Urnex Coffee Cleaning Experts

"Cleanliness is next to Godliness." With the Philippine coffee craze in full gear, almost every household is equipped with their "caffenator" -  be it drip, pour-over, pods or espresso machines. Purchasing a coffee maker is the easiest, yet maintaining the consistency of your cuppa joe every time you use your machine is the hardest.

URNEX brand has been around since the 1930s, originating from New York, it's a family-owned company that specializes in cleaning solutions for your coffee machine. It is a common mistake amongst consumers (household or coffee shop owners) that the freshness of your coffee or the aroma of your blend solely lies on the beans that you purchase or the equipment used. What many don't know is that deep within the confines of your coffee machine (the heart of the brewing system) lies unnoticed the dirt and oil residue from the coffee beans and the hardness of the water that flows through that.

Presto-Pronto, here are three main cleaning solutions that will help you sanitize, descale, and most importantly ensure the fullness of taste in every cup.






Dezcal: Coffee and Espresso Machine Descaling Powder
   
Best described usage for: espresso machines (automatic or semi-automatic), pods, brewer, drip
Eliminates lime and calcium deposits.
Packaging: 1 pack includes 4 sachets
Best suited for: heavy users of coffee machines (household or coffee shop owners)



           

Drip Brewer

Espresso Machine

Pod Coffee Machine

Cleancaf: Coffee Machine Cleaning Powder

Best described usage for: drip-type of coffee machine and espresso machines
Eliminates residual odor and oils from coffee.
Packaging: 1 pack includes 3 sachets
Best suited for: medium-low users of coffee machines (mainly drip type of coffee maker or small semi-automatic espresso machines)

Drip Brew

Grindz: Grinder Cleaning Tablet
 
Best described usage for: coffee grinder, bean hopperEliminates residue from coffee beans that has been in the grinder or hopper for a long period of time. Loosens and breaks down coffee particles.
Packaging: 1 jar of 430grams
Best suited for: Coffee shops or restaurant owners who have their own coffee grinder or bean hopper

Bean Hopper/ Coffee Bean Grinder

A welcome addition to our growing line of fine products sourced world-wide. Be clean, save your machine, call Far Skyes Enterprise to place your orders. A small pack goes a long way...

Far Skyes Enterprise can be reached through: 672-1452 or 425-1776

Coffee, Tea, By ME! Pocket Workshop

The THIRD installment of the highly-successful COFFEE, TEA BY ME! WORKSHOP of Studio SnR can't seem to push thru... We're definitely NOT lacking in participants, those interested simply can't find a common time of convenience for it to take flight.

True to Studio SnR's ode to Total Learning Satisfaction, we decided to facilitate several "Pocket Workshops" in order to satisfy our participants' varying time of convenience. Expect the same fun, creative and best of all educational way of seeking knowledge in preparing popular Caffeinated and Creamy beverages (and more), yet in a toned-down and more private setting. A maximum of 6 participants per session will be accommodated, making it easier for crafty home entertainers, enthusiasts and start-up (even existing) cafe's/tea salons to actively participate.


BIG" Thank You!!!" no less to the Pocket Workshops' set of Brand Partners, for their unconditional support, generosity, and full belief in Studio SnR's aims. Cheers to learning!

JURA Espresso Machines

BLUE NOTES Single Origin Coffee

ALESSI Italian Design Store

BOYD COFFEE

STASERO Flavored Syrups & Sauces  

FAR SKYES Frappe Powders & Industrial Blenders

Pocket Workshop Dates are as follows:

August 6 to 10, 13 to 16,
Choose your preferred time slot: 9:00 AM - 12:00PM or  1:30PM - 4:30PM

Sign up now, call STUDIO SnR Workshop now 5845988, 0917-5349523. Spreading the caffeinated and creamy love, one drink at a time....♥

Voodoo Doughnut, Portland OR

I first saw this unique, albeit weird doughnut shop on Food Network, or was it Man Versus Food??? Wherever it was, Voodoo Doughnuts sure made a lasting impression, so much so that it was one of the "Top Priorities" during our work & leisure visit to Portland last April.

The weather was nice and breezy, really conducive for walking and sightseeing. We arrived at around 4:30pm and we were greeted by a long line outside the door. Surprisingly it took us less than 15 minutes before reaching the counter/cashier to place our order. The long cue was a blessing in disguise actually, since we were able to survey the menu board for the perfect plan of attack, glance at the extensive glass display of doughnuts, and see what the folks ahead of us were getting. Given our turn to order, we passed with flying colors as "regulars" ...

EAT YOUR ♥ OUT - Literally! 

Hmmmm.... so many choices, so little time (not to mention tummy space constraints since we came from a food and beverage convention)! But since this might be our first and last time to eat here, our band of 4 made a pact to pig out, try at least two varieties, AND throw our calorie cautions out the window.

