What does one say about an espresso machine? Well, when you have a debatable espresso addiction as I do there is a lot to be said. I've been drinking coffee regularly for at least 15 years now. Espresso has been a part of my life since my mother would make it several times a day every day in her little Giannini Moka that she has had forever and has proudly never once been washed with soap. In my family at least, coffee is a very personal part of our day. Every Italian I know has their own special relationship with espresso. Some strictly only have it in the morning, some only in the afternoon, some consider a double shot too much at once and the extra water dilutes the true flavor. Me? I have three shots of espresso every morning and I've grown accustomed to drinking it in an American coffee cup, something that I guess is ironically Italian-American.
So how have I been making this coffee all this time you ask? Well, at first when I moved out I kept it simple by stealing a little moka from my parents house so I would be able to have my daily fix. Not something I'm proud of, but when you're a college student you need to stay awake! I love making coffee in a traditional moka, but there are so many advantages to having a machine do all the work for you. Which brings me to why I'm writing this right now. The wonderful people at Saeco decided to send me a beautiful machine to spread the word about how great their products are. I was first introduced to Saeco espresso machines two years ago when I visited a friend in Chicago. I remember every morning we would be able to make ourselves a delicious espresso with just the touch of a button, After admiring hers and seeing how easy it was to use, I dreamt one day I would have a machine of my very own! My dream has finally come true with this beautiful Saeco Syntia Espresso Machine.
First off I love that the design, it is so sleek and compact. I live in an apartment in Brooklyn and don't quite have the biggest kitchen but this machine looks great on my counter top and doesn't take up too much space. The water tank is also a decent size and doesn't need to be refilled too often. The first time I used it I was really impressed at how the machine will clean itself before brewing a cup of espresso.
What I appreciate most about this machine is that you have the option of using whole beans or pre ground coffee. As someone who primarily used ground coffee until now, I must admit it wasn't easy making the switch. I was so used to my brand of ground espresso that I wasn't sure I was ready to enter the daunting world of coffee been choices. (The very nice people at Dean & Deluca helped me with my indecisiveness and sent me home with a lovely Italian roast.) Boy am I glad I made the change to whole coffee beans! I've learned that there's nothing like an espresso made from freshly ground beans every morning. The machine will grind each cup one by one to perfection and leave a fantastic crema on top of your coffee. When I ran out of beans I was able to change the setting to ground coffee by just touching a button and the espresso had so much more flavor than using a traditional moka. Refilling the beans couldn't be easier with this machine either, just pour them in and they funnel down themselves.
The steaming attachment is also a great feature of this machine. I never thought I'd be able to make fresh cappuccino's this easily. The steamer is super easy to control and is perfect for creating latte's and other similar coffee beverages.
Overall, this is a wonderful machine that has saved me time in the morning and vastly improved the quality of the coffee that I drink. Now every time I make an espresso its become more of an experience. I've been inviting so many people over for coffee that it's like I have my very own Italian Coffee Bar! - The Da Rossella Bar! :)
