Brew a Batch of Café Style Coffee

Brew up a batch of coffeehouse coffees right from your own kitchen without the special use of equipment. Find out how to prepare the best cappuccinos and café lattes.

Imagine walking into your neighborhood coffeehouse. The aroma of roasted coffee beans, the hiss of steamed milk from the espresso machine, and the clink of mugs greet you as you walk through the door. It's certainly the place to go for specialty coffees like café latte, cappuccino and espresso.

But you don't have to visit your local java joint to enjoy your favorite brew. In fact, you can make those fancy coffees right in your own kitchen without all of those hissing machines, or any other special equipment. All you need is a simple drip coffeemaker and a little ingenuity.

Most specialty coffees start with a base of espresso. To make espresso, it's important to start with a high-quality coffee roast. Both French and espresso roasts are excellent choices, since the resulting coffee will be strong. You can buy whole beans at the supermarket and grind them yourself in a coffee grinder, or you can have them ground when you purchase them.

Espresso

In a regular drip coffeemaker, add 1/3 cup of ground beans for every 1 cup of cold water. Brew the coffee according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once brewed, you can then use the espresso to make a specialty coffee (see variations below; all of the recipes will yield about 4 servings). If you prefer plain espresso, simply pour the coffee into small cups (for regular coffee mugs, fill them only about 1/2 full). Serve with sugar cubes.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is espresso topped with a fluffy head of frothed milk. To make cappuccino, prepare a pot of espresso (as directed above). Heat 1 cup of milk in a microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes until hot; do not boil the milk. Pour the milk into a lidded, heat-resistant container. Apply the lid to the container and shake vigorously until the milk is foamy (alternatively, whisk the milk in a bowl until the milk becomes frothy). For each serving, pour the espresso into the coffee cups. Top each cup with a generous amount of the frothed milk. You can even sprinkle the top with ground cinnamon or shavings of chocolate, if desired.

Café Latte

Café latte mixes a small amount of espresso with hot steamed milk. To make cafe latte, brew a pot of espresso (directions above). Heat 2 cups of milk in a microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes until hot; do not boil the milk. For each serving, mix together 1/4 cup of espresso and 1/2 cup of hot steaming milk. Pour the mixture into each coffee cup and serve plain or top with a head of frothed milk (see directions above for making frothed milk).

Dessert Coffee

If espresso isn't your favorite type of coffee, you can make a delicious dessert coffee with almost any type of roast available in supermarkets. Prepare coffee as directed by the manufacturer's instructions for your coffeemaker. With a wire whisk, whip 1/2 cup of heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl until the cream forms soft peaks. For each serving, pour the coffee into the coffee cups, and add a generous dollop of whipped cream to the top. You can garnish the top with a sprinkling of shaved chocolate, if desired.

So instead of heading out to enjoy a cup of coffee, why not stay in and turn your kitchen into a one-stop coffeehouse for you and your friends and family?

Sources: Bodum Chambord 8-cup French press coffeemaker, $18.95; Braun coffee mill (#KMM20), Krups touch-top coffee grinder (1.6 oz.), $10.00; Krups fast-touch coffee grinder (3 oz.); all from Porto Rico Importing Co., 201 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012; 212-477-5421 or 800-453-5908. Catalogue available. Oxygen-bleached coffee filters (#4), $1.95 for box of 100, from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters; 800-223-6768. Catalogue available. Espresso cups, $98 for a set of 6 with coffee, both from Illy Espresso; 800-USA-ILLY (800-872-4559) for more information.

Halloween-Themed Cocktails: Graveyard Ghoulada and Ice Cube Eyeballs

These glasses are sure to elicit some blood-curdling screams. Plus, toast your Halloween guests with ghoulish flair by adding floating eyeballs to their drinks.

GRAVEYARD GHOULADA

Usually, glasses are rimmed with salt to help flavor cocktail favorites like margaritas. But at Halloween, rims coated with vampire's blood are much more appropriate for the holiday. If you experience any difficulty extracting the blood of an unsuspecting victim, you can substitute 1 teaspoon light corn syrup and about 2 tablespoons red food coloring--a mixture that is sure to give your lips a hideous, vampirish gleam. Pour the corn syurp mixture onto a small plate, slowly twirl the glasses into the mixture to coat the entire rims and turn the glasses upright. Let the "blood" drip slightly for a ghastly effect, then fill the glass with a bloody good drink.

