Capresso Froth Pro

Hot, steamed milk is always a nice addition to a cup of coffee even if you’re not setting out to make a specialty drink with it. But when you’re brewing drip coffee, or any other type of coffee that doesn’t come straight from a high powered espresso machine, steamed milk is usually not an option because the machine doesn’t come with any kind of attachment to make it easy to make! Fortunately, there are all kinds of neat gadgets out there that will make it easy and convenient to get steamed milk at the drop of a hat – and your coffee drinking experiences will probably be the better for it.

The Capresso Froth Pro is a good example of this. This machine delivers enough steamed milk for a couple of drinks in a small pitcher that actually looks a lot like a coffee mug itself. It will froth or steam and it works for both hot and cold milk (or soy/other nondairy milks, per the manufacturer). Perhaps the best part is that the gadget has a very small footprint and a nice, tight lid on it. This means that you can park it on your desk at work and be enjoying your own lattes without treking down the street to a more expensive coffee shop when you want one. You’re not going to be able to make latte art with this, but you’ll still get a creamier cup of coffee.

Coffee Joulies

Insulated cups are the standard for keeping your hot drinks hot and you cold drinks cold. They generally work very well, letting you sip your caffeinated drinks at your desk all morning without forcing you to jump up to reheat. But even insulated mugs don’t keep your drinks at the same perfect temperature for hours. Hot drinks gradually lose their edge as they sit and, if you’re like most people, you’ll eventually head to the pot to top off your coffee. That is where Coffee Joulies come in. This idea was posted as a project on Kickstarter, a food-safe “thermodynamic heat storage device” that looks like a coffee bean. Pop one of these into your mug and it will bring it down to a drinkable temperature 3x faster than usual and will keep it there 2x as long. These work particularly well when they’re used in conjunction with an insulated mug, as you get the benefits of both heat-saving devices. Of course, if you’re an espresso drinker you’re not going to really reap the benefits of this little bean, but if you like to sip your tea or coffee, this is one little gadget worth adding to your collection.

Xtra Cream

You probably don’t take a container of milk or creamer with you wherever you go, but if you are a coffee (or tea) lover you will probably encounter coffee-drinking opportunities on a regular basis. Sure, it is easy to get the drink you want at a coffee shop, but it isn’t so easy at a fast food joint or restaurant that only offers tiny half-n-half containers alongside that steaming mug of freshly brewed coffee. I will drink my coffee black if there are no good cream options (actually, I drink it black most of the time if the coffee is good), but I find the Xtra Cream Container very appealing all the same. The container is like a super-sized creamer – and it actually holds more than 2 teaspoons of liquid. It has a resealable lid and travels well, so you can take the dairy or nondairy of your choice with you and will always be prepared to take your coffee as you like it.

And, to be honest, it also makes a neat candy dish for the desktop of a coffee loving friend. I have yet to meet a coffee drinker who hasn’t at least cracked a little smile after seeing it!

Coffee Beans Soap

There is nothing like waking up in the morning to the heady aroma of a fresh pot of coffee. Folgers even made it their slogan – and they’re not overstating the truth there. But that first cup of coffee comes at a price. You need to grind your beans and start your machine. If you brew a full pot, it is very likely that you might save some time by taking a shower and getting dressed while your java brews, then pour yourself a cup afterwards. If you happen to have some Coffee Bean Soap, however, you can wake up with a refreshing shower and the aroma of coffee at the same time. This soap is shaped like giant coffee beans (each about 2-inches long) and is also coffee scented. Like most soaps, the smell should wear off fairly quickly and won’t leave you heading to work smelling like you just stepped out of a coffee roaster (not that there is anything wrong with that), but it will perk you up a bit while you clean up.

Cheonji Dew Tea, reviewed

It’s been too long since I reviewed a tea, but since I’ve been traveling to Seoul, South Korea this week, I’ve had a chance to try a few new ones. This one is Cheonji Dew Tea, which I bought from a shop in Insadong, although I did see it at several other stores. The name of the tea itself, according to the woman at the shop, was Iseul Cha, or Dew Green Tea. The tea is a green tea that comes from one particular mountain area. The tea doesn’t look like leaves. It actually resembles small, soft branches or sheets of bark, each piece of which can be used for several pots.

The “ah-ha!” moment here comes when you first taste the tea. It is very, very sweet – almost like someone has stirred a lot of honey into your tea without changing the consistency of it at all. And all that sweetness is completely natural! It is absolutely delicious and the tea is also caffeine free.

The woman at the shop told me that it’s very popular with children, especially children who don’t normally care much for plain tea.