Is it possible to love an object? Probably not, but I can’t help but have strong feelings for the contraption that produces my morning coffee. Mukka gets me out of bed in the morning, even if only to remind me that I forgot to get milk the night before.
The Bialetti Mukka Express is a classic stove-top espresso maker (a percolator, in essence) with a special valve that fits over the spout and promises to steam milk in the top chamber. When enough pressure builds up, the valve pops and directs steam into the milk, while the espresso rises at the same time.
It works every time. Except when it doesn’t. Sometimes it leaks, spraying coffee all over the stove top, and occasionally the valve will open prematurely, without any pop, resulting in luke warm milk with no trace of froth. This is incredibly depressing, and makes me wonder what I did wrong. Did I not clean Mukka the way it likes? Was I less than careful when spooning the coffee into the filter basket? Did I not line up the threads before screwing the sections together? Why does Mukka have to be so cruel sometimes?
Barb — congratulations. The site looks and reads great. I’ve learned something new each time I’ve read a post and the tone is vintage Barb — smart, thoughtful, and witty. I must go, because reading this blog makes me hungry…