But first... Coffee
"With one coffee this little man has conquered millions of women" - Said of Alfonso Bialetti, who in 1933 produced the Moka Express coffee maker. 200+ million Moka's later and more than 80 years on, it is an icon of style, nostalgia laden and loved the world over. It sits in the Design Museum, has been mentioned in the Guniness Book of World records, features in many lauded design tomes. It may come as no surprise then, that Bialetti "L'omino con i baffi" (little man with a moustache) is the Grandfather of Alberto Alessi – he of the famous Italian design House, Alessi – Quite a family history.
Then there is the Cafetière, a.k.a. the French Press, press pot, coffee press, coffee plunger, or сafetière à piston, caffettiera a stantuffo, patented by another Italian, designer Attilio Calimani in 1929.
Probably more widely used in the UK and US, delivering an aromatic and tasty steaming hot coffee whenever you need it, in whatever style you fancy...
Brewing coffee is an artform – whether you do so in a
Moka or in a
cafetiere it is quite a personal routine, that many find therapeutic and everyone has an opinion on!
If you are roasting, grinding, percolating, pressing, hopefully the end result will be delicious and just as you like it – As T.S. Eliot said "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons."