Espresso You Can't Mess Up

By AMANDA HESSER

Home-brewed espresso used to represent gourmet coffee-making in its highest form. The perfect cup was as much about the ritual of grinding the beans and tamping the coffee just so as it was about the drink itself.

But espresso companies have come up with a system designed to scrap that artistry once and for all, in favor of ease, consistency and convenience. The message? Controlled repetition, not loving care, is what makes a good espresso.

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