by Thomas Endicott
Personalized coffee mugs are something you're certainly familiar with; perhaps you have some yourself which you've been given over the years. I have a deep personal connection with a few of these mugs in particular. They have a way of really touching you in a way few other gifts can. I'd like to tell you a little more about why I feel so strongly about these mugs.
You see, about 8 years ago, on my 40th birthday, my father purchased me a personalized coffee mug for my big day. That Christmas I bought my dad one of these mugs as well. I can still remember my birthday when I opened up my mug. It said "Happy Birthday" and had a picture of my dad on it. That mug became one of my most cherished possessions.
Each morning when I went to have my coffee, I'd take my personalized photo mug down out of the cabinet and have my morning coffee. My father and I live quite a long ways apart from each other, but each morning I felt close to him as I enjoyed my coffee. I'd look at his face on the mug and remember happy times together when I was a kid. Somehow I felt that I got to talk to him each day.
So that's why I knew that a personalized coffee mug was the right gift for my mom's birthday that year (I also got one for my Dad that Christmas). She was thrilled when she unwrapped it and saw my picture on the mug and she called to let me know how much she liked the not I'd put inside telling her how much I loved the mug and hoped she'd enjoy hers just as much.
Soon I found out that dad was doing the same thing I was. Each morning he'd also use his mug with my picture. Even though we lived about 1000 miles apart, it was like we were having coffee together. Sometimes I'd even find myself talking to the mug, just like dad was there with me.
My dad passed about six months ago now and when I went back to St. Louis to see my mom, she told me that there was something which he'd wanted me to have. She went and retrieved the mug and I'll admit I got a little misty eyed when I saw how much that mug had been used for all of those years. Seems dad had loved his mug just like I had mine.
I have both mugs in my cupboard now, where they sit right next to each other. Every morning when I have my coffee, I still use the mug my mom gave me and I get the other out as well. I can't stand the thought of the two mugs being apart. It feels like she's right there with me in the mornings - and sometimes I call my dad as I have my coffee and there we are, having coffee together again after all these years.
About the Author:
For ideas on
Personalized photo mugs check out www.personalizedgiftexpress.com - Thomas Endicott is a freelance writer.
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coffee,
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Gifts,
home decor,
kitchen,
personalized gifts
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April 26 2009 | coffee | No Comments »
by Kim R.
Have you recently given in to your long standing desire to have your very own espresso machine at home? Congratulations! If you set yourself up with a few key accessories you should enjoy brewing your own delights for many years.
The first add-ons that you need to get are your espresso making tools and at the top of this list is the espresso coffee grinder. Low end grinders use a blade to grind up the coffee beans and they do a fine job for course grounds. Burr grinders are higher quality grinders and they do a much better job when you need finer grinds for espresso. The blade grinders can also burn the coffee beans if they are used for a long time to make finer grinds.
The tamper is a pretty simple tool that is used to press down on the coffee grinds prior to brewing. If you have a new espresso machine, a tamper probably came with your machine and it probably sucks too. If you upgrade your tamper make sure it fits will and that it feels and looks good to you.
A steaming and frothing pitcher rounds out your arsenal of espresso making tools. Many espresso drinks call for steamed milk or frothed milk or both. For example a Cappuccino is made with roughly equal portions of espresso, steamed milk and frothed milk. A 12 oz. pitcher is appropriate for home use but you can also get them twice as large if needed.
Espresso Cups and Espresso Cup Sets - This is one of the best places to insert some personality into your espresso bar. There are many types of espresso cups that range from simple porcelain cups to ones with name brand designer patterns. Espresso cups also come in glass and stainless steel. Once you find an espresso cup set that you enjoy for a while, you may just find yourself looking for another set because collecting them is a ton of fun. Your first set of espresso cups don't have to be expensive and you will enjoy using them. If you enjoy larger drinks like lattes and cappuccinos then you will also want to get a set of cappuccinos cups for those drinks.
You will also want to get sets of espresso spoon and latte spoons to go along with your cups. Espresso cups and spoons are geared toward drinks that are 1 to 2 ounces, while latte and cappuccino cups are usually 6 to 12 ounces in size.
Until you master a multitude of espresso drinks, you will want to have a coffee recipe book. These recipe books can contain hundreds of recipes for coffee beverages (wow!). Basic espresso drinks that you will want to master include the latte, the mocha and the cappuccino.
Flavors come next and there are LOTs to choose from. Although there are flavored powders (ex: chocolate, mocha, etc) most flavors are added as syrup. There are dozens of flavors of syrup and they range from the perennial favorite of chocolate to seasonal flavors such as pumpkin.
There are many more options for decking out your new home espresso bar but there is one more I should mention. Although not as exciting as the other accessories, you will need cleaning brushes and cleaning powder to keep your espresso machine in top condition. Follow this list and add the options that make sense to you and you will have a great deal of fun starting down the wonderful path of becoming a home brew barista.
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coffee,
Drinks,
entertainment,
espresso cups,
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April 18 2009 | coffee | No Comments »