Friday, January 10, 2014

Forever Espresso Miss Moka 3 Cup Espresso Maker.

Forever Espresso Miss Moka 3 Cup Espresso Maker.I bought one of these at a market in Naples Italy, for 10 euros (maybe 15 bucks American). But I could have haggled him down if I'd wanted to. This was one of the best investments I've made. Everyone in Italy brews with these little Moka pots more than with espresso machines. To be fair, these "technically" aren't espresso, but to our tastebuds they are the same. The difference is that these moka pots generally do not produce the rich crema on the top--the mark of a true espresso. At a fraction of the price you can approach the quality of countertop espresso machines, and far outclass anything you'd get out of a typical america-style coffee maker. This is a simple machine to use, it brews up a nice strong cup of espresso-type coffee. Its sturdy aluminum. I use mine about every other day or so, and down the whole 3 cups myself in an iced coffee or a big cappuccino. Just know that a 3 cup, means about 5.5-6 ozs. I got a little stirring wand, a frothing pitcher, and this--total of $40--make my own cappuccinos, lattes and machiattos. It does take some practice, especially to make a cappuccino, but here's how to use this machine right on the first try.

1) Unscrew the top (the carafe) from the bottom portion (the basin).

2) Remove the brew basket from between them (its seated in the basin)

3) Fill the basin with water up to the steam nozzle (a tiny pressure release valve on the interior wall of the basin. Its hard to miss)

4) Replace the brew basket in the basin. It should rest just above the water, with none spilling into the basket.

5) Fill the brew basket to slightly overflowing with espresso ground coffee (finer than normal drip or french grind, coarser than Turkish grind). Any kind of coffee bean will do, only use the dark "espresso" beans if you don't mind a mildly burnt flavor to your coffee.

6) Do not tamp down, or just tamp lightly. This is not a full-on espresso machine and it doesn't generate the kind of pressure those do to justify a hard tamp.

7) Screw the top back on. Snug, so no water leaks out, but not so tight that you risk breaking it to open again.

8) Heat on stovetop at Medium (5-7 out of 10)

9) After 3-7 minutes you'll hear the coffee percolate up and dribble down, inside the carafe. This is normal and lets you know that it will be done brewing soon.

10) Promptly remove from burner when the Moka pot gives off steam and starts making gasping/exhaling noises. It has finished percolating (ie: no water left at the bottom).

11) Serve immediately for best flavor.

* You can also seal the espresso in an airtight jar (I use old, washed out, spaghetti sauce jars) and refrigerate (perhaps with 1 : 2.5 coffee to whole milk ratio, and 2-3tbsp sugar, 1tbsp chocolate powder). Shake to stir, refrigerating promptly afterwards. The chilling has a different, pleasant affect on the coffee, just don't let the coffee get luke warm sitting out on the counter, or overcook sitting in the hot brew-basket (even off the burner). Chilling reduces the acidity of the coffee without hurting the caffeine. Net result, a fine iced coffee that is easier on the stomach but still a great perk.

* If you heat the pot too fast, or if you leave the pot on the burner, after the coffee has finished percolating, then it will burn the coffee. Good espresso should taste strong, a little rich, maybe even sweet, but never burnt. If your coffee does taste burnt, but you've tried it my way, then you may want to invest in better (lighter) beans.

* To clean, I usually just run cool water over it to cool it down (if I can't wait), then rinse all three parts individually with warm water, no soap. Sometimes I'll wipe down any oily residue if any remains. But warm water should do the trick.

I am posting this review to balance the incorrect review of "Loki" below, who rated this product a "1" because of her misunderstanding of the product rather than the product itself. Her reason for rating it a "1" is that it is "too small." Having lived in Italy for 3 years, I can say with certainty that it is the correct size to make 3 cups of Italian coffee/espresso. One can always add hot water to make an "Americano" and fill a larger cup/mug.

Buy Forever Espresso Miss Moka 3 Cup Espresso Maker. Now

I got this as a replacement for a similar pot made by another company, that I wore out. I found the old one difficult to clean thoroughly. This one has a smoother finish, and cleans up well. It works great, is simple to use, and fits the bill for a quick morning cup of espresso

Read Best Reviews of Forever Espresso Miss Moka 3 Cup Espresso Maker. Here

Love, love, love this little pot. I was going to the coffee shop every morning and waiting 15-20 minutes for my latte. Now I have my latte in about 5 minutes. I won't even go into the savings. I now know what I will be giving for my espresso loving friends for Christmas. I'm glad I trusted the reviews on Amazon regardng this product.

Want Forever Espresso Miss Moka 3 Cup Espresso Maker. Discount?

1 Take off heat straightaway. Yup gotta do that.

2 It leaks. You are overfilling the coffee holder.

3 Cleaning. Only ever rinse out with warm water. Scrub with your finger tips only. Let an oxide layer build up (patina).

Best tip brew and throw away three pots of coffee before drinking your first cup.

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