Brown Sugar Ginger Tea

中文：红糖姜水

Brown sugar is very popular in Asian countries.  Unlike the brown sugar here in American grocery stores, Asian brown sugar is pressed and then concentrated from sugar cane.  

Ingredients：

2 to 3 pieces of ginger roots
200 g Asian brown sugar

Directions：

There is no need to peel the ginger root.  Clean under running water and pat dry with kitchen paper towel.

Extract ginger juice with Breville juicer  

It is quite efficient.  A few pieces of ginger root yields 2/3 cup juice

Good job, juicer!

Asian brown sugar  is mostly available in Asian grocery stores.  The quickest way to tell if it is authentic is by reading the label.  You don’t want to see molasses in the ingredient list.

Transfer to an air-tight glass and it can be kept in refrigerator for up to a week.

To make brown sugar ginger tea, just add a couple tablespoons to a cup of hot water. 

Try it, you may love it too! O(∩_∩)O~

Hot Cocoa

中文菜谱: 热可可

During the freezing cold winter, we could all use a cup of hot cocoa from time to time O(∩_∩)O~

Ingredients：

4 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant coffee  (optional)
2 cups of whole milk
1 to 2 teaspoon sugar
chocolate sauce
caramel sauce
mini marshmarrows
chopped nuts

Directions:

Brush the mugs’ edge with syrup or honey, and then coat them with chopped nuts.

Add cocoa powder, instant coffee and sugar in a large cup.

Add the milk to a small pot .  Heat over medium heat until it boils.  Or you can also microwave the milk on for minutes high until it boils.

Gradually pour 1/2 cup hot milk to the cup while whisking.

Add remaining milk.  Whisk  until everything comes together.

Divide the hot cocoa between mugs.

Top with mini marshmarrows.

Broil in a toaster oven  for 3 to 4 minutes or until the marshmarrows are golden brown

Sprinkle with chocolate sauce and caramel sauce.

I would highly recommend to enjoy them fireside with a good book O(∩_∩)O~

Cappuccino Coffee

中文：卡布奇诺

Like many coffee enthusiasts, we love roasting and grinding our own coffee beans for espresso drinks.  The fresher they are, the better creama and taste we can get. 

I posted how to roast coffee beans at home with cast iron pan before.

We usually roast several kinds in small batches so that we can compare different flavors from different roast and varieties.

 These are medium roast Guatemala coffee beans

These are dark roast Columbia coffee beans

24 to 48 hours after the beans are roasted which is a reasonable time for them to degas, we can start to brew.

My beloved Breville 870XL  is exacting double shot espresso

Frother the milk; pour and enjoy! O(∩_∩)O~

Roast Coffee Beans at Home

中文: 自己烘焙咖啡豆

Both my husband and I are a little bit crazy about coffee beans lately.  We have tried a lot of beans available on the market and found the tastiest beans are from local coffee stores where they roast their own beans on the site.

So we decide to try to roast our own coffee beans at home.  And the results are pretty awesome!

As you can see in the picture, the Amerciano coffee and latter made from our beans are very pretty and taste good too. 

This batch is between full city and dark roast.  

The raw coffee beans

The most common ways to roast coffee beans at home are popcorn makers, frying pan and oven. 

I love using cast iron pan because it heats up evenly and I have fully control of bean roasting; and the beans taste good too.

Heat a 12 inches cast iron skillet  over medium heat for about 1 minute.  Add 1 to 1 1/2cup of raw coffee beans. 

3 minutes later.  There isn’t much change yet.  Keep stirring with a stainless steel whisk  constantly. 

Beans start to turn colors after being heated for 6 minutes. 

Another 3 minutes later, the first crack is about to happen.

Another 2 minutes late

Another 2 minutes later, beans are roasted between cinnamon and light. 

Any further roasting will depend on your personal preference

Once they reach the desired roast, remove from heat immediately and transfer to a stainless steel colander.  Keep whisking to help beans cool down and remove the remaining chaff. 

When the beans cool down to room temperature, bag them with a Ziploc bag .  Squeeze out as much air as possible. 

Remember to wait for 24 hours before enjoying them because freshly roasted beans need time to degas and develop their flavors. 

24 hours late

Don’t they look awesome? O(∩_∩)O~

Can’t wait to try them!

Grind the beans with my beloved Breville espresso machine

Espresso is being pumpe

Look at the crema on top of it! O(∩_∩)O~

Feel free to make latte or cappuccino

By the way, my husband makes both of them! O(∩_∩)O~

Amerciano made from that espresso is very tasty too！O(∩_∩)O~

Iced Coffee

中文：冰咖啡

The most popular drink in our house during summer time goes to iced coffee! O(∩_∩)O~

It is super easy to make at home.  Can you believe it?  Such a nice cup of iced coffee takes less than 1 minute from start to finish.  I bet it takes you longer time to wait in line in your local coffee stores.  

Ingredients: (1 serving)

2 shots of espresso coffee
equal amount of hot water
1 tablespoon maple syrup (use more if you have a sweet tooth)
1/4 cup whole milk (use more or less according to personal taste)
ice cubes

Directions：

Make double shots espresso with espresso machine

Add equal amount of hot water to the espresso.  You have a cup of Amerciano coffee. If you like strong coffee, skip the water or use less.

Fill the cup with ice cubes.  Pour coffee on top

Add milk

Add maple syrup

Now you have a really nice cup of iced coffeeO(∩_∩)O~