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How To Make Espresso In The Office
If you want espresso as officially defined, the AeroPress and similar convenient press-action makers won’t get you there. They generate about 6.5 bars of pressure, but not the 9 or so bars (130 PSI) required for true espresso. Of course, if you like AeroPress results, it doesn’t really matter whether or not it’s true espresso. That said, great espresso requires four things:
1. Proper coffee
2. Proper grind
3. Water heated to the proper temperature (boiling is too hot)
4. A method to push water at a specific pressure, through the grinds
You can solve #1 and #2 by buying your coffee pre-ground. I would suggest you start with Illy espresso or find a local reputable roaster. You can solve #3 with your current equipment, but you may want a thermometer. Boil the water in the microwave, then let it sit for a few minutes and you should be ok. Regarding #4, that’s where you’re missing the proper equipment. This is where I would suggest an AeroPress, or to get true espresso, a MyPressi TWIST, which uses nitrous oxide canisters to generate pressures of 9 bars (145 PSI). Other high-pressure mechanical solutions do exist—for instance, check out the ROK (formerly known as Presso), which generates between 5-10 bars.
My suggestion is a “starter” suggestion. You’re going to find it difficult to make great espresso when you have so many variables to manage yourself. With the above setup, I believe you can make good espresso and that may be good enough. We have a Rancilio espresso maker at our office and about 10% of the people use it properly. The others do not make a great espresso, but good is very often good enough.
The point of espresso is that it needs pressure. This is why the different kinds of espresso machines exist—their core functionality is creating this pressure. If you’re willing to extend the equipment in your office kitchen, you can create not-quite-espresso fairly cheaply. A portable hob and a Bialetti-style moka pot together should cost around 50 Euro ($70), maybe more depending on pot size and quality—a reasonable cost if multiple colleagues chip in.
An alternative is to explore coffee options beside lattes. Lattes may be popular at coffee shops which have the proper equipment, but different drinks may be a better solution for your office. You should be able to make cappuccino with drip coffee, and with a portable single-plate stove you can make Turkish coffee and all its derivatives. I’ve actually boiled coffee in milk instead of water, sticking to the Turkish method in every other detail, and found the result surprisingly good. If you are looking at such hobs, be aware that while induction is convenient (heats up much faster than alternatives), the units on the market often come with a safety feature that prevents you from heating anything with a diameter less than 12 cm, which will rule out moka pots and ibriks.
Tips on Using the Paring Knife
A paring knife is a small utility knife that can be used for peeling and chopping fruits and vegetables. Paring knives are extremely versatile and can be used in a wide variety of ways, making them one of the most frequently utilized knives of a chef’s kitchen. If you donít have any knives in your kitchen yet, a paring knife is a great first investment.
Paring knives slice easily through many fruits and vegetables, including tougher ones like sweet potatoes. Place round fruits or vegetables on the cutting board on their side so the two ends are horizontal to the board. Place the paring knife against the fruit near one end and push it straight down as you slide the blade across the flesh to cut the end of the fruit or vegetable off. Turn the fruit around and repeat on the other end. Stand the fruit up on one of the cut ends to hold it stable as you slice. Hold the paring knife across the top cut on the fruit or vegetable and slice downward.
Paring knives can be used to peel back thin skins on foods like apples or potatoes. The sharp edge of the paring knife can make quicker, cleaner cuts than some peelers. Hold the food vertically with your index finger on its top edge and your thumb on the bottom. Hold the paring knife in your dominant hand with three fingers. Place the first knuckle of the index finger against the dull side of the paring knife’s blade. Position the edge of the knife at the top of the food below your index finger. Cut into the food slightly, slipping the knife beneath the skin. Peel the skin downward toward the thumb. Repeat until all the skin has been removed.
Paring knives can also be used to peel thick-skinned fruits like those found on citrus fruit. Hold the fruit in your free hand. Hold the handle of the paring knife with your dominant hand. Wrap all four fingers around the handle of the knife. Rest your thumb against the side of the blade. Make a small incision into the side of the fruit’s skin, cutting down beneath the skin and pith. Rotate the knife sideways slightly. Peel away the skin of the fruit by rotating the fruit and pushing the blade under the skin horizontally.
The tip of the paring knife is just as sharp as the blade and can be used for fine close work that a larger knife might ruin. Choke up on the blade of the paring knife so your thumb and index finger rest on either side of the blade. Slide the tip of the blade into the top of fruits like strawberries and twist to remove the hull. Slide the tip of the blade into the underside of shrimp and pull it back toward you to free the vein from the shrimp. Hold just the tip of the blade against small sections of vegetables like the ribs of a jalapeno and slice the blade across the flesh to remove them.
The Best Thing About My Elliptical
Training is an art that is perfected over time and requires consistency and dedication. When you want to achieve better results within a short period then definitely you will have to use high quality machines. Furthermore, you will have to check on your diet and desist from eating too much calorie food. This said, if you take a closer look at cardiovascular exercises you will realize that machines are an integral part of overall training process. Here is where the elliptical machines come in and one reliable brand and model you can bank on to give you exceptionally high utility value is the Precor EFX 5.33. It is simply one the best on the market today. Take some time and do a little online research on elliptical reviews and you will find out that many trainers highly recommend this club quality elliptical trainer machine for less than 2000.
The EFX 5.33 contains numerous display features and this is always a plus for the user. You will be able to see heart rate, calories, incline, watts, the workout summary, as well as strides per minute clearly displayed on the LED screen. Additionally, it comes with several program profiles including endurance and gluteal which of course add value to the machine. This is a magnetic type of machine that offers you high functionality rates when it comes to both the upper and lower body workouts. Importantly, you will have no problem dealing with hamstrings, triceps, chest, biceps, and butt muscles if you follow the due process of using this particular elliptical machine.
It contains a resistance level of 20, a width of 31, and height of 63, which all are accepted standard specifications. The better part of it is that it comes with reliable hand-grip heart monitors and a dependable adjustable incline ramp. It is indisputable that this machine will offer you value for your money. It is an easy-to-use high performance machine exceptionally designed to offer trainees the best stride length for better exercising. You can always purchase these elliptical machines at very competitive prices in any registered online stores that offer excellent services. However, before you place an order ensure that you research on elliptical reviews written by both users and manufacturers.