However, becoming a credible barista is a little harder than it seems. Making lattes and other fancy drinks is one thing, but the first skill you must acquire is how to make a good coffee using an espresso machine. Be sure to avoid these three mistakes while attempting it!

Forgetting to Press the Coffee

It is absolutely crucial to use a gadget to press the ground coffee that you put inside of an espresso maker to produce the finished product. A loose mound of coffee will produce grimy, watery coffee that simply doesn’t taste good. Pack it in, and be sure it’s compact!

Using the Wrong Grind

Espresso makers require a different sort of ground coffee than a filter or drip coffee maker. The thinner, smaller grind used when making espresso-style coffee allows for the water to filter through the grounds more easily. So, be sure to either grind your beans more finely or buy a special espresso ground coffee.

Neglecting Regular Cleaning

It might be tempting to ignore the need to clean your espresso maker regularly, but it is absolutely essential if you want your coffee’s flavor to continue to shine. Cleaning removes calcium deposits and unpleasant oils that can settle in the machine and create bitter-tasting coffee.

The post Mistakes to Avoid While Using an Espresso Maker appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Wipe Everything Down

After a day full of cooking and preparing food and drinks, your countertops and stove are probably going to have some residue on them. So, instead of waiting days for this dirtiness to accumulate and look unpresentable, just do a quick wipedown every day.

Sweep!

No one likes the feeling of stepping on a forgotten potato chip or an undiscovered sprinkling of coffee grounds on the floor, which means that it’s essential to sweep your kitchen every day. It’s no one’s favorite task, but you’ll appreciate how much cleaner your kitchen feels if you do it.

Keep Things Smelling Good

It’s easy for unpleasant odors to take over a kitchen if you aren’t careful. With this in mind, empty the garbage on a daily basis as soon as it fills up, and make time to spray the kitchen every day with a nice scent or by making a stovetop potpourri in order to keep things smelling nice.

The post Easy Daily Steps to Keeping a Spotless Kitchen appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Our favorite method of preparing them at home is baking them in the oven. Are you looking to give this method a try? These tips will help your wings turn out crispy, juicy, and absolutely delicious.

400 Degrees for 45 Minutes

When cooking wings in the oven, it’s important to get the temperature and time right in order to not make your wings dry out or be undercooked. We like baking them for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which achieves a nice crisp and an even, thorough cook.

Use an Oven Rack

One of the cardinal sins when making wings in the oven is putting them on a normal oven pan. This doesn’t allow for heat to circulate around the wings and create an even cooking environment. An oven rack, with its open spaces allowing for hot air to circulate, is the best option.

Aluminum Foil is a Life-Saver

Want a pro tip that will leave you in awe of how crispy your oven-baked chicken wings turn out to be? Wrap them in aluminum foil before putting them in the oven, which puts a direct heat source on their exteriors and crisps them up beautifully.

The post Baking Chicken Wings Couldn’t Be Easier appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

However, becoming a credible barista is a little harder than it seems. Making lattes and other fancy drinks is one thing, but the first skill you must acquire is how to make a good coffee using an espresso machine. Be sure to avoid these three mistakes while attempting it!

Forgetting to Press the Coffee

It is absolutely crucial to use a gadget to press the ground coffee that you put inside of an espresso maker to produce the finished product. A loose mound of coffee will produce grimy, watery coffee that simply doesn’t taste good. Pack it in, and be sure it’s compact!

Using the Wrong Grind

Espresso makers require a different sort of ground coffee than a filter or drip coffee maker. The thinner, smaller grind used when making espresso-style coffee allows for the water to filter through the grounds more easily. So, be sure to either grind your beans more finely or buy a special espresso ground coffee.

Neglecting Regular Cleaning

It might be tempting to ignore the need to clean your espresso maker regularly, but it is absolutely essential if you want your coffee’s flavor to continue to shine. Cleaning removes calcium deposits and unpleasant oils that can settle in the machine and create bitter-tasting coffee.

The post Mistakes to Avoid While Using an Espresso Maker appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Wipe Everything Down

After a day full of cooking and preparing food and drinks, your countertops and stove are probably going to have some residue on them. So, instead of waiting days for this dirtiness to accumulate and look unpresentable, just do a quick wipedown every day.

Sweep!

No one likes the feeling of stepping on a forgotten potato chip or an undiscovered sprinkling of coffee grounds on the floor, which means that it’s essential to sweep your kitchen every day. It’s no one’s favorite task, but you’ll appreciate how much cleaner your kitchen feels if you do it.

Keep Things Smelling Good

It’s easy for unpleasant odors to take over a kitchen if you aren’t careful. With this in mind, empty the garbage on a daily basis as soon as it fills up, and make time to spray the kitchen every day with a nice scent or by making a stovetop potpourri in order to keep things smelling nice.

The post Easy Daily Steps to Keeping a Spotless Kitchen appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Our favorite method of preparing them at home is baking them in the oven. Are you looking to give this method a try? These tips will help your wings turn out crispy, juicy, and absolutely delicious.

400 Degrees for 45 Minutes

When cooking wings in the oven, it’s important to get the temperature and time right in order to not make your wings dry out or be undercooked. We like baking them for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which achieves a nice crisp and an even, thorough cook.

Use an Oven Rack

One of the cardinal sins when making wings in the oven is putting them on a normal oven pan. This doesn’t allow for heat to circulate around the wings and create an even cooking environment. An oven rack, with its open spaces allowing for hot air to circulate, is the best option.

Aluminum Foil is a Life-Saver

Want a pro tip that will leave you in awe of how crispy your oven-baked chicken wings turn out to be? Wrap them in aluminum foil before putting them in the oven, which puts a direct heat source on their exteriors and crisps them up beautifully.

The post Baking Chicken Wings Couldn’t Be Easier appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.