Coffee gifts have been given for about as long as gift giving has existed. Let’s face it, who does not like a great cup of joe? There are an endless supply of coffee beans and coffee making paraphernalia that the coffee gift giving ideas are virtually endless. For example, simple as it sounds, coffee beans and an old fashioned percolator would be a coffee lover’s dream.
With a huge array of coffee making gadgets, making a gift of someone’s favorite coffee is a snap! Along those lines, coffee on the go is very important. People are so busy these days, they seem to spend more time at work or traveling. They may want a cup of coffee but there is no where around to get a cup. If they have their travel cup, they can just bring it along.
People seem to really enjoy mixing their favorite flavors together. You can buy really nice white chocolate bars that are loaded with crushed coffee beans, and are delicious. Buy a bunch of them, wrap them in old fashioned brown paper and tie a bow at the top with raffia. When they jump up and down with excitement over your gift, and try to blame it on the caffeine, Mums the word. You only bought decaf. But let that be your little secret.
A lot of people have reasons to give gifts at work. Whether as a thank you or a retirement, there seems to be something always going on. Buy a quarter of a pound of about eight or ten different blends and flavors of coffee, and some really nice imported cookies and candy. Put them all together in a sack, and tie the end with a nice ribbon. This is great especially for a “secret Santa” exchange. Be sure to add a note including which items go well together.
Most lovers of coffee also like to have their own special, favorite coffee mug or cup and saucer. Just pack a really cool mug or cup with a pound or so of flavored coffee beans and wrap the whole thing in tinted cellophane, add a bow and you’ve got the makings of special coffee gift.
For those who always have a cup of coffee in front of them, and seem to have everything, why not buy them a “kaffa” plant. These plants are green and leafy and very attractive, They may not get any beans in a hurry, but it would be fun to have around. Plant in a coffee pot for added charm.
There are more ideas for giving the gift of coffee than there is time to create them all. Surprise someone and just bring them a cup of their favorite flavor. Want to really impress them? Have a coffee party in their honor and serve a variety of flavors along with some dunking cookies or homemade coffee cake!
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The coffee espresso machine seems simple enough, push a button and instant espresso or cappuccino. The history of the espresso machine though was anything but easy for the people who put their whole heart and soul into making it work. The word espresso is defined simply as coffee made by forcing steam through finely ground coffee beans. Some would say this sounds simple enough, but after you ponder about all the different techniques that had to be developed to allow this to happen; well it’s certain you will change your opinion. The espresso machine began its journey about 100 years ago.
There are stories that the machine was developed in Italy; this is definitely not the case. The first coffee espresso machine was developed in France in 1822. Mr. Louis Bernard Rabaut had an idea to brew coffee quickly by passing pressurized steam and water through a filter lined with ground coffee beans. In 1855, Mr. Edward Loy Sel de Santias brought his advancement of the espresso machine to the Paris Exposition. While entertaining the crowds at the Exposition he was able to brew 2,000 cups of this foam coffee in one hour.
Mr. Luigi Bezzera, an Italian, received a patent for his coffee machine in 1901. The machine used the same principle as Louis Rabaut’s in the early 1800s. The machine was supposed to enable people to make fast foam coffee without the need of waiting 10 minutes for a cup of hot Joe.
The patent was later purchased by a gentleman of the name of Desiderio Pavoni in 1903. By 1905 he was manufacturing this foam coffee out of his self named company. Pavoni introduced his remodeled invention to America in 1927. Americans loved how fast they could now brew their coffee, but they hated the taste of the burnt beans. The espresso machine evolved even further with the introduction of a piston pump that could force hot water through the coffee then boil it. This advancement was the much needed icing on the cake to make the coffee enjoyable to all those who partook in it.
The final advancement to the espresso machine emerged in 1961. M. Faema created the electric pump as an addition to the original design. This pump advanced the evolution of the espresso machine. In 1991 the first espresso machine was created for in home use; thus enhancing the acessiblity level to use this incredible machine in the comfort of your own home.
Before you enjoy that next sip of espresso or cappucino, think back to those pioneering inventors. Inconsequential as a first cup of coffee may seem, it took their creativity and and vision to bring about an a marvel of ingenuity and still serves its purpose more than a hundred years later.
In a world where things are so simple and fast paced. It’s almost amazing to ponder about how the early pioneers who brought us foam coffee had such a struggle to do so. All their hard work and dedication however did pay off in the long run. Today people from all over the world can now take advantage of this great invention all in the comfort of their own home.
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Any coffee lover knows that the time which elapses between the coffee beans being roasted and ground affects its quality. They also know that a good cup of coffee often depends on the equipment brewing it. Gone are the days when a pot of coffee is cooked in a tin pot over an open fire in the open range.
The quality of the coffee bean is very important. However even a mediocre quality coffee bean which is freshly ground is better than a great quality coffee bean ground too soon and allowed to lose its freshness. It is not easy to find freshly roasted coffee beans unless you roast them yourself, but they can be found in many specialty shops. The very least you as a coffee lover can do is invest in a decent grinder.
The basic piece of coffee equipment you, as a coffee lover, require is a good grinder. Grinders are available in all kinds of makes and models. They also come in different sizes, but no one really needs an industrial sized coffee grinder at home. Remember you want to grind the coffee fresh every time you need it; this is how you maintain the quality of the brew.
For espresso coffee lovers, an espresso machine is an absolute must in coffee equipment. You simply can’t make a good cup of espresso using a standard brewer or percolator. For some, that would be sacrilege.
Espresso needs to be made within a certain time frame; this is not easily achieved with the semi-automatic type machine; however they are adequate. The automatic espresso machine is the most preferable type of coffee equipment to use as it is simple to program in the time required to cut off a good shot of espresso. Cutting off a shot is the terminology used for making a cup of espresso as aficionados refer to it.
Super automatic espresso makers do everything for you, they grind the beans, tamp and pull the espresso shot, switch off and in most instances even get rid of the used coffee grounds. Not only are they high tech and works of art, these coffee machines are a source of fascination for espresso lovers everywhere, and they also cost a great deal of money. However for the coffee fanatic, price is no object when it comes to high quality coffee equipment.
Just make sure that if you invest in coffee equipment of a superior and expensive nature, that you know you are able to get parts locally, as well as have it serviced if something goes wrong. Imagine the grief if you’re forced to go without your favorite beverage for any extended period!
Filed under Coffee, Coffee Bean Roaster, Coffee Equipment, Coffee Espresso Machines, Coffee Gifts by admin
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