains a large amount of amylase. It also helps to convert starch to sugar, thanks to an enzyme it contains. The term “malt”, refers to the process of letting grains soak in water. This will prompt the grain to actually start to grow. Once the grain begins to germinate, it is then dried. Other grains such as rice, oats and rye can also be used.

Water is the main ingredient in beer. Because water varies from region to region, the water from a specific region can determine the kind of beer that will be produced. An example is that regions that have hard water will produce darker beer.

Yeast is another ingredient that is used in beer. This is the ingredient that causes fermentation. There are various types of yeast that are used, particularly the ale and lager varieties. The next time you order one of these types of beer, you will know where the terms come from.

Hops are another ingredient and they contribute a bitter taste to beer. The balance between the bitterness and the sweetness depends on it. It also contributes to the beer’s rich scent. It may interest you to know that hops have been used in beer since the 17th century, which makes beer not just a beverage but a part of history as well.

You may wonder how with all of these different ingredients, that beer maintains such a clear color. This is because clarifying agents have been added to it and they range from Irish moss to fish bladders. For those drinkers who are vegetarians, it may be important to take the time to discover which clarifying agent was used in the beer that you drink.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as brewmybeer.com Beer Brewing kits at brewmybeer.com brewmybeer.com

Cooking seems to have developed into a major way of life rather than something that was necessary if we were going to receive sustenance to get us through our days. We look at television programs and see that almost every type of cooking is demonstrated – sometimes ad nauseam – to us, the ever watching viewing audiences. Let us look at what television cooking does for us and how it compares with the every day variety.

We see that all forms of cooking are portrayed as simply something we all could do in the blink of an eye. The need to really look at what is involved becomes very necessary, as we will see. Well dressed young men and women demonstrate their expertise, some showing us a small portion of meat garnished with a couple of vegetables which have been lovingly cooked and prepared. It is evident that their presentations are not geared for the husband, wife and three kids brigade. And if an honest observation is to be made, offering that meal would be looked at with a degree of consternation if only to think: is this all that’s going to be served? What would you think if a builder, home from an extremely hard day on the site, was offered this miniscule treat for his evening repast? Expletives will be understandably left out here.

The thought of meat and three veg takes a completely different meaning when we look at how our television gourmets prepare their brand of “home cooking”.

Let’s first look at the ingredients they use. It immediately comes to mind that the range of sauces that are used in these culinary presentations would far outweigh anything mere mortals would have in their larders or refrigerators. Understandably, the budgets that are given to these food designers completely exceed any reasonable household budget.

It is fair to say that cooking and food in general, is all a matter of taste. How food is cooked is of great concern to the person who does like only the “meat and two veg”. On that note, take an item of cooking that is commonplace now – garlic – this is used in almost every savoury dish we can imagine, with the possible exception of fish and chips.

Yet it isn’t such a long time ago that many people would cringe at the thought of this item being included in any culinary offering – particularly in the British Isles. However, times change and so do tastes and the way we look at cooking certainly has changed over the last 20 years.

Although this is the case, it is to be hoped that the producers of these cooking extravaganzas will come down to earth and look at what “mere mortals” have in their kitchens. Utensils, valued at thousands of dollars, are not the order of the day. Nor are the different types of ingredients used in the dishes we are instructed how to cook.

Television cooking – indeed all cooking, is interesting and informative. We have to eat, so why not learn how to cook something a little more than the Sunday roast. It is after all entertainment and we need to see something pleasant as well as eat something pleasant.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to cooking-guides.com/ Cooking

I must admit… It is hard to find an easy way to cook a crumb crust apple pie from scratch. But with a lot of essay and errors and cook book research I came up with I think is the most easy way to cook a crumb crust apple pie from scratch. Try this one, you will be delighted! How To: crumb crust apple pie from scratch

2 c. plus 2 tbsp. unsifted all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 c. vegetable shortening 3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. water Crumb Topping (recipe follows) 6 Granny Smith apples or other tart apples 3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon Milk 1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

Prepare pie crust: In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, granulated sugar and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut shortening into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stirring gently with fork, gradually add 3 tablespoons water until stiff dough forms. Add more water, if necessary. Form dough into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap and refrigerate larger ball. On slightly floured waxed paper, roll out smaller ball of dough to an 11 inch round. Invert pastry into 9 inch pie plate; remove waxed paper and fit pastry into pie plate. Refrigerate while preparing topping and filling.

