Looking for the perfect holiday coffee drink? Last Christmas, I found myself on a mission. I wanted to take my love for coffee and mix it with the warmth and nostalgia of the holiday season. I was tired of the same old drinks and figured, why not get creative? I started experimenting with different flavors,…
Ever taken a sip of coffee and immediately thought, “Wait… this isn’t what I’m used to?” After years of using my Breville Barista Express, pulling shots, dialing in grind settings, and steaming milk just right, I thought I had my coffee routine perfected. But then, one day, I visited a friend who had a Nespresso…
How many bars of pressure do you really need for espresso? If you’ve ever shopped for an espresso machine, you’ve probably seen numbers like 9 bars, 15 bars, or even 20 bars plastered all over the specs. But do those numbers actually matter, or are they just marketing fluff? When I first got into espresso,…
Is a Manual Espresso Machine Worth the Effort? Let’s Find Out! I never really thought about using a manual espresso machine. They always looked a bit intimidating with levers, pressure gauges, and all that work just to get a single shot. I mean, why go through all that when my Barista Express already pulls a…
Ever pulled an espresso shot that just kept going? That’s exactly how I stumbled upon lungo coffee by accident. One day, I was messing around with my Breville Barista Express, adjusting the shot time just to see what would happen. I let the espresso run longer than usual, took a sip, and… well, let’s just…
Ever looked at a coffee menu and thought, “Wait… what is that?” That was me one day when I stepped into an Italian coffee shop near my home. I scanned the menu and spotted something called “ristretto.” I never heard of it. But hey, I love trying new coffee, so I ordered one. A few…
Ever thought of using espresso powder for more than just coffee? Well, a few months ago, I was watching a culinary YouTube video when something caught me completely off guard. The chef casually started rubbing espresso powder onto a steak, and I just sat there, confused. Espresso… on meat? I had always thought of espresso…
Ever wondered if you’re drinking espresso the right way? For so many years until I started this blog, Coffee Voilà, I drank espresso in one go. No sipping, no savoring, just a straight caffeine hit to kickstart my day. For me, it wasn’t about the flavors but about getting that quick jolt of energy. But…
Is an espresso machine really worth it, or can a Moka pot do the job just fine? My first coffee brewer was a Moka pot, way before I started this blog (Coffee Voilà). Back then, I had no fancy espresso machine. I used this small stovetop brewer for everything from lattes to cappuccinos and even…
Ever had your espresso suddenly taste… off? I sure have. A few months ago, I noticed my shots from the Breville Barista Express were tasting bitter and uneven. At first, I blamed my grind size or tamping pressure, but no matter what I tweaked, my espresso just wasn’t right. Then it hit me! I had…