Sunday, October 28, 2012

avenue rd

One guess where my spending money went this week...

For the first time since Poet was born, Daniel and I had the opportunity to spend the day together sans children. I had an editorial meeting mid-morning so we grabbed a takeaway coffee on the way and later indulged in a long and decadent lunch. It was our first date in 15 months; well worth the cafe splurge.

Avenue Rd in Mosman is one of my favourite Sydney cafes - impeccable service, great coffee, wonderful food. Sitting outside on the bench seat, we could have easily been in Melbourne (perhaps we wished we were). I ordered the prawn and chorizo fettuccine and Daniel had a pork belly sandwich with aioli and apple sauce. We both declared it the best sandwich in the world. 

Design aesthetic: European art deco (with a little bit of grunge) Coffee: so good 

In the past few days we've started looking for an at-home coffee machine. We love the idea of perfecting a cappuccino (although getting jittery in the process is a definite con) and we're hoping it will save us some money in the long term. Any suggestions?  


40 COMMENTS

  1. that cafe, and a child free date, sound wonderful. there are so many ho-hum cafes around where you can eat and drink better at home, but they do make a splurge in a good place feel really something. we have a second hand francis francis coffee machine. ours is a thing of beauty in pillow box red, it makes great coffees (you can get a pod version/handle but we don't do pods). its compact enough to fit in a tiny bench space and cheap to service/for parts x

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    1. yes, I think we want to do the grinding of the beans instead of the pods. Will look into the francis francis x

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  2. I have just been researching the at home coffee machine thing this weekend and getting lots of advice from people. Very timely! I want a solid, manual one - no pods - but you might be after something different. The Lelit or the Rancio Silvia seem to be the go if you want Italian made under $1k. Also heard good things about Breville for a lower price point. Also, coffee people say there's no point getting a decent machine if you don't also get a grinder. Maybe they're up selling, or maybe it's true. I'm keen on the Lelit Combi that has a built-in grinder (neater on the bench, only one powerpoint etc). I'll be watching this to see what everyone else reckons...

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    1. Every barista I have spoken too has emphasised the importance of the grinder...it must be true! Thanks for your advice Claire x

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  3. We have the Sunbeam Cafe Crema II, it makes great coffee, is pretty much manual with a separate water tank and proper nozzle (no rubber nozzle) and was under the $200 mark. It was bought with last years Christmas money and it still going strong. A good coffee is in the maker not the machine.

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  4. we had the Breville but returned it due to problems with the inbuilt grinder AND a leaking water compartment.

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  5. Oh Jodi, I can absolutely recommend the 'Gaggia Classic'. It's the very best espresso machine (at least for this price), which also won a lot of prices. http://www.amazon.com/Gaggia-14101-Classic-Espresso-Stainless/dp/B0001KOA4Q/ref=cm_srch_res_rpli_1

    We also have the 'Graef CM 80 Grinder, it's in the link below. Trust me, they are really worth the money.
    http://household.graef.de/program/coffee-grinder/coffee-grinder-cm-80

    I hope, this will help you a litle :-)
    Greetings from Germany,
    Lena :)

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  6. One coffee here, one coffee there, it certainly adds up dosen't it. We have a Vibiemme, it mades a great coffee! My husband buys green beans and roasts his own, which saves us even more money- (worth looking into.) We now find it really hard to find a coffee good enough to go out for!

