Make Your Home The Next Coffee Hotspot
There is nothing like settling into your favorite seat at your favorite coffee house sipping on your favorite brew. Nothing, that is, like having the same experience right at home. The midday coffee shop visit is a ritual you have come to love and can be recreated with these helpful tips and creative coffee-centric design ideas.
It's ideal to set up a space in your kitchen dedicated to coffee making. There are a few things that are a must. First, an airtight bin to store beans. Yes, beans. You cannot buy ground coffee if you want to recreate the feel and taste of a coffee shop. Next, a burr grinder. Since you're grinding "to order" like they do at the coffee shop, you'll want a machine that can grind for every type of coffee from drip to espresso to French Press and everything else in between. The Burr Grinder by KitchenAid is designed for the ultimate performance and precision.
Stainless steel burrs grind coffee consistently at any of the 15 available grind levels. And a glass bean hopper holds up to seven ounces of whole beans so you'll always be ready to go.
If you want to make your set up as cool as the corner coffee place, you've got to start riding the third wave. Craft coffee making, aka the third wave of coffee brewing, is as much an art form as it is about an enjoyable cup of coffee. That means it's time to ditch the K cup and elevate your coffee experience. Craft coffee brewing includes interesting methods like vacuum brewing. It sounds complicated, but equipment like the KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer takes the guess work out of craft coffee.
Modern engineering and amazing design work come together to create a brewer that offers a complex, velvety cup of coffee that is delivered through precise temperature control and vacuum technology. It's easy to rinse clean and there are no disposable filters required. If you're into pour over, then you will love the KitchenAid Custom Pour Over Brewer. Considered the pinnacle of brewing methods, this could be complicated. But KitchenAid does all the work, mimicking the technique of an expert barista with technology that allows for just enough water to pre-soak the grounds, then pouring and pausing, allowing them to bloom beautifully so you taste all the subtleties and flavor within the coffee. One-touch medium and dark roast settings allow you to customize your brew.
Once you've considered beans, grinds and brew methods, it's time to consider ambience. Create a space that has all you need within arm's reach. Have your laptop open and ready for browsing, create a coffee house playlist and set up a snack station with all your favorite coffee accompaniments. Biscotti for dipping, fresh baked muffins, scones, and other sweet treats can be placed on a cake tray and covered so they stay fresh. You can invite friends to pick and choose pastries while they await their custom brew.
You can also print out coffee-centric quotes and photos from the web and frame them for your little café. It's the intimate and unique touches you add that will really make the space your own. Just think how happy you will be when the snow starts falling and you're sipping on your fave brew in your fave chair right in your own kitchen.
Get Bean Smart
Good coffee houses have good coffee. We're not talking the kind that comes out of a peel and pop tin container. Source your beans from local roasters and get to know the farms they work with. Maybe you're interested in micro-lots where only small amounts of one type of bean are farmed. Or perhaps you're going to focus on single origin beans. Dive into coffee so you know what you're tasting.
Burr, Don't Buy
For coffee house style coffee you've got to do what they do: Grind your own beans. KitchenAid's Burr Grinder offers precision grinding at 15 different levels so you have the prefect grind for French Press; pour over, espresso, and more. Plus, it'll be a star on your countertop with its iconic design and sturdy die cast construction.
Train Your Brain to Brew
You've got to know how to make good coffee into order to serve it, even if it is just for yourself. Experiment with different methods like pour over using the KitchenAid Custom Pour Over Brewer, which mimics the popular hand poured method producing a clean and bright cup of coffee. Or, try the siphon technique using the Siphon Coffee Brewer from KitchenAid, which automates the process to deliver a rich, velvety cup of coffee through precise temperature and vacuum technology.
Create a Coffee Space
Part of the appeal of the coffee shop is their dedicated coffee area where everything is within arm's reach. Look for an old buffet cart that you can salvage and repurpose as a coffee cart. Place a coffee machine on top along with a grinder and cups so you can grind and brew at a moment's notice. For a dramatic look, paint the cart a bright blue or green.
Tune Out
Coffee shops create the mood by playing an eclectic array of relaxing music. A Bluetooth wireless speaker system works seamlessly with your smart phone to create just the right atmosphere.
Create a Cup Gallery
We love coffee shops that use mismatched mugs and cups for service. Create a mini cup gallery by mixing and matching a hodgepodge of coffee cups.
Snack Station
Source vintage cake plates and stands from flea markets and antique shops. Use them to display an array of cookies, muffins, scones, and other sweet treats to tempt your friends (and yourself) while the coffee is brewing.