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  • How To Make Orange Coffee Juice

    This refreshing drink is a powerful morning boost to help you get through the day.

    This will be one of the most surprising coffee drinks you’ll ever have.

    People would tend to be taken aback by just how the drink is and did not expect it to be. But it’s hilarious to watch their disbelief turn into delight when they try it for the first time.

    Even if you don’t end up loving it, it will not be what you anticipated before tasting it.

    Its intricate blend of flavors is far better than it should be in theory. Additionally, it is incredibly cooling and could be easily sipped on a hot day

    Here’s How To Make Orange Coffee Juice

    This should not take more than 5 minutes to make.

    The Ingredients

    You will need only 2 ingredients or 3 if you like it sweet.

    • Juice of 3 Oranges
    • 2 shots of Espresso – 60ML  (alternatively you could use Caffè Della Moka, which you can make at home)
    • Sugar to taste

    Method

    Cut the Orange In half and extract the juice either by using a juicer or squeezing it manually.

    Pause this juice into a glass and ice.

    Now it’s time to make your espresso shot. You will need a double shot (about 60 ml) of espresso.

    Alternatively, if you don’t have an espresso machine you could use Caffè Della Moka which could be easily made at home. You might need to use more of it as it is not as strong as espresso.

    For all of you with a sweet tooth, I recommend you add sugar to the coffee as this would be the more bitter ingredient of the 2. I recommend adding one to 2teaspoons of coffee for medium sweetness.

    Now place a tablespoon right about the orange juice and carefully pour the coffee to layer it which would give it a good look.

    And you are done your orange coffee juices are ready.

    Make sure you store it well before you have a taste.

    I would appreciate it if you could take a picture and send it to me as this would boost my confidence and help me make more content.

    I hope you enjoyed this recipe as I did. This will be my go-to coffee drink this summer.

  • How Dalgona Coffee Originated & A Simple Way You Can Make It

    If you keep track of quarantine trends, you might conclude that TikTok is responsible for the popularity of the sweet, highly caffeinated coffee beverage known as Dalgona coffee. 

    Dalgona coffee is made from instant coffee, sugar, and milk, and requires that the ingredients be whipped together until stiff peaks form. influencers, famous people, and anyone with free time have been using their forearms to prepare this purportedly new coffee fad for the past month and a half.

    So where did Dalgona Coffee actually originate from?

    The popular iteration of the Dalgona Coffee mainly oiginted in South Korea. Although it is a mix of of several types of coffee from different cultures. It’s not ‘original’ as per say but rather a ‘remixed’ version of different types but similar coffee recipes with the same basic ineridents. 

    The only irony is that it is hardly new. Although a South Korean Television program is responsible for its massive popularity, whipped instant coffee drinks are also popular in other countries, such as India, Pakistan, Greece, and Macau. This is the complex story of how Dalgona came to be known.

    The word ‘Dalgona’ comes from the country of South Korea as is the name of a popular candy made with sugar and bicarbonate which is sold on the streets. Dalgona roughly translates in english to “it’s sweet”. This sweet is also know as honeycomb or sponge toffee. 

     It is a light brown candy with lots of pores and is super sweet. This is why when the Korean actor Jung Il-Woo tasted it in Hon Kee Café in Macau, China. He tried a whipped coffee drink and he told his fans it tasted like the Dalgona Sweet back home. This  went viral, and the drink got poppularised with the name ‘Dalgona’. The rest as they say is history. 

    How to make Dolgona Coffee?

    Here’s a simple way to make this coffee. It should not take you more than 3 to 5 minutes.

    Ingredients-

    2 tablespoons Instant Coffee

    2 tablespoons Sugar

    2 tablespoons Boilng hot water

    Milk

    Ice cubes (optional)

    Equipment-

    Whisker (electric is preferred)

    Step 1 

    Add 2 tablespoons of instant coffe and 2 tablespoons of sugar and mix it quickly

    Step 2 

    Add about 2 tablespoons of boiling hot water, and mix immediately until it gets creamy and forms up.

