The maker of Italy's popular aperitif Campari has linked up with Italian coffee company Illy on a new coffee liqueur product called Illyquore. Guaranteed to give the Starbucks coffee liqueur and Kahlua a run for their money, the liqueur is to be launched in Italy in July and in the rest of the world in 2009. The new liqueur has adopted Illy's Arabica coffee taste without any additives. Illy will retain the brand rights and Campari will distribute.
Coffee for a cause! Jumpy Monkey premium coffee is carefully drum roasted in small batches at a place called Opportunities Unlimited in Sioux City, IA. The coffee not only tastes great and is available in 33 delectable flavors (I would know, I've tried at least half of them so far!) but every bean you buy goes to support the rehabilitation of individuals that have sustained a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or other disability through both the coffee's profits and by providing employment opportunities for individuals undergoing rehab. For me it's a great chance to support a charity through a daily habit I have anyway (plus it's wonderful to have the coffee come right to the door), and if you're intimidated by their long list of flavors let me recommend my two favorites: Snickerdoodle and Creme Brulee. Yum!
Italian coffee company illycaffè has created a new easier way to make your espresso. Their new system is called iperEspresso (hyper espresso) and this month Illy is launching the Francis Francis X7 with iperEspresso, a capsule system that uses a two-phase preparation process to create the perfect shot of espresso. The first step is hyperinfusion, in which the coffee and water come into contact under optimal pressure conditions, followed by the emulsion process, in which the coffee passes through a valve to form a rich and velvety crema (the thin layer of foam at the surface of the espresso). The iperEspresso's crema yields more volume and height than a traditional shot and can last up to fifteen minutes as compared to the average espresso's five minutes. The coffee never comes into direct contact with the machine so cleaning the machine is far easier. IperEspresso has been released commercially and is currently used in restaurants including Le Bernardin and Nobu, as well as at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
The new system is available in the popular Francis Francis X7 machine for a special intro price of $395 and the Francis Francis X8 is available for a special rate of $495. The coffee in the iperEspresso capsule is the same used in the cans and in café espresso and is available in two different roasts: medium and dark as well as decaffeinated capsules .A 21-serving container of capsules is $15.95
If you love both espresso and having something exclusive, then this Victoria Arduino Venus Century Espresso Machine (say that ten times fast!) is worth checking out. Only 100 of them were created, and they're currently selling #34, with the first one having gone to the Pope. The first Victoria Arduino machine was built in 1905, and in the years since their reputation has grown to one symbolizing beauty, elegance, and refinement (among many other things on their list!). This particular espresso machine design was created by Pier Teresio Arduino and can be yours for just a tad under $20,000.
Kopi luwak comes from the Indonesian words for coffee and civet. A civet is a cat-like creature who slinks around eating sweet red coffee cherries in Indonesia. Finicky like a cat, they only eat the best of the harvest, chewing off the exterior and swallowing the hard inner core of the bean. Once digested, the beans emerge in the usual way - amid the animal's dung. The trip through the digestive system has removed the harshness and most of the caffeine and the result is a mellow coffee bean that sells for as much as $600 a pound. Once you separate it from the dung, of course.
One pound of civet droppings will produce less than 5 ounces of beans - and roasting reduces the quantity even more. Only 500 to 1,000 pounds hit the global market each year, which explains the extremely high price of this coffee. Left unanswered, however, is just whose idea it was to pick through civet dung in the first place.
This Periodic Table is almost as simple as things can get, really. It's just four pieces of wood stuck together and painted, but somehow it works. Designed by One & Co., this piece was part of the launch of the new San Francisco-based furniture company called 'Council' last month. The metal coated wood block coffee table is made by coating a 48" x 48" x 13" block of wood with your choice of silver (natural, black, or pink). The resulting appearance is modern and bold, while keeping an organic feel with the natural wood-grain staying easily visible.
