What is it about creating a great latte that make me feel so good? Is it not a simple act? You brew some coffee, you steam some milk and that’s kind of it.

Well it ain't that easy. The espresso alone has enough talk or advice and experts to theorize everything; even stirring the espresso with a paper clip has a name. I can't picture my dad making an espresso proudly using the greatest tool in espresso history the paper clip without muttering a few choice words as to why the hell this is necessary. I get a laugh just picturing that happening. Well I do know how to pull a great shot thank goodness, or as some people say a God shot. I can't see my Mom, a religious woman at the church sitting around while all the ladies in the hand bell choir get the paper clip working with the latest greatest espresso and each one expressing the jubilation that only comes with a God shot. It can be fun though knowing what you have created cannot be had to often out in the real world- a truly fine espresso.

The milk steaming is an art. We will discuss latte art in another post. When we trained at the coffee shop we even had a sexy name by Freudian standards for when the tip of the steam wand was properly positioned in the pitcher to get the milk to steam in a whirlpool fashion. We called it the W spot and we expected each employee to know the W spot and how to make sure they hit it each time they steamed milk.

So the joy I get out of making a great drink is it is fun, sexy and when made right is truly a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. I guess between God shots, paper clips, and the W spot ( sounds like a bad title for an even worse movie) it is not all that easy, and why so many practice and make lattes at home and create that drink that sometimes is so elusive in the outside world.

Have you ever heard these terms or have a different name for them? Post them here.

Mark
Whole Latte Love Commercial Sales

I really don't have time in the morning to grind and tamp and clean up grounds from my doserless grinder. When I think I do, I usually end up running late. All I really need in the morning is one espresso shot in the morning after I wake up. No time for a god shot, just something to get me through the hustle and bustle of my morning. Anyway, I'm lucky enough to work in coffee heaven, so I can brew my god shots for the day there!

When I think back, I can clearly remember getting my Gaggia Baby Twin. I opened the box and pull out 3 filter baskets. One is for pods. When was I going to use that? I promised myself I would forever brew only the most gorgeous espresso shots from here on out. My Rancillio Rocky would be my best friend. He will grind on command and work with my Twin to create that heaven in a cup full of thick caramel colored crema. Yum!

When I acquired some Illy pods one day, I was kind of excited that I was going to use my pod basket. It's the little things that make me happy. I change the basket in my portafilter, place the pod in, attach the portafilter to the brew head and let it brew. I was surprised. How is this happening? I am enjoying coffee made from a pod? My future flashed before my eyes, as if I was looking in a crystal ball. I smiled with realization. My mornings were going to be so much easier......

I was on time this morning. I went downstairs, started up my machine changed the basket and popped in a pod. I was thankful as I sipped my coffee. Not only was my espresso decent and easy, I had more time to do my hair.

Check out all the different Pods Whole Latte Love offers and find one that's right for you!

Maria
Whole Latte Love Sales

Bitter, weak, bland, no crème, over extracted, terrible smelling, just plain awful tasting espresso! Sound familiar? All too often I talk with people about the brew that they are getting and how it doesn't live up to standards. Nine times out of ten the first reaction is that the espresso machine is not working correctly. We hear all the time that "My machine is overheating", "it is brewing with too much pressure", "I'm not doing anything differently so it has to be the machine". But let's take a small step back......to the grinder.

Ever wonder what's in your grinder? Yes, yes I know... coffee beans. But what kind of beans? How long has it been since you've cleaned it? Have you ever cleaned it? These are all very important questions. They can also lead to all of the horrible smelling and tasting espressos that we are all too familiar with. Recently in our break room most of our staff had the pleasure (or displeasure) of tasting what could arguably be the worst tasting coffee on the planet. Someone had refilled the bean hopper after noticing that it was getting low. Unfortunately, the bag of beans that was next to the grinder was not the same as the beans that were in the hopper. Of course it wasn't really any persons fault in particular, but the grind that came from the machine, I can assure you, was not good, not good at all. While the freshly ground beans smelt great and the aroma and crème on the espresso was fantastic, the taste was terrible. It was so bitter and almost taste burnt. In some cases mixing beans can give a fantastic brew, but in this case, it did not.

Had we known what was in the grinder, and properly cleaned it before switching the beans, we would not have had this experience. Most people assume that the grinder just simply grinds and can in no way effect the taste of their brew. This is a very big misconception. Whether it be mistakenly mixing beans, or not cleaning the grinder regularly, it can lead to a huge headache, and not just from caffeine withdrawal. Experimentation in mixing beans can be fun, but be sure to use caution and try to stick to beans of similar roasts and origin. Cleaning your grinder is also essential to ensuring that you get the best brew. A company, Urnex, makes a cleaning product specifically for grinders (not recommended for super automatic machines) called Grindz. The product is designed to remove any coffee oils and residue from your grinders burrs. Over time coffee oils and grounds can become lodged between the burrs. The grounds can become stale and the oils can begin to change the taste of your brews. The cleaner is food safe and made form cereals and grains. All you need to do is simply remove any coffee from the machine and place the Grindz cleaner in the grinder. Set the grinder to a medium setting and grind away. The cleaning product will rid the machine of these terrible tastes and you'll be back on the road to making great espressos, lattes and cappuccinos in no time at all!

Kris
Sales Department

Hi my name is Beau and I am the Customer Service and Sales Supervisor at Whole Latte Love. I have been here for over 3 years. As getting the right grind is so critical in creating the perfect cup of coffee or perfect shot of espresso, I thought I would spend a little time talking grinders.

I currently have 2 machines in my house. I have a Semi-Automatic machine paired with a flat burr grinder and I own a Saeco super automatic machine. They have provided great service over the last few years.

Recently, I have had the pleasure of taking home one of the new Gaggia Platinum Swing Super Automatic Espresso Machines. I was a little excited to try something new, as I usually am. Whenever something new comes through the door here, I can't wait to use it. To my enjoyment, the espresso quality was better in so many ways. I couldn't understand how this could be, especially when the machines are so similar in production. When I discussed this with one of our technicians on staff, I discovered it is because of the Ceramic Burrs and the way they are positioned in the machine. They are positioned over the brew group almost directly. The newer Platinum machines use a fresher grind.

In some of the older production machines, there is a 3 to 4 inch chute that the grinds have to move through before they drop into the brew group. This can make it so the grinds that the machine is using to brew may have been sitting in the machine for some time. The fresher grinds provide for a better tasting espresso with a richer crema and more consistent flavor.

Now the only thing to do is to upgrade my machine or wait for my older machine to bite the bullet. As sad as that sounds, I may just upgrade to a newer machine and give my old machine to a friend!

Beau
Customer Service / Sales Supervisor
Whole Latte Love