If you start every day with that phrase, then you’re in the right place. Coffee is the world’s favorite drink to wake up with, and it’s become the center point of a modern culinary revolution. Today’s coffee shops have transformed a common cup of Joe into a meticulously measured art form. Lattes and cappuccinos are topped with beautiful foam creations, iced coffee is brewed for 24 hours before it’s ready, and hot brews are poured at specific temperatures for the “perfect flavor profile.”
In addition to being a bit intimidating, the coffee shop can also be a bit overpriced, but with a few basic lessons and a couple pieces of brewing equipment, you’ll be well on your way to transforming your 1st Lake kitchen into the best java joint in the neighborhood!
Coffee beans come in a variety of sizes, colors, and flavors. The variations of flavors depend on the region and conditions in which they were grown. According to The Spruce, “Most regional varietals will fall into two main categories, Robusta or Arabica.”
Robusta coffee beans tend to be used in large-scale commercial brews, and they’re considered to have a more acidic taste and higher caffeine levels. Arabica beans tend to have more diverse flavor notes, but they’re difficult to grow, which increases the demand and price of this superior bean. If you buy your beans from a local coffee shop, you’re most likely buying Arabica beans.
The beans you buy come in a range of caramel to chocolatey brown colors, but they don’t start off that way. The original green colored beans are roasted with a dry heat, but their roasting times play an important role in the coffee’s brewed flavor. The three main categories are light, medium, and dark.
Light roasts retain a larger amount of the bean’s original flavor. They tend to be a little more acidic and feature brighter, sharper tastes and little to no “roasted” notes. Medium roasts have a darker color, an oily appearance, and tend to have a balance between the roasting effects and the bean’s original flavor. Medium beans tend to be the most popular of the three categories. Dark roasts focus heavily on the flavors derived from the roasting process. The bean’s original flavors are almost completely overcome by the roast, so your coffee will have a powerful smoky taste. Dark roasts are typically used in espresso drinks, like lattes and macchiatos.
Gone are the days of basic automatic coffee makers. With this new knowledge, you’ll be able to find the roast you’re the most interested in and brew coffee at home like a pro. If you plan on buying your coffee pre-ground, it’s best to use it as fast as possible. The Perfect Daily Grind says, “Coffee has a shelf life. This will vary, but a good rule of thumb is to only buy the coffee you’ll drink that week. Store your coffee in an airtight container at room temperature and out of direct sunlight.”
If you’re buying roasted beans, you can either grind the beans at home with a hand grinder or electric grinder, or you can bring your bag to a grocery store for grinding. A lot of coffee shops will grind the beans they sell to you before you leave the store. If you’re grinding your beans at home, it’s best to grind only what you will need to brew for that day and store the rest away.
So, you’re probably asking, “What do I do with my coffee now?!”
There are two techniques that have grown in popularity over the past few years: pour over brewing and immersion brewing. You can achieve both of these at home, but you will need some equipment to properly brew using these techniques.
Pour over coffee can be achieved using a coffee-specific glass pitcher, a porcelain dripper, a coffee filter, a kettle of hot water, and a kitchen scale. The porcelain dripper can be placed on top of either the glass pitcher or the coffee mug you intend to drink from. We like Blue Bottle Coffee’s easy-to-follow guide to the perfect pour over coffee.
Immersion coffee is most commonly associated with the French press or AeroPress. You can find French press and AeroPress coffee makers in home goods stores across the Greater New Orleans area. French press style is one of the easiest brewing styles, and unlike the single-serve pour over technique, it allows you to make larger amounts at one time. Follow The Kitchn’s guide to French press brewing here.
Not only will making coffee at home save you money, it will help keep our environment clean of plastic cups and harmful plastic straws. If you’re interested in learning more about the complex range of coffee flavors and roasting styles, you can visit a local coffee shop for one of their free “cupping” lessons. This is a great way to find the flavor profile that suits your tastes and puts you on the fast track to home-brewing glory.
