 |
 |
 |
||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
|
||
A cup of coffee is powerful, a pot of tea is thoughtful, and a cappuccino is sensual. Jeff Weinstein - Peets Coffee There's coffee, and then there's espresso. Espresso, it has been said, is the very soul of coffee. A monkey can be trained to make coffee through a drip machine, but good espresso takes some training, a lot of practice, and some skill. Oh sure your Starbucks barista just pushes a button on their $30,000 machine. And that shot is even pretty good if you like Starbucks coffee (I confess that I do). To make a truly great espresso however, it is my esteemed opinion, that you've got to do it the old fashioned way. By hand. What kind of espresso machine does GAD use? Why a Pavoni of course! The Pavoni Europiccola (Pictured) is by far the best home espresso machine I have ever seen. It is not a "pump" machine, nor is it strictly a "steam" machine, but rather a "piston" machine. Simply put, you rely on yourself to push the hot water through the coffee. This is NOT the machine for someone that want's to push a button and get a cup of espresso. This is the machine for the anal control freak (me) that wants total control over his crema, and is willing to spend the time learning how to do it right. 
My first espresso machine was a Braun pump machine. It sucked. It made espresso, to be sure, and it even frothed milk. It was a plastic piece of junk that broke after 3 months. I thought I would save some money and get a less expensive machine. I was wrong.
I then got a Pavoni Espresso Si. As fortune would have it, shortly after I got the Espresso Si, I got a bonus at work. I took the bonus, returned the Espresso Si, and got the machine of my dreams. The Europiccola. 
Also pictured here is the Pavoni Chrome grinder. This grinder is awesome. It is adjustable from espresso-fine to french-press-coarse. I highly recommend it. Of course the fact that it matches my Europiccola helps too... I do have a Gaggia Espresso which is a plastic toy that happens to make a pretty damn good cup of espresso. If you can't afford the Pavoni, I recommend the "Espresso Gaggia".
Reasons NOT to get a Pavoni Lever Machine: It is extremely expensive compared to "normally" priced machines - From power on to the final wipe down, it takes no less than 45 minutes to make one shot - The exterior of this machine gets HOT - It's kind of scary at first. This machine works at extreme pressure - If it were to explode (not likely), it would BECOME a little atomic bomb! I had to hunt for days to get information on this beast. Here's some info on the web for you to help with your Pavoni decision making. On Espresso and Coffee etc. Peet's Coffee (Considered by many to be the best) Coffee and Caffeine FAQ What to look for in a cup of espresso Factors in a Perfect Cup (of espresso) Espresso Terminology Resources for home espresso On Pavoni Unofficial Page of the Chrome Peacock Finding the Perfect Espresso Machine Espresso Machines On Where to get a Pavoni I got mine at William Sonoma, and yes, I paid too much for it. Impatience has it's price La Gondola Brewmaster
|
