picture courtesy of JLHufford

This little lady has been helping me make some wonderful cups of jo lately, so I thought I'd give a shout about about this savvy device. I love a good espresso, especially since I became a momma. But, our kitchen is waytootiny for the big 'ol machines (schick as they are) and the fact that we don't have gas and I'm the only addictee in the fam, makes the aluminum moka makers (cute as they are) too impractical. So, while discussing this little problem with a few pals last winter, someone mentioned an electric moka maker. An electric moka maker??! I was told it worked like a "wasserkocher" and made darn good moka a.k.a. espresso without the "crema". With that bit of advice tucked away, I headed home to my trusty computer and spent a spell researching, something I've grown quite fond of since moving to Deutschland. Within seconds, gotta love Google, I stumbled across DeLonghi's Alicia (quite fitting that an Italian machine would have lady's name, eh?). Alicia makes super yummy mokas which, in turn, make super yummy cappuccinos, is energy-efficient, and hasn't been victimized by inflation.  

OK, so these were had at my verymostfavorite espresso bar and not made by Alicia, but Big H. and the boys are whooping it up with the camera at a profi soccer game in Nürnberg, so I'm all by my lonesome having to rely on old pictures...are those violins I hear playing in the background??

In celebration of little black beans and the wonders they work! 

Hope your weekend's a good one!