Espresso: Culture and Cuisine

This book attempts, and on many levels succeeds, to establish the whole mentality behind espresso culture. While other books on the marketplace establish core fundamentals, theories, and practices in creating the perfect bean beverage (David Schomer's Espresso Techniques book comes to mind), this book passes that by and dives into what makes the search for perfect espresso such a joy. It is an unconventional book. It delves a bit into coffee history, then immediately turns into a cultural observation tale. And the next page has a series of recipes. Then it jumps back into other cultureal microessays, and more recipes again. Another foray into history and technique, then all over again.Normally, this wouldn't work for me, but it does in this book. Along with great photos (though the macro only techniques start to run a bit thin by the end) the book attempts to recreate the atmosphere that comes along with pulling a great shot, or sitting at Deux Maggots drinking "un petit", or the like.And in many ways, it succeeds. It will only take you an hour or so to digest this short book, but if you love the bean and the culture that lives around it, you will be going back to this book once in a while.