It seems that wherever you go today you can find espresso-based drinks. What used to be found at only upscale bakeries and Italian restaurants, can now be found at gas stations and convenience stores. With such a surge in popularity, it makes sense that there are now many options for making lattes, cappuccinos, and espressos at home.

Having become a fan of lattes, I received a DeLonghi Espresso Maker a year ago. I found this to be the perfect home model for me. It was very reasonably priced, taking about 20 barista-made lattes to equal the price of the machine. Its size is not cumbersome, fitting perfectly in a corner of my kitchen counter.

My DeLonghi Espresso Maker also is very user friendly. It comes with espresso pods, which make cleaning quite simple. However, I have also used ground espresso and have had the same results, though a little more cleaning is needed. This machine produces hot, perfectly strong espresso. The steam nozzle quickly heats and froths the milk to make a delicious cappuccino or latte at home.

In addition to using the espresso maker for making these delicious beverages, it can also be used to make my kids‘ favorite hot drink, moos. Moos are simply steamed milk with any flavored syrup added: chocolate, caramel, vanilla, etc.

For the price, size, and convenience of this machine, it’s the best buy on the home market.

Love at first sight is highly overrated.  Love at first use is much better.  At least that is the way I felt when I received my Microplane Zester and Grater.  I already owned a Microplane Grater and had used it for many purposes.  When I received the zester/grater, upon initial inspection, I wondered why I would need this tool.  Had it been a blind date, I would have left restaurant.

Well, luckily for me I stayed to see how the date went.  Making a pasta dish for dinner that night, I offered freshly grated parmesan cheese to my dinner companion.  The zester/grater produced fine gratings to enhance the dish.  After dinner, I served a dessert coffee topped with whipped cream.  Wishing to make the beverage more visually appealing, I again used my Microplane Zester and Grater.  The dainty shavings of chocolate almost floated atop the cream.

The Microplane Zester and Grater has become one of my favorite kitchen gadgets.  It is used on a regular basis for various purposes, such as zesting lemon rind and grating nutmeg, in addition to the aforementioned chocolate and cheese.  Plus, the zester/grater is extremely easy to clean, as it is dishwasher-safe.

From my experience with the Microplane Zester and Grater, I learned an important lesson.  First impressions need to be more than visual.