Prepare Crumb Topping; set aside. Peel, core and coarsely chop apples. In large bowl, combine chopped apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons flour, mix well. Transfer apple mixture to pastry lined pie plate mounding apples slightly at the center.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place baking sheet or piece of aluminum foil on the lower rack or floor of oven to catch crumbs. On lightly floured waxed paper, roll remaining ball of dough into a 12 inch round. Invert pastry onto apple filling and remove waxed paper; press pastry edges together and trim even with rim of pie plate. With small knife, make eight 1 inch slits randomly, in top crust of pie to allow steam to escape.

Lightly brush top of pie with milk; pat Crumb Topping all over pie. Bake pie 30 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and loosely cover pie with aluminum foil to prevent over browning. Bake pie 40 minutes longer. Cool pie on rack at least 40 minutes. Before serving, in small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon water to make glaze. Drizzle over pie and serve.

CRUMB TOPPING:

In medium bowl, combine:

1 c. unsifted all-purpose flour 1/3 c. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt

With pastry blender or knives, cut 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Briefly rub mixture between fingers to blend in butter. Squeeze some mixture together to form larger crumbs, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

So making a crumb crust apple pie from scratch wasn’t too hard after all wasn’t it?

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To summarize something as phenomenonally successful as Starbucks coffee history might be a challenge. Many volumes have been written on the subject, it is examined and taught in business schools, and whole semesters are dedicated to the marketing genius of the company. The amazing success of Starbuck’s business model certainly deserves commendation if not adoration in the business world.

The story of Starbucks coffee history begins in Seattle in 1971, when three friends with a passion for fresh coffee, Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker, opened a small shop and began selling fresh-roasted, gourmet coffee beans and brewing and roasting accessories.

In 1980 Zev Siegl sold out to pursue other ventures. By that time Starbucks was the largest roaster in Washington with six retail outlets. In 1981 the small coffee company caught the attention of Howard Schultz, a plastics salesman that noted the large quantity of plastic drip-brewing thermoses that they were buying from Hammarplast, the Swedish manufacturer that Shchultz represented here in the U.S.

In 1982 Starbucks coffee history was changed forever when Baldwin hired the energetic Schultz as the new head of marketing and shortly thereafter sent him to an international housewares show in Milan, Italy in 1983. Schultz found himself infatuated with the vibrant coffee culture of Italy. While in nearby Verona, Schultz had his first caffe’ latte’ and, as he observed the cafe patrons chatting and laughing joyously while sipping their coffees in the elegant surroundings, inspiration struck.

In what he describes as an epiphany, the idea hit him, “why not create community gathering places like the great coffee house of Italy in the United States?” he wondered. This idea would place Starbucks coffee history into the annuls of business journals for decades to come.

However, his idea was not well received by Baldwin as he wasn’t too keen on getting into the restaurant business and distracting him from his original plan of selling whole beans. But he did let him test a small espresso bar in the corner of one of the stores. It was an immediate success and Schultz branched out on his own and opened Il Giornale, a coffee house named after Italy’s largest newspaper, ‘The Daily’.

In 1987 Starbuck’s was up for sale and Schultz raised the $3.8 million by convincing investors of his vision, one hundred and twenty-five outlets in the next five years. Schultz modified the Starbuck’s bare-breasted mermaid logo into a more socially acceptable figure, changed the name of Il Giornale to Starbuck’s and converted the six existing Starbuck’s roasting shops into elegant, comfortable coffee houses. Starbucks coffee history was just was beginning to take shape.

Shultz exceeded his goal of one hundred and twenty-five stores in five years, in 1992 there were 165 cafes in operation. Today there are over 8,000 stores in 30 countries and annual revenues in excess of $7.5 billion.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

You can find more articles on coffee such as ultimate-coffees-info.com/coffee-breaks.html Coffee Breaks and ultimate-coffees-info.com/coffee-enema.html Coffee Enemas.

Trivia

• In Latin, apricot means “precious,” a label earned because apricots ripen earlier than the other summer fruits.
• Apricots originally came from China and have been around for more than 4,000 years.
• The first recorded major production of apricots in America was in 1792 south of San Francisco.
• In the United States, 95% of apricots grow in the San Joaquin Valley and other parts of northern California.

Selection and Storage:

Apricots should be well-formed and fairly firm. Pick apricots that are dark yellow or yellow-orange in color. Apricots are very fragile. They should not be handled roughly or stored at high room temperatures. To ripen apricots, place them in a sealed plastic or paper bag and keep them at room temperature. Avoid apricots that are dull looking, soft, mushy or extremely firm. Bruised areas will be obviously brown.