But first, coffee.
Our brand-new luxury living community in Elmwood, Clearwater Creek Premier, is loaded with state-of-the-art features and apartment amenities you won’t find anywhere else in the Greater New Orleans Area. One of our goals for this new development was to provide energy efficient options in every single one of Clearwater Creek Premier’s living spaces.
At the center of this effort are the electric convection range and double-ovens located in the kitchen of each residence. The range uses radiant heating elements on its stovetop, which is significantly more energy efficient than its generic electric coil counterparts. Radiant coils are similar to traditional coil burners, but instead of protruding from the top of the range, they sit under a smooth and flat ceramic surface. Heat is conserved better under the ceramic top, which allows for faster heating times and higher heat outputs. Plus, it’s easier to clean!
Just under the range’s sleek stove are two, that’s right, two ovens! The ovens on this range utilize a dual element baking technique, which combines the efforts of the baking coil and the broiling coil for comprehensive cooking. The smaller top oven is ideal for warming or short cooking times, while the larger, convection-style oven offers delay bake and audible preheating capabilities.
If you’re ready to enjoy all of the perks of your Clearwater Creek Premier stovetop and range, put on your chef’s hat and try your hand at a few of our favorite seasonal recipes below!
Warm up when there’s a chill in the air with this rich and creamy Corn and Crab Soup recipe from Bon Appetit:
Reserve 1/4 cup corn. Bring remaining corn and milk to boil in medium saucepan. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Puree mixture in blender. Add clam juice, 3 tablespoons green onions, and 1 teaspoon ginger; puree again until almost smooth. Return puree to saucepan; bring to simmer. Mix in 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn; sauté 1 minute. Add crab, 1 tablespoon green onions, 1 teaspoon ginger, and 3 teaspoons lemon juice; stir just until warm. Season with salt and pepper. Divide soup among bowls; mound crab mixture in center.
Good luck starts by pre-heating your state-of-the-art oven. Munch on this recipe from My Recipes:
Preheat oven to 425°. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 17- x 12-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until crispy and dry, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes.
Mardi Gras will be here before you know it! Parade your new oven’s capabilities with this popular Mardi Gras King Cake recipe from Epicurious:
If you’re looking to make moves in 2018, consider visiting Clearwater Creek Premier today! Not only will you enjoy the cost-saving benefits of our kitchen appliances, but you’ll gain access to a multitude of other living amenities that will make you feel like you’re living in a luxury resort.
Move? In just three days?! With the right amount of pre-planning, it is absolutely possible to move in just three short days. It will take a lot of thought and strategy, but you will feel much better having a plan of action over just tossing your belongings into garbage bags and hoping for the best. With these organizational ideas, moving will be stress-free. Here are our tips for a better packing and moving experience.
Before you do anything, write down everything that needs to be done. If you’re planning on using movers, start with some research! Make a list of local and regional moving companies and use review sites to help determine if they’re a good fit for your needs. If you’re looking at a local moving company, Realtor.com suggests visiting their business in person, which allows you to get a true feel for their standards and capabilities.
Your next list? Packing items. It’s absolutely worth having more boxes, bubble wrap, and rolls of tape than you need. Even if you don’t use movers, they’re a great resource for moving supplies. You can get boxes from personal storage facilities, as well. It’s also worth asking your friends and family if they have boxes and bins they’d be willing to part ways with for your move. Take to Facebook and see who will lend you some goods. That will save you money and probably free up some space for them, too!
So, what goes where? You already know what the movers are going to take, but where are they going to put everything? It’s best to hash out what furniture goes where before they come to collect, otherwise you’ll spend a few more days moving a few things yourself. Mapping it out also helps you visualize where your smaller items might live as well.
