Date: 31 Oct 2006 08:50:11
From: Harry Moos
Subject: The taste of espresso
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Twenty years ago, I discovered espresso at a bluegrass festival we regularly
attend. It was a small cart with a dual lever machine and a single
operator. He was a nice fellow, very conversational, and through the years
I tried most of his drinks [even though at $1.50 or more then they were
expensive compared to the fifty-cent coffee at the next stand]. Anyway,
through a progression of home espresso makers -- Krups Novo Compact,
Rancilio Nancy, Gaggia Coffee, and now Silvia -- I have tried to imitate
that taste from my original experience. As you may guess, no Starbucks in
our neck of the woods. On a recent visit to my grandson, I read some
reviews of coffeehouses in his area. One had great testimonials. He took
me there. Nice equipment. A hangout for university students. I ordered a
straight double espresso. Terrible stuff! Tasted like cigarette ash.
Couldn't drink it. Did I hit a bad day? An inexperienced barista? Stale
coffee? Is that the taste people were raving about? If that had been my
first experience with espresso, it would also have been my last. The
mystery to me was how were all those other customers drinking it. Did they
expect that taste? Did they like it? Or was that the price they paid to
hang out in a popular place? Or did I get "bad espresso" way back at the
start and didn't know it?
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