Only the best brew
There is nothing worse than a bad cup of brew. As with everything I far rather go without than a bad glass of wine, tea or coffee. Although I like a strong cup of coffee, I prefer herbal tea these days instead of black tea.
My first barista-style coffee machine
With my background in the hospitality industry, I was used to making barista-style coffee at a very young age. At home, I used to drink coffee from a cafetiere. The best alternative for an Italian style coffee 30 years ago. At a Home & Garden fair in the Netherlands, I spotted a nifty coffee machine. Nespresso had launched their first coffee machine, and we proudly walked away with our first barista-style coffee machine. Indeed, I was one of the first clients of Nespresso. Over the years I have been pleased with their product and even bring it on UK holidays. Nespresso ships worldwide so even in Cape Town I could have my beloved coffee.
Next level up, the Sage Coffee Machine
Last year we decided that we wanted to grind our own coffee beans to improve our coffee experience at home. After thorough research, we came across the Sage Coffee Machine co-developed by Heston Blumenthal. I have to admit that we have quite a few Sage products at home. Heston Blumenthal has clearly put his mark on it. A kettle which you can set at different temperatures, a toaster which you can set not only at different gradations but for a wide variety of bread too. We opted for the Sage Barista Express, and I love the attention to detail. A small sign pops up when the water tray is full, and it alerts you if you have to clean it. And does it make good coffee? Yes, it does. Watch the Heston Blumenthal’s video here.
Which coffee bean to choose
We tried a lot of different types of coffee beans from local roasters. Silver Oak Coffee beans came out as our preferred one. They have a selection of 6 different kinds of beans. We use the Brazilian bean, which has a subtle hint of chocolate and caramel others can be a bit harsher. The used coffee is not wasted but is composted in our Hotbin.
Gerla
P.S. Views are my own and this review is not sponsored