Coffee Gift Guide – a gift guide for COFFEE SNOBS

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(Coffee Gift Guide)

*This post contains affiliate links.

GIFT GUIDE for Coffee Snobs

I’m a self-confessed coffee snob.

When I chose to move from the city to a small rural town that had no coffee shops that didn’t offer anything but large chain drip coffee, I got a little desperate.

So I started setting up my home espresso bar. These are some of my favourite products that coffee snobs like me will love:

For those times when you need more than one cup at a time, french pressed coffee tastes like the closest thing to espresso, because it keeps the largest amount of the oils in a coffee bean in the finished product. It also doubles as a great tea pot for loose teas: Bodum Thermal French Press

But I really do love my Americanos so I was anxious to find an espresso machine I could use at home.

I’ve heard that this fully-automated machine makes a real great cup ‘a joe: Breville Dual Boiler Espresso Maker

 

When my first espresso machine bit the dust, I upgraded to the Breville Duo Pro Espresso Machine

 

 

 

That machine makes a much nicer micro foam than my first machine, a great entry level DeLonghi that made a great espresso shot, as long as I stayed on top of timing and shutting it off: DeLonghi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker

 

Some coffee snobs prefer the old school stove top espresso maker and I always liked The Original Bialetti Moka Express

 

 

If using a stovetop, then a coffee snob may also need a milk frother to make a nice latte with. I chose to heat my milk and froth it with an electric frother like this PowerLix Milk Frother

 

If working with an espresso machine that makes the froth for you, a frothing pitcher  and a thermometer are absolute necessities: Myvision Stainless Steel Milk Pitcher comes in various sizes, it’s usually best to work with the smallest pitcher possible, so it may be good to have two different sizes.

 

Insta-Read Beverage/Frothing Thermometer

 

While a knock box is not a necessity, it sure makes everything easier. I love my: Breville Mini Espresso Knock Box

 

The best tasting coffee is made from the freshest of beans that are the freshest roast, and ground immediately prior to pulling the shot, or pouring over the grinds. I love my burr grinder by Bodum: Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder

 

Aside from the MOST important item (the coffee beans), there is one thing left that a coffee snob appreciates, a great mug.

I like a mug that I can hold comfortably in my hand, so that my whole hand fits comfortably in the handle.

 

My favourite travel mug is the travel press by Bodum, it can be used for loose tea, pressed coffee, or with a regular lid for perked coffee.

 

So that leaves the beans and storage for them. Beans are best kept at room temperature in an air tight container away from light.

 

I’m the coffee snob who prefers locally dark-roasted, organic fair-trade beans. While these aren’t locally roasted to my home province of Nova Scotia, they are roasted in British Columbia, Canada: Kicking Horse Coffee, Grizzly Claw

 

 

Hopefully this gave you some great ideas for shopping for the coffee snob in your life!

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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun or email me at trish at trishblogs dot com!

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Trish Blogs… on Java!

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Until I had children, I was one cuppa day java drinker. I was no connoisseur, though I knew I preferred espresso drinks to perked. I didn’t have to cut back on my coffee while pregnant because I already drank less than the maximum allotment.

 

I’m not sure when I started paying attention to coffee more, but I was buying a coffee maker and started researching a little to see what would make a difference in the enjoyment of my coffee at home. I started off with a drip brewer that had a control on it for the warmer, so as not to burn the coffee after it was ready.

 

I bought fair trade, organic coffee, and started grinding it fresh when I brewed it. Then I decided to try some new coffeemakers. I got an inexpensive stovetop espresso maker, and a glass french press. I started ordering Americanos or lattes without flavoring added when at coffee shops that had the option.

I learned to dislike certain Canadian icon brands, whose coffee was fresh-brewed, but not fresh.

 

I have dreamed of one day opening a little cafe/used bookstore, and would love to learn to be a barista and pull a great espresso shot, and maybe make fancy latte art – for when the time comes.

 

I choose local shops that use fresh-roasted beans first, and began frequenting my favourite spot, Cafe Brea this past summer. The owner and I became friends over time, and recently we were able to help one another out  – I needed some extra work, and she needed someone to fill some extra hours.

Cafe Brea

So began the adventures of a newbie barista…

 

So far I’ve learned the basics about coffee blends and how to operate the grinder, the antiquated cash register, and help in the kitchen. I had no idea the profile of coffee could change so much by blending two different beans/roasts together!

 

Pulling espresso is an art form that will require practice, I made my first attempt at it one day last week – then it got busy – same thing happened the next day I tried – can’t wait to try again!

 

I wonder how long it will take me to learn to do this!

I wonder how long it will take me to learn to do this!

 

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Coffee, PJs and a blog…

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photo (1)

 

This is the life. I mean there are plenty of other places I would happily be working from <say my beachfront cabana in Lanai, Hawaii 😉 > but my living room in my jammies with a hot cuppa joe – and I’m not complaining.

 

It has been said that the best way to be productive is to get up, get dressed and eat breakfast FIRST. Don’t check your email. Stay off of social networks. Get down to work, doing the important stuff.

 

What if that IS the important stuff? Then forget everything you’ve been told! Go for it. Grab your coffee, stay in your PJs and blog… Twitter, Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, Facebook, whatever your platform(s) of choice… it’s the way to go! I find not only my tweeps, fellow bloggers, and articles filled with tips online at this early hour, but this is where/when my inspiration comes from.

 

This is where I change my mind, and fuse with (via temporary glue) new ideas. Today I started a serious post about communication and co-parenting, then I got a little pickup on my status update of coffee and pj’s and I changed my direction (I’ll get back there later).

 

<Why not plant a little seed?>

PJ's

So yes, I do sit down at my online networks, coffee in hand, in my jammies, before I do anything else most days. Where else would I get the crazy idea of blogging in my pj’s? < Hint: Don’t expect this to be the last you see of it! 😉 >

 

Hmmm… maybe Snugabye would sponsor a post made in my red hearts Snugabye PJ’s before Valentine’s Day… 😉 I could write about something else I do from home in my PJ’s → look for my Valentine. 😉

 

What does your morning routine look like?

 

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Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun or email me at trish at trishblogs dot com!

I invite you to subscribe to my blog using one of the options available on my page (email, rss, Google Connect, like my page on Facebook, etc.)

If you enjoyed this post, please do like/share it. You can do so using the easy share button below!

 

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