Making the perfect cup of coffee from home

Ok, you are probably going to say the above but this isn't how to make a boring cup of coffee, more on making it better, tasting better so you can enjoy it better just by trying a few variations on the way you make it. My suggestions might sound simple but give them a go and I bet it will be a nicer cup of coffee than what you are used to making yourself.

If like me you thought it was just a chase of chucking everything in a cup or mug any way you want and putting hot water and milk in then you are probably drinking a rather awful contraption that in my view tastes nothing like what a cup of coffee should taste like.

If you follow these simple steps you will no longer be drinking a cup of gunk every time you make a cup of coffee.

1. Start of by getting the perfect mug, something you will be happy to drink from, make sure it is a good size, I prefer a fairly large mug but that is mainly because I am a bit greedy.
2. Put your teaspoon full of coffee (type/make is totally down to you but I personally prefer Nescafe gold blend granules) into your mug, then put in the amount of sugar you normally take or if you prefer no sugar, it is totally your preference.
3. Now this part will totally depend on whether you are an americano drinker or if you take milk. I personally prefer anice bit of milk in my coffee so I leave the spoon in the cup and pour enough milk to touch the top of the teaspoon head, it is imparative that the milk goes in at this stage rather than the end as the milk cools the hot water before it hits the coffee granules.
4. Now the important part, stir, stir and stir. This is vital to getting a lovely taste from your coffee, I have found out by trial and error that you can't get enough stirring action in and the more you stir the better it tastes.
5. Once you have finished stirring the life out of your mixture of coffee, sugar and milk pour in your boiled water, if you can keep stirring while the water is going into your mug then that is good too.
6. Now the 2nd most important part of the perfect cup of coffee, stir, stir and stir..... (you can never stir too much), if you are starting to annoy someone in the room with all your stirring then you are nearly finished.

For those who prefer an Americano then you want to stir the hell out of it once you have your water in but I would suggest leaving the boiled water to cool for a minute or two, pouring water that is just boiled into your mug of coffee granules will take some of the flavour away. I have been told previously that it actually burns the coffee. So leave it a minute or two just to cool slightly.

For Milky or white coffee it is a simple case of following the steps as before but instead of using water you will be using milk, just put a dribble of milk in first with your coffee and sugar then stir and add the hot milk or add cold milk and mircowave if that is your preference. Make sure you have it well stirred before adding the last of the milk and again before putting it in the mircowave.

This technique won't help with the flavour of any other coffees other than a standard coffee, an Americano and milky coffee, you would be best to go to your local coffee shop if you want the fancy ones... :)

I have been complemented by both work colleagues and family that I make a great cup of coffee and the only two things I can put it down to is A) putting the milk in before the water and B) stirring the heck out of it.

I hope this makes your coffee more enjoyable.