Home Brewed

Everyone is trying to save a little here and there, including myself.  Rather than going out on a regular basis to coffee houses to get that specialized espresso drink, try making a home brewed version.  Because of my love of anything coffee related, some of my friends used to think that I have a really pricey espresso machine at home.  I actually have a more inexpensive way to get the kind of caffeinated drink I like whenever I want.  My aunt who lived in Italy for many years (but now lives in Toronto) said this is the only way they made espresso, and was pleasantly surprised to see this is how I make my espresso when she came to visit.

Here’s an idea of how much you can save:  A great new machine from Illy called the Capresso Café Espresso and Cappuccino Machine costs around $159 and uses the E.S.E. pods (pre-filled), as well as regular ground espresso (coffee not included).

Total cost for my home brewed version, including coffee (Ground Espresso Dark Roast $28 for a pack of 2 cans on Illy.com):  $50

The Moka Pot is used to “cook” the espresso on the stove top (basically a percolator).  This sized Moka Pot makes around 4 shots of espresso (1 cup).  Bialetti Moka Pot $20 on Illy.com 

 This battery operated device is from Ikea and will froth milk, making it foamy (for you mommies out there, you can also use it as a formula mixer!).  Produkt Milk Frother $1.99 on Ikea.com.

To create your favorite espresso based drink:  Make the espresso using the Moka pot on the stove top (1 heaping tablespoon of ground espresso, 1 cup of water), medium heat to prevent boiling over; remove from heat once the liquid fills the top portion of the pot.  Heat the milk in a microwave safe cup for about 1 minute, then froth.  Add shots of espresso and flavored syrup to taste (my favorite is Torani).  Serve hot or add ice and enjoy!