    I recommend to use an electric whisker, you can do it by hand but be ready to use some elbow grease. 

    When it gets creamy, set it aside.

    Step 3

    In a glass add some ice cubes and then fill it ¾ with milk. 

    Step 4 

    Scoop the whisked coffee cream mixture and gently place on top of the milk.

    And thats it, your Dolgona Coffee is ready!

    I hope you enjoy it. 

    How much calories does Dolgona Coffee have?

    A typical serving of Dolgon coffee would have an approximate of 374 calories. 

    This also depends on the type of milk you are using.

    My personal opinion is that with such a high Calorie count, I suggest you should not have this as a daily coffee beverage but rather once in a while.

  • Types of Coffee – Explained

    Although I have always been fond of coffee since I was a kid, I never truly understood the meaning of natural, washed, light, or dark roast meant. So I did some digging and decided to share my understanding of these terms to the best of my ability. 

    Two Major Types of Coffee Beans

    In most markets and cafes around the world, you will most likely find these two types of coffee beans being used to make coffee, that is Coffee arabica and coffee robusta. The main difference between these two is the taste, some consider coffee arabica to be of a higher quality than coffee robusta. In my opinion, this is not true, the taste is subjective and some people might prefer robusta. And there is no credible difference between the production quality of the coffee beans.

    Coffee Arabica

    This is the most widely available and popular coffee used around the world. Many coffee aficionados swear by coffee arabica for its better taste. It tends to have a more complex flavor which is sweet and so can be consumed without adding anything else. 

    This is why generally black coffee is made from coffee arabica. As per my understanding experts say a tends to have a smoother flavor with hints of berries and fruits. 

    More than 60% of the world’s coffee comes from coffee arabica cultivation and is generally grown at higher elevations.

    Coffee Robusta

    Even though this is not as popular as coffee arabica, coffee robusta is stronger and also much more affordable. Not only does this coffee has a more robust flavor but also has stronger caffeine content in it. 

    Due to its higher flavor concentration tends to be more bitter. This is why it is used to make espresso as well as instant coffee. So if you are in need of a caffeine kick, go for robusta.

    Different Coffee Drink Types

    We all know the popular and fancy coffee drink names like Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte, affogato, and so on. If you just know the names and do not really know what it means, I’ve got you covered! 

    Espresso

  • Why do People hate Instant Coffee and how to fix it

    It is commonly understood that instant coffee or ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee gets its negativity from social stigma. 

    Many coffee Coffee aficionados believe that instant coffee is the mother of all bad ideas. But I argue that it is not true. 

    This can be attributed to the first wave of coffee where instant coffee just had a bad taste. But now almost 100 years later, instant coffee has come a long way. And most people are not convinced with what I like to call Effort-to-Reward of brewing coffee and are simply happy with their instant coffee. 

    They just don’t feel the need to do the extra steps involved in brewing their own coffee. 

    Instant coffee did not have a bad reputation during the second wave of coffee in the 1900s. In fact, I believe that most people drink instant coffee over any other type of coffee. 

    According to BBC, 77% of Brits drink Instant coffee at home. In my own country India which is the third-largest producer of coffee in Asia and the sixth-largest in the world, I believe most people still drink instant coffee. The city I live in is just a couple of hours away from the wester ghats where most of this coffee is grown and still, most people drink instant coffee.

    The main reason for the success of instant coffee can be attributed to one factor and that is convenience. It is just plain and simply convenient. In a world where people’s attention span does not last for more than 2 seconds on social media, asking the majority of people to take the time to brew their coffee seems to be an uphill battle. 

    The fact is the instant coffee market is projected to exponentially grow in the coming years as the coffee culture is starting to pick up in China and Russia and other emerging markets.

    Earlier China used to consume 2 cups of coffee per person per year, which in most countries is the number of cups of coffee had after breakfast. But now China is the 4th largest market for ready-to-drink (RTD) or instant coffee and is said to grow even more. 

