Do you need all those buttons to make good espresso? I sure thought so. A few years back, I got swept away by the sleek design, flashing lights, and promises of “café-quality coffee at home.” I won’t even mention the brand, let’s just say it rhymed with “Regret-presso.” It looked amazing on my counter, but…
Ever looked at an espresso machine and thought, “Whoa… that’s a bit much”? I remember the first time I saw the Lelit Bianca V3 in a local specialty coffee shop. It was perched on the counter like a showpiece. Gleaming stainless steel body, those wooden knobs catching the light just right. I wasn’t even shopping…
Ever crave that sweet, creamy caramel macchiato but hate the line at Starbucks? One thing I genuinely enjoy about Starbucks is their Caramel Macchiato. I mean, it isn’t your traditional espresso macchiato, sure—it’s more like a dessert in a cup. But man, that mix of vanilla, espresso, and caramel hits the spot. The problem? I…
Ever walked into a café and wondered what kind of espresso machine is working its magic behind the counter? I remember when I first started exploring commercial machines; the number of options was overwhelming. I mean dual boilers, group heads, pressure profiling—it felt like learning a new language. But after plenty of research (and a…
Did you know that some Nespresso machines can brew a better-iced latte than your neighborhood café? No kidding. Recently, I’ve found myself way more into Nespresso than I expected. I think it’s the whole summer vibe creeping in. You know warm mornings, slower pace, a little laziness in the air. I didn’t want to mess…
Did you know espresso can have up to 12% dissolved solids in your cup? That means nearly one-eighth of what you’re sipping is actual coffee compounds and not just water. I was scrolling through Reddit’s r/coffee one night, totally lost in the brew nerd rabbit hole when I kept seeing people talk about “TDS.” I…
Ever tried sipping hot coffee out of something totally wrong? Years ago, I used to pour mine into a plastic water bottle. Yup, I didn’t have a travel mug or thermos. Just a plain, old plastic bottle. I didn’t think twice about it… until one morning on the road, I took a sip, the bottle…
Are you just pressing down your espresso puck and hoping for the best? When I bought my Barista Express a few years back, I was excited to pull shots at home. I seriously had no clue what I was doing. One thing that really tripped me up was when a friend of mine (he’s a…
Ever crave a latte but dread the café lines? If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know that it’s around this time each year (yep, nearly summer) when I dust off my trusty Nespresso and give it a spin. Don’t get me wrong: I’m way more of an espresso barista type of…
After years of writing recipes for Coffee Voilà, from the classic cappuccino to adventurous brews like Vietnamese egg coffee, I realized I never really talked about what to eat with your coffee. I mean, coffee on its own is amazing, no doubt. But paired with the right bite? That’s when it turns into something unforgettable….