Don’t empty those dresser drawers! You’ll just have to refill them again once you’re moved in. Take the items you will need during your unpacking days and fill in the empty spaces with items you can temporarily part with. If you’re looking to save on cushioned packing materials, we suggest using blankets, towels, scarves and other soft fabric materials to wrap fragile items. It’s a “two birds with one stone” way to pack a lot of your possessions at once.
Designate a room in your current space for packing. Bring all of your empty cardboard boxes, plastic bins, tape and markers into one room. It will help you stay organized and allow you to keep track of everything you have left to pack with. Instead of scrambling around your space in search of that marker you put somewhere, having them stored in one room will ease the packing process. Use that marker to clearly label your boxes and bins on each side and make sure you’re explicit about breakable materials. It’ll keep hired movers from carelessly destroying your fragile items.
This might be the hardest part of your move. A lot of people dread asking their loved ones to help them move. It’s a lot of tough work, and it takes a long time. We suggest thanking them with a hearty post-move meal and a meaningful note of gratitude.
Nothing says “moving day” quite like delivery pizza and soda!
They’ll appreciate your immediate appreciation for their help. Plus, the move will be a lot easier for everyone if you follow the steps above!
With football season underway and the weather cooling down, fall is truly the perfect time to tailgate in New Orleans. If you’re in need of some football tailgate recipe inspo, take a look at these fun and easy recipes perfect for a crowd.
Sure, we live in New Orleans, but we can enjoy a little love from the Low Country with this creamy, cheesy dip recipe from Food Network. Serve it with tortilla chips and crudité like carrots or celery.
Ingredients:
Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, green onions and cayenne pepper. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish, such as a 9-inch pie pan. Top the mixture with the cracker crumbs and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and top with the bacon.
These aren’t exactly healthy, but roasting is a better alternative than typical breaded, fried poppers while adding deep, complex flavor.
Ingredients:
Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut 1/3 of each pepper off lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking sheet. If peppers do not sit flat on the baking sheet, slice a thin piece off the bottom of the pepper so it will not roll around.
Mash the feta, cream cheese, shredded cheese, cilantro, and onion together and stuff the peppers with the mixture. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is brown at the edges and bubbly.
Finish on a salty-sweet note with these delectable dessert bars!
Ingredients:
For the base
For the filling and glaze
Recipe:
Make the base: Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, extending it over the sides. Put the butter in a medium heatproof bowl; position the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water). Once the butter melts, stir in the sugar and cocoa. Whisk in the egg; cook, whisking, until the mixture is warm and the consistency of hot fudge, 6 minutes. Remove from the heat; mix in the saltine crumbs and peanuts. Press the crust into the pan. Set aside the saucepan of water.
Make the filling: Spread the jelly over the crust in the pan; place in the freezer for a few minutes. Beat 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter, the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar with a mixer until light. Spread over the jelly layer; return to the freezer while you make the glaze.
Place the chocolate and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a heatproof bowl; set over the pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir until smooth. When cool but still runny, spread the glaze over the chilled peanut butter layer. Freeze for another 30 minutes.
Use the foil flaps to remove the bars from the pan; cut into squares while still cold. Serve cold and keep leftovers refrigerated.
All recipes via FoodNetwork.com
Check out more great recipes here!
When asked the age-old question “trick or treat?” we definitely stand with team treat. Check out five easy, last-minute recipes to help you get in the spooky spirit, from “poison” candy apples to a crowd-pleasing dessert dip. Bone appetit!
Channel your inner Snow White with this sweet recipe.
Ingredients:
Recipe:
Simple and sweet! You can make basic sugar cookies using this recipe, or go the easy route and purchase a pre-made slice-and-bake option.
Ingredients:
Recipe:
Perfect for a crowd of hungry ghosts and goblins.
Ingredients:
For the dip —
For decorating —
For serving —
Recipe:
It’s fruit, so it’s healthy… right?
Ingredients:
Recipe:
Can’t decide if you prefer your treat salty or sweet? These haystacks feature both flavors!
Ingredients:
Recipe:
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
