Ingredients

4 Barry’s Very Berry teabags
150ml of Port.
100g of Sugar
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Teaspoon of ground cloves.
1 Teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
4 Pears peeled.
4 Teaspoons of Castor Sugar

Directions

Add a litre of boiling water to the teabags in a saucepan and leave to soak for 10 minutes.

Add the Port, Cinnamon sticks, Cloves, Nutmeg and Sugar to the tea and bring to the boil. Then remove the teabags.

Add the pears to the paching liquid and allow to simmer, half covered with a lid for 20 minutes.

When the pears are cooked remove from the heat and allow to cool.

In the meantime mix the 4 teaspoons of Castor Sugar into the Mascarpone.

To serve place a pear in a bowl with some of the poaching liquid and a dollop of the mascarpone and finito, bon appétit!

Source: http://www.barrystea.ie/why-tea/tea-recipes.htm

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

Ingredients

4 Barry’s Green Tea and Lemongrass teabags.
4oz Rice.
400g of Beef, Chicken or Pork.
2 Cloves of Garlic finely grated.
1 Chilli finely chopped.
2 Teaspoons of Soy Sauce.
1 Teaspoon of Sesame oil.
A squeeze of Lemon juice.
2 Eggs.
75g of Cashew nuts.
3 Scallions.
50g of frozen Peas.

Directions

Wash the rice in lots of cold water to remove all the starch; otherwise the rice will be sticky. Meanwhile add 8 fluid oz of boiling water to the teabags and allow to soak for 10 minutes.
Fry the rice in a glug of olive oil on a high heat for a minute, remove the teabags and add the tea to the rice and bring to the boil. Once boiled transfer the rice to an oven proof dish, cover with tinfoil and place in an oven at 100 degrees celcius for 40 minutes or until cooked through.

Chop your meat up into small pieces and marinate in the garlic, chilli, soy sauce, sesame oil and lemon juice for half an hour.

Make a quick omlette with the eggs and chop into small pieces, then transfer to a bowl.

Dry fry your cashew nuts until golden brown, then add them to the omlette pieces.

5 Minutes before the rice is ready, fry your meat until cooked, then add the scallions and peas until they are just cooked. Add the whole lot to the omelette mix.

Remove the rice from the oven and fry in a pan for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together. Season well with salt and pepper and serve.

Source: http://www.barrystea.ie/why-tea/tea-recipes.htm

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

Today, Irish tea comes in two forms. The first category is Irish tea made by tea companies in Ireland and blended specifically for Ireland’s water. The second category is Irish teas made by tea companies around the world. This second version is a black tea with a malty flavor best served with sugar and milk.

With a full-bodied taste, Irish teas are increasingly popular with tea drinkers. Barry’s Tea is an authentic Irish tea, blended and produced in Ireland. Barry’s blends tea leaves from Africa and India, specifically Kenya, Rwanda and the Assam Valley. Most tea used is African, since it works particularly well with the Irish water. Blending different types and amounts of tea produces varying tastes. The difference between brands of Irish tea is how they are blended.

Barry’s Tea has a long-established reputation as Ireland’s leading tea company. The company was founded in 1901 by James J. Barry. Since its inception, Barry’s Tea was known for providing high quality tea. In 1934, Barry’s Tea was awarded the Empire Cup for tea blending. Until the 1960′s, Barry’s Tea was sold mainly from a shop on Prince’s Street in Cork, Ireland

Barry’s occupies the high end of the tea market. According to Barry’s, the company has 34% of the tea market in Ireland and is second behind leader Lyons Tea.

The company flagship product, Barry’s Gold is the most popular tea. Brewing an amber color with a smooth, clean taste, Barry’s Gold is available in tea bags and loose tea.

A premium tea, Barry’s Classic is the second most popular tea. Full-bodied and with a stronger flavor than Barry’s Gold, Barry’s Classic comes in tea bags and loose tea.

Formerly called Green Label, Barry’s Irish Breakfast is a traditional Irish tea. Brewing a light amber color, Barry’s Irish Breakfast is a subtle blend with a soft flavor and available in tea bags.

While many caffeine-free teas taste weak and lack flavor, Barry’s offers a full-flavored decaffeinated. Barry’s Decaffeinated is available in tea bags.

For a flavored tea, try Barry’s Earl Grey, a black tea blended with bergamot oil. Barry’s also offers a green tea.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Barrys-Tea-is-Authentically-Irish&id=1518759

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

It is an indisputable fact for most of us that we spend a major portion of our life at the workplace, and I am one of those who has the attitude, but also the luxury, of making my workplace as much of a comfortable place as possible. That level of comfort, besides photos of my wife and son plus the Moody Blues station on Pandora, includes several cups of good coffee in the morning. I admit, I am a snob when it comes to the matters of coffee (Okay, it’s the same with tea. We only drink Barry’s Irish Tea at breakfast.), and I use only whole beans of the best quality. Best quality includes buying coffee beans freshly roasted in the neighborhood, namely the Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters. Their roasting operation is only a few miles from our house, and their local Greenfield (Massachusetts) coffee store is even closer.

Nestled in the foothills of New England’s Berkshires, the Shelburne Falls coffee roastery hearkens back to an earlier America, a time and place where fine things were produced by village craftspeople who nurtured their products from start to finish. You will find that their hand roasted coffee beans, whether organic coffee, decaffeinated coffee, or the rich assortment of flavored coffees — are as fresh and delicious as coffee can be.

And, honestly, while I am writing this post I have a steaming cup of their Costa Rican Tarrazu right next to me. I love my coffee the French style, meaning with a lot of milk, similar to a cafe au lait. It’s just regular whole milk; my snobbiness does not include a steamer at the workplace or even at home.

This Light Roast version of the Costa Rican Tarrazu coffee classic is an excellent morning coffee! Brew it through your drip machine like I do, and you can experience all its flavors. This full-bodied coffee is delightfully smooth with a sweet, fruited aroma. In flavor, subtle chocolate nuances pair beautifully with notes of sweet citrus. The cup distinctly brightens toward the finish with a sweetly dry, lemon-like citrus nuance that pleasantly lingers. At its best prepared as a drip brew, while the French press produces a somewhat brighter cup with the more pronounced citrus nuances.

The Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters product line of coffees includes Colombian Supremo, Guatemalan Antigua, Organic Coffees (Mexican, Peruvian, and Sumatran), Flavored Coffees (Hazelnut, Toasted Coconut Cream, French Vanilla, and Roasted Chestnut), and, of course, a large variety of decaffeinated coffees.

If you are in the neighborhood, please take the time to visit one of their stores in Shelburne Falls, Northampton, Greenfield, or Hadley, Massachusetts. The service is always friendly, and you might even learn a few things about coffee as I did during the years.

For example, did you know that their Decaf French Roast is close to having an espresso flavor, but is a quite a bit smoother (in fact, some customers prefer to use this bean as their espresso)? It is also a little known fact that French Vanilla is not a vanilla flavor at all, but a term used to describe the French method of making ice cream using egg yolks, cream, and vanilla pods. The unique flavor and aroma came to be called French Vanilla by perfume and specialty product companies, and has been in use ever since.

Well, if you live in another corner of the country, you can still try and enjoy their coffee by ordering online through the Copperhill Store, a website dedicated to products from New England, including those of the Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters. Their web site is http://www.copperhillstore.com. Regardless of where you live, their coffee is the freshest thing to having the roastery in your neighborhood. Their coffee beans are slow-roasted to bring out a fuller, more even flavor. The coffee is roasted fresh immediately prior to packaging and shipping, and the the beans are packaged to ensure optimal freshness.

