Kitchen Collection [26]

The espresso machine was a gift. When I left my job in San Francisco, one of the the groups of people I worked with pitched in and presented me with this amazing machine (thanks R.B.!). They called Ken to find out if I would like it, what features I would enjoy, and then presented me with a photo of the machine inside a card at the good-bye party. The machine was delivered a week or so later.

I used it nearly every day during the next year while I was doing consulting work. I was lucky to be able to work from the house that year - the year just prior to our move to France - and I looked forward to my daily espresso.

When it was time to move, I didn't want to give up the machine, so we had it packed with everything else and moved it with us. It's one of three American appliances we brought with us (the others are the food processor and the Kitchen Aid mixer). To use them on the French power system, we had to buy a transformer that would handle them. We found one on the internet and it works like a charm.

I don't make espresso as often as I did that first year in SF, curiously enough. But when I do, the machine works great and reminds me of the great group of people I worked with back then.