Water
The basic thing you need for a great espresso is great water. If your water is suspect--tasting too slimy, has an odor, or is off-putting in any way--in the least, use bottled mineral water or get yourself a Brita filter. As a basic test, if you love the refreshing taste of your tap water on a hot summer's day, then your water should be good to go.

The Beans
There is absolutely no difference between a bean labeled as "espresso" or not. Selecting which coffee bean to use for espresso is a personal choice--which means that a world of different tastes are there for the tasting. Espresso is a method of brewing coffee. There are really only  two species of coffee beans grown with many varietals (sub-species), and every type is capable of being brewed in different styles--peculator, French drip, espresso, etc.
Remember that beans are roasted before you buy them. Roasters nowadays tend to produce a darker roast to produce more smoky, caramelized sugary flavors--as seen in "Italian roasts"--but a very dark roasted bean can mask the more subtle differences in bean types. Roasters are experimenting with lighter roasts which can enhance the flavor of the coffee's complexity. Lesson to learn--experiment with both dark and lighter roasts and have fun discovering flavor profiles that you enjoy. Coffee preference is like selecting a wine... One person's Primativo can be as satisfying as another's Brunello.

Grinder
Beans should be ground using a burr type of grinder (as opposed to a blade type) that can grind finely with many steps of adjustment. Read reviews carefully as some grinder models don't grind fine enough for espresso. (The affordable Secura burr grinder shown is what we use).

Espresso Machines
The best espresso machines should have solid components, create consistent temperatures, are easy to clean, with an easy to understand interface--which is a real task on some of the more complex models. The larger machines come with a built-in grinder to grind exactly the correct amount of beans automatically, a one or two-spouted portafilter with removable basket inserts for either a single or double shot, a self-storing tamper, a milk steamer/foamer, and an espresso cup heater on top. In our opinion, these are for coffee aficionados that like to turn coffee-making into a theatrical event and if you are prone to buying complex kitchen appliances and then find you use them only once or twice due to their complexities, stay away from these machines. They take dedication and perseverance to master and can be difficult to keep clean. They are also power hogs: from 900-1500 watts, which means you should not be using them on the same circuit as your toaster or microwave. There are simpler--and quicker--ways to make espresso, cappuccino and other coffee beverages.  

Moka Pot
Bialetti made the first stovetop espresso maker back in 1933, and are still using the exact same patented moka pot design. In fact, there are many other companies who have copied their iconic design. There have been over 200 million Moka pots sold since the 1950s, mostly in Italy--60 million Italians can't be wrong. A Moka pot can be found in virtually every Italian households but are gaining popularity all over the world in the last decade or so. The Moka also comes in many different sizes... a tiny one for a single morning espresso shot, or a large one to satisfy a large gathering.

It is composed of roughly three components: the base with a pressure valve which holds the water; the basket which holds the coffee; and the "collecting chamber" which the coffee brews into.  In between the top and bottom halves are a metal filter and the "O" ring which ensures a pressure seal  and to filter the coffee grinds from the coffee produced.  The Moka pot boils the water which is forced up through the coffee "puck" and then into the top chamber, creating a foamy crema (head) along with the coffee. The whole process from heating the water to drinking the coffee is about 5-10 minutes, depending on the capacity of your Moka pot.

Ingredients
For the Custard

• 4 cups milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp All Purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Zest of 1 orange

For the Zeppole/Donut

• 6 Eggs (whole)
• 2 Cups All Purpose flour
• 1 - 3/4 cups Water
• 4 oz. Butter
• 1/2 Cup - Sugar
• Canola Oil for frying
• Blueberries, raspberries or candied cherries for decoration
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions
Custard Cream

1. Mix the flour and sugar in a pot and whisk until blended. Turn on the heat to medium.
2. Under medium heat, add the milk and whisk well.
3. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl and then whisk about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the eggs to warm them a little bit.
4. Lower the heat to low, then add the eggs into the mixture, whisking continuously as it starts to thicken.
5. Add the vanilla and orange zest and stir continuously until the custard thickens.
6. Allow the cream to cool before piping into the center of each cooled zeppola.

