subject: The Magical Espresso Coffee Machine [print this page] The Magical Espresso Coffee Machine The Magical Espresso Coffee Machine
Ever since I was a teenager, the eternal search began for the perfect cappuccino - well at home at least. Without the use of that magical espresso coffee machine we had seen in cafes and bars up and down the city, we were left to our own devices as to how to procure that white, fluffy cloud that would appear on top of our delicious espresso coffee.
The wonder in our eyes, and the anticipation we would experience, would set our imaginations alive, the thoughts racing to emulate what this magical espresso coffee machine could do. The smell of espresso filling the caf with the wonderful aroma of warmth and comfort, the click and clump of the espresso being attached to the body of the machine, and that enticing sound of the milk being transformed.
These outings to the city caf with my uncles would inevitably lead my sister and I to spend our precious weekends trying to capture for ourselves those fluffy clouds of delight. The first experiment we tried was to boil the milk until it foamed; unfortunately this only succeeded in burning the milk! This was entirely my sister's idea, and what a waste of espresso.
The next week, come another idea, my sister proclaimed with great excitement that she had worked it out. Making our coffee with our mother's stove-top espresso maker, she delicately poured the espresso coffee into a cup, added a few drops of milk, then as if possessed by some coffee demon, frantically stirred and blended the mix. When she was done, she poured some hot water on top and announced, "This is it". Unfortunately not - good try but no bean.
I'd been thinking about it all week, and then suddenly my subconscious mind leads me to the straw. Yes, the straw. Simple; blow into the milk with the straw placed strategically so the end was not completely submerged, watch the foam form, and there! . Cappuccino. Though sadly, the sludgy mess that I had produced was not the coffee I had quite imagined. My sister was completely disgusted and I must say myself, I didn't enjoy it. It's not as magical as the espresso machine and it tasted terrible. I had tried and failed miserably.
These days my sister and I, along with her friends, enjoy a coffee in my garden, with the help of my very own espresso coffee machine. I do still wonder if her friends, Richard and Robert, have the same fascination for espresso? Come to think of it, Richard was asking me for a straw last week.
