Espresso ? Miss Silvia Arrives
CCFore sold me a wonderfully clean, bright, obedient Siliva. Czarinita lugged that bad girl home for me from the Twin Cities over Labor Day. I had no idea how heavy it was (30 lbs). She rode the light rail to get the plane and said, ?Dad, the flight left from the very last gate.? I hung my head in the best pseudo-posed shame, but not for long. I mean, why overdo great acting?
Miss Silvia stayed in the box while the Czarinita was home. Priorities. She left last evening so this morning, I heard Silvia crowing (hens do crow) and bright and early, she got dusted off and displayed in a prominent place, right next to Miguel Macap. I can see the relationship ?blooming.?
I have been saving remnants of roasts to learn the grind/tamp drill. I had at least two Brazilians in there, some Harar, and heavens knows what else. After about 9 oz of practice grinds and 40 minutes of head scratching, adjusting the grind, and fiddling with the tamping, voila. Todd had sent along a wonderful rosewood 58mm tamper.
23-second, 2-oz shot, with a delightful crema sitting there saying, ?sip me.? I did. Wow. This is not a Melitta steam toy. Rancilio reigns. How did a conglomeration of remnant roasts get so nice? OK, so far, so good. Now for the frothing.
Good grief, Charley Brown. I am going to be here awhile with the frothing. No thermometer (I will pick one up at the restaurant supply store this week). Need one desperately. I just ended up with steamed milk but served it up to the Koffee Czarina.
?Spectacular,? she said. And that is as good a beginning as I had hoped for.
B|Java, happy in Toyland