Customer service is thriving — at least all the way across the country. Here’s what happened: I love my Mukka Express stovetop cappuccino maker from Italian company Bialetti for my first cup of morning coffee. In fact, I’ve got two of them so I can mix and match parts and not wait to brew a second pot. They’re simple coffee makers that depend on steam, pressure and correct assembling, so when one of the valves — the critical part of Mukka Expresses — stopped working, I went to the Web site, http://www.bialetti.it/uk/index.asp, and ordered a replacement. It got to my house quickly but it didn’t work. Since I had two Mukkas, I checked every part combination to make sure it was the new valve that was faulty and not another part or user error, and it seemed to be the new valve that was the problem. So I e-mailed customer service and within an hour — literally one hour — got a reply from Karen Wilson of Bialetti customer relations with Bradshaw International, a cookware-distributor in California. She kindly offered advice and a free replacement, which came a few days later and worked perfectly. I got better and quicker help from her in California that I have from retailers less than a mile from my house. But it’s good to know that courtesy and helpfulness are still around if you know where to look. So I’m back to two pots of Mukka a day — with a much more pleasant outlook.

Mukka Express
Imagine being able to have a perfect cappuccino whenever you want, without having to fork out £2.50 a time, heaven

As promised, I bring us back to my comment on the white chocolate cappuccino.  First, you need to know I’m a coffee snob.  Don’t worry, I’m not uptight about it, but I do know what’s good and what’s not good.  And let me tell you, this cappuccino is good. 

I’ve had my eye on the Bialetti espresso makers for a couple of years now.  My obsession with Europe and history bound my fate to it.  In the early 1900’s, a man named Alfonso Bialetti invented this stove top espresso maker in Italy.  I won’t go into all the details of how it works, but if you’re interested check out the Coffee Mall for more info.

Anyway…I noticed that Williams Sonomahad the older model of their cappuccino pot on clearance.  My parents, being the lovely people that they are, jumped on the opportunity and got me my Bialetti Mukka Express as an early birthday present.

To make your cappuccino, you first add a specified amount of water in the bottom of your pot.  Second, you add your espresso.  Third, you screw the top of the pot on and add your milk.  Pushing down the “cappuccino” button creates pressure in the pot that then causes the milk to froth.  In about 4 minutes you have a scrumptious cup o’ joe.  I like to add a little white chocolate to mine to help stave off my sweet tooth for the morning.  It’s that simple!  Trust me, your day will start off so much better if you get one too.  )

Back on that “latte factor” again. Ever since I got my Mukka Express machine, I’ve been making coffee at home (and saving a few dollars). It’s a tricky machine that takes a few tries before you get it right.

But once you do, it makes a fine espresso. The water in the bottom is sucked up through the coffee filter into the top. If you want a latte, you just add milk in the top, so the espresso and milk mix.

Or you can do what I do, which is froth the milk in a french press. I love my foam.

Da tempo ormai ho gettato la spugna. Mi ero illusa che una moka dal design simpatico e dall’aria innovativa potesse davvero produrre un fumante cappuccino. Invece, al mio ritorno a casa dopo aver acquistato uno splendido esemplare di Mukka Express by Bialetti, è cominciata l’estenuante lotta contro questo infernale aggeggio.

Dopo qualche cappuccino decente (si contano sulle dita di una mano), la moka ha iniziato a produrre una brodaglia non identificata. Perseverante, ho continuato a fare tentativi. Una volta la controffensiva è stata particolarmente dura e la brodaglia è andata a finire come un gayser sul soffitto appena imbiancato (per una distrazione delle truppe amiche che si erano dimenticate di avvitare la valvola).

Dopo mesi di incazzature e di brodaglia, mi sono arresa. Ha vinto lei. Allora, ho nascosto il nemico alla vista, relegandolo in un angolo sperduto della cucina, e mi sono comprata una macchina da espresso. Finalmente il cappuccino me lo bevo. Alla faccia sua.

Era da tempo che volevo condividere tutto questo col mondo! Esperienze come la mia sembrano essere molto frequenti. Conosco persone che quando vedono una Mukka Express sono colte da acuti attacchi di nervosismo. Anche nel web è possibile trovare racconti analoghi, ad esempio qui. Eppure c’è anche chi si dice soddisfatto dell’acquisto. Allo stesso modo, c’è anche chi dice di esser stato rapito dagli alieni.

Insomma, se cercate un soprammobile in stile maculato, la mukka fa al caso vostro; ma se volete assaporare un buon cappuccino andate al bar o compratevi una macchina per l’espresso! A coloro che invece sono decisi nel proseguire la lotta dico: vi sono vicina. Hasta la victoria, siempre!