Four years ago this week... I became the proud owner of a brand new, crispy white, La Marzocco Linea Mini. In that time it has given me endless hours of entertainment, content for videos, increased my barista skills, and also helped motivate me to create not one, but two businesses. So I do generally look at the...
Just a few short days ago... winter officially began and I feel a bit torn about it. I do really love the Holiday season, but I'm not a big fan of cold weather. Yeah, I do live in San Diego, so winter isn't nearly as "wintery" or "cold" as other places, but I still crave those...
If you haven't noticed... specialty coffee culture has a dump-truck sized notebook full of colorful lingo, and one of the most popular terms you'll likely hear is the "god shot". This blanket term is used to describe a shot of espresso so perfect, and so delicious that is it is basically an enlightening experience. The term...
Long before the days of caramel and whip... the macchiato was a mainstay on espresso bars around the world, and in most cases it still is. Yet like many drinks in the world of specialty coffee there are multiple ways to make it, and of course some debate. This small but mighty espresso based drink not only carries...
It may be hard to imagine... the Linea Mini needing some changes. It's true that it's a dream machine. Waking up and making my morning cappuccino on it is part of my daily routine that never gets old. But no matter how perfect it may seem, using it day in and day out for years you'll...
Not all brew temperatures... are created equal. I feel like this topic is something that isn't talked about very often, but it can be hugely beneficial to your final cup flavor. For example, have you ever wondered why cold brew and hot coffee from the same beans taste so incredibly different? Well, that's down to a...
Thats right, I quit... my roasting job as the head and director of coffee at a local cafe here in San Diego. I'll spare you'll the details as to why, but long story short new investors came in and decided I wasn't an important part of the staff. Did I mention I also designed and ran...
Linea Mini reviews are so... hot right now. In fact, they have been for years. Ever since I published my year one ownership review roughly three years ago, it has been my one of my most popular posts ever on the blog year to year. Recently I saw Chris Baca threw his 5-panel hat into the...
The Café Cubano & Cortadito... are a mix of all things tasty. Think about mixing brown sugar, espresso, and half & half. I know, I know, you put them all together and you're going to have a good time (as long as you aren't lactose intolerant or vegan). In this video I'll go over how to...
Raw milk is illegal... in some places, included many states in the United States. It's believed to be because of the level of bacteria that is in the milk prior to pasteurization. The process in which cold milk is quickly heated, then quickly cooled to kill of any harmful bacteria. This process may have some effects...
Brew ratios and recipes... are often in the forefront of specialty coffee conversations. It's a road, or maybe more so a rabbit hole, that I traveled down to a huge extent when I first dove into coffee. Espresso gets even more complicated once you start using fractions for ratios as well. I've been so focused on...
The Cortado is one of my... go to espresso drinks. Theres nothing better than a little espresso beverage and not spending a fortune. Especially when you're like me and usually hit at least three coffee shops when I go out. It's easy to get over-caffeinated and up feeling a little wonky. So keeping things small and...
The great portafilter debate... has raged for as long as I can remember. Or at least as long as I've been in the specialty coffee industry. Which is a paltry four years. Yet, I've had my love affair with the bottomless portafilter. It was just a fling though. It was short, passionate, and messy. It splattered...
When teaching classes... I've noticed that regardless of the persons previous exposure to it, ranging from some to none, tend to make one of these three most common latte art mistakes These mistakes are pouring too fast or too much to start, which leaves you with a washed out surface and less room to pour your...
The KB90 dropped... out of nowhere. It gets its namesake from Kent Bakke, former La Marzocco CEO and current Board Chairman. He is also the pioneer of the newest and most exciting feature of on the KB90, the 'Straight-In' portafilter. It's something he's wanted to develop for years, as part of his continued vision to make...
I love my Linea Mini... it's one of my most prized possessions, which I'm sure was obvious in my year one review. So when I sat down to write this two year update on my ownership experience, I really dug deep. Thinking about the times I was frustrated, or annoyed with the machine trying to leave...
Since Spring is always associated with the blooming of flowers... It's only appropriate to pour some sick tulips. The tulip is one of the simplest designs, but also has so many great variations on the original. You can do the standard three stack tulip, or endlessly add more stacks, wiggles, and even a swan if you're...
It’s been a year since the Linea Mini graced my kitchen... I threw out an entire kitchen table and chairs to make space. No regrets. Having the ability to make café quality espresso in your kitchen is every coffee enthusiasts dream. Once that dream becomes a reality, the possibilities are endless. For example, I drink a...
