Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Have Espresso, Will Travel with Nomad

nomad espresso machine
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Espresso is delicious, packs a caffeinated punch, and makes you look damn classy. But it’s a pain to make, requiring expensive machinery or an overpriced coffee shop. That used to be the harsh reality we were forced to live in; now there’s Nomad Espresso Machine.

homemade espresso with nomad
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Vincent Chen, who has a PhD in cognitive science, and Curt Morgan teamed up to design the Nomad after Chen found even Parisian home brewed espresso often came with a burned taste. The two men felt surely there was a way to have a compact, easy-t0-use espresso maker that would ensure the perfect cup every time. A couple of years later, and they’ve changed everything.

Recommended Videos

With nothing more than some coffee grounds, water, and minor effort on your part, you can have the perfect espresso anywhere, anytime. How, you ask? With their patented valve and a simple machine. Fill the Filter Basket with grounds, tamp it down with the provided tamper, and place the tray inside the machine. Pour in 10 oz. of water (temperature is your choice– hot, cold or iced water all work) then, using the seesawing lever, you create a buildup of pressure completely customized to your taste.

nomad pressure gauge
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Here’s where it gets really cool. Normally, making a truly great espresso requires some training;  you have to grind the coffee perfectly and tamp it down with absurd precision. Nomad allows you to bypass the training stages. Their patented True Crema Valve will compensate for any variations that could possibly throw off your delicious shot of espresso. It’s ridiculously fun pumping the lever and monitoring the pressure on the gauge while watching the cup fill up with silky-smooth espresso.

nomad espresso drawer
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It requires no batteries, no charging, no cartridges of any sort. It’s powered completely by you so where you’ve got water and coffee, by George you can have espresso! The world is your caffeinated oyster! Espresso shots can be enjoyed on their own or as part of cappuccinos, cafe lattes, Americanos, etc.

You can buy this engineering marvel through the company directly or via Amazon. It’s beautiful design will jazz up your kitchen, but it’s small enough to fit in backpacks, beach bags, or suitcases. Because why ever travel without your own personal espresso maker, you classy devil?

Elizabeth Dahl
Elizabeth Dahl is a southern girl in the heart of Los Angeles who lived far too long before learning what an incredible food…
Can you microwave coffee? What you should know about proper reheating
Don't dump cold coffee just yet
Man drinking a cup of coffee

Imagine this: You've managed to make it out of bed, head downstairs, and patiently await a freshly brewed cup of coffee as you turn on your coffee maker. You take the first deliciously warm sip and place your mug down. Soon, your attention is quickly on the next thing on your to-do list, whether getting ready for work or unloading the dishwasher. Before you know it, an hour has passed, and you realize your warm cup of coffee is still sitting there, mostly full and cold. This common occurrence may leave you wondering: "Can you microwave coffee?"
Can you microwave coffee?

Instead of wasting a cup of cold coffee, you can reheat your room-temperature coffee in the microwave. However, if you've ever done this, you may notice that the coffee tastes different once reheated. Microwaving your coffee causes it to become more bitter, thanks to the natural acids within coffee. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and quinic acid are all present when you initially brew your coffee. Yet, these compounds are released even more when you reheat your cup. In turn, you may be left with more bitter coffee than the original cup. If you can get past the slight changes in taste, your coffee is still safe to consume even after reheating.
How to reheat coffee in the microwave

Read more
Discover Rome’s best-kept secret with the Negroni Formidabile
A shot of Roman amaro adds an anise kick to the classic cocktail
Amaro Formidabile

On a recent trip to Rome, I discovered something wonderful. Not the stunning architecture or the beautiful art, or the incredible history of the Roman Forum -- though those are pretty great too -- but a new to me amaro called Amaro Formidabile. The amaro is handmade in Rome, using a long list of botanicals including cinchona, wormwood, gentian, kola nut, star anise, and more, and it has all the fruity sweetness of something like Montenegro, but with a solid bitter backbone more reminiscent of Fernet.

What I like best about it though is the strong punch of anise that rushes to the front, making it almost reminiscent of Ouzo, but without the harshness and with more fruity, floral flavors supporting in the background. The Romans love to drink this amaro simply: just chilled, or perhaps over ice, but sipped alone after a meal as a tasty digestif. It's a great way to see off a delicious, indulgent Roman meal of artichokes with pecorino romano, stuffed courgette flowers or fiori di zucca, then a big hearty bowl of cacio e pepe.

Read more
How to mix Mexico’s other spirit, Sotol, into fall cocktails
Learn how to use this Mexican spirit in fall-themed cocktails
sotol fall cocktails ez2a6539 scaled jpg

You know tequila, and in recent years if you're into drinks then you've likely come across mezcal too. But Mexico has more spirits to offer than just these two -- like Sotol, a distilled spirit made from succulent plants. Brands like Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol are small family-owned operations which promote sustainability and biodiversity as part of the spirits-making process.

While Sotol is traditionally drunk neat, especially after a meal, it can also be used in cocktails and mixed drinks. While it is often used as an alternative to tequila in drinks like a margarita or as an alternative to white rum in drinks like a mojito, there are also cocktails designed to specifically complement its flavor profile.

Read more