Letters from the Equator

Bialetti Mukka Express: Cappuccino
Originally uploaded by Martin Bravenboer.

For some odd reason, emotion got the better half of me, and I decided to go buy the Bialetti Mukka Express Cappucino maker. I blogged about my initial discovery a few months ago, when I had dinner at Neroteca with LL.

It operates in the same fashion as Bialetti’s original Moka Express espresso maker invention by Alfonso Bialetti, back in 1933. The only difference is that this one makes cappuccino and latte, assuming the inclusion of milk (yum!) and frothing.

I’ve always wanted a stovetop espresso maker, but I’ve always refrained from it due to the fact that I already have a french press (two, in fact), and I’m not too expert about mixing espresso and milk and doing the frothing bit to get my lattes and cappuccinos.

The Mukka Express makes it dead simple. It has markings to tell you when to stop pouring water and milk, and you only need to fill enough coffee grounds to fit the filter reservoir. The rest of it boils down to choice of grounds, water quality, milk type, and heat.

My first cuppa tasted creamy and rich, which is the way I always like my coffee, but I failed to produce the froth. I think I didn’t press the pressure valve or something. A clean pressure valve also tends to guarantee proper production of milk froth.

The video on the website gives me some indication of what I should be aiming for. The best part is, the coffee improves with regular use.

I was expecting the price to be RM100ish, but the lady said they were selling it for RM260. I decided to buy it anyway, since I thought I’d be making coffee more regularly now. Oddly enough, it’s selling at USD89 on Bialetti’s website, so RM260 is quite a steal.

It’s going to be tough if you’re looking to get one from Neroteca, ‘cos I got the last one in stock. But the lady said they’ll bring more in the near future. She also said there were 3 sizes although there’s really only one. What the hey?

Update:

The trick to getting froth is to turn off the heat when you hear the “pop” sound from the frothing. Pour immediately.

Categorized as discoveries/food, discoveries/i want