Back in 2011 I wrote a post about how excited I was to learn how to use an espresso machine and make my own drinks. How I wanted to buy an espresso machine to practice at home. (I will note here, I also said I could find an espresso machine for $300. Seriously? It’s closer to $600, at bare minimum!) I was very focused on making caramel steamers – who cares about the espresso?!? In any event, life has changed a bit since then, and I have learned that you don’t need to have an […]
Tea Break: Steven Smith Teamaker
It’s always nice to step back every once and awhile to review those things that make a day of reading comfortable and cozy. There was a comic strip that was going around on Facebook the other day that illustrated what those things were just the other day. According to this, “Stage 1 Coziness” is simply a book. A cuppa and a sweater is all that is added to create “Stage 2 Coziness”. So in the interest of creating some “Stage 2 Coziness” of our own, I’m taking a look at a tea brand that I […]
Tea is a Serious Business
For someone who is an anglophile, tea is serious business. There are certain ways we like our tea. Some amongst us find it horrific to watch someone put milk in their Earl Grey. Others amongst us have been to Britain and know it’s common practice to put milk in Earl Grey and just accept us. Me? I prefer my Earl Grey in a tea latte otherwise known as a London Fog, sometimes with a bit of honey added. Tea companies are analyzed and examined, tea tried again and again. It’s entirely central. Because whether you’re […]
Tea: The Cure to Aid All Ills
In parts, this post is going to continue on some topics brought up by the Scotland post. However, I think it’s important to write this as its own thing, particularly since so much of this is not only personal, but also more about growing up a tea-lover in the United States than it is about traveling to Scotland. I experienced excitement yesterday at the prospect of one of the studios I teach for holding themed teas. Scones and tea and Nutcrackers. The studio owner had started an annual tea for a studio she used to teach […]
The Art of Making Espresso
I have a list somewhere of things I’d like to try in my life time. In some cases, these things do not mean just try, but fully learn and understand. Many of you know that I am a wine, tea, and hot chocolate connoisseur (which I sometimes think is just a fancy term for fanatic). One thing that has never really been added to that list thanks to my insistance on not becoming a caffeine addict is coffee. However, that being said, I have always wanted to learn how to use an espresso machine.
Intro to Wine and Vermont Made Wines
It occurred to me that the Vermont wine category has not been thoroughly explored by many of the more discriminant wine fanatics. I’m not saying this is true for all of them, just a large portion. In fact, to the individual who is unfamiliar with wine, there are three places wine comes from: California, France, and Italy. This individual will also tell you something else: If you want good wine cheap, get a Californian. Well, that is the opinion of someone unfamiliar. First of all, Red Truck (or White Truck or Pink Truck – it’s […]