affogato, anyone?

This post was created in connection with my appointment as a nespresso “A Cup Above” participant. All opinions are my very own.

have you ever had the pleasure of tasting an affogato? no? well, you're in for a really delicious experience. An affogato is a coffee-based dessert in the form of a creamy rich drink. It usually takes the form of a scoop of vanilla gelato (or ice cream) topped with a shot of hot espresso. we made these in at the speed of light using the VertuoLine Evoluo machine, new from nespresso, which brews both large-cup coffee and authentic espresso at the touch of a button. so, essentially you can impress your guests, literally by just lifting a finger or two, making them an authentic italian delicacy in a matter of a few minutes. Nespresso’s philosophy is all about bringing the extraordinary to the everyday and enjoying life experiences to the fullest, and this VertuoLine makes that presto! — super easy to experience a cup above!

to make an affogato a good rule of thumb is: For every scoop of gelato, use about one ounce of hot espresso. simply scoop your favorite gelato flavor (like vanilla, hazelnut, or coffee) into a pretty glass or clear mug, add espresso and voilá — instant gratification. add a pretty Pirouette or perhaps a biscotti, and it's instant dessert.

i also like the recyclability of Nespresso’s capsules (they're made from aluminum) and recycling bags are provided with your capsules and are pre-paid for you to mail back free of charge. or, you can bring your bag filled with nespresso used capsules to one of 88,000 UPS drop off locations across the country, or they can be given to any UPS driver or taken to a UPS Drop Box, or any Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma, Office Depot or Staples location. you can also obtain recycling bags free of charge by asking for them at a nespresso boutique, ordering them online, or calling the Nespresso Customer Relationship Center. There is no charge to drop off a prepaid return package. Again — super easy! buon appetito!

• photography by Lily Glass for sfgirlbybay.