Zeppole

1. In a medium sized pan on medium heat, add the water and butter. Stir until the butter melts.
2. While stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly add the flour, letting it absorb the liquid until you obtain a firm ball. Mix the dough for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Place the dough ball into the bowl of a stand mixer and while mixing at low speed with a paddle, add the sugar, completely incorporating it into the dough.
4. Stop the mixer and let the dough cool off in the bowl for 15 minutes.
5. When the dough is completely cooled off, with the mixer on low speed, and add one egg at a time until each egg is completely absorbed by the dough. The resulting batter should be very soft.
6. Heat the canola oil in a deep fryer or large sauce pot (at least 3" deep) to a temperature of about 325 F degrees.
7. Cut several 4x4" squares of 4x4 of parchment paper (or foil will also work).
8. Place your dough into a large pastry bag with a large sized star tip and pipe out a 3-4" circular donut with a hole in the middle onto each piece of parchment.
9. While the zeppola is still on the paper, gently place it into the hot oil. Put no more than 2 at a time to prevent over-crowding and lowering the temperature of the oil too fast. The paper will quickly separate from the zeppola and you will be able to remove it with tongs.
   
10. Using a fry spider or large spoon with holes or slots in it, turn the zeppole several times until golden brown on both sides.
11. Remove the zeppole from the oil with the spider, and place on a plate lined with paper towels or brown paper to drain excess oil. Let the donuts cool when all are finished, then place on a serving tray ready for filling.
12. Put the cream in the pastry bag and fill the hollow center of each zeppola, mounding the custard higher than the donut.  Garnish with berries and dust with powdered sugar.

Serve for breakfast with some espresso or cappuccino  or have them for dessert with a glass of Prosecco...

Buon appetito!

--Jerry Finzi

Italian colazione (breakfast) is a simple daily ritual, and if not at home, had while standing at bar on the way to work: perhaps a scalding espresso, cappuccino (espresso and a dollop of foamed milk) or caffè latte (say "latte" alone and you'll get a glass of milk.)

For those Italians wanting to avoid caffeine, they never order "decaf", but might  order a drink unknown to Americans: Orzo, a hot, nutty, roasted-barley beverage that looks like cocoa. Orzo means barley in Italian. It was originally intended as non-coffee substitute for children but has gained wide acceptance as a healthy alternative to the caffeine overdose experienced by espresso and cappuccino.

While the espresso starts their engines, they still need to fill their tanks in the morning. At home, Italians won't have bacon and eggs but might have cereal or a biscuit, fruit, juice and an espresso.  If on the run, they will tend to start their day at a local bar with espresso and a dose of starch and sugar... pasticcini (pastries). Here are some common choices:

The cornetto is the less flaky, less buttery version of French croissant. Cornetti ripieni (filled) come with jam, cheese, pastry creme or Nutella. A plain one is a cornetto semplice or cornetto vuoto (empty). By the way, when you see the rectangular shaped ones filled with chocolate, they are called saccottino al cioccolato (sacks of chocolate) not pain au chocolat. This is Italy, after all.

A crostata is a fruit tart with a crust of pasta frolla, filled with either amarena (sour cherry), albicocca (apricot) or frutti di bosco (wild berry).

The ciambella is basically an Italian doughnut often filled with jam or custard.

Viennoiserie are the fancier, more refined pastries with a French influence. They might include brioches, strudel di mele, eclairs and more. 

For the Italian rushing to work, he has perhaps 5 minutes of chit-chat with a neighbor while standing-up at the neighborhood bar, slurping down his espresso and cornetto in quick order before rushing out the door to work. 

--Jerry Finzi

Lucas has started cooking lately. He's barely 14 years old and sometimes he makes me a panino (smoked turkey, provolone and salsa on ciabatta--his recipe) and he's even made us dinner (he does a variation of my Amalfi Lemon Chicken and Pasta). But of course, he's a teen, and as such, he likes easy, lazy breakfasts...

His Sliced Apples with Peanut Butter is his latest, laziest creation. Lazy, but healthy. (My Father used to eat simple meals like this). An added bonus, I don't have to make his breakfast any more.

--Jerry Finzi