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  7. We prefer moka pot and a milk frother, it's chipper than a coffee machine, no coffee capsules (expensive), the ground coffee is always fresh the cleaning is super easy, it does not take any room and- it's so pretty! best cappuccino.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot

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  8. We've been splurging a bit on cafe lunches this week too - sometimes it's just what the doctor ordered.
    I've been to Avenue Rd and thought it was nice too. I like how the outdoor area has enough space for prams and little ones...
    So glad you guys had a nice day together!
    Ronnie xo

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    1. There were quite a few young families lunching when we were there and the staff were incredibly child-friendly (nice to know!) x

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  9. Hi Jodi, our coffee machine is just about on its way out, so I've been researching better machines in the last week or so. I found the information here quite helpful http://www.baristabasics.com.au/article.asp?AID=79, so I've been looking at second-hand models of the Saeco Via Vanezia, Sunbeam Café Series or the Rancilio Silvia, preferably the latter. (I always seek second-hand - there's plenty out there on various sites and it makes much more sense to me.) We're also going to start grinding our beans. I have a Thermomix and apparently you can grind beans in it, but I haven't tried yet. Let us know what machine you end up getting. x

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  10. Lovely photos and words as always Jodi, that first child free outing is pretty special!

    We have a Rancilio Rocky grinder and a laScala Butterfly machine both purchased from http://www.coffeeco.com.au/default.htm . I love using them both every single day and couldn't recommend them enough.

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  11. Oh at home coffee! So good, so much cheaper than cafe take aways.

    OK, so it's not even as much about the machine as it is about the grinder, the beans and the skills. We have a basic set up (Sunbeam Cafe Latte $330; Sunbeam conical burr grinder) and we buy Single Origin, or fresh locally roasted beans. But the difference is that I sent Hubby to do a day-long barista course (in Sydney) and now he makes fab coffee and latte-art to boot ;)

    Because we're kinda snobby when it comes to coffee, we'd eventually like to save up for a fancy-pants machine but in the meantime, this one is going great guns :)

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  12. How wonderful to have a date sans children. It's lovely to be lovers and not have to worry about feeding/wiping noses/chasing for a few hours every now and then.

    On the coffee subject... I've worked as a barista before and my husband is coffee mad.
    At home we have a 60's La Pavoni Europiccola which is a super simple manual machine that will last forever and is easily serviced. Our grinder we bought second hand from a cafe.
    I second the francis francis recommendation. They're very basic, which means less parts that could break and easy to use and service too.
    The Rancilio Silvia is a great home machine. They make amazing cafe grade machines.
    Grinding your own beans is the key, you want them as freshly ground as possible. Otherwise you'll get bitterness and very little crema.
    Good luck in your coffee quest. x

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  13. oh hello home espresso! my parents swear by home espresso - dad thinks he has saved "countless thousands of dollars" through making coffee at home for him and mum. They have a Sunbeam Artista EM5900 and Dad thinks its awesome. It makes two coffees at a time, and while it took dad a little time to get the beans ground fine enough, he makes beautiful coffee on it. It's something I always miss, living in a different city from them. It's a bit of an investment when you include a grinder too (they have a Sunbeam cafe series conical burr grinder) but well worth it. We used to have a breville machine but it was extremely faulty (problems with the steamer and the water compartment). The style of grinder is nice too as you only grind how much you need at a time; similar to a cafe style grinder on a smaller scale. Hope this is helpful! Whatever you get, enjoy experimenting and indulging in delicious espresso at home! x

    ps. that first picture - you are gorgeous! beautiful warm colours.. x

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  14. That really does sound like an awesome sambo!

    We have a whizz-bang coffee machine (Krupps, I think), but 9 x out of 10 we go or the little bigletti stove-top jobby. They really do make the best offer going... x

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  15. Nespresso is my machine of choice. I used to have a Seiko machine that was very good, but I like the ease of the Nespresso and the taste. I order my pods online and they are 63 cents (Canadian) each. Much less than Starbucks and perfect every time. I am actually so hooked on it I take it to hotels (i't small) so I can have that first morning coffee in my room and not pay room service $8.00. The pods can be recycled and the initial cost of the machine is not too bad. Milk frother is sold separately and makes wonderful hot cocoa for the kids.

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  16. This coffee press: http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK

    And a milk frother.

