Coffee. It tells a story all its own. Yet, the story is always in a language we all understand. It’s a start to the day, a mid-afternoon treat to break up the day, a cap to the evening. It can be enjoyed in a quiet moment alone, savored with a loved one, laughed over with a group of friends, from the comfort of home or in a cozy café corner as you watch the world go by outside. Some rush to grab their coffee while simultaneously eating breakfast, getting dressed and running out the door to work. Others savor it over a good book. It may be brewed differently, the beans may have a different roasts and flavor profiles, the accruements may change, and yet we all still understand the universal language of a cup of coffee wherever we venture.
I think it’s why I am so passionate about my own coffee. In a country where I might not know the language, I’ve never struggled to connect over coffee. In cities that are overwhelming, I’ve never struggled to feel cozy and at home from a coffee shop seat. In my morning routine at home, there is nothing that relaxes me more than process of brewing my coffee and being enveloped in dark and sultry scents that flood me with happy memories of coffee with my grandma over her kitchen table, or my cousin in Italy while he showed us around Milan, or my favorite café in Paris on my birthday, or even the endless pots of (terrible tasting) coffee I’d drink to survive college exams. Coffee has been, and will always be, incredibly special to me, which is why it is so exciting to me to be able to partner with Nespresso, a company that takes their pursuit of great coffee just as seriously and as passionately as I do.
I mentioned coffee being a part of my morning routine up above, but I should clarify that I don’t just mean any old cup of coffee. I’m very particular about savoring my first cup, not just in drinking it, but also in how I make it. It is a methodical process in which I have come to find joy and relaxation. After all, life’s too short for a bad cup of coffee, right?
One of my favorite drinks to make is a hot latte or cappuccino, especially this time of year (aka in the cooler, winter months). However, steaming and frothing milk by hand can be just a bit tedious, especially on a weekday. Unless you have an Aeroccino milk frother, in which case there’s no excuse NOT to heat and froth your milk in the morning. This Aeroccino 4 machine has elevated my morning coffee routine in a way I can’t even begin to put into words. It also has me drinking an extra latte (or two) every day, but with milk that froths to perfection in a mere 80 seconds at the simple touch of a button, can you really blame me?! The Aeroccino offers two types of hot foam, or you can simply heat your milk without frothing it, and it even has a cold foam option, which is a dream for iced lattes and coffee treat drinks in the summertime. And did I mention that it’s dishwasher safe, too? I’ve had mine for six years now and it’s still frothing just as well as the day I got it, I”m still (probably) drinking too much coffee because of it, and I still can’t live without it (I may or may not travel with it because that’s how dedicated I am to my frothing routine!). Honestly, my only problem is that I never bought one of these sooner! Please do not make that same mistake, and run, don’t walk, to pick one up for yourself (or someone else, as these would most certainly make a perfect gift for any occasion).
Now, just in case my gushing Aeroccino review is not enough to convince you that you HAVE TO have one, I’ve gone ahead and rounded up a few of my favorite Aeroccino recipes. I mean, you might be able to resist the idea of warm frothed milk in your morning coffee, but can you really resist a CAMPFIRE MOCHA LATTE or a DOUBLE ESPRESSO CHOCOTINI? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Below, I’m sharing more details about some of my favorite Aeroccino recipes. They’re all relatively simple, many using ingredients you probably already have on hand, and each is wonderfully delicious. Whether you’re looking for a way to elevate your morning routine, or have a sweet afternoon pick-me-up or a decadent after-dinner drink to cap off the night, this is your sign to skip the coffee shop and make your fancy coffee treat drinks right at home. I promise, no special skills or barista training is required.
