Espresso, per favore

If you are a fanatic for a good espresso , but you do not live in Italy, you probably struggle to get what you desire.

In the Los Angeles area there are but a few places to get a proper espresso on a consistent basis. The Conservatory on Washington Blvd in Culver City is one such place. Here you can depend on a proper creme de cafe along with a good flavor. The foam on your cappuccino is light but still liquid, like the frothy creamy dreamy stuff it should be. Near the Miracle Mile area on San Vicente and Hauser is an Italian run cafe, Pasquale Cafe, that serves proper stuff. Nice people, too. Intelligentsia Cafe in Silverlake offers impeccable technique and flavor as well. If there is a line down the block outside Intelligentsia, and you do not wish to wait, you can always pop down the street to see if Bekkett is working at Pazzo Gelato on the corner of Hyperion and Sunset. I asked him how he came to have such good espresso making technique. He had lived, he said, above a cafe for a time. Pazzo Gelato is made from organic milk and mostly from produce that is in season where applicable. Can’t say that I mind visiting! This is delicious stuff made by some foodies who wanted to share the joy of great taste.

I found this article which had great comprehensive information about the components of a well made espresso, including great detail about the importance of the grind. Towards the end of the article there are some Illy coffee products discussed which I am a little dubious about, but I found the technical info to be sound.
www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/food-manufacturing-food-coffee-tea/124607-1.html

In writing about food and health, I don’t want to make it all about super conservative practices. I do support moderation and quality. I suggest that coffee addiction will not support optimal health, that coffee is acidic. However when it is a well done work of coffee art, the occasional delectation may serve another purpose. I think it is hard to know what works and why. If you find what makes you feel good and avoid illness, that is what to go for. I make suggestions based on my experience and my perception of reason. That is all any of us can do. I can’t say there is a right path, a right answer. If you find suggestions here that make sense to you and make you feel better, go with it.

My point: I suggest that if you are going to imbibe, choose quality over quantity.