RECIPE

Graveyard Ghoulada

Makes 2 medium drinks

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice, plus more if needed
• 1/4 cup coconut cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons good-quality rum (optional)

Directions:

Whisk together all ingredients. Place 1 scoop crushed ice in a blender, and add drink mixture. Blend until the mixture is smooth; add more pineapple if mixture is too thick. Carefully pour drink mixture into prepared glasses; serve.

ICE CUBE EYEBALLS

At Halloween--the one time of year when the gory, grotesque and gruesome take center stage--use the occasion to conjure up your wicked imagination with just the type of drink Dracula might have sipped at cocktail hour. With medium-size radishes and blueberries, you can prepare a batch of hair-raising ice cubes that seem to resemble eyeballs--ideal for a horrifying Halloween martini or in a gruesome glass of flavored water for your young ghouls and gals.

Mulled Cider for the Holidays

Hot mulled cider is a warm and comforting treat to serve to guests at the holidays. Find out how to make this spicy cider.

Gather around your Christmas tree this year with a steaming mug of hot apple cider infused with some of your favorite flavors. Try such spices as cinnamon, star anise, cloves and lemon peel for a delicious aroma and flavor.

Hot Mulled Cider

Serves about 20

Hot Mulled Cider

Ingredients:

• 4 whole star anise
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 4 whole cardamom pods
• 1 orange
• 1 small apple
• Cloves
• 1 gallon apple cider
• 3 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. Place star anise, lemon zest and cardamom pods in a square of cheesecloth and tie to secure.
2. Stud orange and apple with cloves.
3. Place apple cider in a large pot. Add cinnamon sticks, cheesecloth bundle and the orange and apple studded with cloves, and place over medium-low heat.
4. Bring the apple cider to a simmer and allow the cider to steep for 1 hour.
5. Serve warm in mugs, garnished with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

SOURCES

Star anise, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon sticks
Penzeys Spices
12001 West Capitol Drive
Wauwatosa, WI 53222
800-741-7787
Fax: 414-760-7317

Stir Up Summer Drinks

If you're looking for simple summertime drinks that go beyond cola and ginger ale, try these thirst-quenching favorites--homemade lemonade, cherry lemonade and iced tea. These drinks are great to make when the weather turns warm and humid. Make a pitcher or two early in the morning and keep refrigerated until you're ready to serve.

Lemonade Recipe
MAKES 3 QUARTS

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 6 3/4 cups water
• 3 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 18 lemons)
• Crushed ice, for glasses
• Lemon slices, for garnish

Directions: In a large pitcher, combine the sugar, water and lemon juice. Stir well to combine. Add ice to chilled glasses; pour lemonade into glasses. Garnish each glass with lemon slices and serve.

Cherry Lemonade Recipe
Makes 3 Quarts

Ingredients:

• 6 3/4 cups water
• 3 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 18 lemons)
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 jar maraschino cherries, plus 2 teaspoons reserved cherry juice
• Crushed ice, for glasses
• Lemon slices, for garnish

Directions: In large pitcher, combine the water, lemon juice, sugar and reserved maraschino cherry juice. Stir well to combine. Add the ice to chilled glasses; pour the lemonade into the glasses. Garnish each glass with lemon slices and whole maraschino cherries. Serve.

Iced Tea Recipe
MAKES 1 QUART

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5 lemons)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 cups freshly brewed tea (use your favorite blend)
• 1 cup water
• Crushed ice, for glasses
• Lemon slices, for garnish

Directions: In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice and honey; stir until the honey is completely dissolved. Add the tea and water. Stir to combine. Add ice to chilled glasses; pour iced tea into glasses. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and serve.

Malted Milkshakes

Most of us remember special childhood treats we enjoyed. They may have been snow cones, or Dairy Queen flurries or even homemade ice cream. But one treat I think many of us remember is the malted milkshake. The frothy milk combined with the creaminess of ice cream made for a drink that could cure the heat of an oppressive summer day. One of the good things about milkshakes is that you can make them year round, and you don't even have to wait for summertime. Here's a recipe for malted milkshakes that I think you'll enjoy and your children will enjoy.

Malted Milkshakes
Serves 4

1. Coarsely chop 1/4 cup chocolated-covered malted milk balls (you'll find these candies in the candy aisle of your local grocery store). Set aside.
2. In a blender, combine 1 cup milk (use whole milk, but if you're on a diet, you can use low-fat or skim milk), 1/4 cup malted-milk powder, and 1 1/2 pints of the best vanilla ice cream (you could use low-fat frozen yogurt if you're on a diet). Blend the ingredients until they are smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into four glasses; garnish each drink with a sprinkling of the reserved chopped malted milk balls. Serve immediately.