Enjoy!

While there is a plethora of books on the history and economy of coffee, there are surprisingly few about enjoying coffee. With 200 color photos and friendly text, this highly readable and accessible coffee guide is divided into two sections, covering the beans and the brew. In addition to providing a general knowledge of coffee, Sinnott (curator, www.coffeecompanion.com) strives to give readers tools to prepare world-class coffee at home. Along with selecting, roasting, grinding, and brewing coffee, he discusses serving coffee-correct temperatures, using sugar and milk, and the equipment needed. Troubleshooting tips, charts, step-by-step instructions, and a variety of recipes add to the book’s usefulness and value.

Tracing the beverage from its first appearance in the Turkish and Saudi Arabian coffeehouses of the 1500s to the chains and boutique shops of today, Sinnott’s guide to primo coffee enables readers to fill their cups to the rim… with greatness. Readers will learn the differing qualities of producing countries (good acidity but light body from Peru; the distinctive Liberica espresso from Laos), the particulars of roasting, and even the best times to buy and brew. Sinnott deftly navigates the thorny issues of production, preferring to focus on the enjoyment of the product. Even readers who don’t know their Arabica from their Robusta or a French Press from a percolator will appreciate Sinnott’s informative and egalitarian approach; suggestions are the order of the day, not mandates. Whether the barista-to-be prefers to create custom blends to roast at home in the hopes of an ultimate cup, or simply wants to get a better pot from the auto drip she bought for $20, Sinnott’s guide will result in a better cup of joe.

Review

This book is a welcome addition to your bookshelf (or, hey, it’s a great start to a bookshelf!). Mr. Sinnott’s knowledge drips through the pages, but never takes the audience for granted. Nothing is “dumbed down” for readers, but nothing is too complicated for those with the, pardon the expression, “layman’s knowledge” of the beverage. The recipes are a welcome addition, as well, as they are not complicated and allow those willing to put in a little work the opportunity to save a lot of money on fancy coffee drinks.

I liked how this was not just a coffee history, coffee selection or roasting guide, recipe book, or brewing explanation guide, but everything nicely wrapped into one. The further reading references in the back add a personal touch from the coffee-man himself.

This book is short and sweet, yet not devoid of the narrative subtlety and richness of knowledge. Almost sounds like a shot of espresso. – d-money, Amazon Review

In this captivating book, Stewart Lee Allen treks three-quarters of the way around the world on a caffeinated quest to answer these profound questions: Did the advent of coffee give birth to an enlightened western civilization? Is coffee, indeed, the substance that drives history?

From the cliffhanging villages of Southern Yemen, where coffee beans were first cultivated eight hundred years ago, to a cavernous coffeehouse in Calcutta, the drinking spot for two of India’s three Nobel Prize winners . . . from Parisian salons and cafés where the French Revolution was born, to the roadside diners and chain restaurants of the good ol’ U.S.A., where something resembling brown water passes for coffee, Allen wittily proves that the world was wired long before the Internet. And those who deny the power of coffee (namely tea-drinkers) do so at their own peril.

Editorial Review

“Stewart Lee Allen is the Hunter S. Thompson of coffee, offering a wild, caffeinated, gonzo tour of the World of the Magic Bean. His wry, adventurous prose delights, astonishes, amuses, and informs.”
–MARK PENDERGRAST
Author of Uncommon Grounds:
The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World

Review

In The Devil’s Cup, Stewart Lee Allen decides to travel the world in search of the history of coffee. He travels on a budget that leads to many interesting scenarios, such as crossing the Atlantic on a cargo ship with a handful of other passengers, that have little to nothing to do with coffee. Much of his info on the history of coffee in Europe is a recitation (although amusingly told) of more staid histories of coffee. He spends most of his travels looking for either the best or worst cup of coffee. After I finished the book, I felt like I had read several good anecdotal stories and legends about the origins and history of coffee, and had also read a rather crazy, but interesting, travelogue that loosely related to the spread of coffee from Africa to the rest of the world. It was a fun read and worth reading, but I am still looking for a more focused and complete history of coffee. – Brenda Jo Mengeling, Amazon Review

Fight Colds and Flu
Lower Cholesterol
Beat Depression
Banish Fatigue
Enhance Memory
Lose Weight
And More!

An ancient Chinese legend: Once there was a man who knew 100,000 healing properties of herbs. He taught his son 80,000 secrets. On his deathbed, he told his son to visit his grave in five years, and there he would find the other 20,000 secrets. When the son went to his father’s grave, he found, growing on the site, the tea shrub….

Teas are the gentle, natural, most beneficial way to absorb the healing properties of herbs–easily and inexpensively. A simple cup of tea not only has the power to soothe and relax but to deliver healing herbal agents to the bloodstream more quickly than capsules, tinctures, or infusions. Feeling tired? Rose hip tea will rev you up and beautify your skin. Need some help with your diet? Ginger tea will provide the boost you need and help aching joints too. Hot or iced, these pure and simple drinks offer delicious ways to stay healthy and revitalize you from the inside out. This unique guide offers:

An A-Z listing of common ailments followed by the teas best used to treat them
Instructions on how to create your own medicinal kitchen
Advice on creating your own tea blends
Descriptions of the top 100 herbs and their secret healing properties
And much, much more!

Review

20,000 Secrets of Tea is the best book I’ve ever read on the subject of herbs and herbal teas.Unlike some books on herbs and teas, this book is clear-cut and extremely easy to follow. The book also contains many recipes for tea blends and recipes for certain ailments. I was amazed by the amount of information contained in this book. Not only does it contain detailed descriptions of herbs, but it also gives a summary of traditional and historical uses of herbs. It also lists certain precautions that should be taken when considering herbal remedies. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in how tea and herbs can contribute to their health! – Corinne L. Elks, Amazon Review

Essential for making tea using looseleaf varieties, this infuser ball is also very useful for simmering pot pourri or for holding loose herbs and spices such as bouquet garni.

• Stainless steel
• 2″ Diameter
• Chain hang hook allows you to loop chair around cup handle and secure

Rid yourself of your ties to teabags, and welcome the versatility of a tea ball. Able to handle single cups, teapots, and even stockpots, this tea ball can be used for loose leaf tea, bouquet garni, or spices for your winter mulled wine. The attached hook lets the ball hang from your teapot or panhandle and is easily removable when your herbs have fully steeped. Made of high-quality steel, the teaball will not rust, promising years of use. –Madeleine Miller

Review

I have used many things for brewing tea and have found that this Mesh Tea Ball is the best. I have used the loose tea spoons, which have a closed metal design with little holes all around. The problem with those, is the smaller loose tea pieces escape leaving unpleasant floaties in my drink. I really like the mesh design. Loose tea bits do not escape and it is much easier to fill. I cannot believe I waitied so long before getting one. Now my tea is free from floaties. This mesh design allows more of the tea to be infused by the water….leaving a much more natural and pure taste as opposed to tea bags or metal spoons. Tea bags seem to filter too much sometimes…..metal spoons almost taste metallic at times. – Amazon Customer Review

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

Bodum Assam 4 Cup Tea Press Black 34 Oz. – Bodum 1844-01GVP

• Brew tea without removing the infuser
• 32-ounce capacity
• All parts are dishwasher safe
• Designed for the British Tea Council
• Heat resistant borosilicate glass, stainless steel lid, polycarbonate strainer and plunger

Who knows more about tea than the British? When the British Tea Council asked Bodum to develop a new way of brewing tea, the result was this unique press that’s almost as much fun to look at as it is to use. Simply fill the strainer with tea leaves and add boiling water–a slow process, but well worth the time. (You could also use tea bags, but why would you want to?) The clear jug lets you see the tea as it’s steeping, allowing you to customize its strength to your taste. When the tea is strong enough, slowly depress the plunger to stop the brewing. You won’t have any tea leaves to read at the bottom of your cup, but there’s no mess and no need to remove the strainer before you pour. But be forewarned: the Bodum press doesn’t retain heat quite as well as a traditional teapot, so you might want to use a tea cozy if you’re not drinking the whole pot in one sitting. It’s a shame to cover up such a beautiful design, but that’s the way the tea leaf tumbles. –Mary Park

Review

I bought this with the bodum tea warmer (the electic one they sell here) and use it every morning at work. It is WONDERFUL, as I can brew up tea or just have hot water on hand for teabags or my chai tea mixes. There’s a hot water tap at work from the coffee maker, so it’s simple to fill up. If I had this at home, I’d get a 4-cup pyrex cup so I could microwave that much water at once.

