Beverages

Grinding your own coffee is recommended if you want your beverages to have maximum flavor. In this article, I cover the main types of coffee grinders and give examples of my favorite products.

The history of coffee dates back over 1000 years, and taste for the bean has permeated around the globe. In the style of Proust, each country and city offers a unique taste and blend—and memories.

Learn British afternoon tea customs, traditions and history plus party planning tips including setting the mood, invitations, menu and recipe suggestions and beautiful tablescapes.

Country wines are so much fun and perfect for those of us who aren't brewing or wine-making experts! Here's a simple recipe with easy-to-follow instructions for making peach wine from whole peaches.

The best homemade blackberry brandy is easy to make at home. Homemade Blackberry Brandy is great for sipping or to pour over ice cream or use in desserts.

Here I will show you step by step how to juice fresh noni fruit using a blender. The noni is used as a diet aid and also is claimed to be beneficial in the battle of some cancers.

A guide to the best coffee makers with a built-in grinder currently available.

A simple recipe that will transform the taste of Ensure and the way you drink it. Pair with juice and fruit for a delicious frozen drink. Nutrition CAN be fast, easy and yummy after all.

My experiences regarding the 3 best stovetop coffee percolators currently available.

In this recipe, I blend two roots (or rhizomes, to be precise) into a simple, delicious anti-inflammatory tonic that I use to alleviate my joint pain.

Learn how to make Pisco Sour, the national cocktail of Peru! Try either the authentic or quick and easy Pisco Sour recipe. Also included: substitutions and how to find ingredients in the United States.

On the rocks or on the stem, the vodka martini is the iconic baby boomer drink with its own history, lore, and more, including the secret recipe for the perfect vodka martini.

Here's a simple and reliable method for making wholesome red and white table wine from supermarket grape juice, sugar, and yeast. No chemicals and no specialist equipment needed.

When the weather gets warmer, nothing beats healthy homemade fruit smoothies. This recipe is super easy, and it only requires five ingredients.

Information detailing the beneficial properties of a selection of herbs that can be made into hot and cold healing drinks. Includes recipes that can be made easily at home.

Beer, in moderation, is a healthy addition to your diet. But you do need to weigh in the negatives before drinking a bottle every day!

Here I list 10 of the best affordable bourbon whiskeys and explain why I selected each of them. Each bottle on this page can be purchased for around 20 dollars or less, and they're all well-worth the money.

Easy-to-follow steps for making delicious elderflower champagne or nonalcoholic elderflower cordial. Just pick your blossoms and combine them with water, lemons, sugar and white wine vinegar. Safety instructions and handy tips for foolproof success are included.

Easy-to-follow guide with pictures on how to make nocino, or Italian green walnut liqueur (also known as orahovica or orahovac in Croatian, or liqueur de noix in French).

This guide talks all about the macchiatos on the Starbucks menu, including the very popular Caramel Macchiato. Learn all about these beverages from a Starbucks barista's perspective.

How can you choose the best-tasting tequila? Which liqueur complements tequila and lime better than triple sec? Learn how to make Joshua's famous margaritas. (Including an interview with Joshua!)

A look at the custom of taking tea, its history, preparation, and presentation.

The United States is home to a number of good companies that bottle spring water, but some consumers want to know where the actual springs are located. This article provides locations and maps.

Watermelon is the perfect fruit to beat the summer heat. Try this delicious watermelon cooler drink today! Recipe video included.

Getting the milk just right for your cappuccino or latte is essential. Here is my top 3 list of the best espresso thermometers currently available.

For hardcore whisky fans like myself, there is nothing quite like a dram of single malt. Here are my selections for the 5 best single malt Scotch whiskies.

This is a cool and refreshing watermelon mojito mocktail, perfect for a hot, sultry day. Recipe video included.

It's amazing how much good a little plant can do for our health. Herbal teas aren't just good for you, they are fun to create and they taste good too.

The quickest way to make the best fresh coffee is to use a French press coffee maker. Discover the ten best products available today.

Manual coffee grinders are quiet, they don't require a power source, plus they give you full control over the grinding process. I suggest my best 3 crank-operated mills.

Teabags might be a little more convenient, but loose leaf green and white teas are bursting with antioxidants and other healthful properties. But how much of a difference is there really? Is loose leaf tea actually so inconvenient to prepare?

Limes are packed with vitamin C, which is important for your immune system, especially in the cold and flu season. But lime juice has also been shown in medical studies to fight more serious illnesses, such as malaria, cholera, golden staph and gastric inflammation. Read on to learn more!

A steaming mug of hot chocolate—comfort in a cup on a wintry day. It began with the Mayans and spread worldwide. Let's look at cocoa recipes from around the globe.