True to its billing, what stood out the most was their signature Voodoo Doughnut, or what many call Hex The EX!!! Yup, this donut for the scorned lover is a winner -- doughnut shaped like a voodoo doll, glazed with rich velvety chocolate and aptly filled with raspberry jam for that perfect bloody kick. Oh, and as a finishing touch, a pretzel stick is stabbed right smack in the di*k! Sweet and flawless revenge, capturing the kooky nature of Portland; so much so that this establishment was voted by TIME Travel as one of the "Top 10 Things" to do in the city.

Make sure to stop by if you're in the area... Worth the wait!

Jura Ena 9 One Touch

So seldom do I post an espresso machine review unless something earthshaking tickles my fancy. And perfect timing it is since three of my college friends contacted me over the past two weeks asking what is the perfect "buy" for their special someone this father's day.

I first laid eyes on this mini-beauty during our recent trip to Hong Kong, and there's just something distinct about this unit that made me want to know more. Could it be the sleek silver color with simple buttons to tinker with (the design actually reminds me of a luxury car's clean yet intricate dashboard)? Or Jura's ever-durable operating system which churns out a great cuppa joe, shot after shot after shot - "handsome looks" included?

The first thing I noticed with the Jura Ena 9 One Touch is that unit is a lot smaller compared to the other other Jura models out in the market. Upon further research, I learned that the ENA series is created primarily for home use, so its compact form makes a perfect fit on one's kitchen counter, and perfect for a family of 2 (even 3 or 4) coffee drinkers.  

As with all Jura models, the Ena 9 primarily uses whole coffee beans, with different grind settings built right into in machine.  The unit also features a second opening on top for ground coffee just in case you want to try something different (decaf maybe?) from the beans that are presently occupying the bean hopper - neat huh?

One can prepare signature cafe specialties in the comforts on one's abode since all espresso based drinks (latte macchiato, cappuccino, café crème, and espresso) have individual keys laid out on top of the unit. Each key can be set to your own preferences making it ideal for enjoying a very personalized cup of coffee. The preferences you can store are water volume, strength of espresso, duration of milk froth and temperature.

This espresso machine is really made to optimize the one touch functionality (think BMW's league-leading i-drive technology), case-in-point all you have to do is connect the unit into your milk source and push the cappuccino button on top of the machine.  Yup, just one click and the Cappuccino is ready, and I must say that the new foam technology results in a froth so feathery light and smooth. 

Cleaning and Maintenance?  It's a cinch thanks to Jura's ease-of-use feature!!! The Ena 9 is so easy to care for with a maintenance program that runs at the touch of  a button. Simply said, the unit monitors what drinks you've been sipping and applies the corresponding self-cleaning mode upon shut down. Perfect for people on the go-go-go!

All in all I believe the ENA Micro 9 is an ideal choice for people buying their first automatic coffee machine, or looking to upgrade to a new model. I hope this has helped you in your research of this high quality machine.  Now, to post this on my wife's facebook wall in time for father's day!♥

Jura ENA micro 9 Specifications:

• Single-cup machine : YES
• Water Tank Size : 1.1 liters
• Height Adjustable Spout : 55 - 138 mm
• Bean Container Size : 125g
• Waste Bean Size : 10 portions
• Cappuccino Frother : Fine Foam Technology
• Product Buttons : 4 Buttons
• Adjustable Coffee Strength : 2 Settings
• Adjustable Coffee Temperature : 2 Settings
• Cappuccino Preparation: One Touch
• ZERO Energy Switch : YES
• Recommended Daily Production: For Household Use Only
• Size (W X H X D): 23 x 32.3 x 44.5 cm

Dimsum Date in HK

My wife Peaches is celebrating her birthday on June 9, and for this we decided to take a pocket trip to Hong Kong - not to shop, but simply to EAT. HK was our honeymoon destination back in 2003 (due to financial constraints; and no thanks to me not having a US Visa back then), so the place holds a synonymous spot in our hearts. Not only is it cost effective and convenient to visit, the food (YUMCHA in particular) scene is simply tops!

Our hotel was an apt premonition
YnM
ChA

With our Kiddo left behind and safely tucked with my in-laws (God bless extended family), as soon as we landed and checked in our hotel, we wasted no time and headed straight to our pre-planned "good-easts." And this for the next three days we religiously did - scouring the best dimsum places at precisely 9:30am to get our YUMCHA fix. In order to give justice to this blog post, specially to those who don't know me too well, allow me to establish 2 things:

1) I am a creature oh habit, and proud to say I inherited this from my Dad. Both of us love doing the same things and going to the same places repetitively - sometimes to the annoyance of my Mom and my Wife. Ergo as an analogy to this post, I am simply stating that I can eat the same dish over and over again.

