The Gaggia Blog (UK)

Gaggia Deco Tall Cup BP

March 30th, 2012

Here at Gaggia as you know we’re always innovating and thinking about what people want in the market. We know that a lot of people love Espresso and our Espresso machines. We also know that many people like to use espresso as a base for a larger drink. Well to acknowledge that lets meet the new  Deco Tall Cup.

The Deco Tall Cup is the latest version of the Deco espresso machine. We’ve kept the usual stylish aesthetics and functionality of the Deco range and added a bit of versatility. This beautiful machine (if we do say so ourselves) is designed to produce perfect coffee every time, as you would expect, in either a small espresso cup or a larger mug .

Geeky bit
Now we’re going to get a bit technical for all the coffee machine geeks. The Deco Tall Cup’s raised group heads and a supplementary extractible grid are what makes the difference and are what makes it ideal for use with either a small espresso cup or a large mug. It has an autonomous heating system with electronic temperature control for each group head. The temperature-controlled, high-powered steam wand allows for precise and automatic milk frothing, time after time. Simple push-button controls and a multi-function display make the Deco easy to use, even at peak times.

The Deco Tall Cup is available in two sizes, a two-group and a three-group unit. The three-group unit measures 985mm (w) by 620mm (h) by 570mm (d) and can brew six shots simultaneously. Its 21 litre boiler capacity enables it to cope with high volumes quickly, without compromising on the coffee’s quality or taste, producing up to 350 espressos per hour.

I know all that information is a lot to take in but what it means is that we’re still innovating and bringing you the best in coffee technology. We’re interested in servicing your coffee business with the best machines possible to service your business. The Deco Tall cup is just the latest step in that vision.

The Deco Tall cup allows you to get more flexibility of use with your machine and, as with all Gaggia units, the stylish appearance looks fantastic front of house.

Latte Art Deco: Great Looks, Great Coffee

September 19th, 2011

Aesthetic, authentic and functional: the new Deco D from Gaggia

Aesthetic, authentic and functional: the new Deco D from Gaggia

The latest espresso machine from Gaggia, the Deco D, is designed to deliver what the company describes as a ‘real point of difference in coffee making.’  Marketed in the UK by Watermark, and available through dealers nationwide, the electronic model combines vintage art deco looks with advanced technologies  including individual brewing head temperature controls, which allow the coffee’s ‘sweet spot’ to be extracted every time, and a turbo-charged steam wand that can steam a litre of milk in just 40 seconds.

“The coffee sector is hugely competitive and the Deco is designed to give operators a real edge in the high street,” says David Lawlor, managing director of Watermark UK. “It is authentic and combines aesthetics with functionality.  On the one hand it is very easy to use, so even untrained staff can brew a perfect cup of coffee.  At the same time, features like the adjustable pre-infusion enable a Barista to control the brewing precisely, helping them to create their signature beverages.”

The Deco D is available in a variety of sizes.  The smallest unit has two groups, brewing four shots simultaneously.  Its 13 litre boiler means it has the capacity to cope with high volumes quickly, without compromising on coffee quality – once the coffee bean grinder is correctly set up, the Deco produces rich, perfectly extracted espresso every time.  Matching this speed, the high powered steam wands allow for superior milk texturing, creating the light, velvety foam that is essential not only for taste and mouth-feel but also for ‘latte art’.

Simple push-button controls and a multi-function display ensure that even at busy times, staff are always in control.  Meanwhile the unit’s attractive looks, including a choice of colours and the innovative rear-panel illumination feature, give the stylish Deco enormous customer appeal.

The two group Deco D is capable of producing up to 300 espresso shots per hour.  It is available in either grey or red and features an energy-saving automatic on/off function.  It measures 765mm (w) by 535mm (h) by 570mm (d).

The Gaggia range of espresso coffee machines and ancillary equipment is marketed in the UK by Watermark.  It is available through catering equipment distributors and coffee specialists.  Watermark is currently expanding its distributor network.  For information and brochures freephone Gaggia Watermark on 0800 9179879, email info@watermark.uk.com or visit www.watermark.uk.com

Cleaning a commercial coffee machine

August 23rd, 2011

How often should I clean my coffee machine? Will it still work if I don’t clean it?

Well, it depends.  If you have a bean to cup automatic coffee machine that foams up milk then  you’ll need to clean it every day otherwise it will block up fairly quickly and won’t work properly, it’s is fairly obvious and is common sense to most people.

If you have a traditional style machine, I also recommend that it gets cleaned every day.  The reasoning behind this advice is that it will hopefully improve the flavour of the coffee as the cleaning solution helps to break down the build up of stale coffee oils and used coffee that can get lodged behind the shower disk.  The Gaggia coffee machines are strong and resilient so the failure to carry out daily cleaning won’t break the machine but the coffee quality will deteriorate.  Below is a short video on how to carry out the daily cleaning on a Gaggia Deco.