I have to say, I would not have guessed "bicycle" if asked what this coffee table used to be in a former life. I can kind of see it in the cogs and the reshaped rims, but the rolled inner tubes for feet and some other features are well disguised. This Recycled Bike Coffee Table by Resource Revival is definitely unique and brings a whole new meaning to the idea of recycling with it's elegant though industrial appearance. It's hard to imagine that it used to be an old used-up form of transportation for somebody -- welcome back little bike!
Specializing in using old bicycle parts to create functional works of art, Resource Revival makes its creations by hand in Mosier, Oregon. Also worth checking out from them is this Recycled Bike Cafe Table.
I am not a morning person and sometimes the smell of coffee brewing is the only thing that will lure me out of bed. If I had this blinged-out espresso maker to look forward to, getting up might be a little easier. Covering an espresso machine in Swarovski crystals may seem a bit over the top, but the result is sparkly and fabulous. This Sparkle Pink Essenza espresso machine is a limited edition with only 100 available for purchase. If pink isn't your thing, there is also a Brilliant Black version. Both are available at Nespresso Boutique Bar on Madison Avenue in New York for $1000.
It's probably a good thing I'm not rich and famous, because if I were I'd have to build a separate home just for all the stuff I'd buy. Seriously.
So last week I posted on the Lamborghini Coffee Machine, which I liked, and got a comment from a reader suggesting I take a look at this La Pavoni Stradivari Wood espresso machine, which I now also like. Great, little Mr Coffee is totally feeling inadequate.
Covered in mirrored brass, this machine is inspired by the Italian violinist Stradivari and takes the piston espresso design you expect from Pavoni and adds elegant sealed hardwood knobs for more comfortable use and, of course, style. Full of the usual features, and maybe a few unique ones, it sells for $879.
I love my little white Mr Coffee -- stains and all he's been a good buddy through many early mornings and late night projects, always making awesome cups of coffee. But, loyal as I am, I can't help but be tempted by what an awesome experience a Tonino Lamborghini coffee machine must make?
But with only 1,000 of the handmade machines out there, not to mention the $1750 price tag (just a little out of my usual coffee budget...) I doubt I'll ever get the chance to find out first hand. I might, however, be indulging in some Lamborghini coffee beans sometime soon (what a treat for Mr Coffee!).
Anyone with limited counter space should be drooling over the Inventum HK1 Cafe Invento Koffiepad. Designed by studioMOM, the coffee machine has a unique and streamlined, wall-like shape, which means that it doesn't take up much room on the counter while still providing you with excellent coffee. The water reservoir is part of the "wall" and is completely removable. The rest of the machine is made of polymer-coated, fingerprint-resistant steel. It can brew one or two cups at a time and will hold enough water for ten cups before the machine needs to be refilled. The strength of the brew is completely adjustable and there is an automatic shutoff for safety. Price: $150 (€119).
Francesco Illy, the founder of Illycaffè, invented espresso in the 1930s and the company, now run by Illy's grandson, is looking to make a new name for itself in the global cafe marketplace. The company wants more recognition at the consumer level outside of Italy. It is expanding its Espressamente stores outside of Italy. The cafes are small, but designed by "leading Italian architects" and have cups and saucers that showcase contemporary artists, as well.
There are currently around 140 Espressamentes and Illy hopes to have 500 more within the next five years. The company expects that the consumers' desire for authenticity and quality will support the $4.50 price tag attached to a cappuccino, in the same way that high prices are commanded by luxury fashion brands, like Gucci, Prada and Armani.
More and more home appliances are now wired to receive data from other sources. The latest is the Melitta Smart Mill & Brew 10-cup coffeemaker which will provide you the daily weather report in addition to providing you with a hot cup of coffee. The coffee pot gets its news from MSN Direct and provides updates every 10 minutes to provide current conditions as well as a 3-day forecast. The machine also grinds the beans so basically it does everything but put it in a cup and shove you out the door in the morning. It sells for around $199.95 on Amazon.