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  17. Congratulations on your date night! My husband and I get about one weekend a month or so to ourselves, thanks to the in laws. 15 months is quite a while, and well worth a café trip. I don't drink many espresso drinks but in my opinion you could save money and still have amazing coffee drinks by getting a chemex coffee maker and a milk frother(spelling?). The chemex makers are really awesome, and you can use an espresso grind to make a nice strong but not bitter coffee, then mix with you heated frothed milk, and I would suppose that is something like a cappuccino?

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  18. Hi there! It's my first comment. Just wanted to let you know that I am enjoying your blog and your photos are so inspiring!

    xoxo. elsie

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  19. I wish I could give you suggestions but, sadly I don't drink coffee well at least not yet ; )

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  20. Hi Jodi – we have this puppy at home: http://www.philips.com.au/c/saeco-espresso/syntia-syntia-stainless-steel-hd8837_03/prd/

    Yes, it's pricey, but having gone through a few (yes, a few) machines here, you definitely get what you pay for. It's brilliant and while, yes, Nespresso is convenient and easy, with the Saeco you can can choose whatever coffee brand takes your fancy.

    Having just said all that, there's still nothing quite like barista-made coffee ;-)

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  21. Loving the cafe posts atm, Jodi - we'll definitely be enjoying some great coffee at Avenue Rd and PGB when we're next in Sydney!

    Unfortunately, our student budget hasn't allowed us to purchase our own espresso machine yet (we use a French press at home) and I enjoy the luxury of free coffee at work (Firefly cafe) so I can't recommend a machine from experience, but I can't stress enough how important it is to have a good grinder! Not only is it lovely to fill the house with the smell of freshly ground coffee, it allows you to grind to your needs, keeping your beans fresher and cuts down on waste. Also, good quality organic fair trade beans make all the difference!
    All the best with this next 'adventure'! ;)

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  22. Hi, we have had a few home espresso machines over the years. We currently have the Sunbeam Cafe Series EM6910, I think it cost about $650?? We love it!! It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you've figured out the right grind for you and the beans you like it is super easy to use and produces consistently good results. The only downside is that we sometimes begrudge spending money on coffee when we are out (especially if it disappoints) when we know we can get a cracking coffee at home :-) Hope this helps, Felicity

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  23. we have a breville http://www.brevilleusa.com/die-cast-programmable-espresso-machine-bes830xl.html (and the burr grinder too - also a great machine, and for getting just the right grind). The model we have is now discontinued, but I am sure any of them are excellent. I used to be a professional barista, so am very picky! This one lives up to all my expectations for an awesome latte or cappuccino. I have to warn you though, having an espresso machine has ruined us for going out to coffee ;) We have a lot less quality cafe choices in our small town though.

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  24. We have a Makin Maver machine - i think they classify it as a prosumer - we upgraded from a Saeco about 5 years ago and the coffee is brilliant. It's a beautiful machine and makes superb espresso every time - I have mine with a dash of cream, husband has his black and most of our family and friends have cappuccino style. It has a great wand for milk frothing, comes with two heads - single and double, and an extra spout for hot water. It has a nice big water reservoir and is super easy to clean and maintain. I agree with other comments that a grinder is also a must. When we bought our Maver (at Di Bella in Brisbane) - the owner was horrified that we were prepared to spend a lot of money on such a good machine WITHOUT a grinder so he insisted on us buying one at cost price. I've come to learn that grinding your beans fresh is essential to good coffee :-) And I love that we can choose whatever beans we like (couldn't stand being stuck with only what Nestles wants you to have) - we have a great local roaster in Balaclava (Melbourne) with a huge range of beans and they are so helpful and knowledgeable about the different beans - it's lovely - and with the good coffee machine you can really taste the different between the different beans.

