The espresso machine that spoke French at 6am in Lyon

Last month I ducked into this tiny place near the Rhone river and the barista had this old lever machine that hissed like a snake. I ordered a double and it went BANG, shot steam all over my camera bag, and the guy just shrugged and said 'elle est capricieuse' with a straight face like it was normal. He gave me the coffee for free after I helped him wipe down the counter, and it was honestly the best shot I've had all year. Anyone else have a machine that's got a personality worse than its owner?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_nathan1mo ago

Doubt it was the machine, more likely the beans or your mood playing tricks on you.

val_williams1mo ago

Fifty bucks and a busted pressure gauge says that machine had more soul than half the cafes I've been to. I once had an old Faema in Turin that would only pull a good shot if you tapped the side twice and said "ciao bella" first. The owner swore it was the ghosts of his grandparents, and honestly, the coffee was incredible so I never argued. Machines like that, they're not broken, they're just picky. You got lucky with a free drink and a story, that's better than any perfect espresso.