My CBTL Coffee Machine

A few years back, I had the most delightful macchiato at a place call Esmirada and fell in love with it. Coffee never have been a big part of my life before. As a child, we were not allowed to consume coffee as my parent consider it a drug and bad for kids. I grew up not drinking coffee and was always a social coffee drinker as an adult. But I've always love the smell of freshly brewed coffee! And I love espresso, I love the smell, the taste, and the way it's serve. And macchiato to me is such a small joy that I thought I'd like to be able to enjoy it as and when.

So in 2012 I started seriously consider purchasing an espresso machine for home use. Consuming shots of espresso outside was a pain to my pocket. It was only in April 2013 that I finally purchased one from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Initially we wanted to get a cheaper contata model selling at SGD199 which was our budget. But there was a trade-in promotion on where if you trade in a used coffee machine, they will give you SGD100 credit for your new purchase. The staff at the shop told us we can purchase a second hand machine for less than SGD10 at Cash Converter and bring it in. So we did, and we got ourselves an americano machine retailing at SGD299, but with the discount cost us SGD199 instead.

A start-up kit of 12 assorted capsules came with the new set, and we bough a further 2 tubes of espresso at SGD9.10 each to go with it as my goal was to use it solely for espresso. Well we just did a refill of 2 more tubes a week ago. We don't really drink it every weekend, it's just when I need a pick-me-up and feel like I need some home luxury I'll make myself a cup of espresso, usually black and without sugar. Occasionally I add some milk to make a macchiato. Now I don't frequent any coffee chain any more except if I can help it.

I've also tried a recipe for nutella coffee which taste like a mocha, but I stopped after two tries as the chocolate doesn't seems to melt as I would expected. What with palm oil being one of the ingredient in nutella, I decided to stop making it after that. Which reminds me, I need to try it one day with some milo instead....hmmmm.

Anyway, it has been a good buy. My cost of espresso from SGD2.50 cheapest have fallen to just SGD0.90 per shot now and I'm loving it! Besides, as I age, I read that coffee can help fight alzheimer. So I'm also treating this as a kind of health supplement to keep my brains working.

Btw, I got my adorable espresso cups from Jusco at Port Klang while I was there on my annual Cruise in 2013, half a dozen for less than SGD10!

Ref:
Macchiato
Esmirada
Cash Converter
CBTL Espresso Machine
One of the many articles on Coffee and Alzheimer