CLEANING:
You use a scrub brush every few days if needed. One of those yellow sponges with green scrubbies on them. The infuster does NOT hold on to flavor unless you are simply not washing it. The infuser is plastic, so if you don’t actually wash it off but just run water over it, yes it will retain odor/taste. You have to have a semi abrasive action to take off whatever hangs around. Really not an issue if you aren’t a completely lazy bum. Takes me about 30 seconds to run a scrubby sponge around the inside and outside and I only need to do that if I’ve left it sitting around for hours on end with strong tea leaves inside.

The plunger does NOT get stuck unless you are a complete weakling or have a defective product. There’s suction at work once you’ve pushed it all the way down, so of course it won’t glide up smoothly with a light tug. I probably use more strength opening a jar of jam than I do lifting the plunger.

Combine this with the warmer and you’ve a GREAT product. You can have tea on hand for hours and sip your mornings away.

They also sell a 2 cup and a 6 cup model. Judge how much you might drink and then pick the one that suits you best. I sometimes wish I had the 6 cup one instead, as I find that if I have that much tea on hand at my desk, it’s very easy to drink and suddenly find it all gone without thinking about it. I love it. – L. Peasley, Amazon Review

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

Say goodbye to tea bags and enjoy your perfect cup of tea in style with the stainless steel YOYO tea strainer and PAVINA double wall glass. The PAVINA glass is made from mouth-blown, heat-resistant borosilicate glass which allows tea lovers to visually enjoy the rich colors their favorite teas offer. Freely swirling tea leaves will release their full potential, like in a Bodum tea pot but on a smaller scale. With a length of 11.7 cm (4.6 inch), it fits into all Bodum mugs. The lid is dual purpose. If put upside-down onto the strainer it keeps the water warm while the tea is brewing, if flipped after the brewing it can be used as a saucer for the tea infuser. The hole on top of the tea infuser allows for easy storage by just hanging it up. All parts are dishwasher safe.

Bodum’s modern and beautiful tea set includes the YoYo strainer, a 12-ounce Pavina double-wall glass, and a lid. The set allows one to brew loose-leaf tea directly in the glass. The double-wall design ensures the glass will keep beverages hotter longer, yet stay a comfortable temperature for holding. Measuring 4.6 inches long (11.7 cm), the tea strainer also fits with all Bodum double-wall mugs as well. The durable strainer is made from stainless steel while the Pavina glass is made from mouth-blown, heat-resistant borosilicate glass. Smartly and efficiently designed, the set has a dual-purpose lid. If placed upside-down onto the strainer, it keeps the water warm while the tea is brewing. If flipped after the brewing, the lid can be used as a saucer for the tea infuser. The see-through glass allows tea lovers to visually enjoy the rich colors their favorite teas offer. A hole on top of the infuser allows for easy storage by hanging, and all parts are dishwasher safe.

• Bodum’s modern and beautiful tea set includes the YoYo strainer, a 12-ounce Pavina double-wall glass, and a lid
• Designed to brew loose-leaf tea directly in the glass; double-wall glass keeps beverages hot yet stays cool to the touch
• Measuring 4.6 inches long (11.7 cm), the tea strainer also fits with all Bodum double-wall mugs as well
• Dual-purpose lid keeps the water warm while the tea’s brewing and serves as saucer for infuser
• A hole on top of the infuser allows for easy storage by hanging, and all parts are dishwasher safe

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

• Travel tea tumbler by Trudeau
• Brew loose tea or tea bags in minutes
• Convenient Carry & Go design
• Stainless steel mesh basket inside mug
• EcoFriendly; BPA free; 5 year warranty

With this travel tea tumbler you’ll be able brew loose tea or tea bags in minutes … and do it while on-the-go. Plus, this double wall insulated tumbler will keep your tea hot for up to two hours. It has a convenient (and attractive) “carry & go” design and will hold up to 16 ounces. Includes a stainless steel mesh infuser that can be used to hold loose leaf tea or tea bags. 5 year warranty. By Trudeau. Trudeau develops visionary products that add an exciting flavor to your day. Style eloquence, innovation … Trudeau – letting you savor life’s little moments.

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

• Enjoy fresh, loose-leaf teas any time with Norpro’s mess-free infuser and drip-cup set
• Mesh infuser crafted from durable stainless steel with a comfortable, non-slip santoprene handle
• When removing infuser from fresh-brewed tea, place in stainless-steel drip cup for mess-free enjoyment
• Infuser measures 6 inches (15 cm) long
• Hand wash for care

Norpro’s Grip-EZ Tea Infuser with Cup. Stainless steel mesh infuser with a comfortable santoprene handle with non-slip grip. No drips and no mess with the handy drip cup.

Enjoy fresh, loose-leaf teas any time with Norpro’s mess-free infuser and drip-cup set. The mesh infuser is crafted from durable stainless steel with a comfortable, non-slip santoprene handle. When removing the infuser from the fresh-brewed tea, place it in the included stainless-steel drip cup for mess-free enjoyment. The infuser measures 6 inches (15 cm) long and should be washed by hand for care.

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

Great for the office or when traveling, this innovative teapot releases infused tea into a drinking cup. When tea is ready, simply place it atop the cup, causing a valve at the bottom to release and crystal-clear tea to flow down. A mesh filter retains all the leaves with one of the best infusers on the market. Dishwasher and microwave safe, the teapot is made in Taiwan of food-grade plastic. It holds up to 16 ounces and has an easy-grip handle.

The most convenient teapot you will find anywhere. When tea is ready, simply place it atop your cup. This will cause a valve at the bottom to release: crystal-clear tea flows down, while the mesh filter retains all the leaves with one of the best infusers on the market. Super easy to clean and dishwasher safe. And it’s microwaveable–perfect for the office or the road. You will wonder how you got along without one. Made in Taiwan of food-grade plastic.

