Coffee. It’s such a beautiful word, isn’t it? Not only is it the one thing many of us look towards to help us kickstart our day, but it’s a very versatile drink.
If you want to drink it hot, drink it hot. If you want to drink it iced, drink it iced. If you want it sweet and creamy, making it so. When it comes to coffee-based beverages, there are no limits to how you can make it or serve it.
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But many of us often turn to places like Starbucks to make our coffee for us and although we don’t have to remind you of this, that can get pretty expensive. So we’re here to share with you how we get Starbucks-level coffee at home with little effort and all the magnificent taste…and caffeine.
My favorite place in my apartment is my coffee bar, which is conveniently set up next to my desk. What does my coffee bar consist of? Well, a beverage cart similar to this:
On the beverage cart, I have containers similar to these to store my regular grounds, as well as my ground espresso beans.
I also have a jar filled with K-Cups. My favorite brand of Keurig compatible pods is the regular medium roast from The Original Donut Shop.
My favorite ground espresso is:
And my favorite ground coffee is:
From here, having several different coffee makers is key for keeping your at-home coffee ever-changing. The best part about coffee makers is there is something to buy at every price point.
For example, you can buy this Keurig K-Slim Coffee Maker for $79 (at the time of publication):
Or you could buy this Espresso Machine for $57.60 (at the time of publication):
Or you can get this Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper for just $26.10 (at the time of publication):
Now let’s make a Latte!
And the best part is that no matter which coffee maker you decided to get, or have you can make this simple hazelnut latte recipe I’m about to share with you. All you need is ground espresso, your favorite kind of milk, I prefer almond or oat milk, hazelnut syrup from Torani, a milk steamer, and a frother.
First, prep your espresso maker. Once that is ready to go and it starts to brew your espresso, it’s time to prep your milk. I prefer the two to one ratio when it comes to my lattes, so two espresso shots for everyone one cup of milk.
To prep your milk, add as little or as much Torani syrup to your milk while it’s still cold and mix. The amount of syrup will determine the sweetness of your beverage. Now, take your milk steamer or your pot and add the milk and syrup to it.
While my espresso machine has a steamer attached to it, you can purchase this one that works very well:
Or simply use a pot like this:
Once your espresso is brewed and your milk is steaming, it’s time to mix the two together. First, add your espresso into your coffee mug, then add in your flavored, steamed milk, but not all of it.
With the last bit of your milk, we are going to create the foam that goes on top. To do this, grab a frother like this one:
After frothing the last of the milk, add it to the top of your latte and add some cinnamon as the last little touch. And if you want to get really fancy with it, you can use these stencils to create a design using your cinnamon.
And if you prefer to stick to your Keurig, make sure you have a pod with espresso in it, or if you are using the Hario V60 Ceramic Coffee Dripper, all you need to do is add your ground espresso to the dripper and boil some water using a kettle like this:
Once the water is ready, slowly pour the water over the espresso grounds while the dripper is sitting on top of your coffee mug. All of the other steps are the exact same as if you were using an actual espresso machine.
When it’s all said and done, your morning beverage should look something like this:
My coffee cups are from Crate&Barrel and are only $26.95 for a set of 8 (at the time of publication). Another way I love to make coffee is will a french press like this one:
For those who truly appreciate the deliciousness that is the simple black cup of coffee. You haven’t had a cup of good coffee until you’ve made one using a french press. It’s so, so good.
Of course, there are other ways to make espresso. Such as with:
Nespresso Vertuo Plus Coffee and Espresso Machine
$175 at the time of publication
The NEO, by Flair Espresso
$119 at the time of publication
This manual lever espresso maker for your home makes it very simple to have a nice bold, yet creamy, espresso every morning at home. No pods, no plugs, no fuss, just espresso.
Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine
$791.95 at the time of publication
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However, no matter what you use to make your morning cup of coffee, the most important part is by making sure you savor every drink of it, no matter where you are forced to drink it—in the car, in the bathroom while hiding from your kids, or on the couch in silence.
Coffee is meant to enjoyed. So do just that, enjoy it!
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