I bought an espresso machine - the really nice stainless steel one from Starbucks. I love it! I'm gonna give up eating and just drink lattes from now on. With skim milk, of course.

Hi Carlene, I love Starbucks also. When I work in the city it is a part of my ritual to have a Latte or a Chai. Sublime.

Susannah

That sounds so good......

I just tried a orange mocha frappacino skinny today. Tastes like one of those chocolate oranges. Yummy!

Hah! Sounds sublime, Carlene, and now I want to vacation at your house. :biggrin1: I know that I love coffee and I figure that I love you, too. :kiss2: Afterall, you do give great post! And remember, my husband is working in Mexico until the end of June, eh. This means that I am free to travel!

Carlene: You must be proud! Those machines are awesome. Which one did you get? I'm one of those addicts who has to have her Starbucks once in a while even if I am trying to cut back on caffeine.

We started a new business recently and for our office we made the jump to Keurig. The cool thing about it is that you can make one cup of coffee at a time and it is very fast. I resisted any attempts to change my brew until I started enjoying the coffee my DD had been making for me. You use the little pods and I have a huge selection of coffees, teas and even hot chocolate (if I'm in desparate need of a chocolate fix.)

At home I have a large commercial type machine made by Kitchenaide, which was expensive by most standards, but came with a separate hot plate for a second (usually decaf) pot and it's been great when I have guests. Plus I have a small Krups espresso/cappucino machine that makes a surprisingly good cappucino. Almost of the quality that I got hooked on in Montreal.

But I've always admired some of those machines in Starbucks. Have you totally mastered the art of the perfect creama? I'll be impressed when you tell me you can swirl it into the shape of a heart, like I saw a girl do on TV.

I got the stainless steel Barista (couldn't post a photo....there is something wrong with the upload function). It makes espresso identical to what you get at Starbucks. It takes longer for the milk to steam than the $10K commercial machines, but the taste is the same (provided you use Starbucks Espresso Blend coffee).

If you buy an espresso machine, you want to get one that extracts via pressure, not steam. That, they tell me, is the big difference.

I can't wait to make mocha Cappuccino for my DD, just to see if they pass the taste test. Since I don't drink them myself, how would I know, otherwise?

Here, according to one coffeehouse aficionado's blog, is the secret to great creama...

See, they have this little gnome grinder in the back by the roaster, and nothing makes mountains of creama like little ground up gnomes. You just gotta watch out for the errant gnome hat or beard that didn't get totally processed.

Hah! Sounds sublime, Carlene, and now I want to vacation at your house. :biggrin1: I know that I love coffee and I figure that I love you, too. :kiss2: Afterall, you do give great post! And remember, my husband is working in Mexico until the end of June, eh. This means that I am free to travel!

Super, Green. I have an air mattress with your name on it. We turned the 4th bedroom into a home office, but have lots of space in the living room and den, plus 3 couches.

I did not know that about espresso - thepressure vs. steam thing. My little Krups uses steam. I don't buy Starbucks espresso anyway, so I definitely can't duplicate their taste at home. Which is okay since going there is such a treat. Have you ever tried their zuchhini bread? Trust me, if you haven't, don't!! It is like their coffee, addictive!!! When I first get a fill, I can't eat it for Breakfast so I have to wait until it's time for another fill until I can have it and a latte from Starbucks. I do like "illy" Italian espresso to use with my little machine and skim milk makes the best froth.

When the new biz gets us making more money than we can think of ways to spend (they tell you to think big!!) I am going to buy one of those cool machines like yours. Then maybe Green will grace me with her presence as well.

I did not know that about espresso - thepressure vs. steam thing. My little Krups uses steam. I don't buy Starbucks espresso anyway, so I definitely can't duplicate their taste at home. Which is okay since going there is such a treat. Have you ever tried their zuchhini bread? Trust me, if you haven't, don't!! It is like their coffee, addictive!!! When I first get a fill, I can't eat it for breakfast so I have to wait until it's time for another fill until I can have it and a latte from Starbucks. I do like "illy" Italian espresso to use with my little machine and skim milk makes the best froth.

When the new biz gets us making more money than we can think of ways to spend (they tell you to think big!!) I am going to buy one of those cool machines like yours. Then maybe Green will grace me with her presence as well.

Yes, I've had the zuchhini bread, the banana bread, and the lemon pound cake. All are to die for.

I told myself I was going to buy this machine with our tax refund, then banked it instead. Then we took a short trip to the LA casinos and I said if we win, I'll buy one. We brought home more money than we left with, even after paying for the room, food, etc, but again, I put it all back in the bank. So when they offered me this deal (regularly $399 for $249), I decided to "just do it".

My DH used to say, "If you give Carlene ten dollars, she will put five in the bank."

I may be cheap, but I'm not easy.....LOL

I did not know that about espresso - thepressure vs. steam thing. My little Krups uses steam. I don't buy Starbucks espresso anyway, so I definitely can't duplicate their taste at home. Which is okay since going there is such a treat. Have you ever tried their zuchhini bread? Trust me, if you haven't, don't!! It is like their coffee, addictive!!! When I first get a fill, I can't eat it for Breakfast so I have to wait until it's time for another fill until I can have it and a latte from Starbucks. I do like "illy" Italian espresso to use with my little machine and skim milk makes the best froth.

When the new biz gets us making more money than we can think of ways to spend (they tell you to think big!!) I am going to buy one of those cool machines like yours. Then maybe Green will grace me with her presence as well.

Oh yah, Green is gonna go to your house, too. This is gonna be her banded blonde ambition U.S. coffee tour. :biggrin1: She is hoping to experience some of that true bar-b-que, too. :hungry: You can't get that up here and she has never tried it! By the way, she is a very good guest: she is clean, gives her hosts lots of privacy, helps around the house, and never stays too long. Lousy cook, though........:phanvan

Green, is there any chance you do windows?

Yes, I do wash windows!

I swear Starbucks puts crack in their espresso.

I've been getting half decaf doubles over ice. Pour in the skim milk and the sweetener. OMG, I love those!

I'm going to Target in 15 minutes and they've got a Starbucks in the store...Gonna get me one, again....

Green, it's a good thing because you almost can't see out of mine lately. My housekeeper refuses to do windows. She's excellent in every other way. She does the plantation shutters but not the windows. Thank goodness for plantation shutters. I can louver them at an angle and pretend it's foggy outside.

Oh Juli: Half decaf doubles over ice, eh? Never tried one of those. You have to be right about Starbucks. How else could they have hooked so many people on paying 3 bucks for a coffee?

I'm the token barista for my family. I worked at a coffee shop as a teen, and my family loved the drinks I made better than anyone elses, so there's an espresso machine at the office (I work with my family now), and people make orders, lol.

The espresso machine I have now is okay, but someday I'd like to get one of the REALLY nice ones.