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Posted on July 28, 2019July 28, 2019 by Rick Touchstone — Leave a comment

Things You Must Know Before You Buy Live Maine Lobsters

whole maine lobster with tomato slices lemon

Not all lobsters are created equal

Every company online claims to sell live Maine lobsters, but the truth is that most lobster comes from all over New England, and even some from Canada. Lobsters are shellfish, which filter water and therefore their taste is dependant on water temperature and quality. The colder, and cleaner the water, the better the lobster. It is recommended to purchase lobster form a source in Maine, New Hampshire or Canada, where the water is cold.

Know what you're paying for. Shipping or Lobsters?

If you try to compare the prices of lobster online one of the first things you'll notice is that the prices are all over the place. Some retailers include shipping, some retailers charge a flat rate, and some charge the actual shipping cost. This can make it incredibly confusing when trying to find the best prices. To find the best price, you should calculate the price of two chicken lobsters (1.0 – 1.25 pound) with shipping. This can be hard because many sites like to hide their shipping cost until you're just about to finish the order!

Lobster price and quality can differ throughout the year

New England weather and the life cycle of a lobster cause the price and quality of live Maine lobster to be quite different throughout the calendar year. In the winter months, especially January, February and March, the cold weather in New England hinders fishermen's ability to catch a large quantity of lobster. As a result, the price is extremely high during those months. The price is the lowest in the late summer and early fall when fishing is easier and the lobsters are plentiful. A lobster also molts its shell, causing the shell to be harder and softer at different times of the year. Lobster shells are the hardest in the spring. Fresh knuckle and claw lobster meat

Check the stores return policy because lobsters can die!

Make sure to check the return policy before you place your order. Lobsters are shipped life, and while they don't often die, it does happen. Make sure that you can get your money back if this happens. Some websites only refund the lobster prices and not the shipping. You may even want to call and ask what the refund policy is before you place your order.

Find out how the lobsters will be shipped

Shipping is a large percentage of the overall live lobster purchase. Make sure the store you buy from uses a reputable carrier. In our experience, FedEx is far more reliable than UPS or DHL. Their customer service and ability to deliver on time is far superior to any other carrier. Some stores even contract with a shipping logistics company to ensure that your packages are routed to their destination in the most efficient way. This is extremely important when purchasing anything that is alive and perishable.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, buying lobsters online can be a large investment, so make sure you're using the best company possible. Unlike non-perishable merchandise, the manner in which lobsters are caught, handled and shipped can have a huge impact on the quality. If you make sure to follow these guild lines, you should have a great experience with live Maine lobsters.

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Perfect Oven Chicken Wings

Each chicken wing is well seasoned with just the right amount of salt and pepper, so the dipping sauce is optional. Once you’ve mastered the technique you can switch out the sauce and make baked buffalo wings served with a side of ranch. Just make sure to keep this recipe on hand for a game day or other family get-togethers. Once you make your first batch I expect you will enjoy the results without all the excess frying oil.

Are chicken wings crispy in the oven?

The secret to making baked chicken wings crispy is drying as much moisture as possible from the skin, then lightly dusting it with baking powder, and cooking at high heat. Moisture on the surface of the chicken will create steam, which makes the skin soggy instead of crisp.

By drying the skin thoroughly with paper towels eliminates the time it would require for the oven to dry off the moisture. A small amount of baking soda in the baking powder accelerates browning and creates bubbles that harden on the skin to enhance the crispy texture you desire.

High temperatures

The task here is to create a deep-fried like skin using consistent high oven temperatures. Baking at 450 degrees kick starts browning and cooking immediately. Placement on top of a greased wire rack ensures that the heat surrounds all sides of the chicken and that excess fat can drip to the pan and not make the chicken feel greasy. Make sure to flip the wings two times to ensure even cooking and heat dispersion.