    There is no doubt in my mind that with improvement in technology and affordability the market for brewing your own coffee at home will grow, but I think the market for instant coffee will grow exponentially when compared to that.

    It was during the second wave of coffee when Starbucks made consistent quality freshly brewed coffee to every metro neighborhood in America that the perception of instant coffee started to change.

    This was followed by the third wave of coffee which was started by coffee aficionados who despised instant coffee. And it soon became trendy to if you wanted to be seen as a coffee enthusiast then you would have to ‘hate’ on instant coffee.

    Now I will present my argument against the idea that instant coffee is bad. 

    In the photography community, it is commonly said that “the best camera is the one that’s with you” In the same way I would say that the best coffee is the one that is available to you.

    For most people with busy lives like working professionals or people with a tight budget (Yes, Starbucks is costly) instant coffee is the best. 

    It is by no means the best coffee money can buy, but that is not the criteria for most people. Most people want their sip of coffee and maybe a small dose of caffeine and that’s all. 

    And its difficult to argue with the time and economic benefits of instant coffee if that’s the criteria on which you base your coffee choice.

    Let’s face it, most people have had freshly brewed coffee at least once in their lives. And if they are still not convinced they have to put in extra effort, no matter how little it might be then we have nothing much to argue about.

    I believe Coffee is meant to be enjoyed, and it’s up to each person on how they want to enjoy it. 

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  • How to Clean a Coffee Maker with Vinegar

    If cleaning your coffee maker with vinegar sounds weird to you, well maybe it is, but it is important and will help your coffee maker last for much longer. If you’ve been using your coffee maker for a long time you better get started right after reading this.

    Why do I need to Clean with Vinegar?

    Well, water contains minerals and other solids dissolved in it. The coffee maker works by evaporating water from the reservoir. This causes only the water to get evaporated leaving the minerals behind and depositing them in its internal tubing. Over time as the layers of these minerals increase, they will clog up your coffee maker. Moreover, the coffee beans also over time leave a sticky deposit. If you have brewed anything that’s sticky such as tea or chocolate then it’s better the clean with vinegar.

    Requirement:

    • White vinegar
    • Water

    The process is quite simple. Firstly remove any coffee beans from the filter funnel and put the empty filter funnel back. Fill the reservoir with white vinegar and place a mug or a decanter to collect the vinegar. Now set the coffee maker on the brew. Once it is done, throw out the vinegar and repeat it again with fresh vinegar. The first step is done.

    Now that we have got rid of the inside deposit with vinegar, we have to get rid of the vinegar with clean water. Preferably use distilled water if not drinking water should do just fine. Fill up the reservoir with the water and set it to brew again. Throw out the water and repeat the cycle another time. And that’s it! You’re done. This is a simple process and will help your coffee maker last for years to come.

    If you want to clean more thoroughly or use other methods to clean your coffee maker, check out this article – how to clean coffee makers here

    How many times do I need to Clean my Coffee Maker with Vinegar?

    If you use it daily once a month should be fine, but if you use it once in a while, then every other month should do. If you brewed anything sticky like tea or chocolate then brew it with vinegar after that followed by water.

  • How to Make Coffee Cured Steak (Filet

    Coffee cured steak is a unique dish that could impress any date even if they are a chef. Although it might look quite complicated, this is a simple dish that anyone can make as long as they know how to boil water on a stove.  

    Ingredients – 

    • 3 10oz beef tenderloin filets
    • 2 1⁄2 cups strong espresso OR 2 1⁄2 cups darkest roast non-flavored coffee (I used French Roast) (OR Instant coffee, although I don’t suggest this. Use it only if you have no other option)
    • ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ Cup molasses (regular strength)
    • 1 ½ Tablespoon Sea salt or kosher salt
    • 1 Tablespoon Cumin
    • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar

    In a pan over low heat (any utensil will do) add some extra virgin olive oil, molasses, and coffee and stir well.

    Now add the salt, cumin powder, and brown sugar and mix well till everything is dissolved. 

