The Little Fellow with a Moustache

One of the many things in my home that I treasure is my Bialetti Moka. It is a product that transports me to Spain every time I enjoy a cup of java made with this coffee-maker. My wife and I vacationed at multiple cities in Spain during our honeymoon and every morning and afternoon we enjoyed a few relaxing cups of this sweet and earthy café con leche that remained the same no matter which café or restaurant we dined in. After returning home, I longed for this coffee and tried everything I could to replicate it. I purchased coffees from Italy and Africa, and a sugar-roasted coffee from Spain, in case it was an imported varietal that was key, and none of them reproduced this unique flavor. I then tried pulling espresso shots for different lengths of time and heating up the milk to various temperatures in case the key was to slightly scald either or both of them to create that earthy flavor, but that didn’t work either. A year later I resigned my quest to the sad possibility that I would never be able to experience this delectable coffee outside of Europe. Then bliss struck while visiting my wonderful Italian friend! The key was this wonderful little stovetop machine with the cute little man with a moustache pointing one finger toward the sky! I have yet to figure out how exactly it creates this unique flavor; however, I’m not sure that’s really what’s important to me here. Having been a long-time patron at a coffee shop where they roasted many coffees from all over world, I’ve enjoyed hundreds of varieties carefully roasted and prepared by very expensive machines and I have never enjoyed them so much as I do my café con leche made with a $25.00 stovetop coffee-maker.

The meanings this object evokes for me are those of freedom, truth/authenticity, and oneness. This product is the gateway for me to go on vacation to my wife's ancestral homeland and partake in the ritual of sipping this sweet and earthy café con leche while enjoying the company of my wife and/or friends. I would be curious to know whether this type of "transporting" experience is why those with Bialetti Moka’s were compelled to purchase one. If so, I imagine that this experience would be something that really speaks to their foreign customers. The only meaning they associate their product with appears to be that of truth and integrity. The selling points on their website store say the following:

“Moka Express is the world’s most recognized and cherished coffee maker. Over 120 million cups of this delicious, aromatic coffee is made internationally every day. And “L’Omino” (the “Little Man”) – who’s figure is on every coffeepot – is the trusted symbol of quality and authenticity.”

I think there’s definitely a need for them to explore why it’s the world’s most cherished coffee maker and work to capitalize on the experiences their machines evoke for most.