How did you get interested in espresso? - Page 2

Want to talk espresso but not sure which forum? If so, this is the right one.
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BaristaBoy E61
Posts: 3512
Joined: 9 years ago

#11: Post by BaristaBoy E61 »

My journey began having dinner at a friend's when I noticed an appliance on the counter that even after pondering for some time that for the life of me, I couldn't identify. She told me, "It's a Nespresso machine".

We had wonderful espresso with dessert and as a lover of a great cup of coffee decided I had to have one too. Before pulling the trigger, figuring there might be a better way I started by research that led me to a separate grinder and espresso machine. I was set; a Kitchen Aide coffee grinder was the best. That's when further research produced the Baratza Vario; I was set - again.

On a trip to Paris we had coffee at a café that was using several Baratza Varios for pour overs, when my wife saw them in action she drew to my attention that they were, 'Jumping all over the counter'. She said, "I will don't have anything that 'jumps' on the counter'. I told her that's OK, I know how to fix that - Then she saw the shear size of the Mahlkonig K30 Vario that I had ordered in the showroom at Chris' Coffee. Fortunately Mary at Chris' Coffee convinced her that it's better to 'Go Big' right out of the gate so to speak.

As we live in Canada, when crossing the border I declared everything we bought, scales, thermometer, measuring equipment etc., the border agents got so suspicious, they thought we were setting up a Meth Lab - they did everything but bring out the drug-sniffing dogs!

I almost bought a Speedster as my first machine - and my wife would have gone along with it but I couldn't justify to myself going from a one-copper pour over stainless steel drip that sat on my coffee mug for 40-years to the Speedster (Silly me, me while I had the chance).

Anyway, I later discovered HB and here I am - still lusting after the one that got away -that Speedster (now an Idromatic)!
"You didn't buy an Espresso Machine - You bought a Chemistry Set!"

luvmy40
Posts: 1143
Joined: 4 years ago

#12: Post by luvmy40 »

Late in 1991 after getting out of the army, I met my future ex wife(current wife, LOL). She, also just out of the army, was from Hoquiam WA and her parrents had moved out to start one of the first real espresso shops in Ohio. This was a couple years before Starbucks started going up on every corner. As a matter of fact, they tried to buy a franchise from Starbucks but were told SB had no intentions of moving into the midwest. :roll:

Up till then, I was a die hard Maxwell House, motorpool drip machine kind of guy and had only had terrible espresso from German cafe's or super sweet "Mocha" drinks from trendy reseraunts. My wife's family introduced me to quality espresso and taught me how to pull a shot on the Faema Due semi auto machine in their shop.

I was hooked.

I imemediately bought the only pump driven home espresso machine I could find locally. That was a Delonghi of some flavor. I also got a Delonghi grinder at the same time. We were eventually able to produce a drinkable if not excellent espresso with that combination, probably because I had enough education at this point to not bother with grocery store beans. There was a very good roaster about 20 miles from us where the FIL bought his coffee for the shop.

I progressed through several "upgrades" in machines all still pretty terrible but never upgraded the grinder. When the in-laws decide to retire, they gave us the original coffee cart they started out with in the local mall, including the Due and Faema commercial grinder from the shop. We had no room for it and sold it a few years later, but having that for a while convinced me that I would never go back to a crappy home machine.

I kept my eye on ebay and eventual picked up a Faema Family Grinder which was head and shoulders better than the Delonghi. Then I lucked into a CMA single group single boiler semi auto machine that was a legacy at a local cafe. It was in pretty bad shape, completely caked with coffee inside and out, a bad three way solenoid and fill solenoid, etc. They gave me the machine for $50.00 so they didn't have to haul it to the scrap yard. I cleaned it up and rebuilt it. I plumbed it in and modified the manual switch to perform pre infusion at line pressure. It resided on my kitchen counter for 10 years. That combination made wonderful espresso.

My work was keeping me on the road for long stretches and my wife only made on cup a day so heating up that massive boiler was just impractical. The CMA got stowed away and we went with a Kuerig for a while. That got old and we tried the Areo Press. That was acceptable if not spectacular. Then I found this forum and discovered the Breville BDB, and the Niche Zero and I dove back down the rabbit hole!

mathof
Posts: 1474
Joined: 13 years ago

#13: Post by mathof »

I lived in Italy (Venice) for a year, studying Italian and hanging out at coffee bars.

thirdcrackfourthwave
Posts: 571
Joined: 5 years ago

#14: Post by thirdcrackfourthwave »

Made viscerally ill by the amount of money DW was giving to Mermaid so we got a machine for her. Then she gave birth and I started catching too many 4 AM feedings.

