Moka (Coffee Pot)
The Moka coffee pot is a version of the classic espresso coffee maker. It works on the principle of coffee being prepared by steam pressurized water. The model of the coffee maker was first patented by a man named Alfonso Bialetti in 1933, and his company produces the same model till date by the name of Moka Express. The Moka coffee pot is mainly famous in Europe where it is used extensively by people, but it has been displayed in the Science Museum of London and other industrial art museums across the world.
The Moka coffee pot mainly has two parts – the lower boiler part, and the upper part. The lower boiler pot is where the water is filled in. Then a funnel shaped metal filter is inserted in it. This filter is where finely ground coffee is put in. The upper part is then attached to the lower part by screwing it to the base. There is a second filter attached to the bottom of the upper part. When the heat source is on, the water in the boiler boils and the steam goes up through the filters, blending with the coffee to finally collect in the upper part of the coffee pot. There is a safety valve to take out the excess steam, and usually, there is a gurgling sound when the coffee is being made.
It’s best to read the instruction manual before one starts using this pot, because sometimes one really doesn’t get to know when exactly the coffee is ready. There are times when the gurgling sound starts coming after most of the upper container of the pot has already been filled. Also, leaving the coffee pot on the stove for a very long time can turn out to be dangerous.
Most of the times, the taste of the coffee depends on the kind of coffee beans, and the temperature, pressure etc under which it is being prepared. However, the Moka coffee comes out to be much better than the regular drip coffee. The blending happens well in the Moka coffee pot because of the unique steam mechanism, which helps in the better extraction of caffeine from the coffee, and so it brews very well. In terms of the foam emulsion, Moka coffee pots can give the same kind of effect as conventional espresso coffee makers. What really make the difference in this case are the grind selection and the bean variety. Countries like Italy, Spain and Portugal have a special fascination for the Moka coffee pot.
The maintenance of the Moka Coffee Pot is not very demanding. It only requires an occasional replacement of the rubber seal and the filters. And it’s good to check from time to time that the safety valve is working fine and is not blocked. Filters usually have the residue sticking to them after each time you make coffee. However, there are special soaps and detergents in the market that help you clean the Moka coffee pot easily.
Most companies and manufacturers of Moka pots use aluminium as the basic building material. This is done so that the coffee pot can be used over the open fire. However, there are some companies who manufacture Moka coffee pots using stainless steel too. Mukka Express, a cousin of the classic Moka Express being manufactured from Bialetti allows milk to be mixed with the coffee while the brewing and the preparation is on. The name Mukka is basically a pun version of the Italian cow named Mucca.
Other famous manufacturers of Moka coffee pots in Europe include Alessi and Bellman. Bodum also has an espresso maker which has functions similar to that of a Moka coffee pot.
- Ronit Baugh
Tags: coffee, moka, moka coffee pot
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