• Great for the office or when traveling, this innovative teapot releases infused tea directly into a drinking cup
• When tea is ready, simply place it atop a cup, causing a valve at the bottom to release and crystal-clear tea to flow down
• A mesh filter retains all the leaves with one of the best infusers on the market
• Dishwasher and microwave safe, the teapot is made in Taiwan of food-grade plastic
• It holds up to 16 ounces and has an easy-grip handle

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

Making the perfect cuppa is not as easy as it may sound. How hot should the water be? How long should the tea steep? What kind of tea should be used in the first place? All pertinent tea-making questions are answered in knowlegeable, bouyant prose in this handy guide. The authors take readers along as they “explore the world of premium tea”; premium tea, once unknown in the West, is now very popular in the U.S. (“Tea,” by the way, is “the most widely consumed beverage on the planet after water” and “still proudly maintains its title as the world’s oldest beverage.”) Guidance is extended to purchasing and steeping tea, but the in-depth discussions of the properties and particular pleasures of the six classes of tea dominate most of the book’s pleasurable pages. Information on tea storage and a glossary round out this excellent introduction to a special world. –Brad Hooper

Editorial Reviews

“Excellent, concise advice about tea. The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook, a charming guide small enough to fit in a large pocket, brims with enthusiasm. …The information is essential to appreciation; almost every word bears on taste. The Heisses write with impressive accuracy, having researched and lived the subject extensively…. All tea styles…are given equal attention and value, which is rarely the case in tea literature. …All is laid out with succint clarity and precision.”
— Kevin Gascoyne, The Art of Eating, 7/1/10

“This book is like a mini encyclopedia dedicated to all things Camellia sinensis.”
—Imbibe Magazine, March 2010

“The Heisses have written a valuable guide.”
—Library Journal, 3/15/10

“All pertinent tea-making questions are answered in knowledgeable, buoyant prose in this handy guide.”
— Booklist, 2/15/10

“Rich detail on how to buy, brew, and enjoy the six classes of tea. Questions…are answered with unparalleled passion.”
—Tea A Magazine, February 2010

“This delightful, pocket-sized edition offers virtually everything one needs to know about selecting, brewing and enjoying the most consumed (after water) beverage on earth.”
—Gourmet Retailer

Review

There are few books about tea that add to the discussion about tea in any meaningful way, but Mary Lou and Robert Heiss’s new book, ‘The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook’ is one of them. This is a book about quality, although they sidestep the word because it has very little meaning in the industry, and instead use the word ‘soundness’, saying “We prefer to begin judging the potential merits of a tea by evaluating its soundness”.

Their book points the reader in a sound direction. Serious students of tea may find that they disagree with some of the details, but it is indisputable that the path to the world’s best teas is clearly defined in this book. The international tea industry has never been clear about this path because it points to China and unblended, unflavored tea, and the established industry has a hard time delivering such tea to consumers. Even though teas from other areas are mentioned, the heart of the book is about Chinese tea. China, after all, is where tea originated, and definitions about tea need to be consistent with Chinese standards.

They have taken a risk in writing this book. The industry has not been very supportive of writers that dare to write books that challenge conventional wisdom. It may not be obvious to the people reading that are outside of the industry, but a book like this really is a game changer. People will start to look at the tea that they are buying from the conventional sources and will start to realize that tea that they are buying and is being sold for ‘good quality’ is in reality very ‘sound’. Then the open secret that people in the industry know, and increasingly ‘tea enthusiasts’ are becoming aware of, is that there is much better tea out there, it’s just that it is difficult to come by in the US and Europe. Mary Lou and Robert have stirred that controversy just by providing good information.

Mary Lou and Robert Heiss are excellent teachers. The lessons presented in this book are clear and concise. This book contains lessons that professional tea buyers ought to pay attention to and gives the consumers a high standard with which to judge in buying tea. The book is intelligently organized, highlighted with good photography, and well written. There are no examples of flowery rhetoric in place of substance. They tell the reader what good tea is, and where to find it. It may seem like a small book, but it gives the reader everything they need to get started with, or to expand their experience with tea. This is a book that every tea drinker should own, enthusiast or not, and in my opinion it is the most substantive book about tea to be written in English. It is not a travel log or a romanticized history.

I get asked often to recommend books about tea. The Heiss’s first book The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide set the bar higher for tea education, but they have surpassed it with this book. I do recommend both of their books, but this one is really a game changer. Buy it.

– Austin Hodge, Seven Cups Fine Teas

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

• Fight Colds and Flu
• Lower Cholesterol
• Beat Depression
• Banish Fatigue
• Enhance Memory
• Lose Weight
• And More!

An ancient Chinese legend: Once there was a man who knew 100,000 healing properties of herbs. He taught his son 80,000 secrets. On his deathbed, he told his son to visit his grave in five years, and there he would find the other 20,000 secrets. When the son went to his father’s grave, he found, growing on the site, the tea shrub….

Teas are the gentle, natural, most beneficial way to absorb the healing properties of herbs–easily and inexpensively. A simple cup of tea not only has the power to soothe and relax but to deliver healing herbal agents to the bloodstream more quickly than capsules, tinctures, or infusions. Feeling tired? Rose hip tea will rev you up and beautify your skin. Need some help with your diet? Ginger tea will provide the boost you need and help aching joints too. Hot or iced, these pure and simple drinks offer delicious ways to stay healthy and revitalize you from the inside out. This unique guide offers:

• An A-Z listing of common ailments followed by the teas best used to treat them
• Instructions on how to create your own medicinal kitchen
• Advice on creating your own tea blends
• Descriptions of the top 100 herbs and their secret healing properties
• And much, much more!

Barry’s – The Finest Quality Teas from Ireland

Barry’s Irish Tea – Breakfast Blend, Golden Blend, Decafinated – The finest quality teas with a uniquely refreshing flavour and a bright golden color.

The sleek, attractive thermal carafe and stainless accents blend seamlessly to achieve a classic look with modern conveniences. With easy 24 hour programmability to ensure a fresh pot of coffee anytime, and a 1-4 cup setting to maintain the delicious coffee taste when making a smaller pot, this 10-cup coffeemaker is a smart addition to the countertop. And the gold-tone coffee filter and charcoal water filter always ensure fresh, great tasting coffee.

The Cuisinart DCC-1150 10-Cup Programmable Thermal Coffeemaker

You’ll love the way the Cuisinart Classic 10-cup programmable coffeemaker looks on the counter, as its brewing 10-Cups of fabulous coffee. The Cuisinart Classis Thermal 10-cup programmable coffeemaker is a statement about how serious you are about your coffee ‒ and your kitchen. Enjoy the full programmability, extreme ease of use, double-wall thermal carafe, and great tasting coffee.

Element 4. Proportion:
Add the amount of ground coffee that corresponds to the number of cups being brewed. Use 1 tablespoon of ground coffee per cup, but use more or less to suit your taste. Note: the maximum capacity for ground coffee is 15 tablespoons for the 10-Cup (5 ounce cups) coffeemaker. Exceeding this amount may cause overflow if the coffee is too finely ground.

1. Reservoir Cover: Flips back for easy filling.
2. Water Reservoir: Open the cover by lifting it up. Pour the desired amount of water in the reservoir using step water level indicator located at the rear of the reservoir.
3. Showerhead: Distributes water evenly over coffee, reducing temperature loss as water passes through grounds.
4. Water Filter: Charcoal water filter eliminates chlorine, calcium and bad tastes or odors from tap water. Cuisinart recommends changing the water filter every 60 days or 60 uses ‒ or more often if you have hard water.
5. Filter Basket: Holds a #4 paper filter or a permanent filter.
6. LCD Digital Clock: Displays the time of day and set time for automatic functions.
7. Function Knob: Used to initiate programming of automatic functions ‒ Auto On, Program, Clock and Brew. The Auto On feature is used to program the start time of the brew cycle. The Auto On can be set for any time, day or night. The PM indicator is displayed on the LCD for nighttime program times. Note: This coffeemaker shuts off automatically after brewing is complete.
8. 1- to 4-Cup Setting: For brewing smaller pots of coffee. It provides double heating of the water, so coffee is piping hot.
9. Clean Setting: Tells you when it’s time to clean your coffeemaker. Remove built-up calcification from the water reservoir, to help extend the life of your coffeemaker.
10. Brew Pause: Stops flow of coffee from basket when carafe is removed (30 seconds max) from the heater plate, so a cup can be poured in mid-brew. Since the flavor extraction rate varies during the brew cycle, we recommend allowing the brewing cycle to finish before pouring the coffee. The coffee brewed at the beginning of the cycle has a flavor profile which is very different from the flavor at the end of the cycle. Once the coffee has finished brewing, stir it before serving to blend the flavors. The coffee at the bottom of the carafe will be somewhat stronger than the coffee at the top.
11. Thermal Carafe with Hands-Free Lid: The easy pour no drip, double wall insulated 10-cup stainless thermal carafe with an ergonomic handle. The brew-through, pour-through lid allows coffee to drip from the coffeemaker through the closed lid. When brewing is complete, the lid seals itself so air stays out and the coffee freshness and temperature are preserved. No need to turn or adjust the lid before pouring. Note: Use caution, the bottom of the thermal is hot to touch for several minutes after brewing.
12. Heating Plate: Scratch resistant with black, nonstick coating.
13. Ready Tone: Signals the end of the brew cycle with five beeps (coffee will continue to stream from the filter for a few seconds after the tone).
14. Cord Storage
15. Power Loss Back-up System: One-minute protection in case of power fails, breaker trips, or unit is unplugged. It holds all programmed information, including the time of day, auto on time and auto off time.