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size- 3 apricots (114g)
Calories: 60
Fat: 1 gram
Sodium: 0 milligrams
Protein: 0 grams
Carbohydrate: 11 grams
Dietary Fiber: 1 gram
Potassium: 312 grams
Vitamin A: 45% of U.S. RDA
Vitamin C: 20% of U.S. RDA
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 2%

Recipes:

Apricot Pork Medallions

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound pork tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons butter-divided
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ cup dried apricots-chopped
• 2 green onions-sliced
• ¼ teaspoon wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• chili flakes

Cut tenderloins crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Flatten each piece slightly with heel of hand. Lightly dust pork with flour, salt and pepper on a plate. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown medallions, about 2 minutes on each side.

Add remaining ingredients to skillet with remaining tablespoon of butter. Cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove medallions to serving platter.

Apricot Whole Wheat Crepes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 and ½ cups nonfat milk
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• oil
• 1 and ½ cups orange juice
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ cup seedless raisins
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 16-oz can canned apricot halves—drained
• vanilla yogurt

Combine milk, flour, eggs, butter and cinnamon in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or until mixture is consistency of heavy cream.

Lightly brush bottom and sides of 7” skillet with oil. Heat skillet, briefly, over medium low heat. Pour in a scant ¼ cup batter. Tip skillet to coat the bottom with batter.

Cook crepe until top is set and the underside is lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn crepe with a metal spatula and cook other side about 1 minute. Slip crepe onto wax paper and repeat with remaining batter, stacking each crepe between wax paper. Set aside.

Combine orange juice and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling. Boil mixture 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it is thick and clear. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Remove from heat and stir in apricots. Spoon small amount of hot filling down center of each crepe. Fold crepe over filling. Garnish with a dollop of vanilla yogurt.

Jason Dick is an Internet Security Specialist and web author whose most recent notable work can be found at home.stopsign.com home.stopsign.com. He has also worked for seven years in the food services industry and is writing a series of articles regarding current food trends, many of which contain recipes for the website: recipefor.com recipefor.com

Do you realize the many ways that bacteria can contaminate the food your family eats? Do you know how to tell if your food is thoroughly cooked to keep your family safe from food poisoning? Do you know what to do if you or someone you love gets food poisoning?

When it comes to food preparation and storage, “Common Practices” could be POISONING your family!

Here’s how to avoid the problem entirely:

1. Plan For Safety

Make sure you have the right equipment, including cutting boards, utensils, food thermometers, cookware, shallow containers for storage, soap, and paper towels. Make sure you have a source of clean water. Plan ahead to ensure that there will be adequate storage space in the refrigerator and freezer.

2. Shop Smart

Prevention of food poisoning starts with your trip to the supermarket. Pick up your packaged and canned foods first. Buy cans and jars that look perfect. Do the cans have dents? Don’t buy canned goods that are dented, cracked, or bulging. These are the warning signs that dangerous bacteria may be growing in the can. Are the jars cracked? Do they have lids that are loose or bulging? The food may have germs that can make you sick. Look for any expiration dates on the labels and never buy outdated food. Likewise, check the “use by” or “sell by” date on dairy products such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, and sour cream and pick the ones that will stay fresh longest in your refrigerator.

3. Store Food Properly

After shopping, get home as soon as you can. Then put food into the refrigerator or freezer right away. Make sure to set the refrigerator temperature to 40° F and the freezer to 0° F. Check temperatures with an appliance thermometer. Be sure to refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours of shopping or preparing. Place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in containers in the refrigerator, to prevent their juices from dripping on other foods. Raw juices may contain harmful bacteria. Eggs always go in the refrigerator.

4. Prepare Food Safely

Wash hands and surfaces often. Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, utensils and counter tops. To prevent this, wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets. Wash everything else before and after it touches food. Use paper towels or clean cloths to wipe kitchen surfaces or spills. Wash cloths before you use them again for anything else. Use the hot cycle of your washing machine. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item. A solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 quart of water may be used to sanitize washed surfaces and utensils.

5. Cook Food Thoroughly

Cook food thoroughly until it is done. Cooked red meat looks brown inside. Poke cooked chicken with a fork. The juices should look clear, not pink. Dig a fork into cooked fish. The fish should flake. Cooked egg whites and yolks are firm, not runny. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles and other food. Use a thermometer with a small-diameter stem. Insert the thermometer 1 to 2 inches into the center of the food and wait 30 seconds to ensure an accurate measurement. Check temperature in several places to be sure the food is evenly heated.

6. Chill Food Promptly

Place food in the refrigerator. Don’t overfill the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food safe. Divide food and place in shallow containers. Slice roast beef or ham and layer in containers in portions for service. Divide turkey into smaller portions or slices & refrigerate. Remove stuffing from cavity before refrigeration. Place soups or stews in shallow containers. To cool quickly, place in ice water bath and stir. Cover and label cooked foods. Include the preparation date on the label.

