Confessions of a Coffee Fanatic

Just when I was falling deeply into a relationship with my De Longhi Espresso Machine, they introduced me to their latest TrueBrew machine. I was caught in a crossfire of coffee-love. The deed was done in a gentle and hospitable manner. It began via an invitation to join De Longhi for brunch at one of my favorite downtown restaurants, Oretta. Then, Bam! They demonstrated their newest creation, and handed us a pretty glass cup of coffee. I checked off a mental “Like.” This is a revolutionary new, drip coffee experience. Brewed fresh, hot or iced.

During brunch of scrambled eggs with a creamy burrata and generous truffle-shaving, my coffee-loving colleagues and I discuss the merits of this new and sleek machine. Call me fickle, but I get bored with the exact same coffee day in, day out. With TrueBrew, I can choose between light, gold, bold, espresso-style and over-ice, and have a different experience each time, depending on my mood. It’s as simple as pressing a button. The built-in, conical burr grinder perfectly grinds fresh beans with each cup and I don’t have to think about it or watch it. (This is a combination grinder that is superior to the typical conical grind.)

In addition to my clean, robust cup, there are ecological components to this machine that perk me up. There are no plastic pods or filters. There is an Auto-Clean functionality that eliminates messy clean-ups by disposing of coffee grounds into condensed pucks; and the coffee grounds are automatically separated from excess water, so that I can use them in my garden. Coffee grounds add nitrogen to compost, and improve drainage, water retention, acidity and aeration in soil.

By the time Brunch is over, I have made my decision. I mean, when you don’t need the step of grinding the beans and tamping them into the holder, and then having to clean up before you can enjoy your espresso, the choice is simple. The less fuss at 7:30am, the happier I am. My test drive of the TrueBrew is made with locally roasted 49^th Parallel coffee. The Decaf Espresso has rich notes of sugarcane, cashews and nutmeg; and the Organic Breakfast Roast boasts notes of chocolate, dried figs and pecans. Both are delicious and perfect. And there’s more. When friends come over, my TrueBrew can be set to make 2 to 6 cups of coffee, so I don’t have to spend my time being the Barista in the kitchen, while my friends are awaiting their coffee.

My TrueBrew now sits on my kitchen counter. It has replaced my espresso machine, which is neatly and safely packed in a box and placed in a nearby cupboard (because you never know.)  I set the timer on my new machine, and am awakened every morning by the gentle buzz of my coffee brewing, ready to start me off on a good day.