A hard apple cider recipe with a twist! Simple, easy-to-follow instructions for making apple-pear cider.

Passion fruit juice is one of the most refreshing juices around. Find out just how easy it is to make, and learn about some of its health benefits, as well.

Learn the origin of Irish Whiskey and how to use it in sweet and savory cooking and baking.

Want to make some homemade wine? Read on for an easy method of making delicious red or white whine.

Growing your own Ginger Beer Plant and then making your own alcoholic Ginger Beer is easier than you might think. Read on to learn how.

Learn more about the history of afternoon tea and the proper etiquette that comes with hosting and attending afternoon tea.

Fruit and yogurt smoothies are a great way for everyone to get their daily servings of fruit. Here are five healthy recipes, as well as suggestions for healthy add-ins for an extra nutritional boost.

We should be limiting our total exposure to fluoride from tea, based on the potential dangers associated with fluoride exposure and the high levels present in many types of tea. At the same time, incorporating benefits from different types of teas provides a wide variety of benefits.

Prepare this immunity-boosting tea masala to help promote health. Recipe video included.

Kimberly Snyder's Detox Solution includes her signature recipe for a vegetable and fruit smoothie. The Glowing Green Smoothie will help you clear up your skin and make you feel radiant and glowing from the inside.

Brighten up your party with some dazzling drinks sure to impress your guests! Here are some tips on making unique cocktails and glow-in-the-dark, fog, or flaming drinks.

A must-read for the beginner or the advanced tea drinker, covering the production process, types of leaves, blends, flavorings, and health benefits.

Do you love making smoothies but don't want to use bananas in them? There are lots of easy healthy green smoothie recipes that produce delicious, creamy drinks without bananas!

Starbucks eating away more of your income than you'd like to admit? A Starbucks barista reveals how to make copycat frappes at home!

A simple recipe for fermenting apple cider.

The illegal distilling and sale of Moonshine in America have spread beyond the good old boys brewing hooch in the backwoods.

Martinis have been comforting the stressed since Martini di Arma di Taggia slid one across the bar top to a customer in New York in 1911. Or, maybe not.

Brewing a mead the really old fashioned way! Making a mead the same way the Anglo-Saxons did in the 400s, during the Dark Ages of Britain.

Wine is called the elixir of the gods. Let's take a look at what famous thinkers, writers, and poets have said about wine since the beginning of time.

There is nothing more fun than having Jell-O shots at one of your parties. They are relatively inexpensive to make and something fun you can have on hand to offer your guests and their friends.

Red wine is sultry and captivating. From the curvy glass, the delicious aroma, and the alluring color, red wine is the ultimate date beverage that enhances the romantic mood.

100 matcha recipes! Recipes include everything from matcha eggnog, matcha cookies, matcha smoothies, matcha brownies to matcha martinis! Check out the recipes below!

Winemaking is an easy and ancient art. Nowadays people desiring to try making wine at home don't have to purchase fresh grapes and expensive equipment. All that is needed to get started are some simple household items, a packet of wine yeast and some grape or other fruit juice from a neighborhood grocery store.

How to use avocado oil in a smoothie! This recipe creates an easy and great tasting blend of spinach, banana, and yogurt that comes with all the health benefits of avocado oil.

How to make 8 delicious drinks including Frozen Mudslide and Twisted Brazilian Lemonade plus 2 cool concoctions of vodka watermelon and layered jelly shots.

A countdown of thirteen crazy facts about Monster Energy you likely didn't know.

This brewery makes 100% natural and handcrafted beer with the same process perfected by Peter Straub over 125 years ago. Visit the brewery and experience the wonders of the Eternal Tap in the town of Saint Marys, PA.

Using dry ice in drinks is fun and easy. Use dry ice to make smoking fruit drinks and cocktails, bubbling soda floats, and fogging hot drinks and punches

What's the big secret companies keep from consumers? Be informed about the orange juice you drink and the real health benefits.

How does the popular new Flaviar spirits membership club work? Is it legit?Is it a scam? Can it save you any money on alcohol? I tried it out so you don't have to!

Flowering teas are not only great-tasting and healthful, they are also lovely to look at. It may be right up your alley… in fact, these “blooms” may just end up being your cup of tea!

Step-by-step photos and instructions for making your own pineapple-infused vodka. It's an easy and enjoyable project with tasty results. Drink recipes included.

I recommend this dish to anyone who would like to try something new. It will keep you full for hours and is packed with the nutrients you need in order to maintain a healthy diet.