2) I am a certified HOARDER, probably it got full-blown when my son was barely 3 months-old, and my business hit rock-bottom with the pearl shake craze's demise. Fortunately I was able to recover within the same year (thanks to some good samaritans who helped me reinvent myself), thus the feeling of "conquering" or "purchasing power" stuck to me in order to justify to my inner demons that things are back to normal. My best bud RSF went an extra mile to defend my actions (thanks, you're a true friend) saying it's purely human nature "for MAN to go out and hunt for food to feed his family - circa Caveman era." So when ordering food, I tend to over-do it, since excess to me means I'm providing well for my family... Hahaha!

Enough said about me, let's go back to eating. With only 3 YUMCHA mornings to attack, Peaches and I had to be selective:

Day 1: Pier 88, 5/F Windsor Plaza, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay

Day 2: Jade Garden, Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay

Day 3: Superstar Restaurant, 4/F Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui

As evident in the food shots, pat on the back to us, as our choices were definitely a sure thing! Happy birthday Peaches, more DIMSUM DATES ahead! ♡

Rabbit Hole, Hong Kong

The name is inspired by the novel "Alice In Wonderland" where Alice falls deep-down into a rabbit hole and enters a world of fantasy.  The owner of this java haven aims to recreate Alice's whimsical experience to the customer, manifested in the various types of coffee creation and methods RABBIT HOLE serves.

After wasting around 20 minutes going up and down Central Midlevel's multiple escalators trying to find this easy-to-miss place, as soon as I entered the door the first impression I got was a trip down "not so happy" memory lane - high school chemistry class. Yup, the place looks like a lab fit for a geek - coffee geek to be precise!

Macchiato (Costa Rica) over ice

Cafe Cortado

The layout is more like an open kitchen cum communal pantry where various brands of coffee machines are lined-up ready to be tinkered by Rabbit Hole's java experts while preparing one's drink of choice. First, select from their single origin offerings - Costa Rica, Timor, Ethiopia, Honduras, and several others; Second step is to choose the type of drink you want with your bean of choice - espresso (americano, latte, macchiato...), pour over, drip, or syphon; Third and final step is to simply kick back and relax while savoring your order.

Rabbit Hole's Coffee Geek
preparing our order

This hidden gem is a must-visit for coffee lovers of any race, of all walks of life. Rabbit Hole caffeinatedly jolts the spot, thanks to their creative design and nifty store layouting. The end result creates more interaction between the baristas and the customers.

Rabbit Hole's balcony is the perfect spot to savor
your drink while people-watching 

Various single-origin beans and coffee
brewing equipment for sale

Never in my wildest dream (even Alice's) did I expect to find such a unique place in a predominantly tea-sipping-capital like Hong Kong. Im sure The Mad Hatter would be jealous...

Rabbit Hole Coffee & Roaster
2/F, 26 Cochrane St, Central,
Hong Kong
A rabbit hole is quite an obvious metaphor for the public if you have read the novel "Alice in wonderland", as she falls down into the rabbit hole, she enters the world of fantasy. Our journey is similar as Alice, but instead the rabbit hole that we fell into came from a cup of well made, well executed coffee. 

If you love coffee, you will always remember the best cup that you ever had. You will remember how fragrant and special the aroma is, how flavorful and balanced when the liquid hit your mouth, and how the wonderful aftertaste had lasted in your palate that you think you would never want to drink water ever again. 

Cafe Cortado

Cafe what?????? Despite aging in the coffee biz, and my almost-daily immersion with my coffee gods Tracy Allen of Brewed Behavior and Roberto Francisco of Boyd Coffee, this particular item on the menu board of Catalina Coffee in Houston Texas left me perplexed to the point that I had to order it to please my nagging curiosity. Nope, not in my past countless visits to the country of Uncle Sam have I heard of such... to think I've scoured the cafes of California, New England, and the Tri-State area.

For my regular blog readers, you all know well that I prefer my coffee strong - not watered-down, not drowned in milk, and definitely not too sweet or immersed with flavor of any sort. As I watched Catalina Coffee's artist/barista prepare my first crack at this particular brew,  I was pleased to learn that the espresso-based drink that's been a staple in my humble abode for the past 5 years is actually called a Cortado (Spanish word meaning "to cut/reduce") - that is, a shot of espresso (1-ounce) tempered with a dash of warm milk (2-ounces). Take note that "warm" milk is used instead of "frothed/foamed" milk, which morphs the drink into a Cafe Macchiato.

Coffee snob or not, it is humbling to know that despite our perceived industry expertise and/or age, indeed we discover something new daily. Cheers to learning!!!