Well, I wasn't trying to push espresso on my wife. She really isn't into the strong flavor of espresso. My espresso is actually quite good. It's a world better than Starbuck and pretty close to the trained Barista's at Bare Foot Coffee Roasters. If I had a Jolly Mazor and hybrid Linea I would probably be making espresso taste the same as theirs.

I'm sure you know plenty of people that just can't get used to the strong taste of espresso. She doesn't like dark chocolate either. For example, I bought some top notch Dagoba dark chocolate. She just chews it up and swallows. I let the dark chocolate sit on my tongue and soak in the flavor.

On the other hand, my father, who also loves dark chocolate, loves my espresso.

Usually I dial in the temperature for each blend and use beans that are only a 3-10 days old.

I had a feeling I would attract advice with that last post. Thanx for trying.

roblumba wrote:I had a feeling I would attract advice with that last post. Thanx for trying.

You got me. However I can't resist offering one last piece of advice: Try serving her macchiatos or breves. Only one of my wife's friends will drink espresso straight, but they all ooh and ahh over what I introduce as "dessert espresso."


Close-up of the first moments of the "cinnamon cascade"
formed by the separating layers of a macchiato (link)

I'll take that piece of advice. Actually, I've never made or served a machiatto or breve. So I'll need to learn the proper way to make those.

LOL!!! Coffee (i.e. espresso) is a lot like fine audio...your friends know you are "into" it - but few really appreciate it. I used to often play some fine records (something musically great and really well recorded) for my guests and realized that I was more often playing it AT them rather than FOR them. After a couple of moments of silence, they just started talking and the audio was really just in the way. Now, I only fire up the tubes for real aficionados and this is a VERY small subset of my friends (3 or 4 persons).

While many folk think they like espresso and coffee, too few really do, at least here in Pittsburgh. Witness the usual *$s order:
- grande mocha frappaccino with whipped cream, or
- tall decaf, soya cappuccino, or
- grande caramel latte, etc.
(Can one even taste any coffee in these?)

I feel really honored when someone stops in who just wants an espresso. Many of my friends will ask for a cappuccino...many of them also add some sugar thereto. Even my own kids only want latte and my one daughter uses 3 teaspoons of sugar in a single cappuccino!!!!

ahhh...the simple enjoyments of life can be enjoyed...even if it is...a l o n e.

Len

While many folk think they like espresso and coffee, too few really do, at least here in Pittsburgh. Witness the usual *$s order:
- grande mocha frappaccino with whipped cream, or
- tall decaf, soya cappuccino, or
- grande caramel latte, etc.
(Can one even taste any coffee in these?)

I think location is important. For example, in Chattanooga TN there are a few very popular coffee shops that serve decent coffee drinks. They have been there for quite a while. However, most people are fine with instant coffee at home. There are very few Starbucks around town. Coffee is not much of an interest to these people although they do apreciate a good cup of coffee.

Here in the Silicon Valley, there are many more people that appreciate good coffee. There's an Italian across the street that built his own wood fired pizza oven and uses a Moka pot in the mornings. There's several very good roasters in the area. Within the group of engineers I work with, several of them like to drink espresso in the afternoon, not the latte of cappuccino.

I think the Wine and fine food crowd also knows how to appreciate good coffee. I have Napa Valley very close by, so there is a large audience of people that appreciate the nuances of find food and good coffee. And again, back in the South, few of my relatives drink wine and in some counties, liquor is not allowed to be sold or purchased. But they sure can cook up some good BBQ and fried chicken. Better than anything out here.

hbuchtel wrote:
How do you all serve coffee? For a spouse, for friends, for guests . . .

Hi Henry,

I mainly serve coffee to myself. Caffeine after 5 pm will keep my wife up all night so during the week I pull about 3 doubles for myself after work.

On the weekend me and my wife start the day off with cappuccinos. Then I pull about 2 to 3 doubles split into singles for the cappuccinos.

