Coffee Archives - Demi Joie

The Best At-Home Cold Brew

I’ve been on a journey to making the best coffee I can at home. I recently discovered the french press, and I’ve been using it consistently since. It took me a while to figure out how to get the perfect hot coffee. And by the time I was able to find my ideal combination, the weather in Texas started to get hotter and hotter slowly. So I began to experiment with how to make the best at-home cold brew. And I believe that I now have it down packed. I use my french press for both making hot coffee and cold brew. And it has yet to disappoint. Okay, Okay enough rambling…. let’s move on to how I make my coffee.

Also, check out:

Nespresso Espresso & Coffee Machine Review

Nespresso Coffee Recipes

Best Coffee Shops in North Houston

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WHAT TO USE

French Press

The french press does all the straining for you. No more cheese cloths or separate strainers. It’s super convenient. You can purchase a 3 cup(12oz), 4 cup (17oz), 8 cup (34oz), and 12 cup(51oz) french press. It all depends on your coffee consumption, but I feel like the 34oz french press is a perfect size.

Course ground coffee

They say the best way to make coffee is to ground your coffee fresh before using it. That seems like too much work for me. I decided to try different types of cold brew coffee that’s already ground. And I landed on the Stone Street Cold Brew Coffee. It is strong without an acidic, bitter taste. The result is a smooth drink that’s perfect for adding milk or creamer. However, I wouldn’t use this for hot coffee. It has an entirely different taste when it’s not cold brew.

HOW TO MAKE THE COLD BREW

I’ve found that I prefer the 8oz (1 cup) of coffee to 5 cups of water ratio. This ratio makes really strong coffee that can withstand adding milk or creamer. If you don’t prefer strong coffee, do an 8oz (1 cup) of coffee to 8 cups of water ratio. Also, take into account your coffee becoming diluted with ice cubes.

Strong Coffee

8 oz (1 cup) of Stone Street Course Ground Cold Brew

5 cups of filtered water

Milder Coffee

8 oz (1 cup) of Stone Street Course Ground Cold Brew

8 cups of filtered water

Pour the coffee ground into the bottom of the french press
Pour some of the water over the grounds making sure to wet all the grounds. Give it a slight mix if you miss some of the grounds.
Pour the rest of the water over the coffee grounds into the french press.
Place the lid on without pressing the handle down
Brew in the refrigerator for 20 hours. Or on the counter for 14 to 18 hours

5 Best Coffee Shops In North Houston

Whether I’m in my city or traveling, I love finding new coffee shops. Its something about trying different shops takes on classics. And I’m always down to see what type of pastries they have as well. I’ve been in Houston for the last four years, so I’ve tried a lot of different shops. I wanted to share the 5 best coffee shops in the North Houston area because Houston’s metropolitan area is so big. This list is for everyone that doesn’t want to drive in downtown Houston’s crazy traffic for a cup of coffee.

Also Check Out:

Nespresso Espresso Machine Review

Coffee Recipes for Nespresso Espresso Machine

5 Best Coffee Shops In North Houston

Cafe Marrese

11729 Spring Cypress Rd, Tomball, TX 77377

Cafe Marrese is the OG on this list. I’ve been going here for a few years now. And I have yet to have anything that I didn’t like here. The breakfast is delicious! I have to recommend the Allen Breakfast, which comes with a half waffle with eggs, bacon, sausage, or turkey sausage. Of course, I have to get a coffee. My go-to drink at a coffee shop is a vanilla latte, and I love how smooth theirs is. I’ve tried their seasonal lattes, and they are amazing as well. I would recommend the coconut latte if they ever bring it back.

Blue Door

21 Waterway Ave, The Woodlands, TX 77380

Blue Door is one of my newest favorites. It’s in the Woodlands area near the waterway. This shop is beautiful. If you’re looking for an Instagram photo moment, this coffee shop is the perfect spot. They have seating for everyone’s needs, from booths, tables, sofas, and bar space. If you’re hungry, I would also try the cinnamon roll. The only downside is the parking. There is parallel parking near and also a parking deck within walking distance.

