"Life begins after coffee", a good cup of coffee can make the day wonderful, and espresso is an inevitable hurdle, but unfortunately the high cost of thousands to tens of thousands of dollars and the large size of coffee machines make this hurdle a lot higher. This is why the Aloha press and the advanced and simple capsule machines are becoming popular, unbeknownst to the Italians, who love coffee at heart, had the seeds and source of espresso, the moka pot, long before the invention of the espresso machine in the last century.
In fact, for those who are renters, students, those who don't have space for an espresso machine in their homes, and those who have a glass of espresso even when traveling for business, the Moka Pot is probably the best option for making a simple espresso on the go.
The Bilotti is the originator of the espresso moka pot, and despite only having 2 to 3 atmospheres of pressure to extract the coffee, it still produces a perfect easy espresso, and with a manual milk frother you can create lattes, cappuccinos and other coffees with a rich aroma from the double valve. The whole extraction process is a lot of fun and worth having.
The hexagonal shape is the most classic shape of the moka pot> Wikipedia:A steam brewed coffee pot, also known as a moka pot, is a method of using the pressure created by boiling water to help cook coffee. It first originated in Italy, where its inventor, Alfanso Bialetti, saw a construction in a washing machine used by local women that could be used to make coffee. Inspired by a metal tube in the middle of the washing machine, which sucked heated soapy water up from the bottom of the machine and sprayed it over the clothes, Alfanso Bialetti created the world's first home coffee maker that extracted coffee by steam pressure, allowing people to make good coffee like in a café at home.
Of course, Europeans don't call this pot a moka pot, but rather an Espresso Pot, which is specifically a Bilotti moka pot. Its simple and easy to carry nature makes it ideal for enthusiasts who don't have a lot of space, and can even be taken along when traveling, as I saw foreign commentators take one with them when I participated in the 2013 Tour de France. Well, this year I'm bringing a moka pot home with me when I go home for New Year's Eve and I can't live without coffee.
Depending on individual needs, the moka pot is also divided into small and large coffee pots divided into two parts, connected by a conduit in the middle. The bottom A is used to hold water, and when the bottom of the coffee pot is heated to a boil, the water is converted to water vapor and the pressure on the surface of the water increases. The boiling water then enters through the conduit into the upper part B, which holds the ground coffee. It is then filtered through the filter into section C and is ready to drink. The coffee powder used in a moka pot is generally finer ground and produces a stronger coffee than regular drip coffee.
Diagram of the internal structure of the moka pot, picture from the internetBilletti's moka pot has not only a single valve moka pot like other ordinary moka pots, but also a The unique double valve moka pot, the Brikka double valve moka pot, is similar in principle to a pressure cooker, with an extra valve the pressure of the Brikka is higher than a regular moka pot, producing a creamer that is also more intense and playable.
The octagonal shape and the finger-high villain are the hallmarks of Bilette like no other. Built entirely of aluminum, the workmanship is not as refined as today's high-precision CNC machining, but the rugged, handcrafted style has a distinctive flavor.
According to veteran drivers, a long-used billetti will have a rich coffee flavor that gets better with time. And the little bulge on the lower part of the pot is the safety valve that all moka pots have to vent steam when the pressure gets too high to prevent an explosion.
And above the jug this valve with the Bilotti figurine engraved on it is the watchword of this jug, a second pressure valve that brings more pressure.
Let's take a look at the structure of a moka pot: the moka pot is divided into three parts: the top seat, the powder sink, and the bottom seat. The lower seat is the sink for the water, and the powder sink is for the finer ground coffee powder. The top is to hold the extracted coffee liquid.
And we need so many tools to make an aromatic cup of coffee in a moka pot, and since there's no more espresso steam, the heavy lifting of frothing milk is left to a manual milk frothing cylinder, but of course, if you want a pure cup of coffee, you don't need it.
Grind the coffee beans in a grinder, using about 18g of beans for a pot of coffee. Moka pots require a finer grind, higher than filter drip, siphon and Belgian Royal, and the highest grind among artisanal coffees. However, it cannot reach the fineness of an espresso machine, as some of the powder will enter the coffee through the holes, resulting in a bad taste. Also, the beans for the moka pot, like the espresso machine, need to be deep roasted to make a stronger coffee with more crema.
Remember not to press the coffee powder, fill the powder slot to the brim, fill the powder in batches with a spoon, pat the edges of the powder slot with your hand so that it can be spread as much as possible, leaving no No gaps.
Hot water needs to be added to the lower seat of the jug in advance, no more than filling the lower seat of the moka pot with hot water, the water level must not exceed the lower edge of the safety valve. Or use the upper seat of the measuring cup designed by Bilotti for filling water, there is a water level scale on the upper seat of the pot that says "H2O" (see previous picture), add the right amount of water according to the scale and put it into the coffee sink. It can also be heated directly with cold water, but it is easy to over-extract.
After adding the coffee powder, screw the top seat and put it on the stove to heat up. Turn down the heat when coffee comes out of the top valve and you can see the cream slowly extracting out.
We can see the rich cream, but since the pressure is only 2 to 3 Pa, the cream doesn't hold as long as the espresso machine.
Every time I see cream slowly spilling out while making coffee I can feel the beauty of life.
After brewing a successful pot of coffee the powder cake should be this compact and tight, with good extraction.
You can prepare the milk froth after pouring the coffee into the heated mug.
Heat the milk in a frothing bowl with water to about 60 degrees and then pull the lever of the frothing bowl about 30 times to get a dense milk froth as shown in the picture. Of course it's a little more dense than the milk froth from the steam, and it doesn't work very well when pulling the lever.
And finally, a wonderful latte is born.
And finally, some sad news. Mr. Biletti, of Ascona, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, passed away at the age of 93. He was the prototype of the "man with the moustache" on the moka coffee pot. Meanwhile, the Bilotti Italy website has posted a full page tribute to "Farewell, Renato"
He was an iconic figure in Italian manufacturing, creating a true corporate empire in the post-war years, relying on the exceptional quality of his products and a new way of marketing this entrepreneur's unique image: his own cartoon image is the most famous Italian moustache, and his products find their way into a steady stream of homes, large and small.
The cartoon of the man with the moustache on the Moka coffee pot became famous along with the Moka coffee pot. The cartoon was the work of cartoonist Paul Campani, who was immediately inspired by it as soon as he met Mr. Renato Bialetti.
Also famous is the product's advertising tagline: well yes yes yes... always so convenient! (Makes a great cup of coffee!) .
By the end of the 1980s, Mr. Renato Bialetti sold his business first to the Italian coffee machine company Faema, and then to the Ranzoni family in Brescia, Italy, who still own this and other Made in Italy brands today.
May Mr. Billeti rest in peace in heaven and thank him for the wonderful coffee he brought us.