How to Boost Office & Hotel Room Coffee: More Taste from Free Java

Many offices provide free coffee for employees. Thanks for the coffee; thanks for the job. But that free stuff may not be drinkable for some coffee lovers. But here are a few tips that will improve the office brew.

• Double bag: For coffee lovers, office java may taste weak, like coffee-flavored water. The solution use two bags or one and a half bags of the pre-measured ground coffee to make a single pot of coffee. The extra bag yields a stronger brew with more flavor and taste.
• Bring your own cream: Improve the flavor with half-and-half cream instead of powdered milk. You can even heat the milk or cream in the microwave for extra body and warmth.
• Sprinkle the spices: Vanilla, powdered cinnamon, nutmeg or a dash of chocolate add extra flavor.
• Bring your own mug: Forget the office-issued Styrofoam or paper cups. Coffee tastes better in a ceramic mug. I know a woman who stashes an elegant teacup and saucer at her desk for coffee breaks.
• Drink tea: Use the free hot water from the office and supply your own bags of herbal, green or gourmet tea.
• Say a prayer: Hold your nose, drink the coffee and mumble a prayer of thanksgiving: Thank goodness I have a job. Thank goodness for free coffee.

I enjoyed this article: How to Make Good Hotel Room Coffee. Here's a sample:

You're on the road, and you breathe a sigh of relief when you see that your hotel room has a coffee maker waiting for you. But when you go to brew a cup to enjoy in the privacy of your room, the product is quite...disappointing. Before you speed down to the local coffee shop and squander another fraction of what could be your retirement fund on a latte, try these tips and tricks for better hotel coffee.

--source: How to Make Good Hotel Room Coffee

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Saving Money with Home Brewed Coffee

From breakfast through dessert, a good cup of coffee plays a major role in South Florida and other parts of the country. For many of us, that means buying a good coffee maker.

I like the Moka stove-top brewer -- a double-chamber metal coffee pot from Italy that brews a cup of espresso that rivals the best Cuban coffee shops in Miami. I learned about this $30 pot in The Joy of Coffee by Corby Kummer. (The smaller version of the Moka stove-top brewer is about $20 or less.) We've also used inexpensive French press pots. Here's a related story: A Coffee Recipe That Saves Me Thousands

Stephen Treffinger, the resident tester and contributing editor at Domino Magazine, sampled coffee from about 30 coffee pots and espresso machines for the February issue. I recently spoke to Treffinger and was impressed with his selection, which includes inexpensive or time-saving coffee makers. Here are a few of his top picks:

• The plug-in. Farberware makes an affordable old-school percolator for $40. Sold at Bed Bath & Beyond, this coffee maker plugs into any outlet. ''That's what I grew up seeing,'' Treffinger said. ''It's not going to win over a coffee snob.'' But nevertheless, this Farberware coffee maker provides "a surprisingly smooth, cup of coffee." It's perfect, Treffinger said, if you want to quickly brew hot coffee after a meal. Danger: the liquid is very hot.

• The crowd pleaser: If you've been to a diner, you've probably been served coffee brewed from a commercial Bunn coffee maker. For the home, the company has a 10-cup coffee maker sold at Target for $130. Treffinger gives this machine high marks for brewing 10 cups of coffee in three minutes. Beyond speed, this coffee maker has a spray action that soaks the coffee and produces a rich taste, Treffinger says. The downside: the machine is large and will eat up counter space.

• The no-brainer. Some espresso and coffee makers use pods -- pre-packaged circular filters stuffed with coffee. (You've seen them in hotel rooms.) Often the coffee flavor is lacking. One exception is Francis Francis, a 13-inch espresso machine from illyusa.com. Equipped with a milk frothing attachment, this espresso machine costs $900, but favorably compares to ones for $3,000. The pre-packaged pods make it easy to brew a tasty cup of espresso.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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A Coffee Recipe That Saves Me Thousands

I like Starbucks. I like the luxury and atmosphere of cafes that offer lattes made just for me. Those are my periodic treats.

But day in and day out, I love the coffee that we make at home. In fact, it actually tastes far better than lattes from the cafes and just as good as the authentic Cuban coffee shots in Miami. I estimate that our rich homemade coffee saves us about $1,200 a year and about $3,500 over three years.

Here's how we make great coffee:

The Ingredients

• Whole Beans: Forget the gourmet beans. Eight o' Clock coffee beans are super cheap and earned top marks for flavor in a blind taste test from Consumer Reports.
• Grind the Beans as Needed: Every morning with our bean crusher, we grind coffee beans into a fine powder. The aroma of freshly ground beans creates the ambiance of a cafe. The scent also reminds me of my grandmother, who loved fresh coffee.
• Bean shortcut: When rushed for time we do grind the beans and store them. This shortcut helps on super crazy mornings.
• Water: Filtered tap water makes yummy coffee. This step makes a big difference, especially if the water from your tap has a strong taste.
• Spices: For an extra kick, grind the coffee beans with either a little bit of cardamon, cinnamon or vanilla beans. This adds flavor and it's not hard to throw in a little bit of spice during the grinding process.
• Cream. I love Half-and-Half in my coffee. There are cheaper solutions with fewer calories. But I enjoy this luxury.
  

The Equipment:
We don't use fancy or expensive equipment. Our low-tech coffee production gear is low-cost, effective and pretty. Experts agree with our strategy.

The Bean Crusher: We spent $20 to $30.
The Plunger Pot also known as a French Press coffee-maker We spent about $14, marked down from $40.
Beautiful mugs. We've spent 50 cents to $10 for mugs.

In the book, The Joy of Coffee, writer Cory Kummer makes a big pitch for elegant, but frugal coffee equipment. In the chapter, "Low-Tech Solution, " the author writes:

"Before you take out a loan, consider the coffee-making method that has been
popular in Italy for more than half a century-- one that will require a layout
of less than $30

He refers to Moka stovetop brewers, which are widely used in Italy.

Our Coffee-Making Steps:

1. Boil about a teapot full of filtered tap water.
2. Crush about two fist fulls of coffee beans,** include powdered cinnamon or cardamon beans.
3. Place the ground coffee into the Plunger Pot.
4. Fill the pot with 16 to 18 ounces of boiled water. Let the hot mixture sit for five minutes.
5. Press the plunger down, a simple motion that filters the coffee and separates the grinds.
6. Serve coffee in ceramic mugs with cream, sugar or other spices.
   

** Kummer recommends:
1/4 cup of ground coffee (two scoops) for a single six-ounce serving of brewed coffee
3/4 cup of ground coffee (6 scoops) for 3 cups of brewed coffee (24 oz)

I need coffee is a site with excellent information, recipes and tips about coffee.
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