Paul asked:


Our company has recently moved us into new offices, however the building lacks any kitchen facilities for us to use. While there are tea/coffee vending machines on alternate floors, we have to pay for all refreshments and we have been told that we are not allowed to use kettles in the office either. Due to the lack of a kitchen, there is no microwave in the office for us to heat any food that we want to bring from home.

They have recently opened a canteen in the basement, which has started serving tea/coffee (again at a price) but also has no facilities for us to heat any food. Some of us have been going down to the canteen to get boiling water so we can make our own tea/coffee at our desks, but we have been told that they are going to start charging us for that too.

Are they allowed to do this? What is the law on providing hot water facilities and/or microwaves? Are there any websites that I can use as proof to challenge my employers to provide these necessities for us? Any guidance would be appreciated!
They also don’t have a fridge available for us to use anywhere in the building. So if we want to bring anything cold drinks/food from home with us, they aren’t cold come lunchtime after being sat in our desk drawers for half a day..

Trey Adams asked:




Historically speaking, copper tea kettles have always been popular. The great tea house boom of Europe saw the first uses of copper tea kettles for boiling water. This was in preparation for the teas of the day. Intuitively, many copper tea kettles were crafted as homestead knick-knacks, adding to the elegance of home d

Technorati Tags: Boiling Water, Decorative Ornaments, Knick Knacks, Modern Technology, Senses

]]> http://www.barenostrum.com/tea-machines/copper-tea-kettles/feed 0 http://www.barenostrum.com/cappuccino/what-kind-of-cappuccino-do-you-buy http://www.barenostrum.com/cappuccino/what-kind-of-cappuccino-do-you-buy#comments Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:59:29 +0000 Frothy Coffee http://www.barenostrum.com/cappuccino/what-kind-of-cappuccino-do-you-buy

Jeff asked:


I tend to buy cappuccino from college and a few other places, but lately I have been buying the powder mixes that you can mix in with boiling water, primarily made by International General Foods.

Does anybody buy their cappuccino at a coffee shop anywhere (already made), and if so, where’s a good place to buy it? And if you buy the cappuccino powder you can mix water with, which brands to you prefer?

Any info is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Jeff

Stephen Haworth asked:




Just as brewing the perfect cup of coffee there are simple rules to follow to steep the perfect cup of tea. Steeping the perfect cup of tea has been turned into an art form in many cultures. In fact the perfect tea service in the Japanese culture is a practice that takes many years to master. Steeping the perfect cup of tea is in part a science and is also part of an art form for individual preferences.

To steep the perfect cup of tea you must first begin with high quality water. Artisan water is preferred for the perfect cup of tea but is not necessary. If you use tap water be sure to allow the water to run for at least 30 to 45 seconds before filling the tea kettle. This will ensure that the water is fresh. It is also important to begin with cold water. Even though you will be heating the water in the tea kettle for the perfectly steeped tea you will need the freshest, coldest water possible. You will also always want to begin with an clean, empty tea kettle, never use water that has been sitting around in a tea kettle.

While you are waiting for your tea kettle to come to a boil you will want to preheat your tea pot. You can preheat your tea pot by adding hot water to the tea pot. Preheating the tea pot does two things, first it will prevent your tea pot from cracking when the boiling hot water is added to it. This can occasionally occur when a room temperature tea pot has boiling water added to it. This process is especially important if your tea pot is stored where it is below room temperature. This is also an important process to ensure that the tea is kept at the perfect temperature. Putting the boiling water into a colder tea pot will cool the water too fast not allowing the tea leaves to properly steep. If you are only making a single cup of tea this process should be applied to your tea cup prior to steeping your tea.

Once your water has come to a boil, remove the water heating your tea pot or cup. You will need to measure out your tea leaves. The amount of tea to use per cup depends on the type of tea you are using and your personal preference. For a stronger cup of tea you will use more tea leaves or tea bags for a weaker cup of tea you will use less tea leaves or tea bags. This is the art form that must be perfected by the drinker for their own perfectly steeped tea. The average tea drinker will use one teaspoon of tea leaves per cup. If you are using loose tea leaves you can add them directly to the pot or use an infuser that can be placed directly in the tea pot. If you are using tea bags you will want to use one tea bag for one to two cups of tea. This will also depend on the size of tea bags you are using.

Once your tea kettle has come to boil you will want to immediately remove it from the heat. Over boiling your water can cause your tea to taste flat. You will want to immediately pour the water into the tea pot and cover allowing it to steep. If you are using green or white tea you will want your water to cool slightly before pouring it over your tea bags or tea leaves.

The time your tea is required to steep depends on how strong you want your tea. Typically smaller leaves steep faster only requiring two to three minutes, medium leaves should steep for three to five minutes and larger leaves no longer than six minutes. No tea should steep longer than six minutes. If a tea is allowed to steep longer than six minutes it will taste bitter.

Once your tea has steeped to the desired strength then it is time to remove the tea bags or tea leaves. If they are allowed to remain in the pot, the tea will continue to steep and will become bitter. Use a tea cozy or other device to keep your tea at the desired temperature. A tea cozy works well to keep the tea warm while you are enjoying it.

Following these secrets will allow you to brew a perfect cup of tea every time. To add sugar and lemon always add the sugar first and the lemon second. In English tradition you should always add the milk to the glass first before pouring the tea. You will be able to provide yourself and your company the perfectly steeped cup of tea every time.

Jennifer Harris asked:




A person who operates an espresso machine for a living is called a barista. Similar to artisan baking, the knowledge and skill required to make the best espresso beverages is considered to be a craft in Italy. Increasingly, baristas in America are being recognized as such too.

When one makes a shot of espresso, it is called pulling a shot. This is because the traditional espresso machine that is used requires the barista to pull a long handle in order to produce a shot. For a single shot of espresso, between 7 and 10 grams of finely ground (almost a powder) coffee is needed. For a double shot, between 12 and 18 grams are used. A single shot of espresso is 30 ML of liquid, a double shot is 60 ML.

Before the espresso can be brewed, it must be tamped. To tamp espresso, the barista must compress the coffee gounds into a dense puck. When the brewing process starts, nearly boiling water (90 degrees Celsius) gets pressured though the coffee. Espresso is the result.

If the water is too cool, the espresso will be sour. If the water forced through the coffee is too hot, the beverage will be bitter. The best espresso machines control the temperature of the water, ensuring that it is always within a couple degrees of the ideal temperature.

This brewing process extracts and emulsifies the oils in the ground coffee, producing a thick, rich beverage. A shot of espresso takes approximately 25 to 30 seconds to go through the ground coffee puck and into the waiting cup sitting below the espresso machine. This is an ideal zone, and water pressure, tamping and fineness of the grind can all have an effect on this time zone. The cup that one drinks espresso out of is called a demitasse cup, and is best when pre-heated.