How to Make a Solo Espresso by Mandy B.

Yes, I have been called a coffee snob. However, I deny the term. I am not adamant about grinding my own coffee or exactly where my beans come from. I do love a good strong flavour (preferably German), but I am more interested in how the coffee is brewed and enjoyed.

For instance, coffee and drive through should rarely coexist. One thing I miss about France is the café culture, where one could read a book and people watch for hours without being disturbed. When you order un café (a coffee), the waiter will bring you a single espresso with two sugar cubes on the side. Once in Italy, I bought myself a single stovetop espresso dripolator that has been a faithful friend throughout the years.

Most people gawk and ask questions when I pull it out, so I thought I would open up my kitchen and the tutorial for all.

#1 Meet the Solo Espresso Maker

This simple contraption has three parts, the bottom that holds the water, the middle section that holds the coffee grounds, and the top spout. It uses heat to force the water through the coffee grounds and up into the cup.

#2 Add Water

Fill water up to the vent on the side of the bottom. Get your coffee grounds of choice and coffee holder (pictured left) ready.

#3 Add Coffee Grounds

Fill the coffee holder up with your roast of choice (above I chose Swiss Mövenpick brand, medium roast, although I also love German Jacobs) and place it into the bottom piece, filled with water.

#4 Select Espresso Cup

#5 Get Ready to Brew

Screw the top part of the coffee maker onto the two bottom layers, and you’re ready to brew on the stovetop. The espresso cup sits on the shelf directly below the spout.

#6 Turn on the Heat

Set your heat to high, and keep an eye on it as it starts to brew.

#7 Watch the Magic

As the water in the bottom heats, it will be forced up through the coffee, through a filter, and finally up through the spout and into your cup. Once it starts to pour, it will be done very quickly. At this point, immediately remove the espresso cup with an oven mitt or towel. Turn off the heat. Every inch of the espresso maker will be burning hot, so don’t touch it. However, you need to remove it from the heat or the plastic will eventually melt. I usually dip a spoon under the spout to move the whole thing to the sink to cool.

#8 Fixin’s

  Although good coffee calls for no extras, I usually add one sugar and foam a little milk with my super-handy milk foamer to put on top.

#9 Company

Grab an old or new friend to share the coffee with. If you’re lucky, you’ll own a two-cup espresso maker! I am not so fortunate. My only companion this time is the devious little Xena, hoping for a few grains of sugar to be dropped from the counter

Coffee in the Morning by Amanda Hixson

Bohemian Coffee House

I have a liquid obsession and it is called coffee. Some may prefer tea (hot cocoa or cider), but my favorite warm beverage is coffee, for the taste as much as for the caffeine punch. I am quite addicted.

Proof? I keep a Starbucks cup by my desk as a “decoration.” My vacation destination of upmost fantasy is Seattle. On my Facebook profile page, scroll down to my interests. What interest is first? Coffee, which is followed by chocolate, Italy, The 90s, and Hello Kitty in that order. Oh, but it were 1994 again, and I, chitchatting at a cafe somewhere amongst the cobblestoned back alley streets of Venice, sipping “cioccolata” dusted cappuccino, with my BFF madame Hello Kitty ^.^ — I would be in heaven, my friends, heaven.

I honestly believe that it was no coincidence that the Renaissance Era coincided with the introduction of the cocoa plant to Europe. I have done a bit of research on this theory, and thus far, so far as I can tell, I am the only propounder. There’s… something…. there. Let it be known– the Renaissance Era was fueled by coffee– which led to The Enlightenment, which led to the Great Awakening (indeed)! Or something like that.

Coffee, dude, coffee. Enlighten my coffee, baby, with some sugar and cream. Yeah.

I didn’t always like coffee, much like the kid in the book Johnny Tremain. I don’t know why I remember this part of that book, but Johnny was quite enticed by the sweet aroma of the bean. He thought it smelled divine. I believe he used a special silver dollar or his first pay-check or some significant allowance to purchase his first cup… but was shocked and underwhelmed by the bitterness of the concoction. I too succumbed to my desire to sip the mystic brew at an early age and found the taste displeasing.

One fateful day, however, several years later, I was stuck waiting for my car to be serviced at a Quick Oil Lube. I was about 16 or 17 and had a dry mouth. These places always have complimentary coffee and I am nary one to turn down a free gesture. It is not in my nature. Free stuff = good. So, I ventured over to the coffee station and fixed myself a Dixieland cupful with plenty of cream. In fact, I piled in tons of creamer and about six packs of sugar, actually. And it was good! Thus began my lifelong addiction.

And now for the informative part of my article about coffee: Liquid creamer is a must for me. It cools and sweetens the drink at the same time. I love it how after Christmas all of the “seasonal flavors” go down to like 50 cents. We stockpile.

