 |
|
|
The Story of the Bialetti Moka Expressby Myron Joshua Page 1 | Page 2 Alfonso Bialetti Creates His Stove Top Espresso MachineCoffee, a national beverage thanks to the spread of espresso bars during the beginning of the 20th century, and Aluminum, the national metal, wed when Alfonso Bialetti returned from France, where he worked in the Aluminum industry. He started his own machine shop in 1918 in an area of Italy known, since WWI, as a center for manufacturing metal house-wares. During the 1920’s Bialetti noticed the laundry methods used by local women. The wash was boiled in tubs with a central pipe in the middle. This pipe would draw the soapy water up and redistribute it over the laundry. Bialetti’s creative mind brought him to the conclusion that a simple coffee machine could be fashioned on this model and could produce real “espresso type” coffee in the private home. At this time, other Italians were busy trying to create new and better ways to brew coffee-using pressure rather than steam to extract the best from the coffee bean. But the high pressure-lower than boiling water solutions of companies like Gaggia were to take years of developing. These modern “true” espresso machines would remain fairly large and costly, using complex systems to attain their superior results. (For a history of the refinement of espresso see www.coffeekid.com/espresso/nirvana) Italians were still used to the steam pressured “espresso” machines that dominated the coffeehouse scene and were, therefore, open to simpler solutions that would give them the same style coffee at home. In 1933, after some years of tinkering and solving technical problems Alfonso Bialetti invented the Moka Express. Bialetti’s coffee machine, made of Aluminum, was similar in shape and design to silver coffee services popular in well to do homes. Thus he combined modern technology with the Italian tradition for elegance and craftsmanship. The Stovetop Espresso machine was simple and compact, yet capable of making the power packed brew associated with the large espresso machine of the Espresso Bar. The express claim of Bialetti was that “without requiring any ability whatsoever” yet one could enjoy “in casa un espresso come al bar” (“An espresso in the home just like one in the bar.)
Instructions with diagrams of a new model Moka pot can be found at SweetMarias (PDF). Alfonso Bialetti had the vision and invented the Moka Express, which would remain virtually unchanged until today. But Bialetti did not have the marketing success to move the revolution forward. Bialetti Growth in Post War ItalyPrior to the war (1936-1940), Alfonso was able to market about 10,000 units per year. He personally sold his product at stands set up at public markets held weekly. He advanced to regional marketing but never thought in terms of a national effort or of industrializing production. The final domestication of “espresso” would have to wait until after WWII when Alfonso’s son, Renato returned from a German POW camp to unpack the machinery his father had packed away during the war. Renato began a massive marketing campaign. With increased sales he had to raise production up to a rate of about 1,000 per day! He combined focus in production (dropping all the products his father used to produce besides the Moka Express) with breadth in advertising vision (utilizing billboards, radio campaigns as well as newspapers and magazines.)
During the post-war boom, competitors entered the field and it was necessary to differentiate the Bialetti product. In 1953 Renato invented the company mascot, “omino con I baffi” (little man with a mustache). This `character was a caricature of Renato’s father Alfonso and conjured up the image of the Italian father or dear elder family member who had lived his life in the coffeehouse. It was a symbol that evoked feelings of nostalgia and fondness. This patriarchal figure though, is a man on the move. With his finger raised he could be hailing a taxi or commanding attention as he orders his espresso. Every year Renato Bialetti “conquered” Milan during its most important annual trade show “Fiera di Milano”. He rented every available billboard in the city and created outstanding installations. For example, in 1956, besides the booth in the Fair itself Bialetti erected a huge outdoor sculpture consisting of a giant Moka Express supported by, what looked like, a stream of coffee being poured into an equally large coffee cup.
"Espresso in the Home Just Like in the Bar"
The billboards proclaimed: “in casa un espresso come al bar” (“An espresso in the home just like one in the bar.) The little mustached man no longer needed to find his home away from home in the neighborhood coffee bar, but could bring the coffee bar into his own private house.
The post-war years saw an economic boom in Italy. The Fascist period was put behind and American influenced values became prevalent. The Italian home became the focus of the nuclear family and increased in size and comfort. Egalitarian values meant that men would find themselves expected to be more active in the home. The advertising campaign of Bialetti fit this trend as stressed that: Besides addressing the social and marketing factors, Renato addressed the organizational and industrial aspects. He moved production operations to a newly designed factory in the 1950’s that was especially designed to efficiently move materials. He modernized while preserving quality craftsmanship at crucial stages of production. To this day the bottom boiler unit continues to be handcrafted by expert workmen just as it had been done in 1933. With this arrangement Renato pushed production to 18,000 pieces a day-or 4 million Moka pots per year! At this rate of production we can well believe the claim that nearly 300,000,000 Moka pots have been sold since the 1950’s. 90% of all Italian homes have at least one Moka Pot-making this a true symbol of Italy. While many competitors have moved exclusively into stainless steel models, the people of Bialetti continue to claim that the use of Aluminum improves the quality of the brew. The “interesting” aspect of this claim is that they say that the residue coffee from previous brews adds flavor and depth to future brews. It is not recommended to clean the Moka pot too thoroughly! It is true that Aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat and even heating of the water may contribute to the quality of the brew. Some people fear that the use of Aluminum in cooking may be unhealthy . For an opinion that downplays these dangers see www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts22.html) Bialetti’s Moka Express continues to be a respected Italian icon. In a recent survey of Italian design, the Moka Express ranked as the fifth best design to have come out of Italy in the 20th century. It’s place of honor is alongside the likes of the 1957 Fiat 500, a 1946 Vespa and… Nutella, which won first place. Bialetti has also added new lines of Moka Pots using stainless steel and designs that are modern and elegant. They have developed new technologies, creating electric models and a new pressure system (the Brikka system) that produces an improved cup of coffee with a layer of “crema”. As espresso technology in the coffee bars (and at home) has improved over the years, Bialetti continues to strive to offer “in casa un espresso come al bar” (An espresso in the home just like one in the bar.)
Additional LinksOn a good Moka cup at home vs a poor espresso ouside see my previous article Frustration Page 1 | Page 2 |