Ingredients

3 lbs Chicken Wing

Chicken Wing Rub

2 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp onion powder
2 tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne
8 Tbsp butter melted

Tangy Yogurt Dip

2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp reserved dry rub
¾ c plain Greek yogurt
¼ c sour cream
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Mix all dry rub ingredients except butter. Reserve 1 Tbsp of dry rub for the dip.
Pour dry rub over wings and mix well.
Place wings skin-side up on wire rack and refrigerate uncovered for one hour or overnight. You can skip this step and go straight to the oven, but that hour in the fridge really helps with crispiness!
Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt butter and brush gently over wings.
Bake wings in the oven. After 25 minutes, carefully open oven just enough to let some steam vent. Cook for 20 more minutes, or until the skin is crispy, and meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken wing — without touching bone — reads 165°F.
Mix all dip ingredients. This can be done a day or two in advance for maximum flavor.
Enjoy the best wings ever!
Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 165°F, followed by a 3-minute rest. Cook time will depend on the cut size and cooking method.

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Espresso Machines Summer Specials JURA A9 P.E.P.

Peaberry Coffee Discount offering

Posted on July 18, 2019September 24, 2019 by Rick Touchstone — Leave a comment

Cold Brew For You

Cold coffee is the thing but why buy expensive and regular cold coffee at the store when you can make it better at home? Consider our cold coffee at home selection including a professional cold brew system, freshly roasted for cold brew beans, Jura single shot espresso machines for use in cold espresso drinks, and more.

REFURBISHED JURA ENA MICRO 5
Great cold or hot coffee drinks start with great espresso shots. Select one or two spouts and the Jura ENA Micro 5 automatically prepares the corresponding volume of espresso or coffee. It is the first Jura automatic espresso machine that allows for the strength to be adjusted when preparing two drinks at the same time. Simple and very compact.
SAVE: $700
Was: $1,299
Price: $ 599
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As low as: $19.33 / Mo.
“I don’t know why I waited so long to buy it. I absolutely love it! Best tasting coffee in seconds!”
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BREWISTA COLD PRO 4 COLD BREW SYSTEM
the perfect solution for busy cafes and roasters who want to make cold brew coffee to the next level. Includes 5 pounds of our Cold Brew Blend coffee to make sure your first batch is the best it can be.
Price:$129.95
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“Excellent product! Definitely, recommend! I’ve used countless times now. Cleanup is a breeze..”
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COLD BREW BLEND 5 LBS.
Our Cold Brew Blend is selected to produce the ideal coffee when prepared as cold brew. The coffee will be very low in acidity while remaining full of smooth flavor.
Price: $54.99
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CAPRESSO ICED TEA PITCHER
Capresso Iced Tea Pitcher features 80 oz. glass pitcher with removable lid and easy pour spout.
Price: $24.99
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“Love, love, love our new ice tea pitcher, it's exactly what we needed.”
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MUSSO LUSSINO ICE CREAM MAKER
Designed for making ice cream, sorbets, and frozen drinks at home, the Musso Lussino Ice Cream Maker makes up to 1.5-quarts of ice cream in less than 30 minutes. This high-quality machine has a self-contained freezer-compressor, which enables a variety of homemade frozen desserts to be made quickly. A timer, working in conjunction with the Churn and Chill switch, makes the operation of the Musso Lussino ice cream maker simple.
Price: $699
As low as $22.56 /Mo.
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“Top of the line home ice cream maker and it definitely lives up to it's reputation and worth the extra investment. Best price around.”
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CAPRESSO ULTIMA PRO
The Capresso Ultima Pro is a pump espresso machine with programmable cup size. The volume of both single and double shots can be set to your desired level.
Price: $199
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“Wow! I am pretty impressed with the #124 Ultima PRO machine from Capresso! Packed with features, including programmable cup buttons, and a self tamping portafilter. Makes great crema!”
~Verified Buyer

MUSSO POLA FROZEN DESSERT MAKER – 2 QUART
With this 2-quart ice cream maker, you can create the smoothest frozen desserts imaginable in less than 20 minutes. The commercial-quality machine is equipped with a self-contained freezer-compressor, so no pre-freezing is required. Carefully controlled temperatures and precise blade motion ensure even freezing and complete emulsion, with no grainy particles. The blade removes for easy cleaning. Made of heavy-gauge stainless steel, this small-batch ice cream maker will provide years of service.
Price: $1,199
As low as: $38.69 /Mo.
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“Large but still countertop-sized, its operation is simple, and the results are fantastic.”
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REFURBISHED JURA ENA
MICRO 90
Features a world's first P.E.P.: The perfect espresso thanks to the pulse extraction process. Thanks to One Touch technology, the Micro 90 prepares cappuccino and latte macchiato at the touch of a button.
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“All I can say is it tastes like home. No matter where we are in the world, if we have our Jura machine, we are home.”
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CAPRESSO COFFEE TEAM GS
Programmable coffee maker with a coffee grinder. Exclusive direct feed technology. Just pour in the coffee beans, program the machine and Capresso Coffee Team GS does the rest… automatically grinding and brewing the most delicious coffee.
SAVE:$20
Was: $199
Price: $179
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“Best coffee maker I ever owned. My mornings are much better than before.”
~Verified Buyer

