Saturday, September 6, 2008

I'm a Barista!


I have never been a coffee drinker. Whenever my girlfriends want to hang out at Starbucks, I have to figure out what to drink. In the winter this is not a problem. I love hot chocolate. But in the summer I have always been at a loss....what could I get to drink that doesn't taste like coffee or have the calories of a milkshake? Well, in July I decided to try a Caramel Macchiato....I have been hooked ever since. My husband has also become addicted. When I began adding up how much we were spending a week at Starbucks, ($3.10 for a tall x 3 times a week--for each of us, so really 6 times a week---well, I don't feel like finding my calculator but that's a lot of mula!) I said to Matt, "Don't say no....just listen first...when you think of all the money we are spending at Starbucks each week, we could probably buy an espresso machine and break even in 2 to 3 months." To my surprise, he said, "Ok, look into it." So I did!

My mom bought hers on ebay a couple of years ago for $180 so I checked it out and I found some for $230. Starbucks sells them for $400 so ebay is quite a deal! Anyway, before I made a purchase, my mom decided that she wanted to get the new stainless steel model for herself and she would give me a deal on her old one. Yay! We have not agreed on a price yet....she is leaning toward $10 and I am pushing for a bit more....

My parents are here for the weekend so I had my first lesson on my new Starbucks Barista Espresso Machine. Here are the results:

Hot Latte

Iced Caramel Macchiato
In my unbiased opinion....these drinks were better than Starbucks!
So friends, come on over and let me take your order....just don't bypass the tip jar!
Recipes can be found at the following links:

9 comments:

Laura said...

yum yum..... I can attest to Heather's mean machiatto (is that how you spell that?). I'm so excited that you live almost as close as Starbucks, so I'll be by every morning about 8:30 for my caffeine fix. Congrats on the new appliance, that is every coffee lovers dream!

Unknown said...

Oh, my gosh - I am so impressed! And wishing I lived closer to drop by and give you some business (and fill your tip jar).

Unknown said...

I just have to make another comment. I was thinking more about your post and I'm so impressed by your financial prowess! Figuring out how quickly the machine would pay for itself. So I just have to share another random Heather memory I have that further proves your economy... I recall that you were/are a super Costco shopper and I still have an image in my memory of, like, 247 boxes of ziploc bags in your pantry. Ever since, I buy my ziplocs at Costco and to this day always think of you when I'm stacking them in my cupboard! :)

heather said...

Teri, Your memory is right on! Ziplock bags are on my Costco shopping list right now!

Laura said...

I was going to say, Heather still has a drawer like that in her kitchen, stuffed full of every type of ziploc bag known to man.

Laura said...

I love the new pictures you posted. They are so cute! Who took the one of you? How about the one of your family?

Laura said...

ummm. do you deliver?

heather said...

My parents took the new pictures while they were here this weekend. I am having fun with the new picture editing stuff that Kristal put on my computer. I think it ia called "Picasso" or "Picassa" or something like that.

Laura said...

You are amazing!! Mom, housekeeper, taxi driver, tutor, referee, cook, blogger, facebooker, MOPS coordinator and now Barista!!! Wish I were closer and I'd be over!!! Caramel Macciato's my favorite too! I know it's bad when we drive up to Starbucks and Emma asks if we're getting caffeine or decaf!