La Conica Espresso Pot: Bacha Coffee & Alessi Elevate Your Coffee Experience
Written by Bacha Coffee | 26 October 2022
|4 mins |
This special edition collaboration is a statement to both form and function.
The espresso pot: a timeless method of making espresso style drinks that will never go out of style.
Bacha Coffee and heritage Italian houseware brand Alessi have launched a special edition espresso pot: La Conica. Functional yet beautifully designed, this coffee maker will complete your coffee experience at home.
The Designer
Born in Milan between the two world wars, Aldo Rossi is widely celebrated and considered to be the greatest Italian architect of his time. A leading exponent of the postmodern movement, his melding of primary shapes and geometric patterns bestowed upon the world some of the most evocative works of architecture of the second half of the 20th century.
Later in his renowned career, he turned his attention to somewhat smaller scales by designing a series of coffee makers for Alessi, a company leading in Italian design and specializing in unique, high-quality kitchen utensils.
La Conica
Originally launched in 1983, La Conica possesses all the charm of contemporary architecture in the form of a coffee maker. A timeless icon, La Conica has a polished stainless steel body and a base made of copper. The new Bacha Coffee limited edition La Conica is easy to distinguish by its stunning gold handle — unique to the Bacha Coffee edition — and is a sophisticated object, characterised by essential geometric forms that give rise to a functional tool with which one can prepare and serve coffee.
A true design work must move people, convey emotions, bring back memories, surprise, and go against common thinking. - Alberto Alessi
The Process In spite of the modern design, the coffee is blended in the traditional way and ground to a "percolator" grind. Ground coffee is added to a perforated metal basket that allows water to flow through to the chamber below, which is designed to hold the brewed coffee. As the liquid in the chamber is heated, the pressure builds, driving boiling water upwards through a pipe in the centre of the chamber. The water then overflows into the coffee basket and back down into the chamber in a repeating cycle.
The Flavour
La Conica is made from 18/10 stainless steel and boasts a base made of copper. As stainless steel is an incredibly durable material and copper is an excellent conductor of heat, the coffee it produces will have been brewed with an evenly regulated temperature, making consistently great coffee each time. Furthermore, stainless steel is chemically inert and will not impart any flavour of its own to the coffee or alter the taste otherwise.
Coffee made in this manner results in a robust and smooth taste, as the high temperatures used while brewing work to fully extract the flavour of the coffee beans. As the espresso pot uses boiling water to force steam through the coffee grounds, the coffee tastes rich, bold, and concentrated while still producing a sophisticated flavour profile.
Recommended for
Both a conversation piece, as well as a piece of art, this expressive stove-top coffee maker is suitable for entertaining or for those who simply wish to interject beauty into their everyday life.
Suitable for use on electric, gas and ceramic hobs, La Conica has a capacity of 148ml and can make up to three cups of coffee whilst making a statement in the kitchen and any table setting.
Method of preparation
Step 1: Unscrew the base of the coffee maker and remove the filter funnel.
Step 2: Fill the boiler with cold water making sure the water level remains below the safety valve.
Step 3: Place the filter funnel into the boiler.
Step 4: Fill the filter funnel to the brim with coffee, ground to a coarse grind.
Step 5: Screw the upper body firmly onto the boiler.
Step 6: Place the coffee maker on low heat and open the lid.
Step 7: As soon as the coffee has finished bubbling in the upper chamber, remove the coffee maker from the heat and replace the lid.
Step 8: Enjoy a great cup of coffee.