When friends come over who really appreciate good espresso things can hop. I've got a Silvia so pulling straight espresso is a lot easier than doing milk based drinks. My sister and I are first generation North Americans. Our parents were Austrian and just about all our relatives still live in Austria. We've both been over seas at least a dozen times throughout our lives to see them.

Austria has a long history with coffee. Their espresso is very good. Coffee houses are well established there. My brother in law visited Austria with my sister so he's had the coffee there as well. When they come over we bring out the biscotti, hazelnut rolls, lady fingers and just about anything that's good to nibble with espresso. Everyone gets a small glass of water (very traditional) and the pulling starts. I don't usually leave the kitchen then because I'll be pulling shots back to back to back. It's difficult to get good espresso in North America so my sister and brother in law fill up when they're over. I don't mind at all, in fact I'm flattered that they compare my espressos to the ones they remember in Austria.

Coffee is part of my heritage and with all the great info on line realizing the passion for good coffee was not only possible but it happened. Apart from pulling espresso I roast my own beans and experiment with blends so my coffee is always fresh and well prepared. I've been lucky to pick up heavy Italian espresso cups and saucers for everyday use and have a good stock of mochaccino glasses and cappuccino cups which are used to properly serve a drink. Our kitchen is open concept and the grinder, espresso machine, blended beans and coffee equipment is lined up on a counter separating kitchen from dining area. The dining area is much like a cafe and over the machine hangs a chalk board that shows what guests can 'order' and the coffees/blends of the day.

mrgnomer wrote:When friends come over who really appreciate good espresso things can hop. I've got a Silvia so pulling straight espresso is a lot easier than doing milk based drinks.

( . . . )

When they come over we bring out the biscotti, hazelnut rolls, lady fingers and just about anything that's good to nibble with espresso. Everyone gets a small glass of water (very traditional) and the pulling starts. I don't usually leave the kitchen then because I'll be pulling shots back to back to back. It's difficult to get good espresso in North America so my sister and brother in law fill up when they're over. I don't mind at all, in fact I'm flattered that they compare my espressos to the ones they remember in Austria.

( . . . )

Our kitchen is open concept and the grinder, espresso machine, blended beans and coffee equipment is lined up on a counter separating kitchen from dining area. The dining area is much like a cafe and over the machine hangs a chalk board that shows what guests can 'order' and the coffees/blends of the day.

That sounds so nice!

Making espresso is still a rather lonely business for me, though to be honest I often produce drinks that "only a mother could love" . . . it's a long learning process! I'm looking forward to the day when having espresso is something that guests and friends look forward to or come over for, but this is a while off.

You mentioned "anything that's good to nibble," have you tried fresh dates with espresso? The large crisp green or speckled brownish-red kind? Very refreshing and sweet!

Henry

There's lots of info on the web about espresso and espresso pulling. It took me a while to catch on to the dynamics of espresso and understand my Silvia. I've yet to taste an ideal shot from a dedicated barista but I think my shots are really good.

I've never thought of having fresh dates with espresso but that's a great idea. The combination would be tasty. Thanks

Well, I acquired a high-end commercial two-group machine for a friend's new shop, and between me picking it up for him and him buying it, he lost support and I have it for the time being. After cleaning it up a bit and replacing the PF gaskets, I put it up for sale, and it sat in my house for a coupla weeks. I decided to hook it up while it waited. The novelty of having this machine that dominates my small kitchen is sort of the center of the experience, so, of course, folks watch me work it while they wait for their drinks.

I've posted this before, but it's still true. My middle-aged dinner parties usually end with: "Would you like some espresso? It's late -- got decaf? Sorry, no. I'll pass. ... Would you like some espresso? It's late -- got decaf? Sorry, no. I'll pass. ... Would you like some espresso? It's late -- got decaf? Sorry, no. I'll pass. ... Would you like some espresso? It's late -- got decaf? Sorry, no. I'll pass. ......."