    IMPORTANT: Do not add the steak until the mixture is cooled to at least room temperature. Also, do not add ice into the mixture to cool it down you can however place it in the fridge to cool down. 

    Now place the steak in the mixture making sure it is completely submerged, or preferably place it in a ziplock bag. Now let it cure in the fridge for 24 hours

    24 hours later, you’ve got your very own coffee-cured marinade!

    Now comes the fun part, with a little butter on the pan over medium heat toss in your coffee cured steak, and cook it like a regular steak.

    As a fellow coffee lover, I hope you enjoy every bite of this delicious yet simple dish. 

    Dig in!

  • How to Make Espresso on the Stove

    Espresso is one of the most popular types of coffee in the world. Like other things in life, I see Espresso as a vice, at least for those who can’t live without it. Espresso coffee is a type of coffee that needs to be prepared in a special way. 

    It can be made at home with an espresso machine, or you can simply buy it from your local cafe.

    But what if you don’t have an espresso machine at home or find it too expensive? 

    Forgive me Espresso aficionados, but then the second best thing to espresso is coffee made using a Moka Pot. 

    What’s the difference you may ask?

     Well, espresso brews coffee at around 6 bars to 9 bars of pressure at 95°C, and coffee brewed in a Moka pot uses around 1.5bars to 2 bars of pressure at around 100°C. 

    Does it change the taste?

    Well for all practical reasons, for the average person I’d like to say no. But if you are a coffee enthusiast I’d then understand if you’d disagree. But you will agree with me if I say this is the easiest and cheapest way to make espresso at home.

    Things you’ll need-

    • Stovetop Espresso maker (Moka pot)
    • Grounded Coffee beans (you can buy them or ground them yourself)
    • Some drinking water
    • Stovetop 

    Step 1: Preparation

    Separate the Moka pot into 3 parts.

    Step 2: Filling water

    After cleaning your Moka pot, fill the lower chamber with drinking water. 

     Most Moka pots have a safety pressure valve, always make sure the water level is not above this valve (it’s the round thing usually made of brass).

    Step 3: Fitting 

    Place the filter basket upon the lower chamber.

    Step 4: Coffee Beans

    Now it’s time to get your coffee beans ready. If it’s unground coffee, then it’s time to grind it. You want to have a more fine grind, but not as fine as espresso. It should be a bit more coarse.

    Fill it so that the coffee powder is level with the brim of the filter basket. You can compact it down with a spoon if you like, but not too much.

    A very fine grind will cause the Moka pot’s pressure valve to open. Don’t worry if it does. Just try again with a bit more coarse ground coffee beans this time.

    Step 5: Reassembling the Moka pot

    Now you have to screw back the top chamber and you are almost done! 

    Step 6: Patience 

    Just place it on the stovetop and let it do its thing. In a couple of minutes, your homemade espresso-Moka pot coffee will be ready.

    Lower the heat once it starts to boil. And turn it off immediately once the top chamber of the Moka pot is almost filled.

    Step 7: The most Important Step

    You must now take time and enjoy your homemade espresso coffee. 

  • Cafe style Coffee at home | Hot Coffee

    This is a quick and easy way to get cafe-style coffee at home using instant coffee. Using this method you can make a nice simple frothy coffee that you would find at cafes and baristas.

    This recipe needs only 4 ingredients. It will just take you around 10 minutes to make this coffee so this should be your go-to recipe on a lazy day. Not to mention you are going to appreciate its taste and simplicity.

    You can make this recipe almost anywhere, as it does not need any special machinery or equipment.

    Ingredients-

    • Instant Coffee
    • Sugar
    • Milk
    • Water

    This recipe serves one cup. Just multiply the ingredients as per the number of cups you need

    How to make Hot Coffee Easy and Simple way-

    Step 1

    In a cup and 1 ½ teaspoon of Instant coffee powder and 1 ½ teaspoon of sugar or as per your liking.

