The passion behind the coffee

I love everything about coffee from the smell to the taste, just the whole experience. You see coffee to me is so much more than just a drink, it’s social, it’s community, It’s the bond that gives reason to meet, it’s a first date, it's the start of a day, it’s an afternoon pick me up, it’s a culture. If you want to reach out to an old friend “let’s get together for a cup of coffee”.  

I have drank coffee my whole life but I truly found the passion for it on a trip to Italy. I rented a flat in Milan near the city center, on my first morning there I woke up early ready to explore and I figured I’d grab a quick cup of coffee before heading out. What happened next changed my life. 

Now I don’t speak any Italian but how hard could it be to order coffee so I stepped through accordion doors into an espresso shop that couldn't have been more than 12 feet wide. I was greeted by 4 older men and a giant silver espresso machine. I stepped up and handed them my 2 euros for a cup and watched curiously as espresso dripped from their machine, it was thicker than I was used to almost like honey. The man brewing it looked at me as I watched, he had a smile on his face that said “hey American, you're about to taste what coffee is supposed to be”. He handed me the cup on a saucer I took the first sip, that is when everything changed. It was more delicious than I ever imagined. 

That espresso shop was nothing like a coffee shop I had been in back home. There were no fancy drinks to order, no Frappuccino's, no nitro, no cold brew, no double caramel upside down almond milk swirl drink. They serve espresso, and espresso drinks that's it, coffee in its purest form. 

My whole time there I started every morning visiting a different espresso shop. I wanted so much to be able to bring that experience home with me. When I got back I did my research and bought the ideal espresso maker. After that it was a matter of using the right beans, grinding to the exact finniest, the proper amount. It was a lot of trial and error. Now I want to recreate that experience here. That was the motivation behind launching the coffee bar at the shop. 

I urge you all to stop by and let me make you a cup of coffee at Steve's coffee bar.