I like my caramel mochas. I was so excited when McD's started making Starbuck-esque coffee drinks. Finally a fast food option for my addiction. No more waiting in line behind well heeled, soccer mom coffee snobs ordering who the hell knows what in their alien, caffeine stoked language only known to green aproned baristas with crazy dialated pupils!
So I rushed right out my front door and into the realm of disappointment. I soon found myself in line behind hungry yet indecisive working people trying to figure out how to improve their odds of a heart attack while spending the least amount of money. Someone should write a book, "How to Kill Yourself For 6 Bucks Or Less" Thank you dollar menu!
The problem with McD's making espresso drinks is simple...it isn't a coffee shop, it's a burger joint. About one in three coffee drinks I ordered from them came out as planned...the others, epic fails. Well a few ruined drinks are worth it because of the savings per cup right? WRONG. I was only saving about .50 per drink.
There I was. Sad, and still looking for the illusive delicious, affordable caramel mocha. I'm not a giver-upper by nature and so decided there must be a better way. Eureka! I could make my very own drinks at home for half the cost of commercial drinks!
First step...I needed an espresso machine, easy right? WRONG. Searching the internet for espresso machines is kind of like shoe shopping, THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY OPTIONS!! (yes shoe shopping is on my list of things she should do when I'm not home.) So I began to read reviews on different machines and get price comparisons and color options and different features available blah blah blah! It was exhausting. I just want my mocha!
My local coffee roaster/seller (Thanks Dennis and Leah) took pity on me cause they are AWESOME and sent me a guy's information (Thanks Sam) who had done a crap load of research into the tangled web of information that is the home espresso machine. His research coupled with my research led me to the Breville Barista Express machine. Good reviews, nice features, affordable (compared to other machines) and available at a local(sort of) store.
There are a lot of little things to learn about making espresso at home. temperature, grind size, tamp pressure, whole or reduced fat milk, syrup flavors, etc. Yes its a learning thing but I am pleased to announce that I can now make my very own delicious caramel/white chocolate mochas at home! (insert happy dance). 
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