Monday, May 30, 2005

Coffee

I fixed my coffee machine! Now this might not seem like much but it feels to me like a triumph. I have a Krupps latte machine. I don’t really know which one it is: not the cheapest, not the most expensive. I wish I could find the documentation that came with it. I think they call it an espresso machine but it doesn’t make the greatest espresso. Certainly, not like the great espresso from Peet’s. It makes ok espresso but it makes good steamed milk. What I really love is coffee flavored steamed milk with foam, at home, in the morning, with my e-mail- and blog-reading.
I had tried cleaning it and that didn’t work. I could tell that it was building up pressure and it would steam milk but it wouldn’t make espresso. My friend Bev told me to "take the shower head" off and I tried that. It worked a little bit but not much and I was afraid it was going to explode. So I took the shower head off again and scrubbed around in there with a sharp object and now it works.
I was about ready to junk the thing and go for a Gaggia. Bev has a Gaggia. I talked to her and she said that hers has been in and out of the shop for the last seven months (mostly in the shop, awaiting elusive parts). She’s using her back-up Krupps. So now I’m thinking about the Rancilio Silvia. Doesn’t that just sound right, Miss Silvia in my kitchen. I think I will plan a trip to Sweet Maria’s in Emeryville,CA to talk to the experts.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh...a woman after my own heart. My coffee is SO important to me. I told my architect and builder that one absolute must in my new kitchen is the Meile Coffee center.....

teri

Sonji Hunt said...

Some things you can't skimp on. Your favorite home brewed caffinated beverages, among them.

Lisa said...

Oh Emeryville, what I wouldn't give to live near there again. Do they still have that warehouse full of food booths from many cultures? I used to get the best crepes there...

Deborah Boschert said...

I've gone totally old-school for my espresso and steamed milk. I use a stove top "moka" and a hand operated milk frother. Never any trouble with "shower heads." In fact... I might make one for myself right now.

Debra said...

Thankfully, I think I'm just a coffee drinker. We have 2 expresso makers (electric and stove top... we each bought the other one as a xmas gift a few years ago)... and I don't see where either makes a drink better than what we get in bunn coffeemaker. And that's faster.