Sponsored Post Woolworths Caffitaly
G’day Beach Cottage ladies, well have I got a goodie for you today!
If you love a coffee, a giveaway and a recipe, you are so in the right place.
Now I love me a cup of coffee, I am a simple full fat, don’t mess around Cappuccino girl all the way, just don’t give me a skinny, ever , I don’t do skinny anything.
That’s my morning go-to coffee but anything after mid-day will be an Espresso, knocked back quickly after a meal or a double whammy to beat-the-afternoon slump.
And at home too, I love that pot of coffee on the stove kinda Saturday morning feeling…where one forgets about one’s taxi driving sport duties, hangs around in pj’s all day, sips coffee, reading a book while sitting on the front deck, eating crepes and continually topping up the coffee.
I must say I have dabbled with a few ways to make my coffee at home, from dripolator to cafetiere and really had settled on the stove top Continental Percolator. Plus there has been much lusting in this old cottage after the styling of those Italian professional coffee machines, but I have never taken the plunge, because, after having countless cups of coffee from various machines at various houses of friends, those machines have never ever cut the mustard and I have always had the view that a café style coffee will always be just that, in a café.
That was until Woolworths sent me one of their new coffee capsule systems, Caffitaly, to have a little foof with and my at-home coffee drinking, stay in my pj’s all day experience changed forever.
This thing is just fabulous…the coffee is good, it’s quick, you can buy Gloria Jean’s coffee for it too, but most of all it’s fuss free, no dabbling around with different levers pretending that you are a barista but without the qualification, no foofing and fussing and grinding. No, you turn this little baby on, fill her up with water, slot in a capsule and all systems are go.
There’s even a frothing machine thingy. Now I thought that this might be a bit tricky for my forty-is-the-new-thirty brain, but no, want froth, pop in machine, will happen.
But you know what, as well as that just been to the café but all I really did was hit a switch on a machine feeling, I wanted to try this little angel that now sits on my counter with my fave way of indulging in a coffee treat – an iced coffee.
Now I must say that back in Old Blighty an iced coffee seemed nearly as bizarre to me as Iced Tea did, I mean, hello why the heck would you want to take a perfectly good and warming beverage and turn it into something icy?
And then I moved to Australia.
It was hot.
And I realised quite quickly the attraction of iced beverages.
The first time I tried an iced coffee it was forty-four degrees centigrade in the shade in Sydney, that’s over 110F in old speak. Errrm we were fresh off the boat from England, we had only been here on this fair soil for about a month and when we opened the front door it felt like a hot hairdryer was blowing in our faces.
So, without any air conditioning in the rental house we decided to go out for a drive in the car with air-conditioning on full blast, to stop off at the beach for a swim to cool down and to get this girl a coffee before Mr BC or a small person had a rather unfortunate turn of events with a whitewashed oar.
When we arrived, after running from the car to the coffee shop to avoid the scorching heat, the thought of a hot drink seemed ridiculous, the kiddos had lemonade, one of them tried Iced Tea and after a bit of deliberation the barista said why didn’t he make me a lovely iced coffee? Hmmm, well thought I, I’ve just upped sticks and moved to the other side of the world, and taken on a few changes, why not the coffee too?
It was lovely, icy creamy, coffee and cool in one long delicious caffeine hit.
And so, as Sydney’s summer rolls in, I make these every year…not every day but whenever I fancy a nice long sip, from a Mason Jar, no less, and a little sit down and watch the world go by.
I thought this Caffitaly System machine would make this whole Iced Coffee making scenario a whole lot sweeter, turns out I was right, with this little baby in the equation, the whole thing is easier than it’s ever been.
I have meddled around and fussed with iced coffee until finally hitting on this recipe, it does require you to think about it the night before but the cooling and freezing of the coffee means that your iced coffee, is errrm very iced the next day. I have read other recipes that require you to ‘cold brew’ the coffee bit, I have tried that but really ended up with a big old mess – I find it much easier to use a coffee machine to get the coffee bit and then chill it overnight.
Easy Iced Coffee Recipe
2 cups coffee in a jug
ice cubes
1 cup full fat milk or 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup cream
You will need to start this the night before or a few hours before for a super icy, brain freezing coffee – see those little nuggets of pure caffeine heaven right there – floats a beach cottage boat or six.
Directions
1. brew up 2 cups of coffee (this was super easy in the Caffitaly System)
2. pour about half of this brewed coffee in ice cube trays & freeze these little cubes of caffeine and pop the jug of coffee into the fridge overnight
3. to make the coffee, add ice cubes to your mason jar & then pour over the cream or milk/cream now add your coffee ice cubes, yum.
