Cafe culture Winter 2009 marathon post number one

ECM Rocket Cellini Premium Professional from EspressoTec.ComAll work and no play makes Colin a dull boy.
And it was with that thought that we had an impromptu espresso throw-down (during my coffee break…) in my lab at the University today.
It was, after all, Friday – a long week, much production under our belts and high time to have a pre-weekend cortex bending exercise with the last legal high – the caffeine bean.

The equipment: An ECM Cellini Rocket professional machine on loan from EspressoTec.com in Vancouver.
A Rancilio Rocky grinder.
Several Reg Barber tampers – one of them a coveted solid Titanium 58MM base with bubinga (farmed hardwood) handles from Central America.
Coffee: Espresso house blend from Everyday Gourmet of St. Lawrence Market, Front Street in Toronto and some single-origin Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from local roaster Peter Cross.

The Contestants: Gillian (formerly of Habit Coffee and Culture. Mike C. from IT at UVic. And yours truly.

Our taste subjects included Nick, Wayne, Al, as well as our faithful selves.
We blasted through about 3/4 pound of coffee in under 15 minutes, making about 8 to 10 doubles and some misses.

Not surprising, Gillian mopped the floor with us. Mike was not far behind with one killer God shot after another – and I followed up the rear with some pretty decent crema rich shots.

The ECM Rocket will be the subject of a detailed review one of these days.
Meantime, it is good to have fun – and I think it is a cool to, at least occasionally, get all out of control with the coffee machines in the work place.