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Comment by wildmusings | Hacker News Reader

You can actually simulate this at home with just a moka pot; no need for a fancy ultra-expensive espresso machine. Pour just a tiny amount of the espresso into a cup with sugar and beat it really hard with a spoon. Then pour the rest of the coffee into the same container. Voila, crema, or at least something that looks and feels like crema. I think this is a Cuban-American (maybe originally Cuban) innovation and growing up it was always referred to as "espumitas" (translated: little bubbles). The caveat is that you have to like your coffee sweetened for it to be useful. (Cubans always drink espresso sweet.)

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Espresso machines need not be fancy or ultra-expensive. That's a terrible myth. The best one I've found (in terms of quality espresso and reliability) is the Delonghi basic model and costs $99.[1] The Italian Americans I know also use this model, despite having tried others.

[1]https://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-EC155-Espresso-Cappuccino-Ma...

Those cheap plastic coffee machines actually are pretty poor, and tend to break fast -- planned obsolescence at its finest. I recommend going a step up and buying something like a Rancilio Silva [1]. All metal, has replaceable, serviceable parts, has a good community of tweakers who document mods for things like temperature control, lasts practically for ever.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Rancilio-Espresso-Machine-Stainless-1...

Agreed. I have a similar machine, the Gaggia Classic, and couldn't be more pleased with its overal build quality. Makes it a pleasure to use--I actually look forward to making the next morning's espresso as I'm going to bed at night!

Silvia, not Silvia.

And then fit a https://mecoffee.nl PID.

I bought this exact one as a Christmas present for my mother back in 2013 and it broke within minutes of use. It felt shoddily built with very flimsy plastic parts. Thankfully Amazon has a great return policy so it was no big deal. I should add that I have a rough touch and it's always possible that that particular unit was defective.

Something else for people to consider: a moka pot will actually make stronger coffee than an espresso machine, so many people might actually prefer a moka pot.

Sorry to hear that. I have seen these machines last years, beyond 10 years or more.

I had the precursor to that as my first ever machine - some absolutely love shots out of it. A lot of practice, but once you had it down, easily the best cheap one out there.

What's an Italian American? I'm asking because an Italian grows up in a coffee culture very different than the American. E.g. what you do around the water cooler South Europeans do around the coffee machine.

If an Italian American is an American that grew up in America and has Italian ancestors... well, I can't see how that's relevant when it comes to coffee.

And sorry for the slight offtopic, but Americans always looked fun when talking about their 1/16th Navajo and their Irish great great grandparent :-)

I mean Italian immigrant. The guy I'm thinking of right now lived in Rome until his mid-thirties.

Exactly. For best results do it with the very first coffee that rises from the moka.

This. I also boil the water first in the pot, (meanwhile setting the coffee, etc) then take gloves and put the top on. This prevents the ground coffee from overheating and burning. It rises in 5-10 seconds.

Also take the very first coffee that rises.

Oh, I also use a milk frother. Heat milk on the micro and the froth it, making sure only micro bubbles form. And trying to make sure no much air mixes in. (which causes bad big bubbles)

This is a really good idea! I'm definitely trying this with my moka pot.

Are you sure? I was always taught the foreshot will make you go blind.

I read that before, but what do you mean exactly? Do you pick up the moka while it's still bubbling and pour?

Yes, exactly that.

Thanks, I'll give that a shot.

Yep! This is also an essential step in preparing a "cortadito", which is sweet espresso with a dash of evaporated milk. Absolutely amazing.

I consider Cuban cafe con leche an amazing beverage.

I've been using my moka pot for a year but didn't know about this trick. I'll have to try it tomorrow, thanks for the tip!

> Cubans always drink espresso sweet.

Is it because Cuban coffee is always smoky and overroasted? Or maybe I just bought the wrong Cuban coffee.

Cuban espresso is often made with robusto beans which are very strong. So your theory might be true.

Many cuban restaurants I have been to in Miami use Café Bustelo which to be honest probably wouldn't be so crappy if the roast-to-serve-delta was lower. Robusto beans get a bad wrap.

Café Bustelo at least comes in vacuum packed bricks, so roast-to-serve delta probably isn't that bad compared to most commercial coffee. In any case, it's not responsible for making me feel like I've just smoked 6 packs of cigarettes every time I drink one.

I'm so used to Café Bustelo from a moka pot that I find almost all coffee-shop espresso to be unpleasantly light. I actually pack the grounds extra tight and use lower heat to make sure I get an even darker and richer brew.

I hear you. I use to make Bustelo when I would occasionally smoke cigars on a nice summer day... even then I would add cream.

I'm almost certain that the primary reason is a general preference for sweets among Cubans. But it's possible that the dark roasts commonly used are part of it.

I've seen Italians (southern Italians) do that, too.

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