4. pour over the iced coffee
5. I prefer not to stir mine and if it lasts long enough to start to melt, pop in a few more coffee cubes as I go along…
If you have had your eye on a coffee machine that makes café style coffee in your home but wasn’t sure whether to invest, or perhaps you would like a little something special on your Christmas List, take it from me, one of these will certainly tickle your fancy.
But, not only is it good for your budget, easy and churns out good results every time, it’s styled well – which is important to me too.
C’mon you know I wouldn’t have a coffee machine sitting on my counter that didn’t, you know, pass the BC looks test. Not that I am obsessed with this old cottage or anything.
While it isn’t white, it’s nicely black, if you know what I mean, and sleek enough to slot into the tiny amount of counter space allocated for coffee in the tiniest kitchen in the Southern Hemisphere.
And as it whirs, purrs and works those little capsule pods to within an inch of their lives it has the air of Italy and an ever so faint hint of the vintage about it..
And that I very much like.
If you would like to win one of these coffee machines, a frother and a hamper full of goodies to go in it then all you have to do is answer this question.
Where would you sit and enjoy a lovely café style coffee in your home? On the deck as the sun goes down, curled up on the sofa with a book, in bed tucked up in white?
Just let me know, I’d take all of the above!
See you next time Beach Cottage girls.
Sarah
p.s. come & see poor Barley, he’s sad
Sponsored post via The Remarkables Group Giveaway T&C
The perfect ambience in my home to enjoy cafe style coffee is from the seat of my lounge. Laptop in hand, coffee in the other, savouring each sip recharging this worn out mother.
I’d sit in sun on garden seat,
two lovely cats are at my feet,
flowers galore & my animals I adore,
can’t want for more but good coffee & treats
I would sit in my backyard to drink my coffee while admiring flowers and watching my little one chasing the butterflies. Such a comfy life!
I would love to sit on our balcony, as if I was waiting for my Romeo, every girl has the right to dream.
Curled up with my puppy, book in hand!
Unfortunately I don’t have a place yet that I could imagine feeling that special way you do, when you are in just the right spot to lose yourself with your favorite things. Someday I hope to.. …when I do read at our temp place, I curl into myself on my husbands side of the couch and read from my favorite Diana Gabaldon books, covered in a cotton throw I bought years ago at a yard sale. It’s the closest thing I have to being “home”.
My favorite spot for coffee is in one of the comfy white armchairs in my LR. But I also very much love coffee at the distressed wood dining table. Also on the back stoop with my hubby early on a summer morning : ) Thanks for the giveaway!
Recently retired i finally have my own vegetable patch going very well for a first timer i love to relax in the veggie patch early morning with a big mug no not hubby a mug of coffee
Sitting on the back verandah, watching the sun slowly set and enjoying the lazy evening breezes. Bliss in a cup, if only I could add a moment of peaceful silence to the mix!
With the wind gently blowing
and the birds all crowing,
sipping coffee on my veranda
What could be better, or grander!
I would love to say on my deck but I don’t have one so I would have to sit out the front of my house in a little sunny spot and hope that I’ve (wish it was someone else) picked up all the dog pooh and the damn gum leaves. I’m tellin’ ya – living amongst nature is not always what it’s cracked up to be!
Nice to gaze up at the beautiful branches – sucks the big one, down at ground level, drowning in freakin leaves – I need me a coffee pick-me-up to get through the job!
I love enjoying a strong coffee in the afternoon sun when we’re camping. Preferably with a good book in hand and the fire roaring!
On my lounge around the pool soaking up the sun and having a lovely aromatic brew.
In a secret hideaway place with the kids not there yelling and screaming
I would sit on my deck watching my husband forage in the garden and my kids shoot hoops. I would have a coffee in one hand and a stack of house magazines to browse through by my side. I would be lying on a comfy lounger with home-made flowery cushions and quilts. I would have a bunch of huge old-fashioned roses bobbing in a crystal vase on my table. Occasionally I would look up and peer over my sunglasses and just breathe.
The perfect place for me to have my cuppa would be curled up in bed with my hubby (he’s the only good view from my house) and a good book.
Out in the alfresco, it’s not finished yet, but I’d love to sit with my ice coffee and picture it all finished! Perhaps there are some builder fairies in the hamper too!!
Foster mummy to five,
A sumptuous coffee is needed for my sanity to survive!
More often than not it is chilled,
But when enjoyed “HOT” and “UNINTERUPTED” I am thrilled!
The baby nursery is where I can enjoy solitude, relax and just be still,
Immersed in a rocking chair overlooking a daisy filled hill,
The world needs brilliance and grace,
A homemade skinny latte I will gladly embrace!
outside in the garden watching the butterflies flutter around
We have a huge kitchen bench and I love sitting there with my boys whilst they do their painting, drawing, colouring and, with a big hot coffee and my trusty laptop, I check facebook, emails and enter comps to win coffee makers ;)
I love sitting outside in the afternoon sun watching the kids play and enjoying a nice strong coffee to give me the kick to get me through the afternoon!