    Step 2

    Add 3 teaspoons of hot boiling water or ¼ cup depending on how much milk you want to use. Even hot water will do, does not need to be boiled just to dissolve the instant coffee powder. You can heat the water in a small saucepan or electric kettle.

    Step 3 

    Stir well till the coffee and sugar is dissolved

    Step 4

    Now stir the coffee vigorously and beat it for 3 to 4 minutes. It should not take long but if your arms pain, take a quick 30-second break and get right back.

    Step 5

    After beating the coffee should be frothy and the froth tends to be a lighter brown.

    Step 6

    Now in a saucepan take one cup of milk and bring it to a boil on medium flame.

    Step 7

    Immediately pour the milk into a hot jar or thermos flask.

    Warning: Be careful in handling the jar as it will be very hot. Use gloves or a jar with a handle. 

    Do not use a plastic jar that could melt.

    Step 8

    Now shake the jar Vigorously. This is to make the milk frothy and form a foam. If you have a milk blender you could use it as well

    Step 9

    Now pour ⅓ to ½ cup milk into the cup.

    Step 10

    Now stir well to mix the coffee and the milk.

    Step 11

    Pour the remaining milk

    Step 12 

    Slowly pour the frothy layer so that it floats on the top.

    Step 13

    Sprinkel some instant coffee powder to add more flavor and looks better. You could even have it just like that.

    Step 14

    It is time to enjoy your quick and easy cafe-style coffee in the comfort of your home.

    This method of making coffee is very handy. I make this when I’m late to work or excessively feeling lazy (which is most days).

     The simplicity of this method cannot be underestimated. While making espresso or brewing from a Moka takes time and energy and also maintenance like cleaning the equipment. 

    And we all fall behind in other activities of our lives that many of us for one reason or another just don’t have the time, money, or resources to make coffee every day. 

    That’s why unlike most coffee enthusiasts I recommend people to try out instant coffee and it’s most accessible and economical, at least in the beginning.

     So go ahead and make a great cup of coffee using instant coffee!

  • How does Coffee Affect Meat

    This might be new to some of you, but coffee and meat do taste well together especially if done right. Coffee can be used in various ways to enhance your daily means. So let’s try and understand how coffee affects meat today.

    What does coffee do to Meat?

    Coffee being acidic tenderizes the meat. Coffee contains compounds such as tannins that are found in wines, which help in multiplying the flavor of the meat. If coffee grounds are used they also help in giving a nice texture as well as a crust to the meat.

    Most people use wine for its acidic properties. The tannin compounds found in the wine help reset the taste palates and allow it to absorb the fatty steak compounds which carry flavor. As a result, we can taste the steak in much better detail and enjoy it more.

    Since coffee has the same tannin compounds, it can be used to give a similar effect. Also, coffee is not an overwhelming flavor, so the flavor of the meat is preserved. 

    Does Coffee rubbed steak have Caffeine?

    Yes, it does have caffeine. Caffeine breaks down at temperatures above 235 °C. So at the boiling point of water caffeine does not break down. 

     Decaffeinated coffee can be used but may alter the taste of the final dish.

    What Meat can be put in Coffee?

    Coffee has an earthy flavor, so meats such as beef, pork, and fish will go well with it. Since it does not have an overwhelming flavor it also can be used with white meats such as chicken and turkey. 

    Really as long as you understand the flavors and how they interact you can potentially add coffee to many other types of meat and in different ways to influence their flavor and texture.

    How long do you have to cure Meat in Coffee?

    Depending on how you cure the meat, i.e. rubbed with ground coffee or soaked in espresso it can take anywhere from 6 to 24 hours. In my opinion, 12 to 24 hours is the sweet spot as it helps bring out the flavor and tenderize the meat.

    What does coffee-rubbed steak taste like?

    Coffee rubbed/cured steak tends to have very little coffee flavor, rather it tends to give a more earthy flavor to the meat. There is also a slightly charred taste added to it.

    If you are interested in trying out coffee with meat, check out our Coffee Cured Steak (Filet) Recipe