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Kopi Luwak Coffee 16 oz – Free Range Kopi Luwak

Posted on July 18, 2019July 18, 2019 by Rick Touchstone — Leave a comment

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Posted on July 8, 2019July 9, 2019 by Rick Touchstone — Leave a comment

JURA J6

JURA J6
The Jura J6 coffee machine pioneered the future of making specialty coffee at home It features all of the high-tech touches Jura is known for, including the Aroma grinder, Pulse Extraction Process, and TFT display.

Jura calls this smart coffee machine the J6, “One of the most attractive ways of expressing good taste,” thanks to its combination of state-of-the-art technologies and unmatched design aesthetic. The smart coffee machine features all of the high-tech touches Jura is known for, including the Aroma grinder, Pulse Extraction Process and TFT display along with one exciting new functionality: The ability to control the Jura J6 from your smartphone. The J6 Jura smart espresso machine is undoubtedly the machine of the future, available in the present. Jura Smart Connect Bluetooth adapter is an optional accessory with this Wi-Fi coffee maker.

Smart Espresso Machine Key Features:

The Aroma G3 grinder preserves the aroma while grinding to the optimal fineness.
Pulse Extraction Process (PEP) that optimizes extraction time by pressing water through the ground coffee in short bursts
Thin Film Transfer (TFT) color display combined with a rotary dial to ensure that you can access all of its features with ease.
An intelligent water system on this Jura coffee machine uses RFID technology for automatic filter detection.
Unparalleled, award-winning design.

High Tech Innovation

The Jura J6 smart coffee machine pioneered the future of making specialty coffee at home. The new Jura app connects the J6 to a smartphone or tablet via a Bluetooth transmitter, making it easier than ever to access all of the machines capabilities. Download the app and program preferences, including amounts of beans, strengths and temperatures for multiple specialty coffees for the perfect (hands-free) brew. Jura Smart Connect Bluetooth adapter is an optional accessory. Click here for more info.

CLEARYL Blue Water Filter for Jura

These filters are for Jura Micro 1, Micro 5, Micro 9, Micro 90, A9, C5, C60, C9, F50, F7 (current model #13709), F8, J6, J9, J90, J95, J80, J90, J95, Z7, Z9, GIGA 5 & ENA models only. This new Jura CLEARYL Blue Filter has a new elegant 18-sided design and the JURA logo is branded on the filter cover. Using a Clearyl filter in your Jura coffee machine prevents the need to decalcify.

Bolivia Peaberry Coffee, Organic, 16 oz

Overview

This Bolivia Peaberry Coffee is of the Carnavari variety produced from trees at very high volcanic mountain altitudes. This Bolivian Peaberry Coffee is famous for its sweet-toned and soft aroma, and with very pronounced sweet cocoa tones. The final result is an outstanding flavor that is long, sweet and cocoa-laced. It is Fair Trade and organically grown which means we purchase from small farmers at a fair trade price or economically sustainable price and pesticides are not used. Purchase Bolivia Peaberry Coffee 16 oz from Volcanica Coffee Company through my links and I earn a commission that will support this site. Get Bolivia Peaberry Coffee 16 oz today. Thanks for visiting.

Organic
Fair Trade Certified
Rainforest Alliance Certified
Medium roast

Creamy hazelnut and cocoa flavors come through in middle roasts, accent notes of apple and walnut to a lesser degree, and a bittersweet tarragon note in the finish. Great for espresso.