7. Transport Food Safely

Keep cold food cold. Place cold food in cooler with a cold source such as ice or commercial freezing gels. Use plenty of ice or commercial freezing gels. Cold food should be held at or below 40° F. Hot food should be kept hot, at or above 140° F. Wrap well and place in an insulated container.

8. Reheat Food Correctly

Heat cooked, commercially vacuum-sealed, ready-to-eat foods, such as hams and roasts, to 140° F. Foods that have been cooked ahead & cooled should be reheated to at least 165° F. Reheat leftovers thoroughly to at least 165° F. Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil.

9. Serve Food The Safe Way

Use clean containers and utensils to store and serve food. When a dish is empty or nearly empty, replace with fresh container of food, removing the previous container. Place cold food in containers on some ice. Hold cold foods at or below 40° F. Food that will be portioned and served should be placed in a shallow container. Place the container inside a deep pan filled partially with ice to keep food cold. Once food is thoroughly heated on stovetop, oven or in microwave oven, keep food hot by using a heat source. Place food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays and/or slow cookers. Check the temperature frequently to be sure food stays at or above 140° F.

10. Complete Your Meal Experience Safely

Cooked foods should not be left standing on the table or kitchen counter for more than 2 hours. Disease-causing bacteria grow in temperatures between 40° F and 140° F. Cooked foods that have been in this temperature range for more than 2 hours should not be eaten. If a dish is to be served hot, get it from the stove to the table as quickly as possible. Reheated foods should be brought to a temperature of at least 165° F. Keep cold foods in the refrigerator or on a bed of ice until serving.

This rule is particularly important to remember in the summer months. Leftovers should be refrigerated as soon as possible. Meats should be cut in slices of 3 inches or less and all foods should be stored in small, shallow containers to hasten cooling. Be sure to remove all the stuffing from roast turkey or chicken and store it separately. Giblets should also be stored separately. Leftovers should be used within 3 days. Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Terry Nicholls is a networker who believes that customers are as important as distributors, and that health is the most important thing of all. You can share in his knowledge at terrynicholls.com/index.php terrynicholls.com/index.php
Terry Nicholls

Copyright Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved.

I got the Senseo single serve pod maker about 3 weeks ago. I tried it soon after (within a few hours) and have avoided the issue ever since.

The machine was easy enough to use. Clean the machine by filling the reservoir in the back with cold water and using the 2 cup brew setting once the unit has heated the water. You’re set once that is done.

The unit came with one bag of medium roast pods (there was the first mistake :: medium roast) and you have the option to either use the one pod or two pod holder. First off, you’d better get the pod/s in exactly perfect or you’re going to have a big mess to clean up when you try to brew. The water will leak profusely from around the pod holder. And if you do not want water running all over your counter, you had better make certain to empty the reservoir before you put it away and slide it back under the counter.

A major complaint that I have is the amount of coffee it brews. One cup… ok. It definitely means one cup. Like, about 3 ounces. The one cup setting fills my demitasse cup. I have to use two pods for that too. The coffee is weak and watered down. I’m up the river without a paddle if I want a two cup serving with using only two pods. No more than two will fit in the 2 pod holder. That will nearly fill a 6 ounce cappuccino cup. I’m more serious than that about my coffee drinking.

Clean up is simple. Wipe it down. Make sure the catch tray is empty. Pour out remaining water from the reservoir and you can even run the parts through the dishwasher if you prefer.

The coffee pods. That may be most of the problem. The coffee tastes old and stale. Almost as if it were ground some years ago. I know that sounds harsh but you do not even get a fresh ground scent once you open the bag holding the pods. I went so far as to go out and buy more of them just incase it was a fluke. No, it was not an isolated incident. Sadly.

I did cut the edge from one of the pods. Empty the contents and replace it with a bit of fresh grind Ethiopian. Aside from the small amount that it brewed, (on the single cup cycle) the taste was great. Fresh and even though I find the froth the machine produces to be bogus, all in all the replacement was a huge improvement. Maybe the machine would be more successful if they found a better coffee company to produce the pods.

Overall: I do not recommend the Senseo single serve pod coffee maker. You can do much better. It will cost you quite a bit more to step up but you will not regret it in the long run. If you enjoy a small amount of weak coffee, then this one is for you.

They charge you about $69.00 for this unit.

