I've gone through several espresso machines over the years and had enough of the problems that arose. So I searched for alternatives and found the 25 dollar Moka Pot for problem-free morning lattes. Here's the play-by-play with helpful tips along the way.
First step is add the water to BELOW the side outlet hole.
Next add the coffee. Any good dark roast will do the job. No need for espresso coffees unless you want that.
Fill the container and pat lightly with fingers. You don't want to overfill.
There ya go.
You want to put the Moka pot on a burner that will heat the pot directly. This is the smallest burner on the stove and does the best job.
You can open the lid and peek if you want, but the best way to know when the espresso is ready is using your ears. When you hear the gurgling and bubbling it's time to turn off the burner. Ooo-boy! It's coming!
This is what you want to see when you turn off the pot. THE CREMA! That beautiful foam on the top of the coffee. It's important to stop it at that point, otherwise the coffee will taste burnt. Or maybe that's my imagination.
The Cream
For a bonus, here's the process of frothing up the cream. You'll notice we start with Light Cream. Life's too short for substitutes.
It's easy to overfill the frother, and when you do, the cream that oozes out onto the counter is a real mess. So just fill to the top of the frother spinner.
Don't forget the sugar! I know, it looks like a lot, but it's only around 1-1/2 Tablespoons.
By the way, you're filling the frother while the espresso is heating up on the stove. You START the frother when the espresso is done. Our final frothy result below.
Now into the cup! It's important to clean the frother after each use or it will quickly smell of old milk. It only takes a minute, so you might want to clean the frother at this point before adding the espresso to your cup. Remove the frother's black spinner before wiping the inside with a soapy dish cloth at the sink. Frothers ARE NOT water safe, so keep the electronic frother bottom of the frother dry and out of your soapy dish water.
Let's pour and enjoy! Don't feel you have to pour all of the espresso into the cup. It's okay to use half, or whatever suits your tastes. You want a balance of the coffee and the cream.
And there it is, ready for your day's endeavors!
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