Luxury Chocolates

!±8± Luxury Chocolates

Luxury chocolates were originally only available in the UK from from continental manufacturers like Lindt or Suchard and very occasionally you would see unusual brands like Laura Secord from Canada. Chocoholics looking for chocolates that were a bit different would have to search out for a local delicatessen or travel to places like Selfridges or Harrods in London.

In the late seventies there was something of a revolution when holidaymakers returning from their continental breaks started to ask for the delicious truffles and luxury praline chocolates that they had eaten while they were on holiday. Numerous small Belgian chocolate shops started to spring up all over the UK and many were run by well to do ladies whose husbands funded their 'hobby' as an alternative to part time work. The shops were often very small - literally just big enough for a chiller cabinet to store the chocolates, some shelves to display boxes and standing room for just a few customers. They would carefully pack up small 'ballotins' of delicious handmade luxury Belgian chocolates, carefully bow it and perhaps decorate it with silk flowers. The shops were often situated in secondary positions and this coupled with the high cost of the chocolates and low sales meant that many of them failed after a short time trading.

Some French and Belgian chocolate manufacturers tried to develop their sales by opening up shops in locations all over the UK. Jeff de Brugges were an example, in Frances they had thousands of shops but in the UK they failed miserably to make any headway. Even such household names as Godiva and Leonardis found that although they could develop good sales in the big London/Birmingham/Manchester department stores they could not replicate this in small kiosks in the same way they did in Belgium.

Although the small kiosks in general failed they did achieve one good thing, they increased the demand for quality Belgian chocolates to the point where the supermarkets realised the potential, but that's another story...

Luxury Chocolates

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Popular Single Serve Coffee Pod Machine

!±8± Popular Single Serve Coffee Pod Machine

A coffee pod maker takes lesser time to brew and is easy to clean. There is small room for mistakes with this machine.

Coffee pod machines are basically made of sealable plastic rods with small paper filters inside. Pods are placed in the machine and locked in place. Switch it on the water heats.

Some of the companies that offer coffee pod machines are: Melitta, Briel, Bunn, Keurig, Juan Valdez and Senseo. Colors include: green, yellow, black, orange, chrome, red and stainless steel. The price of a pod machine starts at .

Four of the most popular single-serving pod-based machines on the market today are as follows:
1. Braun - TASSIMO Machine
The Braun TASSIMO is a revolutionary coffee machine that uses the T-Disc system. It can make ready-to-drink hot beverages in just 60 seconds. Braun Tassimo is very easy to use and handy. It can be manually adjusted, providing different strengths and cup sizes. Tassimo is an ideal coffee machine for dinner parties. It has a large water tank that can be filled up with one liter of water.

The T-disc system of Braun Tassimo can read a barcode on the disc and start working on it. The pod uses a small-brewing chamber which can feature a unique inverse flow. The drink is then poured from disc into the cup.

Leading brands of T-Discs are Twinings, Kenco and Suchard. All of these can be used to make a cup of coffee, tea, espresso, decaffeinated coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate and caffe crema.

2. Philips SENSEO Coffee Machine
Philips Senseo coffee makers come with a layer of froth that helps retain the taste and warmth of coffee. It can produce one or two cups. The machine comes in three colors of white, black and blue. Senseo coffee maker will take only a minute to brew a coffee. The setting can be tweaked depending on how much coffee you want to make.

Philips Senseo, on the other hand, combines a patented brewing system. It automatically combines the right balance of water and coffee. The brewing system was developed in conjunction with Douwe Egberts which exclusively uses Senseo coffee pods. Pods come in mild, medium, dark roast and decaffeinated blends.

3. The Black & Decker Home Café System GT300
Black and Decker GT300 is a much improved quality of the Black and Decker Home Café System. This GT300 can brew different kinds of pod brands. It features:
o Removable drip-tray
o Fits a larger-size mugs
o One touch cleaning
o 34 oz reservoir and a 14 oz can for brewing
o Specialty 3 sets pod holder
o Works with 7 to 11 gram pod in the single pod holder
o Can use two 7 gram pods in the double pod holder

4. Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System
Keurig B60 is a 1500-watt single cup brewing system that uses patented K-cups. It has a programmable backlit LCD display with an on/off timer and a digital clock. It also features a removable drip tray and temperature controls.

In the past years, many coffee companies and manufacturers continue to make single serving coffee pod machines. Popular brands offer innovative features at your fingertips. Single-serve coffee pod machines provide a convenient way of enjoying coffee at its best.

Popular Single Serve Coffee Pod Machine

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