from the Johnny Renaissance Journal...
Cup provided by The Better Business Bureau of Madison, Wisconsin...
Back in 2007 I was drinking way too many Starbucks lattes. The experience was running me $150+ bucks per month. At the time, I could afford it. At least in theory. After the great fall of the economy in 2008-09, I made an important financial decision. Invest $250 in a simple home espresso machine. Spend a small fraction of that $150 bucks, and save money for other things. Like the classical guitar lessons that I have thoroughly enjoyed.
This model worked for 5-6 years. However, I still had to buy a new $250 espresso machine about once a year to keep my little coffee shop open. Those pressure based espresso systems work for awhile, but it's not until you move toward the $1,000 plus range that they hold up better over the long haul.*
It turns out there is an alternative system for brewing espresso for average guys like me. A system that involves creating the pressure needed to make espresso from boiling water, instead of the elaborate labyrinth of copper tubes I see underneath the hood of my old machine. A machine for which I could NEVER find parts, nor a espresso repair man interested in spending his time on it. Probably because of the parts thing.
This new unique boiling system has worked swimmingly for me for the last three years and without fail in the one $60 machine I initially purchased.
Currently, my only expense are the espresso beans, and the extra ten minutes I burn to fix it up every morning. That and the $20-30 bucks I spend on beans. I still buy a couple specialized drinks every month, but those are reserved for father and son time following our Sunday morning workouts..
For me, the recipe is about 3-4 ounces of water, 2-3 tablespoons of less than tightly packed espresso, and a healthy dose of almond milk and cream. Yes. Real Cream. This is a great recipe for good coffee. And a great recipe for life. An opportunity every morning, not just to make, but to create my cup of coffee. Constantly in search of the optimal combinations of water, espresso beans, milk and cream. The joy this process brings. Every morning another chance to get it just right.
Where in your day can you find the opportunity to create? Inside my magical recipe for good coffee is not just a story about how I formulate my brew, but a valuable lesson about the importance of taking time to create, innovate, and excite.
-John
*The $1,000 price point for a reliable espresso machine is only my rough guess based on my limited shopping activity. You might find better data about what you might need to spend on a pressure based espresso machine that would provide the kind of long-term reliability and dependability you deserve. The kind of steadfast product performance I see in the Lexus brand that I sell for a living, every day, but also the $60 boiler I invested in three short years ago...