A question of taste

July 29th, 2011

I recently accompanied my 4 year old boy to McDonalds.  We ordered the usual; french fries and a plain ice cream sundae.  As with most 4 year olds there is a certain randomness to how they eat (if you can get them to eat in the first place).  After a bite of French fries and then a spoon of ice cream, the next chip was dunked into the ice cream as one might use ketchup and then quickly gobbled down.  The process was repeated again.  I was about to correct him that it was not considered ‘normal’ to use ice cream as a condiment to chips when I recalled an earlier occasion as a younger man when I made a face when my boss at the time asked me to get him a sandwich with nothing but slices of onion and cheddar cheese.  I was quickly chastised by him when he found out that I had never tried such a sandwich.  Not wanting to make the same mistake twice I proceeded to dunk one of my chips into the sundae.  To my surprise the tastes worked – the saltiness and sharpness with the heat of the chips actually worked with the sweet soft creamy ice cream.  While I don’t think we’ll be seeing it served up to Michel Roux Jr in Masterchef anytime soon if you’re 4 years old (or feel like being 4) – its worth trying out.

Coffee and chocolate work wonderfully together and more recently I tried a spicy Mexican burrito and a caffe latte on the recommendation of one of my customers and that worked really well too.  If you’ve got any weird or unusual combinations, let us know…

Gaggia relaunch will give UK coffee sector a caffeine boost

July 7th, 2011

Gaggia is relaunching into the UK foodservice market.  The Italian coffee equipment brand has appointed Watermark UK as principal distributor.  The range will be available via Watermark’s network of distributors, coffee equipment specialists and catering equipment suppliers.

Gaggia is probably the most famous espresso coffee equipment manufacturer in the world, an iconic brand associated with flair, flavour and style.  Watermark has been looking after the Gaggia brand in the Republic of Ireland for over 15 years.  The company has a reputation for first class customer support and will bring this ethos to the UK catering sector.

“Gaggia has developed a range of new models and features that we’ll be launching into the UK in coming months,” says David Lawlor, managing director of Watermark UK.  “We’ll be focusing very much on customer support – our Gaggia Quality Team aims to deliver on-site support within 24 hours with a first-time fix rate of 98%.”

Watermark has opened a Gaggia showroom in its offices in Chesham, Bucks, where customers can come to check out all the machines in the range – including the classic D90 Alti, which has been tailored for the take-away market and allows the espresso shot to pour directly into a take-away cup, thanks to the raised height of the group heads.

“The dynamic growth of the UK coffee sector is based on espresso and its variants,” says David Lawlor.  “Most professionals agree that Italian coffee is the best in the world.  And the most famous Italian coffee equipment brand is Gaggia – but in recent years it has been something of a sleeping giant in the UK foodservice sector.  Yet as well as having a huge heritage, the brand is a market leader in terms of research and development.

“We believe Gaggia’s dynamic new products, coupled with quality customer support, will bring significant benefits to the foodservice sector.  We’re going to give coffee service in the UK a caffeine boost.”

Watermark is currently expanding its distributor network in the UK.  For information and brochures freephone Gaggia Watermark on 0800 9179879, email info@watermark.uk.com or visit www.watermark.uk.com

Paying a premium for Quality Coffee?

June 26th, 2011

Like many people, I have spent much time looking at coffee menus trying to decide what represents good value for money and what prices are just a joke.    I have also had the privilege of speaking to many cafe and would be cafe owners about what price they charge for coffee. For some owners, the decision is a combination of what it costs to produce and the resulting quality of drinks,  other factors are what Starbucks / Costa  charge and for other owners it is what they can get away with.  In these times of austerity I think pricing is of crucial importance.   Before setting the price for your coffee drinks,  I recommend the following sanity check:-

• Is the price fair?  Irrespective of what others are charging
• If your price is on the high side – does it really merit this position – its only really good friends that will honestly tell you?
• Will you improve sales by having more repeat customers that fewer at a higher price
• Do you think people notice the price you charge? (hint – they do!!)

We have all had coffee that has just not been worth it – and we rarely say anything about it to the person who can do something to put it right instead we grumble about it to our friends and vote with our feet next time round.

Coffee Pods and Capsules V Freshly Ground Coffee Espresso Machines

April 11th, 2011

With the arrival of George Clooney to the coffee scene, drinking coffee from pod or capsule espresso systems is as popular as ever – you would be forgiven for thinking his sponsors have been the pioneers in this technology, but the truth is that they have been around for quite awhile.

Like everything they have their benefits and shortfalls when compared to using freshly ground coffee brewed in an espresso machine.

The case ‘For’ and ‘Against’ capsule sytems….

