Welcome to Coda Di Topo

“Don’t drink Coffee it will stunt your growth,” my father said.

So like a good son, I obeyed him, until recently. I still remember the day when  I ordered an Americano, and then moved up to “Expresso.” These first drinks were bitter and over extracted by the robot machines at Starbucks. However, I embraced my addiction. Holding on to the demitasse of burnt coffee was my rebellious equivalent of a teenagers dangling cigarette.

Looking back now, I am so embarrassed about mis pronouncing, the word, espresso, and misunderstanding the world of coffee which has become my passion. It has been quite a journey from the world of horrible coffee, nasty Starbucks espresso, home made grinds, mastering the french press, the chemex, the vacubrew, and along the way becoming suicidal over the Zen of my manual pull La Pavoni Europiccola lever machine.

Coda Di Topo is specifically about espresso, and the coffee world in general. Without seeming to pedantic, and dwelling on the overly obvious, the phrase, “Coda Di Topo” is Italian for, the tail of the mouse. When espresso is extracted right, the espresso flows from the porta filter in the shape of a mouse’s tail.  The tales of the mouse (yours truly) will focus on those times when the espresso is flowing (signifying some astrological planetary event or some other noteworthy time like when Hemingway characters  make love and the ground  moves) in this shape, and many times when it doesn’t go right, tossed down the drain to sleep with the fishes.

So when I am not out riding my bike (fixed, single, or roadie) or drinking coffee with my father from his french press,  I will be brewing, drinking, and maybe writing about it every once in a while.

Thanks.

Pat

copy right all rights reserved 2009 Pat Riggs