Seattle Coffee Gear: Blog

Recipe: Rib-Eye Steaks with Espresso-Chile Rub

Following in the tasty footsteps of the flank steak marinade we wrote about a few months ago, this rub recipe is a great inspiration for your summer grilling parties.

Serves: 4 (generously)
Preparation time: 30 minutes (including meat standing time)
Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons cumin seed, toasted
• 2 tablespoons dark-roast coffee or espresso beans
• 1 tablespoon ground ancho chile pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 rib-eye steaks, each about 8 ounces and 1-inch thick
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
In a spice mill, pulse the cumin seed and coffee beans until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl, add the remaining rub ingredients and stir to combine.

Lightly brush the steaks with oil and season evenly with the rub, pressing the rub into the meat. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat.

Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the steaks over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to your desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare, turning once. (If flare-ups occur, move the steaks temporarily to indirect high heat.) Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Recipe: Detroit Free Press

Would You Like Eggs with That?

Years ago, we frequented a small town cafe that would steam up the eggs for their delicious breakfast sandwiches using the steam wand on their espresso machine. They were fluffy and tasty and so we thought that we should try this ourselves -- with arguably great results!

Watch Gail steam up airy n' fluffy scrambled eggs in a frothing pitcher, using the steam wand on a Rocket Cellini semi-automatic espresso machine.

Hot Blog on Blog Action: Coffee Nomad

Coffee Nomad records the experiments, excursions and experiences of one coffee-lovin' Phoenician!

Chock full of reviews for coffee shops in the Phoenix area and some thoughts on different caffeine-included products that are on the market (including one hilarious record of using the terrifying substance known as 5-Hour Energy -- a.k.a. Trucker Crack), this blog is fun, casual and worth a regular check in.

Recipe: Chocolate Espresso Cake

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you'll probably sense the theme that we dig the delicious combination of chocolate and coffee. So this latest recipe is another in a long line of cakes that incorporate fresh espresso into the mix. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 6 ounces (180g) fine dark chocolate, chopped
• a small espresso (about 3 tablespoons very strong coffee)
• 10 tablespoons butter, diced
• 5 eggs, separated
• ¾ cup golden caster sugar
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

Directions
Line the base of a 8-9 inch shallow springform cake pan with silicone baking parchment paper, buttering the pan lightly to hold it in place.

Melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. As soon as it starts to soften, add the coffee and leave it for two or three minutes. Stir very gently, then when the chocolate has melted add the butter. Stir until it has melted.

Meanwhile, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer till stiff, then fold in the sugar. Mix the baking powder with the cocoa powder and flour. Remove the chocolate from the heat, quickly stir in the egg yolks, then slowly, firmly, and gently fold the melted chocolate into the egg whites. Lastly sift in the flour and cocoa mixture.

Stir the mixture tenderly with a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock out any air. It should feel light and wobbly. do not overmix - just enough to fold in the flour. Scoop into the lined pan and bake in an oven preheated to 350ºF for thirty-five minutes. Leave to cool in its pan, then turn out.

Recipe Source: Almerimarlife

The Grind - May 2009

The May issue of our monthly newsletter, The Grind, has hit the bricks! Including the Turkish Dee-Lite recipe, our process for making excellent french press coffee, tips on how to brew a strong shot in a superautomatic espresso machine and a directory of all the recent YouTube videos we've done over the last month, May's news is a sweet little compendium of a lot of the content we've shared with you here.

But what you won't find here is The Grind Special -- this month: $10 off the Hourglass Cold Brew Coffee Maker! Get this special and all future specials by signing up.

New! Vita-Mix Professional Series Blenders

There's not much that we covet -- okay, yeah, we're a little head-over-heels for the Rocket Cellini -- but we have been watching the Vita-Mix Professional Series blenders from afar for awhile now and finally had to make our move.

Powerful and sleek, the Professional Series blenders are endorsed and used by The Culinary Institute of America for a reason: Moving seamlessly between chopping and pureeing, every sauce, smoothie or frozen coffee drink you whip up will come out velvety and perfect. When we saw them in action at the CIA campus in Napa Valley, we couldn't believe our eyes -- they actually adapt to the consistency of the food in the blender and change the speed and rotation in order to produce the desired consistency! Plus, they come with a 7-year, fully supported manufacturer warranty, which just speaks to their excellent construction and build quality.

We're thrilled to offer these awesome commercial-grade blenders in our store and can't wait until our own Ruby model comes in so we can get to making some seriously delicious summer drinks!

Global Coffee Habit

From the creamy depths of a French Cafe au Lait to the sugary tar of a Cuban Coffee, the little brown bean is reinterpreted time and again all over the world. If you've ever wondered what coffee is like beyond your neck of the woods, this cool little synopsis by Sebastian Rotella for the LA Times is a great primer on what you'll find from Buenos Aires to Baghdad.

What's your favorite coffee preparation? We have been digging on a long shot mixed with Monin's incredibly delicious Cinnamon Syrup -- it's an awesome little afternoon pick-me-up that gives us a sense of the exotic.

Recipe: Diva Tofu-Chino Parfaits

We all try to cut caloric corners every now and again, and this dessert has the potential to deliver on the flavor without taking a toll at our waistline!

Diva Tofu-Chino Parfaits
vegan, makes 4-8 servings, depending on cup serving size.