Product Features

• 8-cup, 34-ounce French press coffee maker allows you to brew flavorful coffee in 4 minutes
• Beaker made of ultra-light, heat-resistant borosilicate glass; polypropylene handle and base
• 3-part stainless steel mesh filter helps extract your coffee’s aromatic oils and subtle flavors
• Patented safety lid prevents splashing of liquids while pressing
• All parts are dishwasher safe

Product Description

One of Bodum’s original coffee press designs from the 1980s, the Bodum Brazil offers a classic take on modern, functional design that will never go out of style. Perfect for extracting your coffee’s aromatic oils and subtle flavors, this 8-cup coffee press can hold up to 34 ounces. It features an ultra-light, heat-resistant borosilicate glass beaker, which is both strong and resistant to temperature extremes and dishwasher safe. It’s complemented by a polypropylene handle and base and a 3-part stainless steel plunger with a fine mesh filter–allowing the flavor of the coffee to be delivered direct to your cup and not absorbed by a paper filter. The patented safety lid also prevents the splashing of liquids while pressing. All parts are dishwasher safe.

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from New England - Click on image for more info...

To make the perfect pot of French press coffee, add 1 rounded tablespoon of coarsely ground coffee for each 4-ounce cup of water. After pouring boiling water over the coffee, give the grounds a stir with a plastic spoon, then allow your coffee to brew in the press for 4 minutes pressing down on the plunger.

The Brazil French Press coffee maker, designed in the early 80′s, was our first coffee maker and quickly became a symbol of what Bodum stands for. Attractive and functional design at an affordable price. The Brazil has an ultra-light, heat-resistant borosilicate glass beaker and a polypropylene handle and base, which make the Brazil easy to use and easy to clean. The 3-part stainless steel plunger has a fine mesh filter, which allows for a premium extraction of your coffee’s aromatic oils and subtle flavors. A mesh filter allows this flavor to be delivered direct to your cup and not absorbed by a paper filter. Plus, no paper filter means no waste. The patented safety lid prevents the splashing of liquids while pressing. All parts are dishwasher safe. This 8-cup coffeemaker is (1.0 l, 34oz.) in size and is also available in 3-cup (0.35 l, 12 oz) size model.

Review

Let’s face it, dumping coffee grounds into a bucket of hot water is nothing new. The Bodum Press is a refinement of the cowboy coffee brewing method, minus the campfire & straining it thru a sock. In My world, there is no such thing as “too Strong” for coffee. There IS, however, too bitter & too acidy. The press does what perking, dripping and steaming ground coffee cannot do: produce a stout, yet smooth cup of coffee – just like the stuff made around decades of my campfires.

Model Brazil, made in Denmark by a Swiss Company & called a French Press. No wonder the confusion over exactly how many cups this actually makes. The Euro-instructions for the press say 4 oz. per cup, but even my fine Bavarian China cups (from when I lived in Munich) are 6 ounces.

Just look at it this way: It holds 32 ounces of water.

The instructions on your roast coffee container usually say to use 1 TBSP per 6 ounces of water (NOT 4 ounces & NOT 8 ounces). Again, in MY world, 32 ozs. makes about 2 cups of coffee.

I toss in 6 or more scoops of ground coffee, pour in hot water & wait the obligatory 4 minutes. The result is a smooth coffee that you can drink by the quart without that nasty heartburn/reflux side effect.

It’s ideal for work, where the office sissies are afraid of offending anyone with REAL coffee, so they make it weak. I simply step up to the hot water spigot & take the Press to my desk.

Now, you, too, can have coffee the way you like it at work without having to cover up someone’s botched brew with that foo-foo Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Cream or other phoney-flavored faux creamers.

Cleanup? Swirl around some soapy water, & dump the grounds down the sink – just be sure to have the water blasting & the garbage disposal running, so as to not plug up the sink trap.

Even if you already have the coffee-brewing apparatus of your dreams, buy the Bodum 32 oz. model. You won’t be disappointed. – AZshooter, Amazon Review

Ideal for entertaining, this 1500-watt single-serve home-brewing system brews a fresh cup of gourmet coffee or tea in less than a minute. The unit uses Keurig’s patented K-Cups, which offer over 70 varieties of pre-measured gourmet coffee and tea from a variety of premium brands. The brewer’s patented one-touch technology ensures precise control of brewing, and there’s no messy grinding or clean up. Simply open the lid, insert a K-Cup, close the lid, and select a cup size. Two brew-size options include a 7-1/4-ounce cup and a 9-1/4-ounce mug. The machine fits both regular and travel-size mugs easily, and comes with a two-hour automatic shut-off for safety. Other useful features include a descale indicator, a removable 48-ounce water reservoir, and a removable drip tray. Providing a convenient size and quiet performance, the single-cup home-brewing system measures 13-1/4 by 10 by 13 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from New England - Click on image for more info...

The Elite Brewing System is Keurig’s gourmet home brewing made affordable. The Elite Brewing System, the most affordably priced Keurig kitchen brewing system, offers K-Cup® coffee, tea and hot cocoa brewing as the elite choice to any drip coffee maker. The Elite offers two cup sizes for brewing options with the programmable feature of Auto Off. The 48-ounce removable water reservoir holds up to 6 cups before refilling and for the removable drip tray allows for easy cleaning and the use of travel mugs.At initial set up, once the machine is filled with water, it will take approximately 4-minutes for the water will be heated. During the heating period the red light next to ‘HEATING’ on the LED Control Center will become illuminated. Once the water is heated, the red light will turn off and the Small Mug Button will flash. Press the Small Mug Button to start a cleansing brew. Pour the hot water into the sink. The Brewer may take 15 seconds to reheat water between brews during which time the red light next to ‘HEATING’ on the LED Control Center may be illuminated. When the water has heated, the red light will turn off. The one-time set-up process is now complete and you are ready to brew!

Review

I read every single Amazon.com review for this item. And then read them again. I went to the Keurig website and researched the B40. Came back to Amazon and read the reviews one more time. If I was going to pay $100 for a coffee machine, I wanted to be sure I knew as much as possible about it. I finally purchased the B40, and after getting it today and having brewed four cups of coffee so far, I offer the following review (from a BLACK COFFEE drinker, no milk, no sugar):

I think the people who claim this machine is too loud and complain that it vibrates too much are your normal “Mr. Coffee” people. Yes, the machine makes noise. It’s pumping pressurized hot water into the K-Cups. Of course it’s gonna make noise. I counted each time the noise was made. It lasts five seconds each time, at most. And it’s MUCH quieter than my Melitta Mill & Brew, which grinds the coffee beans with a high shrill. This machine also vibrates. But again, it’s well worth the minor noise and moderate vibration. You shouldn’t be shelling out this much money for a coffee machine if you expect a Mr. Coffee coffee maker. You are buying a “gourmet” coffee machine, and it has some cool features that require hot pressurized water to be pumped through the machine. Not a big deal!

