Coffee has become an integral part of many cultures around the world. High in antioxidants, coffee is known for its stimulating effect. Many incorporate the drink (hot or cold) into their daily routine to give their work performance or groggy mornings a little bit of a boost. Given how popular coffee is, it’s no surprise that countless twists and tweaks on the drink have been developed. The following will explore a few of these nifty little tips and tricks that can help make your homemade coffee even more delicious.
Grind Your Own Coffee Beans
Great coffee begins before the machine is turned on in the morning. For most of us, it starts with ground coffee beans, but there’s another way to approach the grains that can result in richer, more decadent coffees. Anyone who’s tried buying whole beans and grinding them up themselves swears by the luscious flavor that is produced. Purchasing the dried beans and tossing them into a grinder (or into the top of a self-grinding machine) gives you fresher coffee. Fresher coffee has lost less of the unique flavor than the type of beans you’ve chosen carry. It doesn’t seem like it would make a big difference, but once you try it you’ll be shocked.
Experiment With the Beans
Coffee beans are grown in many places around the world, absorb the unique flavors of the soil and water, and processing methods. More than this, different types of coffee beans thrive in different areas, so looking at where your coffee comes from can give you a strong hint as to what flavors you can expect. Take your time and try out a few different variants. There might be a whole new cup of coffee waiting for you.
While shopping around for different beans, you have the option to also pay attention to the ethical considerations of your morning beverage. Look out for sustainable farming practices and fair trade wages. Do your research on what these terms actually mean (spoiler alert: they don’t mean the same thing to every company) and figure out what standards the companies you’re buying from the meeting.
This is also the place to play around with caffeine levels. Not all coffee beans have the same levels of caffeine. If you’re someone prone to anxiety, stress, or jitters, you might want to go for a lower caffeine (or caffeine-free) option. The links between caffeine and anxiety are open shut: proven by science. But this doesn’t have to mean you give up coffee if you want to work on staying calm. It does mean you need to be watching your caffeine intake, though.
Milk and Cream
Another way to play around with the coffee you have is by working with different milk and cream options. Some people find a switch to almond milk adds the sweetest nutty flavor to their coffee, and they can’t imagine going back. Some people prefer nice frothy milk and so will be looking for a trustworthy milk frother. Moreover, https://www.dailyespresso.co.uk has a list of some of the best milk frothers available. Others might want to try out vanilla-infused milk.
Consider Non-Plastic Tools
When plastic is heated, it leaches into our foods and drinks. Even if the plastic you’re using is BPA free that’s only accounting for one of several contaminants that are horrifically bad for you (causing some types of cancer and disrupting your hormones which influence not just your fertility but your mood, sleep, and weight gain); it’s also messing with the flavor of your coffee. Many of us don’t even know what plastic-free coffee tastes like. You might find a huge improvement. There are several different types of plastic-free coffee machines, and many of them are not more expensive than plastic coffee makers.
Play Around With Herbs and Spices
You get pumpkin-spiced lattes at the coffee shop, right? Why not try out some spices in your coffee at home too? Herbs and spices are magically good for us because they’re full of antioxidants and unique compounds; even more fun: they taste fantastic. Get started by playing with a sprinkle of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cardamom, or chamomile.
The above tips should help liven up your at-home coffee—both the experience of making it and the experience of drinking it. While coffee is considered extremely healthy for the majority of us, if you notice shaking fingers, jitters, a “skin-crawling” sensation, sleep problems, or anxiety attacks, you should speak to your doctor or naturopath about your use of caffeinated drinks.
