I first saw this lovely Italian flag-coloured Moka Express when I visited the Bialetti store in Rome. It comes in a number of cup size variations, but this 6-cup size is one of the more commonly-seen sizes, and one of the most useful. I didn't buy from the store in Rome - I had no room in my suitcase! - but I began to regret it shortly after arriving home again! Searching on Amazon eventually led me to this seller where I was able to make my purchase! Other than the 'tricolore' flag paintwork, this is a standard, classic Bialetti Moka Express; pretty much unchanged in design since the 1930s. It's one of the things that is attractive about this coffee maker - the design has stood the test of time and is a recognised classic! If you're not familiar with the Moka Express, here's how it works: The Moka Express comes in two basic equal-sized sections, which screw tightly together: A lower water compartment where water is boiled and passes up through the coffee grounds, which are also held in their own separate receptacle, which fits neatly down into this section; An upper receiving compartment - the jug-like part, lid & handle - where the freshly-percolated coffee is captured and poured from. You start by putting water in the bottom section, filling it up to just below the little brass steam safety valve. Fitting down snugly into the upper part of this water chamber is the metal coffee holder and its filter. You pack the top compartment of this with your ground coffee of choice - similar to the way baristas pack an espresso machine in a coffee shop - and set it into the top of the water chamber. It has a funnel neck below the coffee receptacle which the boiling water will be forced up through, and subsequently pass through the coffee. Between this and the upper section is a second metal filter disc (to stop coffee grinds getting up and into the finished coffee) and a heavy-duty rubber ring which creates a tight, steam-proof pressure seal between the lower and upper compartments. It's important to screw the two tightly together once the water compartment has been filled and the coffee tamped down in its holder. The whole unit is then placed on the stove, which boils the water in the lower compartment. Having nowhere else to go, it is forced under pressure (thus the safety valve!) up through the coffee receptacle in the lower compartment, through the grounds filter between the lower and upper sections, up the funnel in the middle of the upper section, and bubbles out into the upper receptacle, making the most satisfying noise and aromas while doing so! Once the coffee coming through the central spout into the upper receptacle starts to 'spit', you know the lower chamber is almost empty and it's time to remove your Moka from the stove. It sounds complicated, but in reality it is very simple; you can fill the water and pack the coffee in a few minutes and have the Moka heating on the stove quickly. It is, however, a device more suited to coffee lovers, and those who wish to take just a little more time and effort over making the perfect cup of coffee! If you want your coffee much quicker, I'd suggest an Aeropress, or even instant!! ;) It's important to thoroughly clean and dry the Moka after each use: Ground coffee is very oily and these oils leave a strong residue on all parts of the Moka. Like any oils, coffee will oxidise and go off if left. Also, the strong natural colour in coffee will stain your pristine Moka if left on it! In the coffee receptacle, the grounds will dry and block the two filters if left unwashed, and the rubber sealing ring will not last nearly as long if it is left damp and covered in coffee oils (the rubber breaks down much faster). The other reason for washing and drying is to preserve the aluminium that the Moka is made from. If you leave it wet or damp, the inside of the lower water compartment will soon start to corrode. If you leave an uncleaned and damp coffee receptacle in the lower chamber, it will corrode and may even weld itself into the water compartment (it's a tight machined fit when new!) - making it almost impossible to separate the two! Again, like with making the coffee, this is much less complicated than it sounds here. Just wash the Moka using hot soapy water, rinse with clean water and allow to air dry, inverting the water chamber to allow any droplets to run out. When the whole thing is properly dried it can be loosely reassembled and stored ready for its next use! It's fun and it makes great coffee! Make sure to get yourself a lovely set of the Bialetti espresso cups to go with it!