Bolivia Coffee Factoid
Population (2013): 10.5 Million
Coffee Production: 130,000 bags (65 kg)
Country bag capacity: 132 pounds
Domestic Consumption: 20,000 bags
Coffee Export: 100,000 bags
Cultivated Area: 14,740 Hectares (36,000 acres)
Harvest: April to August
Specialty Coffees: Much of the coffee is processed at cooperatives, some of which are Fair Trade certified.
Botanical Varietals: Caturra, Typica, Criollo.

My taste evaluation:

Very sweet-toned aroma: pungent, cocoa-ish, a hint of flowers. In the cup rich, complexly expressed acidity, syrupy mouthfeel. Deep floral tones are supported by a crisp, lemony baker’s chocolate. Long, flavor-saturated finish.

Remember:

Certified organically grown at an elevation over 8500 feet above sea level, making it perhaps the highest grown coffee in the world. This nuance consists entirely of peaberries, a kind of bean that results when the coffee fruit develops only a single, oval bean rather than the usual pair of flat-sided beans. Peaberries produce a somewhat different cup than normal beans from the same crop, from which they may or may not be separated during grading. Olympia Coffee Roasting is a small-batch wholesale and one-location-retail roasting company with a youthful style and a commitment to the best quality coffees.

Final Thoughts

Calling all coffee snobs: Balanced, complete, big-bodied, subtly exotic. Collectors of coffee experiences may be interested in consuming what is possibly the world's highest grown coffee.

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Posted on May 9, 2019May 9, 2019 by Rick Touchstone — Leave a comment

Jura D6 Platinum

Simple and powerful defines the Jura D6 automatic coffee center. The rotary switch and text display simplify the brewing process: With the touch of a button, the Jura D6 allows you to brew a perfect cup of coffee. The fine foam technology adds light milk foam to top off a cup of cappuccino, giving you professional quality specialty coffee at home using this Jura coffee machine.

The Jura D6 allows you to brew a perfect cup of coffee. The fine foam technology adds light milk foam to top off a cup of cappuccino. Use your smartphone to select your coffee with optional Bluetooth.

Price: $999

As low as $32.24 /Mo

Operates with the flip of a switch. Use the 11-language plain text display to select your specialty coffee, push the button and watch the machine whirs to life creating the perfect brew. Is simple to maintain. and has the Jura Blue-tooth Smart Connect device

Jura pioneered fine foam technology to create milk foam with a feather-light consistency. All it takes is the push of a button to top your favorite specialty coffee with professional quality milk foam.

Jura – 1st in Coffee

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Rick Touchstone — Leave a comment

Easiest Iced Coffee You Will Ever Make

To coffee lovers! Learn everything you need to understand instant cold brew coffee.
Post on How to Use Instant Cold Make Coffee.

The Easiest Iced Coffee You Will Ever Make

I love coffee. It’s pretty much my favorite thing in the whole world, besides my family of course. It helps me start my day on the right foot and it gives me the energy to tackle whatever the day throws at me. Plus, it tastes amazing.

Instant Iced Coffee

Most days I wake up and brew a hot cup of Joe, but when the weather turns warmer, there’s nothing I love more than a tall glass of iced coffee. Not only is it refreshing, it’s also a great pick-me-up any time of the day.

Sudden Coffee Crystalized Coffee 300x100

While I almost always make my own coffee at home (it is easier and cheaper after all), I hardly ever make my own iced coffee. It’s not as easy and it takes more time to make, so I usually buy mine from my local coffee shop. It’s convenient and I like the taste, but it does add up over time. Being the frugal person that I am, I’ve been trying to find a cheap and easy way to make iced coffee at home. I’ve tried so many different recipes and I’m happy to say that I’ve finally found one that truly is cheap and easy!

A while back I shared all the reasons why instant coffee is awesome and it got me thinking that I should use it to make iced coffee. After experimenting a little bit, I came up with the perfect recipe using Folgers Instant Coffee. Not only is it so simple, but it’s also affordable and it tastes great!

All you need is Folgers Instant Coffee, cold water and ice. You can customize it by adding half & half cream, sweetener, flavored syrups such as vanilla, hazelnut or caramel, and whipped cream.

Simply dissolve the instant coffee in water (this doesn’t take long) and then add ice and whatever else you prefer — cream, sweetener, flavored syrup — and top with whipped cream if you want to get fancy. In less than one minute, you have the perfect iced coffee customized to your liking!

