What is it about coffee?
There are so many things that I love about it: the rich aroma of a new bag of beans, freshly ground and percolating in the pot; the special rituals of my favorite mug and the perfect amount of milk (no thank you on the sugar); and how it pries even the sleepiest eyes open.
A few weeks ago our cappuccino machine died. The pump just stopped working. We had dug it out of the closet to replace our coffee maker, which had been turning itself on during the day for no reason (and with no water inside!). Both have served us well for at least 10 years, maybe even longer, so we really couldn’t complain.
However, the thought of replacing either one of them was overwhelming. My husband started researching online and I switched to green tea.
A few weeks later I saw this pot at a friend’s house. I was smitten with its design and simplicity — just three parts, no on/off switch and no pump. Could less really be more?
Oh, I am so in love with this little guy! I also bought a foaming wand for milk. The cappuccinos just might be the best I’ve ever tasted.
Apparently Italians have been using this to make espresso for over 75 years. L’omino con i baffi has a fascinating history. If you have a thing for product design and branding, it’s worth a read.
for the curious: I purchased the 6 cup Moka Express and Aerolatte foaming wand (links go to amazon.com). Note! 6 cups = 6 two-ounce espresso cups, not 6 eight-ounce cups. It’s a tiny little thing.
This is not a product endorsement or paid review. The Bialetti and Aerolatte folks have no idea who I am. I just love a good cup of cappuccino.
I have been wanting to buy one, but no one can tell me what type of coffee grind to buy. The place I get my coffee grinds a cone shaped filter at a numer 6 on their machine. I also make coffee the “Mellitta way” with that grind. What kind of grind do you use? I heard that if you grind it very fine it can clog the holes in the Bialetii. Please instruct me on how to proceed.
Thanks!
Rosa, I grind at home, so I’m not sure what to tell you. My grinder has extra fine, fine, medium and coarse. I use the middle of the fine setting.
Thank you for your response. This helps me a bit and will find a way to translate your setting when I go buy coffee. I appreciate your help!