Here is a list of all the Coffeemate flavors (you had no idea, did you?):

Amaretto
Belgian Chocolate Toffee
Café Latte
Café Mocha
Caramel Macchiato
Chocolate Raspberry
Cinnamon Bun
Cinnamon Vanilla Crème
Coconut Crème
Creamy Chocolate
Crème Brulée
French Vanilla
Hazelnut
Hazelnut Latte
Honey Vanilla Crème
Irish Crème
Italian Sweet Crème
Natural Bliss™ Caramel
Natural Bliss™ Sweet Cream
Natural Bliss™ Vanilla
Original
Parisian Almond Crème
Peppermint Mocha
Toffee Nut
Vanilla Caramel
Vanilla Chai Spice
Vanilla Latte
Vanilla Nut
White Chocolate
Caramel Latte

Seasonal Flavors:
Brown Sugar Maple Latte
Eggnog Latte
Gingerbread Latte
Peppermint Mocha
Pumpkin Spice
Warm Cinnamon
Sugar Cookie

I think it is good to begin your day with a prayer, a stretch, exercise, contemplation, meditation, and all that good stuff– but, for me, coffee will always be integral to my morning routine. Or suffer my wrath (Jk).

WordPress Bohemian On The Go by verymandy

This is a test. This is only a test. (And I am a fan… I am ONLY a fan). Okay, maybe it is a little more than that, but I apologize ahead of time for the quality of this blog. This is just crzy nonsense. Nothing real serious… am blogging to the Bohemian wordpress from my phone. I am figuring out if I can start blogging on the go– your Waco Boho roving reporter. Can make links? Will I have to do without? There are some very nice well-written posts I need to make when I get the chance, but for now… Maybe recount a few things.

I wanted to just make a shout-out mention to some of our local bands and peeps here in Waco, keeping the nightlife real… Groovy. (Sorry about the ellipses and oh yeah, once again, the quality of writing on this post.) With Sea Monsters, Tony Agulare ( I couldn’t find him on Facebook so I’m not sure I spelled his name right or wrong), Johnny’s Body, and FoneDead. How do we have such talented bands in our area? Well, I think it is our college– McLennan Community College. They have an incredible music program of which talents such as Kat Dixon from Married With Sea Monsters have matriculated through.

Anywho, I had an epic night last Saturday rolling with Bohemian staff photographer, Lindsey Springer… blogger Dominik Young… and resident muse Noelle Argubright and we saw tons of friendly faces while we were out, so go Waco for partying it up? Lol! No, it was a night for a good show.

I know this is (as Bubba Waco might say) excruciatingly boring nonsense but it was just a good time night so… more ellipses ensue! I would say that this particular Saturday night was a lay-in-your-bed-at-the-end-of-it-with-headphones-on like the kid at the end of Dazed and Confused kind of night, you know what I mean, kind of episode. Ok… Yeah. This is definitely a middle-of-the-night post.

Let’s start at the beginning. A trip to Hemingways, a nice little bar here in Waco that I have visited many times. Actually, I was in full-on all business mode when I got there because I was speaking with a business owner in the Waco community about how he could integrate the arts into his business. Actually, it was the owner of Hem’s himself– Mr. Gerard. Wow, famous. He said he would allow a photography show by our own Lindsey Springer on the walls (yay!) and that he would allow poet/ artist Noelle to set up an easel and sketch customers on Wednesdays (yay!.. coming soon) and then he told us some of the things he does on the side like making costumes for the Waco Civic Theater and I was like— What! No way! (Read with excited, complimentary tone.) So, stay tuned in future blogs for the reporting on “The Side-Endeavors of Gerard.” I hear he has a play cooking.

Well then Bubba Waco came in the bar… with his fabulous lady, Gaye. And we were drinking wine. And a patron played me a country song with my name in it, “Amanda,” on his phone. And Nicky, the waitress, was dressed in red, white, and blue. (Non-cheesy, I determined because of the Levis label). And Lindsey stepped up to the plate (just because she was dying to meet THE Bubba Waco) and matched him tit for tat on his Bob Dylan knowledge. You can not say she did not. Because she did. Boom. And Non left to go home but mysteriously came back about 5 times (or once…), which is only a slight exaggeration and she was rocking a mug from Homestead Heritage. I hope those Mennonites don’t steal my real hippie away from me– I will cut a brother up! And Nicky was making hotdogs and pies. It was all pretty cool. It was happening. Then it was time to roll…

Well, I guess as my fellow bloggers do, I will continue my story later because it is beginning to get long-winded. Catch you on the other side, homefries. I will continue chronicalizing our escapades mañana . I think I am going to get killed for this post. Text speak, etc. Oh well.