Ingredients

1 tsp. Folgers Instant Coffee (add more if you want a stronger cup)
6 oz Cold Water
1 Cup Ice
Half & Half Cream, Optional
Sugar or Sweetener, Optional
Flavored Syrup, Optional
Whipped Cream, Optional
Get Ingredients Powered by Chicory

Instructions

Pour water into a tall glass and add instant coffee. Stir until coffee crystals have fully dissolved.
Fill glass to the top with ice and add cream, sweetener or flavored syrup to your liking. Top with whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!

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Sephra CF18M-SST Elite Chocolate Fountain Review

Why the Sephra CF18M-SST Elite Chocolates Fountain is the ultimate party entertainer is its outstanding quality. There could be a lot of models out there contending for the name of the best chocolate fountain, but that one is true as near to it as a delicious chocolate fountain can get. Supplying a somewhat larger capacity than other fountains sold on the marketplace for home use, this one comes with all sorts of nice extras and the best part is that it could work with other fondues. Settling for delicious chocolate is always possible, but having so many choices open is something to write home about. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Here is more about why you should jot down this delicious chocolate fountain on your shopping wishlist.

The product

The first thing that needs to be mentioned about the Sephra CF18M-SST Elite Chocolate Fountain is it can hold up to 6 pounds of melted chocolate at the same time. Home-based models usually hold a little amount of delicious chocolate, so they are not recommended for bigger parties.

Offering 50% more capacity than regular models for home use, this fountain from Sephra is ideal for hosting slightly larger parties for your friends and relations. In the end, the last thing you need at a celebration is disgruntled guests who could not make the most properly of the gorgeous chocolate fountain set in the center of the festive table.

If you wish to make your celebrations really great, decide on a model with a slightly much larger capacity which means you can accommodate more guests without a problem. This fountain suits the costs just nicely.

Easy Cleanup

You may absolutely love how easy it is to clean this chocolate fountain once the party has ended. Since you most definitely leave the heavy work to your dishwasher, it is good news to hear that the Sephra CF18M-SST Elite Chocolates Fountain can be studied aside and washed by using this convenient home product. The basin is made of stainless steel so that it is also easy to clean. Durable and easy to maintain in great working order, this model is a good addition to any party and it represents a great investment in all the fun time you as well as your guests will have.

Quiet operation

That is a great plus for just about any chocolate fountain and it is the best part that this model has it. The Sephra fountain comes with the Whisper Quiet technology, which is accountable for its very low level of sound. Parties where noise is frowned upon, or gatherings where in fact the sound of the continuously working chocolate fountain can be considered disturbing, will be the indicated occasions for employing this model. Your guests will be able to move around, talk and have fun, without even suspecting that the delicious chocolate fountain has a working mechanism underneath everything delicious chocolate goodness.

Expandable

The outstanding quality of the model is what recommends it most. First of all, although that's not something you can notice with the naked eye, the device has a commercial-grade heating element. This means that your chocolates are certain to get melted and ready to use very quickly. The smooth texture of delicious chocolate fondue will be appreciated by your guests to the maximum.

Another nice add-on of the model is represented by the probability to modify the temperatures of chocolate, because of its electronic settings and four different heat range settings. In case your guests are more particular about this aspect, or you just want to surprise them a little, this is a superb option to have accessible.
However, the add-on that should really be described is the viscosity tunnel, whose main purpose is to combine well all sorts of other fondues. Are you not that fond of chocolate? The Sephra CF18M-SST Top-notch Chocolate Fountain enables you to experience with other interesting mixes, such as caramel, cheese, ranch dressing or BBQ sauce for all types of parties.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for the perfect party starter, you will feel hard-pressed to find a better choice than the Sephra CF18M-SST Elite Chocolate Fountain. Offering you the possibility to see with all sorts of fondues, which means you can impress your guests with an increase of than just delicious waves of moving delicious chocolate, this fountain is a suggested buy. Featuring quiet procedure and nice add-ons so that you can play with, the Sephra fountain reviewed here can help you create the best atmosphere for your celebrations so that your guests will all spend an excellent time in your company. Get some good great quality fondues and start enjoying the excellent results this chocolate fountain provides you with each and every time.

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Posted on January 23, 2019January 23, 2019 by Rick Touchstone — Leave a comment