Coffee Loves Crevices (2):

I blogged here about my frustration trying to clean all the bits of coffee out of my simple Italian espresso-maker. Recently I visited an Italian friend who had exactly what I wanted sitting on his stove: a similar coffee-maker that was round, not octagonal. I told him I knew I could get that shape really clean.

“You’re not supposed to clean your octagonal espresso maker, “ he said, “You’re only supposed to wipe it. Coffee residue builds up over the years, giving the coffee a deeper, more sophisticated flavor.

“My machine is round because it makes cappuccino, and the milk has to be cleaned out. In fact the manufacturer’s instructions say ‘this machine has to be cleaned carefully, unlike our other products.’”

So now I’m not frustrated by my octagonal coffee-maker anymore. But my wife scoffs. She’s sure this “sophistication” junk is just an excuse to be lazy.