Nunas
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#15: Post by Nunas »

For the life of me, I can't remember! I recall buying a Belman stovetop espresso maker a very long time ago, maybe 40-years. We thought that was "espresso" back then; now we know it was only mocha. We used it for many years until my wife blew the gasket one day (what a mess) and she banished it from the kitchen. Flash forward to about 15-years ago. We were living on our motor yacht AKAMA in a Whangaparaoa (the Wh is pronounced as an eff) New Zealand marina. The Kiwis were mad about coffee back then and way ahead of many other countries in taking up espresso; so much so that it was hard to find a cafe that still used a regular coffee maker. One of our fellow yachties asked if we wanted to drive into Auckland to an espresso shop to look at an espresso machine he was interested in buying. We entered and I immediately fell in love with the aroma. This was a full-blown espresso operation with a big roaster, lots of machines on offer, and a licensed restaurant...nirvana! In the end, my friend passed on getting into espresso. But my wife and I were hooked. We bought a machine and I took a little course on how to use it.

billgiannelli
Posts: 76
Joined: 4 years ago

#16: Post by billgiannelli »

I have always wanted stronger better tasting coffee. I had been using a cuisinart grind and drip machine. but lately I was dissatisfied with the taste. then I started looking into espresso. caught many adds on the breville oracle touch. so I took the leap and bought the machine. then it started me on this endless journey of pursuing a better and better shot. I was impressed with the Oracle touch, but very quickly I felt I was hitting its limits. I was dependent on its grinder and then its automatic tamping. looking to improve on the grind and the tamping, it seemed to circumvent the whole idea of the machine. It's a great machine for what it does, don't get me wrong. but sometimes it seemed lacking.
So I started researching alternatives. One thing seemed obvious was to get a good separate grinder. I plan I buying a Eureka Atom 75. Then the machine I settled on was the Lelit Bianca.
So, I returned the Breville.
But was happened was I got hooked on espresso. now I have no machine. And I am back to the cuisinart and lousy coffee. I think I am having "espresso withdrawals"! I am waiting when the Lelit is back in stock to order.
So......my adventure into espresso has completely ruined my coffee drinking.....for the moment!
Bill

billgiannelli
Posts: 76
Joined: 4 years ago

#17: Post by billgiannelli »

Maucca#68 wrote:We use to travel a lot, Me and My wife. All over the Europe now mainly in Spain. I've had good and bad coffees in Our trips, mainly good ones.
Few years back I got an enlightenment in Italy, why do I drink bad Finnish drip coffee instead of a good espresso or cafe latte from fresh beans. That made Me to purchase My first automatic machine. After third setup I'm quite pleased the quality of My daily coffee. I use to bring a Bialetti moka pot and Cappuccinatore with milk thermometer with Me to My trips.
My father in law lived in Czech Republic. He kindly let us borrow his car for Our roadtrips across the Europe. Thanks to Him, I think I've been drinking espressos at least 15 European countries.
This one was in Trieste Italy september 2015.
image
what is that small drink in your picture? is it an espresso drink?

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AssafL
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#18: Post by AssafL »

It seems that the Navy was singlehandedly responsible for my espresso, non-alcoholic (wink) whiskey, and foody hobbies.

In the 90's I was stationed in the navy - in Tel-Aviv - and occasionally we'd trek up Rothschild boulevard to Arcaffe to get cappuccinos or espressos with sugar. It was a time when Israel was opening up to new flavors, a trend which started in the mid to late 80's. As the country opened up to business, more and more people flew to Europe and the US and they came back with a taste for European foods and drinks.

Obviously Italian food was probably the first to come here (as everyone for some reason seems to like pasta and pizza) and with it Espresso. So for me it was when the Arcaffe chain opened up in Israel to bring the "italian" coffee experience to Israel. That is when it started for me.

BTW - At around the same time period, one of my superior officers brought a La Pavoni Europiccola to the office. There was always coffee and non-alcoholic (wink) Glenfiddich at the office. A year or two later after a few disappointing Mokapot attempts I dragged a champagne colored Gaggia Cafe Classic with me from Vienna.
Scraping away (slowly) at the tyranny of biases and dogma.

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