Third Gen

25136 Grogans Park Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380

Third Gen is my low-key coffee shop. It’s in a tucked away plaza with yoga studios and dry bars. The shop isn’t huge, but it does have upstairs and downstairs seating. I would recommend the caramel macchiato latte! It’s so good and not too sweet. They also sell bagged coffee and Sttoke reusable coffee cups.

Crave Cupcake

2501 Research Forest Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77381

What is better than a cupcake bakery that also has fantastic coffee? Crave has some of the best cupcakes that I’ve had in Houston. The red velvet, strawberry, and coconut are some of my favorites. Oh, and they also have delicious brownies. Okay, back to the coffee. They have the classic coffee/espresso options, but I love the new cupcake latte.

Momentum

3555 Rayford Rd #10, Spring, TX 77386

Momentum is another Instagram worthy coffee shop. The large floral wallpaper is gorgeous is perfect for a picturesque backdrop. The vanilla latte is delicious and excellent, both hot and iced. It doesn’t have the bitter coffee taste that some lattes can have, but it’s not overly sweet either. Since this is Texas, try the breakfast tacos as well. They have bar seating if you’re there for a quick drink and table seating if you’re there to work.

SAVE FOR LATER

Nespresso Coffee & Espresso Machine Review

Over the last five years, I’ve tried different types of coffee machines. I’ve previously had a regular coffee pot and a Keurig and hated the taste of the coffee. I found myself buying coffee out way more than I should have with a coffee machine at home. Many of my friends recommended that I get a Nespresso machine after hearing of my dilemma. I purchased it soon after, and I’m so glad that I did. And I will tell you why.

Choosing My Machine

Nespresso has two different lines of machines. They have the original line, which focuses on giving you the perfect espresso experience. The original line has 13 different machines ranging from $149- $599. The Vertuo line still has the espresso function but also allows you to make regular coffee and iced coffee. Its has a broader range of coffee options. All of the Vertuo machines offer five different cup sizes: single espresso, double espresso, small coffee 5.07oz, normal coffee 7.7oz, double coffee 14oz. The machines range from $179- $249. Most of the machines are available for purchase in a bundle that comes with an Aeroccino milk frother.

I decided to get the Nespresso VertuoPlus Bundle in Matte Black. This machine was the newest model at the time of my purchase in the Vertuo line. The Vertuo machine doesn’t limit me to just a standard espresso shot that most of the original line offers.

Where to Buy

While researching, I found a few retailers selling Nespresso machines; Target, Amazon, Kohls, and Bed Bath & Beyond. I decided to get my Nespresso from Bed Bath & Beyond. If you sign up for a new account, you can get 20% off any purchase. I’ve seen them offer the coupon on their site as well for online orders. Bed Bath & Beyond also has a fantastic return policy just in case you ever need to return a purchase.

PROS

CONS

The taste of my coffee always comes out super creamy and smooth.
They have pods for everyone’s taste, everything from sweet, flavored coffee to deep, dark espresso. They even have coffee that’s crafted for brewing over ice for the perfect ice coffee.
Easy to use. One button to operate.
They offer free recycling for the pods. You can request them to ship you recycling bags and then ship them back to them for free.
The Aeroccino milk frother has both a hot and cold function.
Pods pricing ranges from $ 0.85- $2.00
Easy cleaning system and instructions with descaling system
Water reservoir can be adjusted to both sides

The Nespresso machine doesn’t notify you when there isn’t any water in the tank.
You can only purchase the pods from Nespresso. There are Nespresso stores in certain cities.
No hot water setting
Louder than a Keurig

If I had to score the Nespresso Machine from 1-10, I would give it a 9! It’s incredible, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an inexpensive coffee/espresso machine. If you’re the type of person that prefers fresh ground beans, authentic espresso machine, or are a coffee/espresso enthusiast this might not be the right machine for you. But if you’re like me and just want a nice cup of coffee in the morning then definitely pick this up.

Check out my favorite drinks to make with the Nespresso machine here.