Monthly Archives: December 2021
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Posted: December 22, 2021Categories: The Tools
Read more »Just like how every baker needs bakeware and every artisan needs tools, every home barista needs certain accessories to pull that perfect cup of espresso in a smooth, mess-free and stress-free workflow. Whether you’re a budding barista or a coffee enthusiast learning to brew your own cafe-quality espresso at home, here are eight coffee tools that we recommend getting to help you understand the techniques of coffee-making and perfect your skills.
1. Burr Grinder
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Opt for a Burr grinder over a blade grinder for your coffee beans if you're ready to upgrade your coffee-making game. Photo by De’Longhi.[/caption] A burr grinder crushes beans between a moving grinder wheel and a stationary plate. The wheel typically has serrated edges while the plate has jagged edges—both work together to give you a consistent and uniform sized ground coffee. In contrast, a blade grinder looks more like a blender. While they’re cheaper, the grind size is typically not consistent. A coffee connoisseur may be able to spot the inconsistent flavour in your espresso from the different tastes produced by finely and coarsely ground coffee. The De’Longhi Burr Grinder lets you enjoy precise control of your brewing process when you get to choose from 16 grind settings. It comes with a user-friendly soft-touch interface, making grinding almost effortless. Shop the De’Longhi Burr Coffee Grinder at SGD 99 or
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Posted: December 15, 2021Categories: The Tools
Read more »To extend your espresso machine’s lifespan and keep it in tip-top working condition, you want to ABC: Always Be Cleaning. By “always”, we mean after every use—reasonable for a loved kitchen appliance, we hope! After brewing your cup of delicious espresso, the more immediately you clean the used parts of your coffee machine, the easier the cleaning task becomes. Over time, any excess coffee or milk will dry up as stains and require more elbow grease before they come off ultimately. As with all appliances, besides cleaning them regularly, using the proper method is also very important to prevent spoilage. Here are eight tricks to keep your coffee machine in tip-top condition so that they not only work longer but work better too.
1. Remove Used Coffee Grounds Immediately
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Use a Coffee Knock Box to remove coffee grounds from your portafilter safely and efficiently, without making a tremendous din. Photo from De’Longhi.[/caption] Once the machine has brewed your cup of espresso, empty the used coffee grounds from the machine or the portafilter immediately. Leaving them in for a long time may result in the coffee grounds or their natural oils sticking, making it harder to clean your machine. Worse, the oils attached to the machine will turn sour and rancid, leaving you with unfavourable espresso. If your machine uses a portafilter, you
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Posted: December 08, 2021Categories: Coffee 101
Read more »You see rich, brown nectar with a white, foamy head kissing the rim of a glass. Bubbles rise through a gradient of deep amber. It’s cold, inviting, and you may be forgiven by thinking that the drink in question is a draft beer.
This is nitro coffee, a popular drink that has created a cult following in both massive coffee chains and independent specialty coffee houses.
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Posted: December 01, 2021Categories: The Tools
Read more »If you’ve been browsing through coffee machines, you probably would have come across the term “pump espresso machine”. What is a pump espresso machine, and how does it work? Read on as we introduce you to the wonderful world of pump espresso machines.
Pump Espresso Machines 101
Before we dive deep into what a pump espresso machine is and how it helps you brew aromatic cups of coffee, it is essential to understand what espresso is.
An espresso is a type of strong, black coffee made by pushing hot water through coffee beans ground into a powdery form. In the strictest sense, a pump espresso machine uses a pump mechanism to deliver high pressure, which helps in extracting top-quality espresso out of your ground coffee. You can also make espresso using a non-pump machine, such as putting a mako pot on a stovetop, which creates steam pressure to extract the espresso. [caption id="attachment_20669" align="aligncenter" width="986"]
Brewing coffee using a moka pot on a stovetop. Photo from Eric BARBEAU.[/caption] However, most non-pump espresso machines can only give you a