Cinnamon Vanilla Mousse

• 1 box vegan vanilla pudding mix
• 1/4 cup organic evaporated cane juice sugar
• 1 3/4 cups soy milk
• 8 oz. firm tofu (1/2 pack of tofu)
• 2 Tbsp Veganaise
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder (my substitute for cornstarch)

Spicy Chocolate Mousse

• 1 box chocolate pudding mix
• 1 1/2 cups soy milk
• 8 oz. firm tofu (1/2 pack of tofu)
• 2 Tbsp tofu
• 1 Tbsp Veganaise
• 4 Tbsp sweetened high quality cocoa
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder (my substitute for cornstarch)

(for a richer chocolate flavor melt 1/2 cup of vegan chocolate chips into the pan when heating pudding mixture)

Other:

• 2 shots espresso
• 1/2 cup crushed almonds
• 1 cup crushed organic graham crackers or vanilla cookies

Equipment: blender, lidded pan, cappuccino or parfait serving cups.

To make:

1. Add add vanilla ingredients, except tofu to a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Add in tofu and blend again until smooth.
4. Add blender contents to pan.
5. Turn stove on med-high.
6. Stir constantly until mixture begins to bubble.
7. Continue heating on medium and stirring until mixture thickens a bit and large bubbles break through.
8. Heat can be turned to medium-low if you are worried about burning the pudding.
9. When pudding has thickened, remove from heat and pour back into blender.
10. Re-blend until smooth.
11. Be careful, make sure to vent blender and a heated blender can easily build up pressure to explode. Be careful. Never point blender towards face.
12. Repeat entire process with chocolate pudding.
13. Set puddings aside, but no need to refrigerate yet. A thin, still-warm pour will be better for presentation anyways.
14. Prepare 2 shots of espresso.
15. Crush the almonds and crust crackers.

Assembly of cups:

1. Fill serving cups with a 1/2 inch layer of 'crust'. (crushed cookie or cracker.)
2. Pour in a nice layer of chocolate pudding.
3. Add a thin layer of almonds.
4. Add 1 Tbsp of espresso to each cup. Use more or less depending on your tastes.
5. You can even substitute de-caf, coffee or chai tea instead of espresso.
6. Add a layer of vanilla pudding.
7. You can add more chocolate than vanilla or more vanilla than chocolate. Or equal amounts of both. It looks more like a cappuccino if you use more vanilla as top layer.
8. pouring the pudding while it is still warm will allow for a more even line-pretty presentation. Cooled pudding can clump more.
9. The top garnish layer is a sprinkle of cinnamon and a tsp of espresso. A few almonds also looks nice. You can garnish with whatever filling you decide to use.

Filling subs: If you don't eat nuts, or would like a different center layer, try these: peanut butter, dried blueberries, fresh fruit, goji berries, more crushed crackers/cookies, soy cream, sponge cake, pan fried bananas, another type of crushed nut.

Notes: Chill cups until firm before serving. Adding more tofu will make a thicker, milder pudding. I actually like this with a bit more tofu-the thicker the better to my taste.If you do not have Veganaise, you can sub with a Tbsp of white or apple cider vinegar.

Recipe: Turkish Dee-Lite

Inspired by reading about the preparation and practice around Turkish coffee, we decided to take a stab at creating a drink that incorporated the flavor of the traditional pairing of Turkish Delight. This is definitely an exotic flavor -- one that the crew here found surprisingly tasty!

Ingredients

• 1/4 oz. Monin Rose Gourmet Syrup
• 1/2 oz. Monin Cinnamon Gourmet Syrup
• 2 shots of espresso
• Hot water to taste

Directions
Combine the syrups in the bottom of a warmed mug. Add espresso and mix thoroughly. Top off with hot water to taste.

Recipe: Espresso Truffles (Dairy Free)

We've never made truffles -- or any candy, for that matter -- but this recipe looks quite tasty and not too complex. Even better, we've been looking for ways to cut down on the dairy intake lately, so this is a yummy option without all the unmentionable side affects! Makes about 30 truffles.

Ingredients

• 10 ounces very dark good quality dairy-free chocolate, chopped
• 2 T. dairy-free soy margarine, preferably a "stick" variety
• 1 T. maple syrup
• 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk or dairy-free soy half-n-half
• 3 T. espresso
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a heatproof bowl, preferably stainless steel, set over a pan (but not touching) several inches of boiling water, heat the chocolate and dairy-free soy margarine, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, combine the coconut milk and maple syrup, stirring until combined. Heat until steam just begins to rise from the surface of the coconut milk, but do not boil. Pour the hot coconut milk mixture over the melted chocolate mixture, and let stand, unstirred, for 3 minutes. Starting in the middle of the bowl and working your way to the edges, gently stir until the mixture is smooth and silky. Add the espresso to the mixture, stirring until combined.
3. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator, uncovered, for 45 minutes, removing the bowl from the refrigerator and stirring well every 15 minutes. After the last stirring (at the 45-minute-mark), place the bowl back in the refrigerator for 5 minutes more.
4. Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop the chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
5. Using your hands, roll the chocolate balls quickly to smooth (they will get very messy quickly, so I prefer to wear disposable gloves, which also help to keep the chocolate colder.) Return the pan to the refrigerator for 15 minutes more.
6. Meanwhile, place the chocolate chips in a stainless steel bowl set over a pan of boiling water. Stirring occasionally, heat until the chocolate is completely melted and about 90 degrees F, using a candy thermometer if available. Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Using two forks, drop one of the chocolate balls into the melted chocolate, and, working quickly, coat the ball with the melted chocolate, shaking of the excess and placing it immediately in the cocoa powder, turning to coat. Using a clean spoon or two clean forks, place the dusted truffle on the lined baking sheet, and repeat until all of the truffles are coated.
7. Return the truffles to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature.