The Reading Room

I have written a few posts about the different espresso baskets that I have gotten to use with my espresso machine. While I can go on and on about talking about the differences these baskets can and cannot cause I...

WIth close to 10,000 product reviews, ROASTe.com is the world's largest source for coffee reviews. These reviews allow customers to compare coffees from various origins, roasters, and brands in ways that were not available previously. The reviews are written by...

Since moving to my new place, I have had much less space for coffee stuff because our new condo is a small one and we also have much more other non-coffee stuff.  I really have to convince my wife really...

The 5 classic espresso drinks , espresso, Americano, latte, cappuccino, and cortado , are built on the same foundation but taste completely different. Understanding what separates each one helps you order what you actually want and make better versions at home.

Hot chocolate – espresso style.  With the colder weather my kids have turned their attention to the joys of hot chocolate.  I remember the discovery when I was a kid of how much better it was if you made hot...

Steaming milk turns a plain shot into a smooth latte or cappuccino. How to steam milk, hit the right temperature, and froth without a machine.

 Learning how to brew AeroPress coffee takes under 2 minutes. This step-by-step guide covers ratio, grind, water temp, and the standard method.

What I am drinking now – Velton’s Twilight blend.  I was looking for a good dark roast for my wife as I often am.  She likes dark roasts and I like them fine although my favorite roasts tend to be...

  In the past  I have posted about the Vietnamese coffee filter called Phin on Roaste, here http://www.roaste.com/CoffeeBlogs/sontondaman/Phin-my-cheapest-brewing-device and here http://www.roaste.com/CoffeeBlogs/sontondaman/making-drip-coffee-Vietnamese-phin.  I also took some video a while back but have not been able to have time to edit the video. Now...

This whole week,  I have been super busy with the process of moving from a rented basement to a condo that I recently closed. All of my coffee gears including several of my espresso machines, grinders and various accessories were...

A home espresso machine is a big buy. What to look for, how much to spend, and why the grinder and beans matter as much as the machine.

I got a lot of nice accessories for coffee making over the holidays and one of those items that I was least expecting was this Airscape Coffee Canister. This was a very welcomed surprise because I had just been leaving...

Coffee growing regions circle the globe near the equator. A tour of the coffee belt, the major regions, and how origin shapes flavor.

It looks like 2012 will be an important year.   We just wanted to wish everyone a prosperous and healthy year.    There are a lot of people hurting right now, and we should all go out of our way...

I don't know if the new Scanomat Top Brewer makes good coffee -- and I'm not likely to find out anytime soon, but I can tell you that it makes great video. The music and images in this publicity release...

When it rains it pours – well, okay when it steams it pour-overs.   I posted a while back about if large boilers risked stale water and if double boilers in particular are likely to have stale water in the...

Having fun with an Elektra T1.   I just got a new machine thanks to Roaste.com just in time for Christmas.  This is especially convenient since my family was coming to visit, so there was lots of coffee to make....

 A gooseneck kettle gives you precise pour control. A regular kettle gives you speed. Here is which one to use for each brewing method.

When you think of a coffee plantation in India, do you think of a farm with its resident owner overseeing resident workers, operating within a fairly simple management plan? News from Financial Express paints a somewhat more complicated picture about...