Their claims:

Each cup is perfectly brewed and topped with a rich, frothy coffee layer
Quick and easy one touch brewing system brews a cup in 30 seconds.
Convenient, no worry auto shutoff after 1 hour
Clean up is simple with dishwasher safe removable parts
1450 watts of power

Audrey -The Coffee Sage, runs her own weblog focusing on coffee and the love of coffee. You can find this article and others like it by visiting coffeesage.com/ Coffeesage.com

It is really very enthralling to notice that so many varieties of beans and coffees are available all across the world vis-a- vis the different kinds of grapes and wine that satisfy the taste buds of one and all. Furthermore, to provide a specification about the different types of beans and coffees available leads you to a great venture, an experience that gives you immense pleasure.

Out of all the others available, the most distinguished variety all around the globe is the Colombian. Mysterious, as it may seem when you take a sip of the La Esperanza from Tolima, as it has an inkling of pipe tobacco and milk chocolate which reminds you of a cherry like taste, yet it is enough to give you a zing. Further, as it is nurtured at approximately 6,000 feet, it is richly toned. Every sip leaves you with a soft fragile aromatic experience. You also tend to wonder as how such a mix can satisfy your taste buds.

Further, the Supremo, which is the world’s second largest producer, gives you more surprise elements in their package. A complex mixture of hints of semi-sweet chocolate brewed with the sweet essence of vanilla pods is the main significant hidden aspect of the Supremo. As the aroma of the brew withers swiftly, make sure to drink this piping hot.

In search of the next variety we have to move towards Hawaii. Here grows the Kona. The beans of the Kona are picked by hands like in the teagardens of Darjeeling and are available in dark roasted and medium flavors. The medium ones have a more acidic tinge whereas the dark roasted are a little milder on the acidic count. Miniscule in its acidic content with a bold, strong, dark side to it that is the espresso roast is the most renowned among one and all. The different taste of the espresso roast gives it a different character and appeal and it illuminates in its distinct glory.

The southern slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in Africa are the cultivable homelands of our next type of coffee beans rightly known as the Tanzanian Peaberry. Peaberries are world famous for their shape as they do not come in flat-sided bean pairs but rather they are distinguishably designed by nature and come in single oval shaped beans. Besides, their bodies are not heavy weighted but the acidic count is really high and this is the most important aspect of the peaberries. The mountain climbers of Mt. Kilimanjaro hence can experience a warm gush of the peaberries.

As you are in Africa take a short enjoyable journey through the coffee plantations of Ethopia. Ethopia, known for being the ancient fabulous home ground of coffee should henceforth never remain out of our study about the best varieties of coffee available all over the world. A citrus mixture containing flavors of ginger, orange peel and lemon can be made available in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethopia. This coffee is a unique blend of chocolaty and sour flavors, a refreshing scintillating feeling at every sip guaranteed.

The Monsoon Malabar is going to be our next succeeding well-known destination as we journey along east to India. The coffee beans here are very puffy yellow in color and shape having a very unique keen acrid taste, which is the result of the famous wet, winds that blow in the regions for three months. Further the Jumboors, having hints of sweetness that is caused by raisins should not be forgotten and thus, you should make sure to carry a sample of it as you proceed further in your journey.

Sumatra is our next stop, in search of coffee beans. Proceeding towards Indonesia we find ourselves in the native lands of Sumatra where the Lake Toba region is very well known for its beans of coffee. The bean cups are sweet and flowery and have a slightly roasted taste. In order to bring forth an astringent binding cup, which would also bear the intensities of cherry, the primitive originality of coffee, flower that is it being like jasmine has been left intact.

You should not avoid the northern provinces as you are bathing in the natural beauty of Sumatra. A spiced up tropical fruity concoction brought about by its dark roasted texture, which is part of its originality shapes, its uniqueness. Further sweet sour aromatic blend, which is the result of the grapefruit and cedar, mixed in together gives a tingle to your veins as you take a sip of the coffee.

Jamaica, a nature lover’s paradise is famous for the Jamaican peaberry. A unique discovery, retaining its Africanism, the Jamaican peaberry has a single bean in every pod and wholesome body adds to its originality. As you tend to sip along a cup of Jamaican coffee you are hit by its very strong flavors caused due to its sweet yet acidic zing and flowery essence and flavors.

Reading through the pages of ‘Travels Around The Globe’ – a treasure book has provided us with a refreshing knowledge hunt of the worlds best available coffee. The unquenchable thirst being satiated and the heart resting at peace we come to a phase where we have to close down our book and try to recuperate what we have learnt with a refreshing cup of coffee as reading gratified our knowledge thirst but now is the time to quench the taste buds.

Clinton Maxwell is publishing primarily for coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com , a web page with information about roasting , cappuccino and other interests. His work on coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com/cappuccino-machines.html cappuccino machines can be discovered on coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com/cappuccino-machines.html coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com/cappuccino-machines.html.