It’s all in the imagination. I have several favourite places to relax and drink my coffee (comfy loung chair, in my garden). But nothing beats where my mind can take me!
Smell the beans, enjoy the taste, the smoothest coffee I drink any place
Sitting out the back in the sun, enjoying watching the kids and the puppy play in the backyard. Coffee in hand, relaxing, enjoying a sweet treat. Heaven !!!
I drive my kids to school, I love to 20 minutes of quiet togetherness in the car.
So I would take my iced latte in the crar and the morning comute even more pleasant.
Ane make mine a skinny!
Hi Sarah! Well, in bed tucked in white sounds dreamy, in my dream beach cottage….and since I don’t know what my future holds, anything is possible, someday!
from Carol in NY, to you with much peace and light!
PJ day! Lazing in bed with some magazines and enjoying the luxury of the moment
I love to pull up a ‘kerb’ seat outside my house with a wonderfully delicious coffee…soon I’m rewarded equally delightful neighbours, a laugh, a catch-up..sometimes some gossip and always a sense of…belonging.
I adore iced coffee and actually only ever iced coffee when out – no matter how cold or hot it is. I have to admit I would love to put in a scoop of vanilla icecream into that jar to make it perfect (though probably not very healthy). As for where to sit I’d sit in bed with a good book and most importantly my husband would be gone out with the kids so I am not interrupted – coffee and book uninterrupted is my current definition of bliss!
I would sit curled up on the couch with my 2 year old daughter – both sipping on our ‘chinos’!
Very early before hubby and the kids have stirred. I would make my coffee in my favourite mug and sit on the deck with my faithful dog and watch the sunrise together.
Snuggled in bed,
Snug as a bug,
Enjoying cafe style,
Coffee in a mug,
Nice and cozy,
toasty and warm,
Hiding away,
From the crazy kid storm!
I would be sitting on our verandah, with the gorgeous views of trees and hills. As the sun is setting and the colours of the trees are changing. Its such a gorgeous view.
On the front verandah, next to my wonderful husband, discussing our day, watching the grandkids play, cows grazing in the paddocks, hay rolls neatly packed, another job well done!Farming can be a rewarding life!
A good coffee I can drink anywhere but with a friend having a chat under the pergola in the sun.Priceless.
I’d relax on the verandah in a comfy seat
Grandkids happily playing at my feet
And the best bit is hubby ‘s here too
Not gone to the coffee shop. Thanks to you!
On my balcony we have ocean glimpses (read crane your head around the corner and lean out a bit and there is the ocean) I solved this problem by putting a massive mirror on the wall of the house on the balcony, now I sit out there in my rattan chair with a good book and watch the sunset each night, this would make my little nook Perfecto!
My porch meets a huge tree that local parrots call home. My favorite chair is nestled amongst my homemade bird feeders and planters. Paradise.
I would have a sip beside the pool next to my beautiful puppies, dangling my tootsies in the water.
In bed, after a sleep in because hubby has taken the kids to see his mother. A beautiful way to wake up.
sitting outside on an arm chair while watching the kids run around playing in the backyard
The front steps looking out over the garden and the beach, soaking up the sun would be my ideal spot for a delicious coffee.
Sitting on the bottom shelf of the pantry – it’s the only place the kids can’t find me… plus it’s where the Nutella lives, mmmmmm mocha!
I’d take it on my walk,i keep my walks as thinking time and would love my face coffee to go with my face me time
I’m not fussy so long as I can enjoy my coffee in peace (without kids interrupting) I will sit huddled in a cupboard!
Under a palm at THE EDGE OF THE JUNGLE – I’m lucky enough to live next to HOT STEAMING RAINFOREST – Coffee Beans very much at home in this part of the world – Your ICED COFFEE ideas would go down a treat in our TROPICAL SUMMER xxx
I love iced coffee made like this – lots of ice, just milk, no cream, ice cream or any other things designed to take away the joy of coffee. This is Japanese iced coffee – just add sugar syrup as desired.
oooh the syrup!!!!
Home from. Work early in the morn
Tired trying not to yawn
Coffee out by the water feature
With zia my Pomeranian she’s my favourite creature
What a way to start the day
Sipping coffee and watching nature at play
A girl can only dream of a beautiful iced coffee in a mason jar with straw on a 40 degree australian summers day ,or in my case as I am addicted to coffee all day every day all around my house.
Such a great idea, thanks for sharing! I am utterly obsessed with coffee and will take my daily hit anyway i can get it but have also really been loving iced coffee during summer! So refreshing :-) And I love your idea of the ice cubes to make it extra strong and chilled! Mason jars are adorable as well!!
thanks, the ice cubes are delicious in it x