This is a great old family recipe for Rock and Rye. If you have never tasted Rock and Rye, you are in for a treat. It has a smooth, sweet flavor that goes down easily.

Make your cafe mocha at home with a Nespresso Espresso machine using quality Ghirardelli chocolate. Just follow this recipe and you'll never go back to drive thru mochas! And yes, it beats Starbuck's Verismo!

Coffee-flavored vodka is a delicious and versatile treat, and making your own is easy and inexpensive.

Homemade peach brandy is delicious and easy to make. If you have access to your own peaches, pick the fruit at the peak of its ripeness for jams, pies and, of course, peach brandy. Here is a simple recipe for peach brandy that is sure to turn out well.

There are many wine descriptions and terms that wine experts and connoisseurs use when tasting wine. When you understand these terms you will be able to communicate what particular characteristics you enjoy in a wine. Here are 10 terms to know and how to taste wine like an expert.

Getting that barista-style coffee is simpler than you think. Learn some essential tips to self-brew the best coffee you have ever tasted!

Four great green tea recipes, including a regular iced green tea recipe, a mint tea recipe, a peach tea recipe, and a wonderful diet green tea with citrus juices. Photos and easy instructions included!

A comprehensive guide that covers both the basics of Starbucks Frappuccinos and all of the components of blended coffee Frappucinos. The author is a Starbucks barista.

You don't have to pay an arm and a leg for a good coffee grinder in my experience. Here are three suggestions for inexpensive coffee grinders.

Learn how to make cold brew iced tea easily and inexpensively at home!

Ginger beer is a good alternative to ordinary beer for your St. Patrick's Day party this year. Please note that brewed ginger beer is an alcoholic beverage and that it must be made non-alcoholic for kids.

Is store-bought kombucha a healthy drink you might serve your kids, or is it a controversial and questionable concoction to worry about? Read on to get the full story on the alcohol content of this popular drink.

Follow these tips to have an elegant tea party for your next social gathering that requires a special touch.

As responsible drinkers like to know what they are drinking, responsible homebrewers should be able to tell them. This article explains how to manage sugar content and alcohol production.

Making the best fresh coffee is all about getting the right combination of coffee beans, coffee bean grinder and coffee maker. For most of us, there are also cost issues to think about.

Making your own fresh cordial from wild hedgerow elderflowers is one of the joys of early summer. Learn how to pick, prepare, bottle and use this delicious homemade drink

A Jello Shot for every taste and occasion.

This refreshing cucumber cooler is prepared with cucumber, mint and lemon—perfect for summer! Recipe video included.

Explore the story of sherry, a fortified wine of a unique region in Spain. Along the way we’ll find recipes for dinners, desserts, and appetizers.

I offer a guide to using stovetop espresso makers and suggest three of my favorite products currently available.

This is a cheap and easy way to make your own mead at home. Mead is also known as honey wine, and has been celebrated for millennia as a divine alcoholic beverage.

In order for coffee to taste good, you must keep it as fresh as possible. Here are 8 tips on how to store coffee so that it doesn't lose flavor.

I'm usually not very picky when it comes to beer, but after trying the abomination known as BOXER, I felt it was my duty to warn fellow beer drinkers about this noxious brew.

I think blue curaçao cocktails are very refreshing, and some of my favorite cocktails contain this delicious liqueur. Check out 10 of (what I think are) the best blue curaçao cocktails.

Here's a quick and clear guide to green and white teas, from health benefits and warnings to brewing and different varieties. Read this for a whistle-stop tour of the fragrant and delicious world of tea.

These are my favorite Starbucks menu options with no coffee added.

A delicious and refreshing selection of original cocktail recipes made from vodka and a tasty variety of summer fruits. Recipes use fruits ranging from mango and pineapple to tomato and cucumber.

Are you looking for a high-quality yet affordable rye whiskey for less than $50? Here's a list of my top five.

Wine tastings are the perfect opportunity to observe an insufferable breed of humans who pretend they possess a highly specialized knowledge and that other mortals should bow before their superiority.

A quick, reliable way to make cider without specialist equipment, ingredients, or knowledge. An ideal summer drink.

Earl Grey tea is a black tea flavored by oil of bergamot. The fragrant oil is produced from the bergamot orange. The best type is produced in Calabria in Italy.

The original recipe for beer was never recorded; its advent precedes the written word. Want to learn the history of beer and how to use it in cooking and baking? Keep reading.

Crystal Pepsi was a massive failure when it was introduced in 1993, but its cult following celebrated its return—for a limited time, of course—in 2018.

What's the secret to the best limeade? Learn how to make summer's most refreshing beverage... with or without a blender! Also included: how to utilize the whole lime for economical limeade.