ROK Espresso Maker

America's Test Kitchen wrote:

In a Nutshell
Attractive and functional, this machine produced rich, flavorful espresso and velvety crema with the pressing down of two levers.

Details
Like the AeroPress, the ROK is designed for simplicity. The 11-inch tool consists of two long, curved levers attached to a wishbone-shaped body, a clear hot-water chamber with markings for single and double shots, and a portafilter for grounds. Also included are a measuring scoop that doubles as a tamper, an adapter for making two single shots simultaneously, and a syringe-like milk foamer (you simply stick it into milk and pump the plunger to froth).

The instructions were clear, and the superb result—rich, full-bodied espresso topped with a nice crema—had test cooks lining up for shots.

Note: The ROK is the newest incarnation of the Presso Espresso Machine

Apparently I was not the most pleasant of children when I was a little boy...based on what my parents tell me, of course. My mother was saying over Easter dinner the other night just how angry she would get at me when I would drink her fresh morning coffee on her as soon as she'd walk away from her mug everyday. I guess I could barely walk at this point in time and the mere thought of a little boy at this age with a hot coffee mug in hand is capable of giving mothers slight heart attacks. Who new? My mother did not suffer from any heart attacks thankfully but now I am questioning if she was actually more concerned for her son's safety or more concerned for her coffee..? Hmmmm. Regardless and in retrospect, I now just call myself an early bloomer for my passion for coffee. Thanks mom.

I just watched one of the funniest Sesame Street skits ever. Grover makes "The Freshest Coffee iiiiiinnnnn the World!"
http://www.sesamestreet.org/play#media/video_b8cb39dc-e3e9-47fb-8c9f-6a2932d58009

....still waiting for Whole Latte Love to make a Harlem Shake video.

You’re Drinking Too Much Coffee When:

You ski uphill.
You answer the door before people knock.
You sleep with your eyes open.
You just completed your third sweater today, and you don’t know how to knit.
You grind your coffee beans in your mouth.
You have to watch videos in fast-forward.
The only time you’re standing still is in an earthquake.
You lick your coffee pot clean.
Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.
The nurse needs a scientific calculator to take your pulse.
You can type sixty words a minute with your feet.
You don’t sweat, you percolate.
People get dizzy just watching you.
People can test their batteries in your ears.
Your birthday is a national holiday in Brazil.
Your Thermos is on wheels.
You can outlast the Energizer Bunny.
You don’t even wait for the water to boil anymore.
You don’t tan, you roast.
You soak your dentures in coffee overnight.

Does coffee make a good Valentines Day gift?

I saw this the other day and thought it was appropriate to share here. Enjoy.

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. Savor the coffee, not the cups! The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

I just up voted everyone's everything.

A Quick Cup of Perfection

Many people claim they can't get through the day without their morning coffee. Meanwhile, other members of the coffee culture can't do without their morning espressos, cappuccinos, or other specialty coffee beverages. Gauging by the astronomical number of Starbucks throughout this country (abou

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Espresso At A Tailgate Party?

Espresso anywhere?...sounds good to me! I figure this would be a good time to go over the Handpresso Wild Hybrid, an improved version of Handpresso's ingenious portable espresso maker that can now brew using both ground coffee and ESE (Easy Serve Espresso) pods.
At first glance, the Handpresso W

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