I think a lot of the negative reviews that I read, and maybe all of them, referred to an older version of the B40 that only had one cup size setting. Indeed, when I purchased this machine at Target today, the display model for the B40 had only one cup size. I had to triple-check the box to make sure I was getting the B40 with the TWO cup sizes (and I was). So maybe they have improved the machine since that version.

I read negative reviews about this machine making weak coffee. I was so freaked out about those reviews, I wanted to brew every K-Cup (even the Extra Bold) on the small cup setting. As I was brewing the third cup, I put in a “regular” K-Cup and hit the “large” cup setting. I immediately went into Panic Mode, worried that I just wasted a K-Cup, because my coffee would be too weak to drink. Not true at all! Yes, the coffee was not quite as strong as I would normally like, but it was a very decent cup of coffee. I will not worry if I ever hit the large size on a regular pod again. Although I plan on buying all Extra Bold cups, so that I can brew a bigger cup.

I am extremely pleased with this coffee machine. So much so that I plan to buy two of this same model (or the B60 if it’s on sale) as Christmas gifts for my mom and uncle.

As a former coffee house Assistant Manager and an avid fan of “gourmet” coffee, I highly recommend this coffee machine. Probably the best $100 I have spent in at least five years. One of my biggest concerns was that the beans had NO TIME to brew properly in such a short amount of time. But I was completely wrong. This machine brews a nice, bold, rich cup of coffee. Slightly less bold and rich if you brew the regular pods on the larger cup setting; but still very drinkable. I was also concerned that the pods would leak after removing them from the machine, but they are almost dry. I haven’t had a single one drip on the way to the trash can, and I remove them seconds after brewing. I’m extremely pleased with the ease and cleanliness of using this machine. No filters to deal with, no messy coffee grounds, no dirty coffee pots to wash (and filter baskets). The convenience of the machine alone is well worth the minor noise and vibration.

I highly recommend this machine. Just do your research and make sure this is the coffee machine you are looking for. It takes time to research, but it pays off in the end. I couldn’t be happier with the B40, and don’t see why anyone else wouldn’t be just as pleased.

Time for me to make another cup. – Peace Frog, Amazon Review

Exclusive to the Keurig Home Brewing System, this reusable K-Cup coffee filter allows users to enjoy their own gourmet ground coffee in a Keurig brewer. Made of a mesh metal filter with durable plastic framing, the unit can hold up to about 2 tablespoons of ground coffee. The black plastic K-Cup holder from the coffeemaker’s filter assembly must first be removed before using the reusable coffee filter. After each use, remove the filter to rinse it clean under running water. It’s then ready to use again for brewing more cups of coffee. The filter only works in Keurig home brewers B40 Elite, B50 Ultra, and B60 Special Edition. It does not fit B100, B100P, or B2000/3 Keurig brewers.

Review

Being frugal (all right, cheap) by nature, I held off on buying a single-serve coffeemaker until I could find one I liked that offered a reusable filter. When Keurig came out with the B-40 Elite, a handsome, reasonably priced unit, and announced that it would be releasing its “My K-Cup” reusable filter for separate sale early in 2006, I was primed. As soon as I saw this product on Keurig’s website, I was ready to buy my new coffeemaker from Amazon.com and the filter from Keurig’s web site. My only wish was that Amazon.com would stock the reusable filter so buyers could purchase the coffeemaker and filter in one fell swoop, and here my wish is about to come to pass!

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from New England - Click on image for more info...

I have had my Keurig B-40 Elite for about a month now, and I’ve had great success with it. Bear in mind that if you’re using the reusable filter, you must first remove the black plastic K-Cup holder from the unit’s filter assembly (instructions on how to do this are included with “My K-Cup”; the black piece in the coffeemaker’s filter basket doesn’t act like it’s supposed to come out, but it is, and it does).

Also, I’ve read elsewhere that some people don’t like having to remove the reusable filter and clean it out after every use. However, I’ve found it to be a relatively simple affair: the reusable filter doesn’t drip when you remove it, and takes about 30 seconds to rinse out after each use. You can use it again right away to brew successive cups.

One caveat is that the output splashes a bit when using the My K-Cup filter, so I always have a damp paper towel at the ready when I brew a cup. That having been said, I’m really happy to be using my own coffee and saving lots of money in the process. Those who are, like me, loathe to shell out 55 cents a cup for K-Cups will probably really like the new My K-Cup. – Amazon Review

From Ethiopia to Panama to Portland, journalist Weissman shadows today’s vanguard “coffee guys” in their pursuit of the perfect, caffeinated beverage. With increased demand for specialty roasts superior to the mass-marketed offerings at Starbucks, Weissman illustrates how the origin, flavor compounds and socioeconomic impact of a cup of coffee are relevant now more than ever. Alongside industry leaders from some of the U.S.’s top roasters—Counter Culture, Intelligentsia and Stumptown—Weismann treks to the birthplace of coffee, remote plantations, and international competitions where the best coffees in the world are cupped (or tasted), scored and where winners like Panamanian grower Hacienda La Esmeralda’s revered “Geisha” coffee earn $130 per pound.

Visiting both ends of the producer-consumer spectrum, she sheds light on the partnership between those who sell premium coffee and the impoverished who farm it—examining how specialty standards enable improved production, exceptional beans, fair prices and fatter pockets across the board. On the imbibing end, Weissman penetrates today’s amped-up coffee culture: its sleek coffee bars, tattooed coffee-geeks behind the counters, fiercely competitive roasters working alongside champion baristas. Tagging along behind the main characters in today’s specialty coffee scene, Weissman travels from the exotic to the expected to artfully deconstruct the connoisseur’s cup of coffee. (May) (Publishers Weekly, March 31, 2008)

Review

There are two reasons to read God in a Cup, food journalist Michaele Weissman’s true life account of the colorful young guys who are making gourmet coffee one of the sexiest culinary products you can buy. First Weissman is a terrific writer. Her book is funny and fast paced. She rolls out the story of her travels in coffee producing nations and here in the United States as if she were writing a novel. Read her description (with full sound effects) of a coffee cupping at the Cup of Excellence competition in Nicaragua, see how she brings to life a confrontation between eager coffee buyers and impoverished coffee farmers in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia, and experience her rendition of dueling baristas as a barista competition, you’ll begin to understand what all the fuss about specialty coffee is about.

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from New England - Click on image for more info...

And that brings me to the second reason to read this book. God in a Cup provides a great journalistic thumbnail of the global marketplace. Weissman dramatizes issues like sustainability, profitability (as in who earns the profits from agricultural products) and Fair Trade, without ever getting bogged down in the tiresome politics. Beginning at the farm and ending in a swish café where coffee is brewed in an $11,000 gizmo called a Clover, Weissman sheds light on some of the most complicated economic issues of our day, while never ceasing to be amusing. She does this by writing a story about the global marketplace that is first and foremost a story about real people whose eccentricities, foibles, weaknesses and strengths she brings alive. – Irma Rombauer, Amazon Review

Introducing the new 50 count K-Cup package from Diedrich Coffee. The same consistent, flavorful K-Cups are now available in a single 50-count package exclusively on Amazon.com. This new larger package optimizes for our customers. It is more efficient resulting in both a lower cost and a green sensibility, given the reduced waste. You can find this package on K-cups by Diedrich Coffee, Coffee People, and Gloria Jean’s Coffee. So go ahead and explore all the great K-Cup varieties in the new 50-count package.