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  25. my tip...
    stick with cafe indulgence
    whilst i quite like the meditation of making coffee at home, the same could be achieved with a freshly picked herbal

    ps if you do find a great coffee machine/bean/grinder combination please let me know ;)

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  26. Hi Jodi,

    As a barista I thought I could weigh in somewhat on the coffee discussion! I am also a big coffee drinker, yet budget conscious. Home espresso machines are a funny thing- the cheap ones aren't great, and it costs a lot to get a really good one. It is also important to have the skills and expertise to make a good coffee, clean the machine, service it and fix anything that might go wrong! Definitely shop around. And I totally agree with the grinder thing- grinding your own beans fresh each time is essential to having good coffee- otherwise it wont taste nearly as good as cafe coffees and having a home machine will be a waste of money.

    However, if you are keen to create delicious coffee at home yet save money, I would suggest getting investing in some form of non-pressurised method. Now sure whether you've tried other methods than espresso, but here in Wellington, New Zealand non-pressurised is all the rage and the coffee it produces is delicious. Investing in something like a chemex, a decent plunger, siphon or swiss gold will have you creating amazing coffee at home for a fraction of the price. I used to be all about the espresso until I discovered non-pressurised coffee. It's a unique experience and the flavours it brings are unique, totally different to that of espresso! Same applies here about the grinder- freshly ground is important!

    I just have a mini coffee and spice grinder (a Breville) I picked up for around $80. It works well and saved me a fair bit! You don't need a huge, expensive grinder if you are just making coffee for two :)

    Hope this helps. Love you blog! Long time reader, first time commenter.

    Penelope.

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    1. Love love love chemex! Perfect for at home too - great tip Penelope!

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  27. We started out about 6 years ago with a krups manual machine that was very small. It did us fine for about 2 years til we wore it out. But nearly 3 years ago we got a kitchaid machine and grinder, we've perfected the espresso part but it has a steam arm that sucks the air in, you can walk away from it briefly while it froths however we want to achieve silky milk to play with a bit of coffee art. So we are going to look into a custom steam arm for it. The grinder is great especially after my barrista bro in law had a fiddle and got it grinding slightly finer. Its wonderful grinding right before you extract. So fresh.
    If were to buy again I'd love to look more into an ascaso machine...theres no retailers in Adelaide from my research but Sydney and Melbourne are easier to find them. Gorgeous retro machines that aren't too big but from reviews, do a good job.
    Good luck, you won't regret this purchase!

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  28. Lunch date sounded fun, it's amazing how hard it is to have a date once kids are onboard, but so important to try and make the effort. Love a good coffee, though it does get expensive buying them all the time. We've got a stove top and it does a good job. But I must say I still treat myself once a day to a good coffee from my local haunt. Good luck with decision making:) nx ‪

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  29. Jodi, my sister Ingrid and my best friend Marit both have simple Sunbeam/breville Machines and they both make AhhMAZING coffee, their Latte's are on par with some of the best cafe's coffee Ive ever had! I think its all in the mastering of the machine and knowledge about the process, both these ladies are very in tune with coffee and have both worked as barristas, they possess the knowledge of extraction/pressure/tamping etc... I think you'd be sweet with a Breville or something...I was looking at this one a while ago: http://www.breville.com.au/beverages/espresso/barista-expresso-espresso-machinetm.html

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  30. I wish you were in Melbourne too! x

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  31. Those are such beautiful photos! I'm always a fan of Nespresso machines - if not for the fact that the Italians have the good sense to use George Clooney as a spokesman.

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  32. I have to agree, it is all about the beans being freshly ground, I have an old cast iron grinder....it looks just like the old, crank handle mincing machine, my local cafe is just down the street and roasts every morning, I get a weeks supply of beans or good fairtrade beans from the supermarket.
    Some grinders are too fast and can overheat the beans, making your coffee bitter, so a hand grinder is good, just grind fresh before each coffee making.I just use a stove top Vev Vigano and a milk frother.
    I prefer to do it all myself without a machine.....hand crafted cup of coffee... YUMMM

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  33. I ordered the prawn and chorizo fettuccine and Daniel had a pork belly sandwich with aioli and apple sauce. We both declared it the best sandwich in the world. barista course melbourne

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