Brilliant Bialetti

I think I'm slowly becoming a bit of a coffee snob, I need a cup of the stuff to get myself going in the morning and out on the fixed gear to work, I won't have instant coffee at home anymore, it's banned as far as I'm concerned. But I have to admit that during the day at work I do sometimes pluck up the courage, go to the skanky kitchen and use some of the plastic nescafe stuff, it's honkin' stuff after you've sampled a Bialetti brewed wonder cup before you left in the morning.

I was introduced to the wonders of the Bialetti by team-mate Tom, it's a simple concept, but a classic piece of design and even though my partner hates coffee (she's a tea lover) there are no complaints about it sitting in full view with pride in the kitchen.

For those still to experience a Bialetti, let me explain, you may have used a cafetierre in the past, this works very differently to one of these, resulting in a much better (and stronger) cup of the black stuff. The top part unscrews from the main body, inside is a metal perforated filter, this lifts out and the lower base is filled with water, just up the level below where the base of the filter fits (you'll get this bang on every time after a few go's). Then place the filter in, you fill this with ground coffee, then screw the top back on (tight, or it might bubble through the seal). Stick it on the hob at a low heat and a few minutes later you hear it bubbling through and the coffee's ready.
This method means the water passes through the coffee as vapour, with other methods hot water passes through the coffee, the Bialetti method is superior and results a superb coffee.

Problems, yes, when I bought it it wouldn't fit on the hob, as you can see in the photo, I got hold of a stainless steel support I place over the gas hob to stop it falling through, pick one up for 2 or 3 quid in any kitchen shop, Debenhams etc. The sizing is potentially troublesome too, the small one is called a "3 cup", this relates to small coffee cups, if you want a mugfull this one will fill about halfway. I've just got an additional "6 cup" Bialetti which fills a mug, but will blow your head off, this stuff is a bit more 'loaded' than the coffee you may be used to, hence the emphasis on the different method.

The Bialetti really is an essential part of any cyclists life, this is the stuff that helps you out on a cold wet morning, it's even helped me and I am, by definition, a dedicated safty. Get yourself one, John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser & Habitat all stock them.