Source: http://healthyfoods.fivestarwayofliving.com/espresso-bars-for-home-enjoyment/

Are you getting ready to treat yourself to a home espresso machine? Here is a list of common accessories that will improve your home espresso brewing experience.

Priority number one is to get a good coffee grinder. There are two basic types: the blade grinder and the burr grinder. The burr grinder does a better job of grinding the beams to a fine grind. The blade grinders are less expensive and can do a find job when all you need is a course grind for drip coffee. You get what you pay for and a bur grinder is a good upgrade.

The second add-on is an espresso tamper. An espresso tamper isn’t a requirement but the ones that come with espresso machines are almost universally poor. Espresso tampers come in a wide variety and costs. The main features to evaluate are fit, ergonomics (does it feel good in your hand?) and materials.

A steaming and frothing pitcher rounds out your arsenal of espresso making tools. Many espresso drinks call for steamed milk or frothed milk or both. For example a Cappuccino is made with roughly equal portions of espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk. A 12 oz. pitcher is appropriate for home use but you can also get them twice as large if needed.

Espresso Cups and Espresso Cup Sets – This is one of the best places to insert some personality into your espresso bar. There are many types of espresso cups that range from simple porcelain cups to ones with name brand designer patterns. Espresso cups also come in glass and stainless steel. Once you find an espresso cup set that you enjoy for a while, you may just find yourself looking for another set because collecting them is a ton of fun. Your first set of espresso cups don’t have to be expensive and you will enjoy using them. If you enjoy larger drinks like lattes and cappuccinos then you will also want to get a set of cappuccinos cups for those drinks.

To go along with your espresso cups you will want a set of espresso spoons. Espresso spoons are also known as demitasse spoons and they add a nice touch of class to your espresso cups. Latte spoons are larger and match your latte cups for your larger espresso drinks.

An espresso recipe book will keep you brewing for a long time. Some of the more popular recipe books have over 200 coffee recipes! Here are a couple of recipes to get you started. A latte is espresso with steamed milk. A mocha is a latte with chocolate syrup and a cappuccino is 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk and 1/3 frothed milk.

Flavors come next and there are LOTs to choose from. Although there are flavored powders (ex: chocolate, mocha, etc) most flavors are added as syrup. There are dozens of flavors of syrup and they range from the perennial favorite of chocolate to seasonal flavors such as pumpkin.

With some many options it is sometimes hard to know where to start. The best place to begin is with the basics (coffee grinder, espresso cups) and move on to the next options when you need them. Espresso brewing is a surprisingly deep hobby and with a few of the right add-ons you will have fun learning new recipes and improving your skill for a long time to come.

Espresso coffee cups are made of a few different types of materials. From stainless steel to espresso glass, there are some unique differences between each kind.

Another great article about Espresso accessories. We personally got only the tamper, scale, thermometer and pitcher. And my husband is dreaming about the knock box. No problem-Father’s day is coming.

By Kim R.

“Are you getting ready to treat yourself to a home espresso machine? Here is a list of common accessories that will improve your home espresso brewing experience.

The first add-ons that you need to get are your espresso making tools and at the top of this list is the espresso coffee grinder. Low end grinders use a blade to grind up the coffee beans and they do a fine job for course grounds. Burr grinders are higher quality grinders and they do a much better job when you need finer grinds for espresso. The blade grinders can also burn the coffee beans if they are used for a long time to make finer grinds.

An espresso tamper is a necessity and you probably got one with your espresso machine. A new tamper can be a nice upgrade if yours is a poorly made model (most that come with espresso machine are poor quality). Make sure the new tamper you are getting fits the opening well and beyond that get one that feels good to you.

A steamer or frothing pitcher makes you look like you know what you are doing. Many espresso drinks (lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, etc) call for either steamed or frothed milk so this will be a required item. You don’t need to get a giant pitcher; one the size of a can of soda pop is good enough for home use.

Espresso cups are one of the accessories where you can go a little crazy. Many cup and saucer sets come with unique art designs on them and can become very collectible. Other options are espresso glasses and stainless steel espresso glasses. Both the glass and stainless models typically have a double walled design to help retain the heat of your drink for as long as possible. Latte cups are usually 6-12 oz for larger espresso drinks.

To go along with your espresso cups you will want a set of espresso spoons. Espresso spoons are also known as demitasse spoons and they add a nice touch of class to your espresso cups. Latte spoons are larger and match your latte cups for your larger espresso drinks.

You will also need to have some espresso recipes for all of the different espresso drinks you can make. A good coffee recipe book will get you hundreds of options to choose from.

Flavors come next and there are LOTs to choose from. Although there are flavored powders (ex: chocolate, mocha, etc) most flavors are added as syrup. There are dozens of flavors of syrup and they range from the perennial favorite of chocolate to seasonal flavors such as pumpkin.

There are many more options for decking out your new home espresso bar but there is one more I should mention. Although not as exciting as the other accessories, you will need cleaning brushes and cleaning powder to keep your espresso machine in top condition. Follow this list and add the options that make sense to you and you will have a great deal of fun starting down the wonderful path of becoming a home brew barista.”

Article source: http://www.essentialaromatheraphy.com/espresso-bar-accessories-at-home/