Cafeducation 101

Cafeducation-  meaning- An education in Coffee
Coffee can be served so many ways, by itself or in combination with other ingredients.  This allows a great variety of choice and the right coffee to fit your mood or time of day.  Do you need a thunderous jolt?  Perhaps an espresso is in order.  Or would you like a nice lift?  Then a Latte might fit the bill. 
For me, espresso based coffee beverages are the most decadent break.  The rich, full flavour, the fancy options of steamed milk or chocolate make these seem like a dessert for me.  I just feel like I am getting something special! I love a cappuccino after a wonderful meal, or a Cafe Americano in the morning to clear the brain fog.
Espresso based coffee beverages are different from ordinary drip coffee.  First off, with an espresso, the beans are ground much finer than for drip coffee.  About an ounce and a half of nearly boiling water is then forced with pressure into the tightly packed ground coffee.  This means the water is in contact with the ground beans for a lot less time than with drip coffee.  Voila...espresso.
The espresso shot becomes the base for other specialty coffee drinks such as cappuccino, mochaccino, latte and cafe americano.
Cafe Americano- Sometimes referred to as Black Coffee.  This is an espresso shot that is diluted with more hot water, hence making a coffee similar to a drip coffee, but with a fuller flavour.  Surprisingly, this has less caffeine than a similar amount of drip coffee.
Cappuccino- This is an espresso shot mixed with milk and a thick foam is created at the top of the drink. This is one of my favourites.  It is a nice, smooth drink, perfect in the afternoon.
Latte- Similar to a cappuccino, but less foam.  Again, a smooth boost for the afternoon.
Mochaccino- Think cappuccino mixed with hot chocolate.  This is nice when you want something a little sweet... and what goes together better than coffee and chocolate!
Of course, espresso requires a different machine to brew rather than the traditional coffee maker that we are used to.  The espresso machine requires the ground beans to be packed and the water to be forced through the "puck" using pressure, so these means a few extra parts. As well there may be a milk steamer on the side of the machine for making cappuccinos and lattes. Espresso machines are available in a manual form, requiring the expertise of a very well trained Barisa, to semi automatic and then entirely automatic.
The Office Bean machines use a completely automatic espresso maker inside and all of the above specialty coffees can be made at the touch of a button.  Enjoy something special...call for a free trial today.