The K-Cup Magic

Diedrich Coffee Inc. Perks for the Planet

The K-Cup Magic
The K-Cup magic allows you to brew the perfect cup of gourmet coffee — every time. No more guessing how much water or how many beans to grind, and best of all no more mess! Each individually sealed K-Cup contains ground beans protected until you brew them — all you need to do is insert your K-Cup, hit the button and allow the Keurig machine to brew you your next cup of gourmet coffee.

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from New England - Click on image for more info...

A coupling of tradition and meticulous care mark the standard for selecting and roasting each and every individual variety of premium Diedrich, Coffee People and Gloria Jean’s coffees.

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF Diedrich Coffee Explore and exotic world of premium origin coffees. Three generations of coffee growers and roasters bring you the very best from legendary coffee growing regions like Indonesia, Africa and South America.

GO BOLD WITH Coffee People: Born in the great Northwest, Coffee People is not your average joe. Experience these quirky brews of bold, flavorful coffee and celebrate Coffee People’s one of a kind personality.

FLAVOR THE DAY WITH Gloria Jean’s Coffees For over 30 years, Gloria Jean’s has passionately pioneered the development of high quality gourmet flavored coffees. Resulting in an extraordinary selection of irresistible flavors – offered in the convenience of single serve.

Our Mission is to provide continued emphasis and awareness on sustainable business practices while supporting various environmental and social causes benefiting our local and supplier communities. From the beginning we have had a passion for giving back and helping others. That legacy remains an integral part of who we are today, as we strive to be a positive force in the communities in which we live and work.

We encourage our employees to volunteer, as we continue to invest in our communities. We conduct our business as a good corporate citizen – in a way that helps protect the environment and demonstrates good stewardship of our natural resources.

Diedrich Coffee, Inc. is a proud supporter United Way and Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Diedrich Coffee and Amazon.com have teamed up to offer this item in Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging, a recyclable, easy-to-open alternative to traditional packaging.

• 33% reduction in packaging with a single, 50 count, box
• 40% recycled cardboard in every package
• Soy based non-toxic ink on all packaging
• Reduced carbon emissions due to more efficient packaging and transportation

What’s in the Box
50 count K-cups

Adding eclectic character to the kitchen stovetop, this polished-aluminum coffee pot features a unique octagon shape that was first designed in Italy in 1933. The unit makes three 2-ounce espresso cups of coffee in just four to five minutes and is extremely simple to use. Just fill the lower chamber with water and the top filter with fine-ground coffee. Then place the pot on the stove and heat until the water boils. Through a pressurizing process, espresso moves to the upper chamber of the pot, ready to be served. Other highlights include a flip-up top with an easy-grip knob, a stay-cool black plastic handle, and a side-pour spout. When finished using the unit, wash it by hand with warm soapy water and rinse clean. Made in Italy, the espresso maker measures 4-1/4 inches wide by 6-1/2 inches tall.

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from New England - Click on image for more info...

Amazon.Com Review

Every family in Italy owns one of these machines. Here are a few tips:
1. In Italy this is NOT called an espresso machine, but a Moka machine. An espresso is what you would drink in bar made with a steam or high pressure machine with the crema on top.
2. Smaller size Moka machine tend to make better coffee.
3. Never wash the Moka with detergents, just rinse it under tap water
4. You’ve gotta use it often for a good coffee.
5. If you haven’t use it in a while, make a weak coffee (“lungo”) and discard
6. DO NOT put the MOka in the dishwasher.
7. Use drinking water. Avoid tap water especially if very chlorinated
8. Never compress the coffee.
9. For a strong coffee fill the filter with ground coffee and make a small cupola that slightly protrudes beyond the rim. Do not press down.
10. For best coffee, heat at very low heat. It’s ok if it takes 10min.
11. As soon as coffee reaches the top, remove from heat
12. Do not let the coffee boil
13. Use good quality coffee, not too strong, medium grind (try Illy for a good commercial brand)
14. Sip while still hot, enjoy!

The Bodum Pavina Double Wall Shot Glass is 2.5 ounces in size and can be used for cold or warm beverages. Its unique design is appealing to the eye when filled with your favorite beverage. With its double layer of borosilicate glass it appears as though the liquid is ‘floating’ within the glass. They will not sweat when filled with a cold beverage, so you will not have to use a coaster.

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from New England - Click on image for more info...

The double wall creates a thermal effect, helping to keep your cold drinks cold and your hot drinks hot for longer periods of time. These mouth blown glasses are an exciting product for any home, restaurant, or cafe and they are a definite conversation piece. Bodum’s insulated glassware is made from durable Borosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass is a strong heat-resistant glass traditionally used to make scientific lab glass. Stronger than traditional “soda-lime” glass, borosilicate can be used for everything from drinkware to cookware. Borosilicate glass substitutes boron oxide in place of the soda and lime used in everyday glassware. The boron oxide acts as the glue holding the silicate together.

Due to small size of boron particles, the glass is held together tighter, resulting in a stronger, lighter glass. Borosilicate glass doesn’t need to be as thick as traditional glass to be just as strong due to the bonding capability boron oxide. Borosilicate is simply a different type of glass that is resistant to temperature swings and scratching. Because the particles are held together so tightly, borosilicate glass is resistant to temperature swings, In addition to being dishwasher safe borosilicate will not become cloudy over time; you can rest assured that after 1,000 cycles, the glass will be as clear as the day you bought it.

Amazon.Com Review

At last, a glass that won’t burn or freeze your hand. Two walls of clear glass with an air layer in-between not only keep drinks cold–or hot–but prevent condensation from forming on the outside. So, an ice-cold shot of vodka or a steamy espresso feels just right, no matter the temperature. And coasters won’t be needed, either.

Winner of the prestigious European iF Design Award, the mouth-blown Pavina glass exhibits Bodum’s flair for the modern. Each two-ounce glass curves beguilingly and fits the palm just right. Mouth-blown of borosilicate glass, which is quite a bit thinner yet much more durable than regular glass, the two Pavina glasses in this set are safe for both the microwave and dishwasher, resist temperature swings, and resist scratching and dulling. Care should be taken when placing ice cubes in an empty glass, and metal spoons for stirring are discouraged. –Ann Bieri

Editor’s Note: Because each glass is mouth-blown, each one may have slight differences in height, thickness, and weight. Bodum recommends using care when placing ice into the glass to avoid fracturing the inner layer. You should also avoid using metal spoons or placing the glass into a crowded dishwasher.

The DeLonghi Espresso Maker has a patented dual-function filter holder for use with ground espresso, this unique filter mixes air into the brewing process to produce a perfect crema. Distinguished by it’s caramel color, the crema is the essence of authentic espresso. The filter also accommodates E.S.E pods. This great Espresso machine offers a swivel jet frother that makes cappucccino, latte or any other frothy milk beverage with ease. The 35 ounce (1Liter) removable water tank can now be filled right at the sink.

Plus cleaning the tank has never been easier. The removable drip tray also lends itself to easy, hassle-free, clean up. Many other feature set this Espresso machine above the rest, its self priming operation, stainless steel boiler made of durable, high quality stainless steel, two separate thermostats so water and steam pressure are controlled separately. The adjustable steam emission for making the perfect cappuccino and the ON/OFF switch with indicator light that allows for easy operation.

