How to make good coffee
Preparing a good cup of coffee should be easy - you're simply combining ground beans with water until the brew is drinkable. But the variations in technique are almost infinite - and the quality depends on sure-handed knowledge. Different coffee models will require different techniques, but here are a few helpful tips for all makes:

Coffee is perishable. Make a cup as soon as possible after opening the jar or packet.
Coffee can pick up odours. Maintain the unique taste by storing coffee in an air-tight container. To keep it fresh for even longer some people recommend you to put it in the fridge or freezer (others say never put the coffee in the fridge or freezer - the choice is really up to you!).

Measure the coffee and water accurately; two level teaspoons of coffee to six ounces water.
Be sure your coffee is fresh and your coffeemaker is clear. The lime deposits that build up in the pot can be removed with a strong solution of vinegar and water.

Choose the correct grind for your machine. Draw fresh water from the cold tap. Hot water can pick up impurities in the pipes, and water that has been sitting loses its oxygenation. Make sure your water is hot, but not boiling, for the best mix of grind and water.

Remove the brew basket containing the grounds immediately. Don't keep the coffee in the brewer or on a hot plate for more than forty-five minutes.


Coffee Milk Shake
Gives 1 Glass
Ingredients
ice or ice cream as required sugar
½-1 tblsp coffee essence/instant coffee powder cold milk
If using ice or ice cream, put into jug and add coffee essence. Mix briskly then gradually whisk in the milk. Add sugar to taste.


Hot Coffee Rum Punch
Ingredients:
2 pints strong black coffee 6 cloves
2 tbsp sugar stick of cinnamon
finely pared rind of two oranges glass of rum
Put sugar, orange peel, cinnamon and cloves into a small saucepan. Add rum and bring nearly to the boil, stirring gently. Take care that it does not catch fire!. Stir into coffee and serve.


Gaelic or Irish Coffee
Gives 1 glass
Ingredients:
Whisky to taste Sugar to taste
¾ glass strong black coffee 1-2 tblsp thick cream
Put whisky into warmed glass, add coffee and sugar to taste. Pour cream over back of spoon to give thick coating on top. Sip the very hot coffee through the layer of cool cream.


Iced Coffee
Since the coffee is generally diluted with milk or cream it should be very strong; therefore increase the proportion of coffee. Put a little crushed ice into each glass, add about 2/3 very cold coffee, the fill with cold milk or thin cream; or use milk, and top the glass with thick cream and a little grated plain chocolate. When topped with cream serve with a long spoon.


Cafe Speciale
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons chocolate syrup ¼ tspn nutmeg
½ cup heavy cream 1 tblspn sugar
¾ tspn cinnamon 1-½ cups extra-strength hot coffee
Put 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup into each of 4 small cups. Combine cream, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Whip. Stir remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon into hot coffee. Pour coffee into cups. Stir to blend with syrup. Top with whipped cream.


Ice Cream Parlour Mocha Sodas
Serves 4
Ingredients:
½ cup hot water 4 scoops chocolate ice cream
8 tspns finely ground coffee 1 quart club soda
2 cups milk sweetened whipped cream
Place hot water in a medium sized pitcher. Stir in coffee. Finely grind into a powder texture, until dissolved. Stir in milk. Place one scoop of ice cream into each of 4 ice cream soda glasses. Pour coffee/milk mixture equally into each glass. Fill glasses almost to brim with club soda. Top with sweetened whipping cream.


Frosted Mochas
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup freshly brewed coffee 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
6 tblspns chocolate syrup 1 cup prepared cold coffee
Place hot coffee and chocolate syrup in blender container. Blend until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Pour into a medium bowl. Add softened ice cream and cold coffee. With rotary beater, beat until smooth. Spoon into tall glasses, and serve immediately.


Coffee ala Chocolata
Serves 1
To one cup of freshly brewed coffee add one ounce Chocolate Mint Liqueur. Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

Mitt Schlag (with whipped cream)
Serves 1
Brew a rich, strong cup of coffee. Top with a generous portion of whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings or cinnamon sticks.


Sassy Sodas
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 pint coffee ice cream 4 to 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
2 tblspns finely ground coffee instant coffee powder
½ cup light rum
Spoon coffee ice cream into blender. Add rum and coffee that has been finely ground to a powdery texture. Blend on high speed until creamy smooth. Pour into tall glasses, adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to each glass. Sprinkle lightly with instant coffee powder. Serve with long-handled spoons and straws.


Melya
Ingredients:
1 mug espresso coffee 1 tsp honey
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder cream
Brew some espresso coffee. Then, in a coffee mug, place the unsweetened cocoa. Cover a teaspoon with honey and drizzle into the mug. While the coffee is brewing, stir the honey and cocoa. It looks as though the honey and cocoa will never mix but suddenly it does - it turns into something that looks like dark chocolate sauce. Pour the hot coffee over the honey and stir to dissolve. Serve with cream (optional).


Cafe Brulot
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cinnamon stick, roughly broken 4 sugar cubes
4 whole cloves ¼ cup Cognac
peel of ½ orange 2 tblspns Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
peel of ½ lemon 2 cups hot, strong coffee
In saucepan over low heat, combine cinnamon, cloves, orange and lemon peels, and sugar. Stir in Cognac and liqueur. Using a long match, carefully ignite mixture. Immediately, but slowly, pour in coffee, stirring until flames subside. Pour into small punch cups and serve.


Milk Chocolate Espresso
Makes 1 Serving
Ingredients:
1/3 cup freshly brewed espresso coffee ¼ cup chocolate milk
Pour coffee into large cup or mug.
Heat chocolate milk in small saucepan on low heat until warm, stirring briskly and constantly with wire whisk to create foam.
Stir milk into coffee.

Mexican Coffee
Makes 6 Cups
Mexicans adore spiced, sweetened coffee enhanced with a kiss of vanilla, it's a splendidly rich accompaniment to desert.
Ingredients:
125 ml roasted coffee 80 ml chocolate syrup
1 tbsp Cinnamon 250 ml milk
¼ tsp Nutmeg 1 tsp Vanilla
1¼ litre water whipped cream, for garnish
60 ml brown sugar cinnamon, for garnish
Place coffee, cinnamon, and nutmeg in coffee filter. Brew with the water. In small saucepan, combine brown sugar, chocolate syrup, and milk.
Cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add to coffee along withvanilla. Pour into coffee cups. Garnish with whipped cream and add a sprinkling of cinnamon.