This trend is due, in part, to the uncertain economy. Recent research from the International Food Information Council found that 79 percent of consumers cite price as a key factor in deciding which drink items to purchase in a store. With equipment and recipes readily available today, consumers are embracing this DIY trend and cutting costs by making their own custom drinks at home.

Whatever your taste preference, it’s easy to create personalized beverages for yourself, your family and guests to enjoy all winter long.

Hot-Coffee Indulgence
According to the National Coffee Association, gourmet coffee continues to be a significant portion (37 percent) of total coffee consumed. If hot coffee is your way to pamper yourself, endless varieties are available, from classic French roast to Hawaiian Kona and New Orleans chicory.

Choose to Brew your Way
To make great coffee, start with the right coffeemaker. Look for one that fills easily and lets you create large or small batches and different brew strengths. For instance, Calphalon’s Quick Brew 12-cup Coffee Maker offers both regular or bold custom brew settings – plus the flexibility to brew up to 12 cups at a time when you have a crowd, or just one to four cups for smaller groups. Brewing up to 25 percent faster than comparable standard coffee makers, the Calphalon Quick Brew 12-cup Coffee Maker won’t keep your guests waiting either.

Add Creme to your Cup
Once you’ve brewed your coffee, personalize it further with coffee creamers. They’re available in everything from traditional vanilla, almond or hazelnut to enticing new combinations like honey-vanilla creme and white chocolate caramel latte.

Make it Special
Many specialty coffee drinks are also easy to make at home, such as mocha coffee, gingerbread coffee, almond coffee and Irish coffee. They can often be made with just a few simple ingredients from recipes on websites such as allrecipes.com and others, providing a fun way to top off a dinner party or savor alone by the fireplace.  

Create a New Blend
Research shows more coffee lovers are buying whole beans and grinding them at home for a fresher, richer flavor. Take your coffee grinds one step further and become a true “Roastmaster” by creating a whole new blend of your own. Mix and match flavored beans or beans from different coffee-growing countries to develop new tastes and sensations you won’t find in your average cup of coffee. For peak flavor and the ultimate freshness, package your blend in an airtight container and store it in a dark, room-temperature location.

So go ahead and turn yourself loose in the kitchen. It’s easier than ever to customize your cup.

The post Customize your Coffee: Create Personalized Beverages at Home first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

According to Zack Bruell, chef and owner of four renowned Cleveland restaurants – Parallax, Table 45, L’Albatros and Chinato – the kitchen is the social center of the home. “It’s also the place that requires the most functionality and top products to help you prep food, cook and serve – with ease.”

Get ready for an instant update with these 13 must-have kitchen products:

Quality Cookware
You can’t get far without investing in a quality cookware set, such as Emeril’s new stainless steel with copper cookware. The 10- or 14-piece set has internal measuring marks on sauce pans and stock pots for extra convenience and the copper bases heat food uniformly and fast.

Functional and Fashionable Faucet
What does a faucet have to do with cooking? Everything! Just think of how much time you spend at the sink, so why not update this kitchen focal point with a new functional and fashionable faucet? “You need a good faucet with a restaurant-style, pulldown or pullout sprayer for cleaning fruits and vegetables; but it’s also important for fast and efficient cleanup,” says Bruell.

The Moen Anabelle Eco-Performance faucet, available at Lowe’s, features this unique design – with the added benefit of up to 32 percent water savings. And, to save time on cleanup, Anabelle is available in Moen’s exclusive Spot Resist Stainless finish that does just what it says – resists fingerprints and water spots. Learn more at www.moen.com.

Measuring (and weighing) Up
Measuring cups and scales are necessities for every recipe. How about saving a step with a device that measures both volume and weight? The Maxim 2-in-1 Jug and Scales makes this possible with a built-in digital scale. Capable of holding up to one full liter, it displays the weight on a small LCD screen.

Spice it Up
Spice racks are convenient, but often take up valuable counter space. The 12-Can Zero Gravity Magnetic Spice Rack is a convenient way to store all your spices and herbs. Simply mount the shelf to your wall, allowing the magnetic canisters to be placed on top or hang beneath.

A Cut Above the Rest
Whether you’re carving your holiday feast or chopping and dicing an everyday meal, a good set of knives is a must. Cutco offers knives for all occasions and backs their performance with the Forever guarantee that includes performance, sharpness and replacement services.

Chop, Chop, Chop
Protect your fingers from sharp knives with the Chef’s Catalog’s Stainless-steel Finger Guard. Fitting around the middle finger, the guard allows you to grip food while still providing protection.

Heating up the Kitchen
Never worry again if your meat creations are heated to the proper temperature. The Lakeland Kitchen Thermometer Fork has a digital display to ensure you can now serve up your favorite family meal.

Pizza, Pizza
Who doesn’t love a slice of good ol’ pizza pie? Cutting the slice without losing most of the toppings is half the battle. The Pizza Pro, available on QVC.com, helps to eliminate this problem. Serving as kitchen shears and spatula in-one, you can safely cut and serve slices.

More Cheese, Please
Adding grated cheese to the perfect pasta dinner is now as easy as pressing a button. The Power Cheese Grater can shred, slice or grate up to two kinds of cheese – and even spices. This battery-powered device also offers convenient storage.

All-in-One
Today’s blenders aren’t just for making smoothies. How about one machine that can do the work of 10 kitchen appliances and perform more than 50 different processes? The Vitamix 5200 can help you prepare dinner by cooking soup, kneading dough, grinding grains and even make ice cream for dessert.

Baked to Perfection
As you think about delectable desserts, you don’t want to worry that they’ll stick to the bottom of the baking sheet or pan. With the Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch Non-Stick Quarter Sheet, you’ll be able to enjoy your baked foods without this worry. The ceramic coating helps to release foods without sticking and is dishwasher safe.

Cheers
You spent hours in the kitchen slaving away on the perfect meal, so don’t forget the perfect wine to accompany it. And, to ensure you have the most enhanced flavor and finish, try the Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator. The patent-pending design speeds up the process: simply pour a glass for aeration. Its no-drip stand allows for easy clean-up and also comes with a travel pouch.

Cup of Joe
Whether it’s your morning pick-me-up, or to spoil your dinner guests, everyone can enjoy their favorite beverage in no time with a Keurig brewing system. The unique single-beverage system allows you to select your favorite coffee or tea, press the button and in under a minute enjoy the beverage.

“Cooking should be a memorable experience – so work to create a space with products that celebrate all that it can be,” says Bruell. Soon, with these 13 new essentials, you’ll wonder how you ever managed in the kitchen without them.

The post A Baker's Dozen: 13 Must-Have Products for a Cook's Kitchen first appeared on The How Do Gardener.