Espresso Machine, D*mmit!

Q: Well Kurt, if its similar to the small, department store type I have, I hope you have better luck than I did. You just (in my experience) don't get anything approaching a "commerially avauilable cup of espresso from these small units. No crema to speak of of. As I said, I hope you have better luck and maybe some of the experienced barristas can provide some tips!

A: True. You need a "pump" machine. A Gaggia "Espresso" is a good entry level one - it has a good pump and boiler and a 58MM solid portafilter. But then you didn't ID what you picked up at the garage sale... I have a MR. Coffee one someplace, haven't used it in a while. I thought it made good espresso, but it was a real drag to clean. I decided I'd rather pay 3 bucks for a latte than clean the damn thing. Gave up the sugar in deference to the cream. MUCH better idea, and many thanks for the suggestions; you folks were, as always, right on target. The LSW *LOVES* both the French Press and the Espresso machine. Will be having another cup or three shortly. GLP Odyssey in a Boswell, preparing to raid the kitchen and play Iron Chef with some specialty pizzas. The best foam comes from low fat or skim milk. Keep the pitcher in the freezer until you are ready to vent the steam into the pitcher. Start slow from the bottom and you will get volumes! I have a small Bosch I used to use before the Doc cut off the caffeine. It is also not a pump machine but does an adequate job so long as the grind is right. A double will definitely get the scalp tingling. I have two espresso makers, and I used to have a cappuccino machine. It was tired and wanted to rest in the dump. I used to think the espresso was good from my makers, the typical stove-top type where the steam pressure from the boiler below filters up through the coffee above. That is until I went to my local coffee roaster. She's nice lady. She took me into the back room and fired up a vintage hand-press--it had a huge hand lever to pressure the water through the coffee--and man what a cup of espresso that was. It had a cr?me top, no bitterness, even without any sugar, and a beautiful kick to it. Since then I haven't used my stove-top machines; they pale in comparison. One day I am going to get one of those old hand pump types. Something Zen about doing it that way also.

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