User Archives: alison

Jasmine Pearl White Tea, is most exquisite, but also very economical.

I use 3 pearls in a warmed cup. Pour water just off the bowl. Leave the pearls to settle in the cup. After about 5 minutes the pearls have opened fully into whole spidery leaves. The aroma is intense Jasmine, as this is a very superior white Tea. Can be topped up again with more hot water.

Jasmine Pearl makes a wonderful gift for someone’s birthday or anniversary...... and remember at Rosie & Java we can gift wrap!

Jasmine Pearl White Tea

Surprise your Valentine this weekend with a stunningly beautiful Flowering Art Tea and a stylish Glass Teapot.

Especially recommended for Valentine’s Weekend is Rosie & Java Lady Rose Devotion, with the beauty and delicate fragrance of freshly cut roses, enhanced by light and refreshing superior green Chinese tea.

Brewing Flowering Art Tea is not only easy but also dramatically magnificent.

Place one tea-blossom into your glass teapot (or a clean glass cafetiere) for the maximum visual effect.

Add water which has boiled but is now just off the boil and infuse the tea-blossom until it is fully open, usually about 5 to 10 minutes. Watch the long leaves unfurl to reveal the hidden flower treasure.

Serve the infused tea, contemplate life and enjoy the Chinese flowering tea experience! To serve more cups of tea, top-up the teapot with hot water and continue to infuse for a few more minutes.

Lady Rose Devotion Flowering Art Tea

Rosie & Java ‘Energy Infusion’, is a wonderful combination, of Thai Lemongrass, Peppermint, Ginger, Gynostemma and a little bit of Mate.

Whereas Caffeine effects the nervous system, Matteine helps the muscles, and is said to give you long term energy.

The flavour of Energy Infusion is predominantly Thai Lemongrass with large pieces of dried Ginger. The Ginger enhances the fragrance of the Lemongrass and adds a little heat .

The Gynostemma is a sweet herb. The peppermint is subtle. A wonderful balance of energy giving flavour and a fabulous hot drink to accompany Thai Food.

Brew 1 teaspoon to 500mls of boiling water (or ½ a teaspoon in an infuser.) Brew for 5 to 7 minutes.

Rosie & Java Energy Infusion - CLICK THE IMAGE

Many years ago, I didn’t know why my coffee wasn’t good, then I did the Barista course.... When the course started I thought, mmh I know all this BUT THEN the light went on! It put in all the gaps and I now make great coffee!

Sharing with you ...

It’s important that the milk is fresh, seems simple, but milk goes through different stages. It’s the protein in the milk that sticks and coagulates to make the foam, bacteria eats protein, so your milk may not taste off yet, but there may be not enough protein to foam.

As with coffee.. Fresh is best.. Another protein killer is heat! So you can only foam it once and you mustn’t scald it. I always use the thermometer. There is a red sector to tell you the correct temperature.

Just like cooking……You’ll be baking cakes next!

Goodness me!...Espresso overload...How about Cappuccino?!

Cappuccino is: 1 part Espresso + 1 part Steamed Milk + 1 part Foam

Not Gallons of scalding milk!

TOP TIP: Always use a Milk Thermometer -  http://www.rosieandjava.com/equipment/barista-tools-accessories/jug-thermometer-with-clip-42mm-diameter

So we now know Fresh is Best, you’ve chucked out your old coffee, you now have fresh, ground perfectly for your machine..... BUT you don’t like Espresso, it’s Latte you want. You need to make a perfect Espresso in order to make a great Latte.

Therefore today we will look at Espresso.

One rounded scoop of freshly ground coffee for the single basket (7 grams.)

Two rounded scoops for the double basket (14 grams.)

Tamp it down evenly (Never lose your Tamper while doing this...Lol!)

Lock the brew handle in nice and tight.

Press the brewing button.

A single basket of coffee will give you 30 mls of Espresso. A double basket of coffee will give you 60 mls of Espresso... NO MORE!

TOP TIP: Get yourself a Barista Shot Glass to measure the 30mls that you need for the perfect Espresso. http://www.rosieandjava.com/equipment/barista-tools-accessories/barista-lined-shot-glass

The art to achieve the perfect espresso extraction is in the timing of the shot. It all needs to happen in a window of time 18 to 23 seconds. Too quickly, the Espresso will be weak thin and bitter. Too long and it will be strong and grainy and bitter. Perfection is when all the caramelised sugars in the coffee have been extracted. Full, sweet and lovely.

The timing is controlled by a combination of the fineness of the coffee grinding and the frimness of the tamping, lighter or heavier to speed up or slow down the flow. Don’t bother to try this with old coffee, or coffee that is ground too course......and beware of packets of ready ground coffee that say ‘Suitable for all brewing methods’, it’s not going to work!

Did you get an espresso machine for Christmas?

Have your coffee making skills got worse as the month has gone on?

Are you still using the coffee you bought for Christmas?

Here lies your problem!

Coffee has a life of 2 weeks once ground, but even then all the good cafe bars Grind On Demand....

Chuck out your old coffee, (makes good compost) and buy some fresh. We can grind small amounts 125g.

Let us know what coffee machine you have and we will grind accordingly.

Beans keep a maximum of 4 weeks, but really you need to buy little and often.

And……PLEASE DON’T PUT YOUR COFFEE IN THE FRIDGE!!

Over the coming weeks, we’ll give you more tips on brewing, foaming & steaming.

Fresh is Best!