It looks like we have another item to add to our list of gifts for coffee lovers, or at least for people on the look out for expensive coffee cups because the Hoffmann Coffee Cup is one of the most expensive that we've seen. For a single cup, this runs $334.16. The design, which is down in gold and is precisely symmetrical, was inspired by Josef Hoffmann, one of the founders of Augarten Porcelain in Vienna, and is actually done on a cup that is a Hoffmann design.
Gift giving is a lot easier when your giftee has specific interests. While coffee isn't exactly an interest per-se, a coffee-lover will always appreciate a coffee related gift. And there are a lot of them to choose from, from appliances to beans, and every one on our list of favorites is sure to perk them up this holiday season.
A great gift is a high quality conical burr grinder. Even if your coffee lover who already grinds their own beans - which is the very easiest way to ensure that you're getting all the flavor you can from them - can benefit from the increase precision offered by a machine like the KitchenAid Pro Line Burr Coffee Grinder. $200.
If you love both espresso and having something exclusive, then this Victoria Arduino Venus Century Espresso Machine (say that ten times fast!) is worth checking out. Only 100 of them were created, and they're currently selling #34, with the first one having gone to the Pope. The first Victoria Arduino machine was built in 1905, and in the years since their reputation has grown to one symbolizing beauty, elegance, and refinement (among many other things on their list!). This particular espresso machine design was created by Pier Teresio Arduino and can be yours for just a tad under $20,000.
Kopi luwak comes from the Indonesian words for coffee and civet. A civet is a cat-like creature who slinks around eating sweet red coffee cherries in Indonesia. Finicky like a cat, they only eat the best of the harvest, chewing off the exterior and swallowing the hard inner core of the bean. Once digested, the beans emerge in the usual way - amid the animal's dung. The trip through the digestive system has removed the harshness and most of the caffeine and the result is a mellow coffee bean that sells for as much as $600 a pound. Once you separate it from the dung, of course.
It's probably a good thing I'm not rich and famous, because if I were I'd have to build a separate home just for all the stuff I'd buy. Seriously. 
Anyone with limited counter space should be drooling over the Inventum HK1 Cafe Invento Koffiepad. Designed by studioMOM, the coffee machine has a unique and streamlined, wall-like shape, which means that it doesn't take up much room on the counter while still providing you with excellent coffee. The water reservoir is part of the "wall" and is completely removable. The rest of the machine is made of polymer-coated, fingerprint-resistant steel. It can brew one or two cups at a time and will hold enough water for ten cups before the machine needs to be refilled. The strength of the brew is completely adjustable and there is an automatic shutoff for safety. Price: $150 (€119).
Francesco Illy, the founder of Illycaffè, invented espresso in the 1930s and the company, now run by Illy's grandson, is looking to make a new name for itself in the global cafe marketplace. The company wants more recognition at the consumer level outside of Italy. It is expanding its Espressamente stores outside of Italy. The cafes are small, but designed by "leading Italian architects" and have cups and saucers that showcase contemporary artists, as well.
More and more home appliances are now wired to receive data from other sources. The latest is the Melitta Smart Mill & Brew 10-cup coffeemaker which will provide you the daily weather report in addition to providing you with a hot cup of coffee. The coffee pot gets its news from MSN Direct and provides updates every 10 minutes to provide current conditions as well as a 3-day forecast. The machine also grinds the beans so basically it does everything but put it in a cup and shove you out the door in the morning. It sells for around $199.95 on Amazon.
It looks like we have another item to add to our list of gifts for coffee lovers, or at least for people on the look out for expensive coffee cups because the Hoffmann Coffee Cup is one of the most expensive that we've seen. For a single cup, this runs $334.16. The design, which is down in gold and is precisely symmetrical, was inspired by Josef Hoffmann, one of the founders of Augarten Porcelain in Vienna, and is actually done on a cup that is a Hoffmann design.
Gift giving is a lot easier when your giftee has specific interests. While coffee isn't exactly an interest per-se, a coffee-lover will always appreciate a coffee related gift. And there are a lot of them to choose from, from appliances to beans, and every one on our list of favorites is sure to perk them up this holiday season.
