So today, six months into this adventure, I celebrate my 101st post! (Please try to drum up some enthusiasm so I feel less like an idiot and more like an eccentric.)
What did I choose to celebrate on this most auspicious of occasions? My ancestry and the bean. Longtime friends. And the stealing of a few precious minutes from the day.
But first, the set up. Every mundane thing we do should be made into a divine experience. I have these darling little espresso cups from the Crate & Barrel outlet. $1.99 for both cup and saucer. I will tell you I have shopped high and low for espresso cup sets and they can be MAJORLY pricey. When I saw these not only did I love the adorable, round, simple shape, but heck, the price could not be beat! (And when I dropped one on the counter recently and it shattered into a million pieces, (as anything does on granite), I could just go pick up a quick $1.99 replacement without having to buy six new cups and saucers at a time.)
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| It's not just what you drink, it's how what you drink it in. Food should be experiential in all aspects consumption. |
Now for the stove top espresso maker of old. This is how the real Italians made coffee a hundred years ago and how they still do it today. They don't have thousand dollar machines in their homes. A $20 stainless steel three piece pot will do. One can be found in every kitchen in Sicily. (And now in mine!)
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| Easy as one, two, three. |
So let's start at the bottom and work our way up. Cold water into the water chamber, filled up to the release valve. That is that little bull's eye seen below.
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| Don't over fill or the steam can't escape. |
Drop in the espresso basket on top of the water. It's got all these little holes in the bottom for the water to bubble up through and brew. (You may think rocket ships are amazing bits of machinery, but this truly captures my interest!)
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| That's what holds the powdery, grounded beans in place. |
I get my espresso at the regular grocery store. I haven't bought a proper burr grinder yet, so I grind dark french roast or espresso beans on the second to last mark in the fine category of settings. An important thing to note is that I do this in small batches, so I get to use fresher coffee. Seeing as I have to go to the grocery store at least once a week, it's not a big deal to grind some fresh about every other week and it really gives me the best flavor.
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| Labeled bowls, of course. |
I put in about four teaspoons (I guessitmate) into the coffee chamber.
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| Fill 'er up. |
Mostly I make half caf/half decaf for my first pot and then switch to decaf. (I've been noted to comment when it's been a "two pot" day. That is code for "rough times" today.)
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| Can already smell the wonderful flavor that is soon to come. Great expectations. |
There are different schools of thought on this. I do not tamp the grounds. There is no point as I'm not using the high pressure of an expensive espresso maker. I merely lightly flatten it out.
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| I use the back of a small spoon. |
The grounds end up smooth on top. But not compacted. Water needs to easily be able to get through them.
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| Flat, not tamped. |
Technically, it's ready to go at this point. But here's where I go unorthodox. (Would you expect anything less?) And I'm sure some people would gasp. But I like to add cinnamon sometimes. Not every time. Just whenever I'm feeling spicy.
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| Another labeled bowl, as if I can't recognize the contents without assistance. |
I place a stick, broken in half, on top of the coffee.
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| Only on top, not pressed into it. |
Back to my perfect cup. I prefer turbinado or raw sugar in my espresso. Melts nicely and has a mellow sweetness that is less sharp than white sugar. So I get my cup ready. A couple of demitasse spoonfuls of sugar in the bottom suits me.
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| I measure my sugar with the same spoon I use to stir it later. |
The top pot gets screwed onto the chamber holding the basket of coffee. Firmly. I turn the heat up to medium, or just so the flame covers a little wider than the bottom of the pot, but not too high. I don't want the handle to get hot. And I set my timer for seven minutes. It takes somewhere, at that setting, between 6 - 7 minutes.
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| I don't want the flame too high. There is a slight science to it. |
About five minutes in, the pressure valve will make a "pssshhh" sound and the water will start bubbling up through the coffee grounds and come out the spout holes in the top and drop into the pot. I keep the lid down, so it doesn't spurt all over my stove and me, but opened it this time so you could see what happens.
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| The brewing. Behind the scenes. |
When it gurgles, it's done. And the pot will be all filled up and ready to go.
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| Oh, the aroma. Like I'm in small kitchen in Italy. It is a divine smell that I can't resist. |
I've read you need to pour it immediately and drink within 30 seconds. Wow, that seems awfully ambitious. I do pour immediately, but it could take me a couple minutes before I drink it.
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| Mere moments away from greatness. |
Are you wondering where that adorable little spoon came from? The town over from my mom, Seymour, CT, has a small main street with some delightful antique shops. We were poking around one day and I was intrigued by the demitasse spoons. I didn't have a purpose in mind at the time, I just fell upon this one and loved it. It was sterling silver and had an engraved bowl that said "Terre Haute," which is a town in Indiana. (I've never even been to Indiana.) How kitchy! It was made somewhere around the 1940s. But the price was $15.00. (For a mini spoon.) It seemed like a lot. (Did I mention... for a spoon.) I was going to pass on it, but my mom insisted on buying it for me. Sometimes you have to let your mom just do something nice for you. Especially when she doesn't see you that often. Well, I'm so glad she did buy it for me. (And that I let her. Which is extremely rare.) I now absolutely LOVE it! I use it every time I make espresso.
Recently I added another spoon to my humble collection. It has "Los Angeles" on it. It's fun to pick up a little piece of history. Of travel. But I make a rule to only buy what I absolutely adore. I won't settle for anything less. That often translates to something with a little bit higher price tag, but it satisfies my soul when I buy less that I absolutely love, than more of what I merely tolerate. (As Americans, we need to adopt this value once again and stop buying things just because they are cheap and abundant and go back to being more concerned about quality. You really do get what you pay for.)
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| A classic, special spoon really adds to the enjoyment of the experience. |
That day, I also happened to have a scone I made with clotted cream on it. What a particularly incredible morning!
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| It doesn't get any better than this. |
Espresso is an art form. A full body experience. With the spirit of a true Italian artist, anyone can easily learn to craft the finest cup of morning brew they've ever had. It is more affordable than hitting the chain establishments, and nothing is better than drinking coffee from a beautiful porcelain cup with an antique spoon in your favorite spot in your home. My advice: stir slowly. Lift gently. Inhale deeply. Sip meaningfully. Allow yourself to be lost without cares for just a little while.
The world moves too quickly. I say this often. You blink, and before you know it, the days are gone. I try to remember to enjoy each and every delightful, slowed-down moment I can manage to steal in a day.
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