Partnering with Breville.

We’re thrilled to to let you know about our new partnership with our friends at Breville. As we’ve mentioned before, we only work with companies we respect and can speak passionately about. We’ve owned a Breville espresso machine for years and it’s worked flawlessly. We’ve only ever done the normal descaling maintenance to keep it clean, but we’ve never had to do any other work on that machine. And let me tell you…I like my espresso, so that’s saying something for the quality and durability of this product.

New recipes… with espresso?

I mentioned to Liz that I was interested in trying some new recipes using espresso, for our blog. We typically focus on food, but we love coffee, so why not create a variety of espresso-based recipes?

As much as I loved our previous espresso machine, I felt that I was ready for something that gave me more control over the espresso shots. This is when we decided to approach Breville for a potential partnership and we’re so thrilled with our amazing new machine, the Barista Express, provided to us by our friends and partners at Breville. We only say this stuff because we mean it. We already believed in Breville’s espresso machines, and now we have this awesome tool to help us create delicious espresso-inspired recipes to share with our readers.

One machine with lots of features!

Let me tell you about the Barista Express machine. I love the control I have to make the perfect espresso–unique to the bean I’m using. The built-in grinder is great–it lets me grind fresh beans just before pulling the shots. The pressure gauge lets me know if the grind is just perfect. The shots are programmable, so I can adjust the amount of espresso for single or double shots. The steam wand makes perfect micro-foam so I can practice my latte art (it’s not as easy as you might think…but I’m getting there!). It looks impressive too! This machine lets me make anything I’d typically get at a high-end coffee house, but at a much lower cost–all while being a barista in the comfort of my own home.

Seriously, I’m thrilled with my new espresso machine. Just ask my family and every guest who’s stepped foot in my kitchen. They’ll describe how I geek-out over it. They’ll surely also tell you they too enjoyed a delicious coffee from it.

Espresso isn’t just for tiny cups anymore

We had a beautiful day today and I was certainly in the mood for a delicious, cold beverage, but I really wanted a coffee too. No problem…that was arranged. I pulled a double-shot of espresso, put it on crushed ice, and made it Canadian with some delicious maple syrup. That’s how you enjoy an espresso on a warm, sunny day in April.

A subtle hint for Liz

Breville has an extensive line of kitchen appliances (nudge Liz) and I’m sure the build and performance of these appliances is equal to my Barista Express (nudge, nudge, wink Liz). I’ll definitely be spending some time on their site to choose my next father’s day (hint), birthday (surprise), or my ‘just because’ day gifts–you know… to help Liz in case she isn’t sure what to get me 😉

Now go make some espresso – put it on the rocks in a tall glass or enjoy it short, in a tiny cup…and always drink well, friends!

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