Review

First, a couple of disclaimers:
1. This is the first pump-driven espresso machine that we have owned.

2. We generally drink cafe Americano, which is an espresso with a little added hot water (or cold water with an iced Americano). We make an occasional cappuccino and have thus used the steam wand, but not extensively.

Hand Roasted Coffee Beans from New England - Click on image for more info...

After doing a cost/benefit analysis in regards to our current cafe Americano habit (~10 per week), we realized that there would be some justification to buying a home unit. We first considered the Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker, but reviewers consistently lamented the unit’s tendency to clog the filter, necessitating time-consuming cleaning. Also, not being completely sure that we would actually use the espresso maker, we balked at the $250 price tag.

We also considered moving up to one of the superautomatico machines that grind, tamp, brew and dispose of the grinds, but we worried about the reliability of technology that had only recently hit the consumer-grade appliances. After reading zillions of reviews, we realized that every mid-priced machine had some glaring flaw and, in the end, we decided to buy an inexpensive pump-driven unit and wait for the technology to catch up before investing a huge chunk of change in an espresso machine. Moving our investigation to low-end espresso makers, we were impressed by the reviews of the DeLonghi EC155 and purchased it from Amazon.

I put off writing a review in order to make sure that the DeLonghi was going to last until we had at least broken even on it. We received it in mid-July and since then it has produced about 200 double shots flawlessly. By my reckoning, that’s about $400 worth of Americanos at the local cafe. Even considering the price of the coffee, we have more than broken even. So, here’s our pros and cons:

PROs
- Price–we paid $91.28.
- Crema Production–this unit consistently produces a thick layer of delicious crema.
- Powerful Stream Wand–Easily froths milk.
- Mechanicals–After six months of nearly daily use this mighty-mite works as well as it did the day it arrived.
- Easy Cleanup–Filter cleans easily.

CONs
- Ergonomics–As other reviewers have noted, there could be a little more room between the area where the cup sits and the output nozzle. Also the steam wand could be longer.
- Features–No cup warmer. Not a big deal to us, especially considering the price of the EC155, but it will put off some buyers.

SOME THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED
- Using a coffee especially made for espresso, such as Lavazza, produces a much better espresso. Lavazza has the added benefit of allowing you to go for hours without blinking.
- Preheating the unit for 15 minutes and warming the cups in the microwave improves the results and experience. – OhioGardener, Amazon Review

FROM THE AUTHOR: When I began in the coffee business fourteen years ago, I read every book I could find about coffee. After reading all of those books, however, I felt as if I hadn’t learned much about how to make great coffee. My coffee library was chock-full of colorful descriptions of brewing styles, growing regions, and recipes, with a few almost-unreadable scientific books mixed in. I would have traded in all of those books for one serious, practical book with relevant information about making great coffee in a café. Fourteen years later, I still haven’t found that book. I know many other professionals as well as some obsessive nonprofessionals would like to find that same book I’ve been looking for. This book is my attempt to give it to them.

Review

YES, i paid full price for this book and have read it. My first review

This book is backed by the author’s personal experience. It is very well researched and written. The in-depth and focused content, book (design) layout and overall flow are amazingly well-balanced for beginners as well as professionals.

If you love coffee, this is a good book for you. If you’ve romanced about being a barista, this is THE book.

THIS BOOK IS NOT…

* a recipe book
* about tea. The tea chapter is only 3-page long.
* about coffee roasting
* about instant coffee

THE FIRST IMPRESSION.

Before opening the cover, the 100-page “Professional Barista’s Handbook” (2009 Edition) can be unassuming with a dash of textbook-like dryness. However, the robust hardcover and binding are excellent, as if the author and publisher have anticipated heavy usage on counter top. The pages are printed on superbly thick, non-reflective paper. It is also slightly more water resistant than usual.

* This solid book is expensive to manufacture.

The typography (fonts and size), design and layout gave the book great ease in casual browsing for information as well as cover-to-cover reading. Every pages or so are filled with hands-on photos, charts, hints, special in-depth notes, diagrams and illustrations. The design is nothing fancy, simple yet functional. However, i do find a few of the photos a bit too dark.

The content is very concise with minimal fluff. There are no long-winded personal stories or overly scientific explanations of coffee making. Most subtopics are kept within half a page before moving to the next. The information and ideas in this book are referenced and carefully remarked. This book has the potential of bringing many new insights to a professional barista.

THE ESSENCE

In some respects, Scott Rao wrote this book for his younger self, when he started his coffee business. He explained, 14 years ago, he read every book on coffee he could find, but none explain how to make great coffee in details.

This book is arguably like a ‘God Shot’ espresso, he took the best stuff from those books, coupled with more than a decade of practical experience while keeping the ‘ugliness’ away.

This book is most suitable for beginners as there are primers that explain the technical ideas and terminologies. Early on, Scott dives into buying espresso machines, coffee grinders and some handy equipments to have. He digested the purchasing considerations into a few simple points, and carefully explains why. There is a reasonably good Glossary at the end of the book for beginners.

While many aspects of coffee making are subjective, Scott made good arguments about getting a good grinder as a primary step before considering the espresso machine.

Of all 9 chapters, 2 to 4 are sufficient to get the reader (itching) to start pulling shots and experiment with various techniques and ideas.

In the early chapters, there are easy to understand yet sufficiently technical aspects of
* Grinding Beans for Espresso
* Dosing and Distribution
* Grooming and Tamping
* Water Temperature
* Multiple Preinfusion methods
* Pressure Requirements
* Cultural difference of US vs. Italian espresso making styles

Chapter 3 may probably be very valuable to home or professional baristas. The author dived into the science and theories about various factors that influence PERCOLATION and EXTRACTION. At the end of this chapter, Scott referred us to a chart (by Schecter) that highlights brewing ratios for various espresso types such as Lungo, Ristretto and more.

For those who loves latte art and prefer milk with their coffee, Chapter 4 is for you. It contains essential information about MILK – steaming, foaming, pouring, methods, latte art and more. There is a very interesting short story of his experience in New Zealand with regard to Cafe Latte.

The rest of the chapters about coffee talks about
* Barista Systems [5]
* Drip Coffee [6]
* French Press Coffee [7]
* Water and the Chemistry [8]

CONCLUSION

This book clearly does not tries to be everything for everyone.

I think it is reasonable and arguably so… that the book does not talk about other methods like the Clover system, Cold/Ice Drip method, the Syphon and a few more. Another substantial topic missing is Coffee Beans. Dedicating a few pages to beans, maybe on choosing beans, sun-dried or washed, bean types and sizes might (?) make the book more interesting. My instinct tells me, the author intentionally excluded the high subjective matter of beans. There are plenty of books on that. It shows the author’s clarity, focus and intention.

In short, this book revolves around a barista. Hence, the book title.

And, it is VERY GOOD. It’s highly recommended.

A HIDDEN GEM FOR ME

Early on, in Chapter 1 (2 pages only!), Scott casually explains about what gives coffee so much magical properties in terms of Body, Tastes and Aromas. He included an overly simple chart in page 2.

This chart can help illustrate the fundamental difference between Instant and Espresso coffee. To simplify, Instant Coffee consist of mostly Solubles, while many of the Insolubles that gives espresso more Body, Taste and Aroma are missing.

Starbucks uses Instant Coffee in a few of their standard menu items (of course not espresso). My brief conversation with their supplier, gave me an interesting insight in how Starbucks manage the lost in Body-Taste-Aroma when working with instant coffee. This chart instantly crystallize my thoughts on the subject. – SKL, Amazon Review