Hi there Friends. Thanks for welcoming me as a guest. Four weeks ago I made an impulse buy of a Gaggia Factory. I simply couldn't resist such a shiny piece of steam engineeering. As you may have by now guessed, I'm no barista! However, I have an open mind to the prospect of aspiring to become one.
Anyway, having bought the Gaggia, I discovered I needed a grinder to do justice to the gleaming espresso machine so I bought a Gaggia MDF grinder. Having aquired the grinder, I discovered that the damned thing needed a base, otherwise I had to chase it around my work top during the grind, so I bought a Gaggia base with a ridiculous knock out drawer. To this growing collection I've added a stainless steel frothing jug and a wooden handled tamper. The fact that I'm the only coffee drinker in this household will give you some indication as to my feeble state of mind so please bear this in mind if you're kind enough to respond to this post.
So far I've discovered that I can make a nicer cup of espresso or capuccino than with my previous cheap Krupps machine. However, I've also discovered that my new equipment involves more effort that I had anticipated.
Is there anyway to avoid dusting my entire kitchen with freshly ground coffee each time I take my caffeine fix? Our cat is beginning to get red eyes and insomnia from the coffee fall out into her water bowl. Is it my imagination or is the design of the Gaggia MDF doser more suitable to a spreader?
My grinder has no less than 34 different settings! I understand that the lower numbers represent the finer grinds. At present I have this set at 5. Would anyone owning a similar grinder give an informed comment or opinion on the best setting for a good strong brew?
When I bought the machine I bought some Starbucks espresso beans which I don't care for too much. I'm just finishing off a kilo of Blue Mountain blend, which I find quite bland and I have a kilo of Lavazza Gold that I'm about to try. I'd welcome some advice on what roasted beans make the nicest espresso and were I should get this in the UK.
I'd also welcome any other tips people might offer me to shorten this rather expensive journey of discovery that I seem to have got myself into.
Thanks for your attention.