Obtaining the best tasting coffee for your holiday coffee specialties is the first step to an amazing palate pleaser. This begins by ensuring that your coffee maker is in tiptop shape to receive the incoming coffee grounds. Hidden lime deposits can build up in your automatic drip coffee maker, adding unwanted flavor. An excellent way to remove this build up is liquid DIP-IT. This cleanser removes deposits better than vinegar and water and doesn't leave your kitchen saturated with unpleasant odors. For the removal of food and beverage stains from metal, porcelain, plasticware and glass, DIP-IT powdered stain remover will help your kitchenware and countertops shine.

Once you've cleared out any unwanted additions from the coffeepot, your holiday brewing can begin with the delicious recipes below.

As the leaves fall and Jack Frost settles in for the winter, coffee drinkers are sure to seek warmth from their daily cup of Joe. So add a little splash of warm cheer to the cool air and to your coffee mug, and celebrate Mother Nature's chilly side.

Harvest Coffee Cider

¼ cup coffee grounds
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar or honey
1 cup apple juice
3 cups cold water

Place coffee and cinnamon in brew basket of coffee maker. Place sugar and apple juice in the bottom of the coffee pot. Add water to coffee maker and brew. When brewing is complete, stir until well mixed. This recipe tends to be a little messy, so using powder DIP-IT is especially helpful when cleaning the stains off your carafe and brewing basket and for always attaining the best tasting coffee. For cleaning the water circulation system, use the liquid form.

While watching children sled down snow covered hills and delight in their snowmen creations, enjoy a cup of Eggnog Coffee from inside. This holiday treat will melt the coldest hands and please your taste buds as well.

Eggnog Coffee

¼ cup coffee grounds
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons sugar
2 ½ cups cold water
1 cup eggnog, warmed
Whipped topping

Place coffee and nutmeg in brew basket of coffee maker. Place sugar in empty pot of coffee maker. When brewing is complete, stir in eggnog. Serve immediately and top each serving with whipped topping. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg. Makes 5 servings.

Champagne isn't the only beverage that can help you usher in the New Year. Make it one of your New Year's resolutions to serve Dante's Café Inferno, a fiery mixture that will warm your heart and nose at any New Year's activity.

Dante's Café Inferno - Serves 1

2 cubes sugar
½ shot Grand Marnier
1 strip orange peel
½ shot brandy
6 whole cloves
1 strip lemon peel
8 ounces of freshly brewed coffee

Slowly heat all of the ingredients except the coffee in a saucepan. The brandy will begin to release its aroma after a few minutes. At this point, ignite the brandy and allow the flames to burn for 15 to 20 seconds. Next, ladle the brandy mixture into your hot mug of coffee and stir.

Finally, you can add a little spice to your Valentine's Day celebration (whether you need it or not) with the saucy coffee concoction Café d'Amour. Serve this enticingly easy blend to heat things up or just to spread some coffee love.

Café d'Amour

Freshly brewed coffee
Benedictine
Kahlua
Cointreau
Whipped cream

Mix one part Benedictine, one part Kahlua and hot coffee into a mug. Top with whipped cream and float a dash of Cointreau on top.