• Capsules / pods are simple – just go in to the designated stockist (usually a department store) that sells the machines and put them into the machine.  But …, capsules are generally 3 times more expensive than making coffee from ground coffee / coffee bean espresso systems
• Capsules / Pods give consistency – it’s the same every time.  But…there is less variety and opportunity for experimentation with different varieties of coffees and roasts
• Capsules / Pods are cleaner than using ground coffee – there are not buts to this… I think that this is the single biggest advantage with the capsule system.
• Using a capsule system can gain you entry into a special club.  But… come on you gotta be kidding. Unless this club gets you a flight for two to have breakfast with George on the shores of Lake Coma, is this for real…  do we really give a monkeys?
• Coffee that has been ground in Switzerland / Italy  that makes it way though several warehouses and finally the display cabinet of the retail outlet cannot be as fresh and as aromatic as coffee freshly roasted and freshly ground.

Even with bearing the above in mind, If you are trying to decide which system might suit you best – ask yourself the following questions:

• If you want something convenient and clean for the occasional coffee and you can easily get your hands on the capsules or pods  then a Capsule system might suit you.
• If you like a bit of gourmet (whether you make it yourself or someone else does) and you want the flexibility of trying different flavours and roasts then a ground coffee / coffee bean espresso system will probably work better for you (and be more fun).

It many ways it is a similar to whether you do more home cooking verses buying premade meals from the supermarket – each will suit at different times.   You just got to decide which you do more of!!

Philip Martin – interview

March 16th, 2011

In conversation with Philip Martin, owner of Little Ass Burrito Bar, 1 Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin 6

About the Business

Little Ass Burrito is a casual dining eatery with an emphasis on quality Mexican food ‘on the go’ located in the middle of Rathmines Village.  The owner, Philip Martin, describes his burritos as slow food (as much of the ingredients requires marinating) eaten fast.  The Burritos, which are prepared on the premises, are supplemented with a range of pastries and coffee sold in a variety of combination deals.

The feel of the place is youthful, fun and energetic with an urban slant; customers tend to be well travelled and are of all ages or in business speak – ABC1/2.  The average price of a meal is €6.85 per person.

What’s your most favourite item on your menu?

“The Super Batata which is a burrito of roasted sweet potato with fresh coriander, Spanish rice, sour cream, jack cheese and pinto beans served up with an espresso coffee”.  (Interestingly, Philip finds that coffee complements the spicy flavours better than a cold drink.)

What bits of your business do you enjoy the most and what bits do you find challenging?

“The stuff I enjoy the most is the banter with our customers at the counter and the bit I find most challenging is keeping pace with day to day collections – I pick up the majority of our ingredients locally to make sure that I get the quality and value that I require.”

Where do you see the cafe /  casual dining industry going?

“I see more businesses buying locally and supporting local producers, for example we source our beers from local micro breweries and we charge the same as what you would pay for the big branded beers.  We are glad to support local companies as we believe this is the right thing to do but we notice that our customers are switched on to this which helps differentiate us as a specialist food outlet”.

Is coffee important to your business and why?

“Massively important – it goes with everything and helps to boost the quality of our offering.  We make coffee on a Gaggia Deco 2 group traditional machine which helps to create a buzz with a relaxed atmosphere; it changes the mood from that of a fast food restaurant”

For someone setting up a cafe / casual dining business tomorrow – what single piece of advice would you give them?

“Don’t (only joking!) – have a clear image on what you want and how you want it to turn out, having this will save you a lot of time”

Contact Details and Opening hours

Monday – Thursday: 8am to 10pm

Friday: 8am – 4am (Ed. wow!)

Saturday: 11am – 4am

Sunday: 11am – 10pm

Web: www.littleass.ie

Phone +353 1 4062614

Facebook littleass burritobar

Address 1 Upper Rathmines Village, Dublin 6, Ireland.

Gaggia Brera V Gaggia Classic and Grinder

March 1st, 2011

Gaggia Brera V, Gaggia Classic and Grinder – which one will suit me (and my political situation) best??

For many this is a challenging decision, a decision that goes to the heart of a household  – the coffee aficionado  almost without fail goes for the traditional Gaggia with grinder as the art of making coffee is just as important as what the coffee actually tastes like.  For others the decision is not as clear.  After witnessing the deliberations (and sometimes being part of), discussions between couples it often comes down to the following issues:-

• Who ‘owns’ the kitchen – whoever owns the kitchen almost without fail gets to make the decision!
• The higher the number of young kids / dogs etc the couple has to look after usually sways them to choose an automatic coffee machine – it gotta be easy, cos life is complex enough!
• Teenagers and young adults living at home usually want their parents to buy traditional machines;  I think this has something to do with a James Bond type fascination with gadgetry.
• In the main – the ladies want the Brera and the men want the Classic / grinder and of course there are lots and lots of exceptions that disprove this observation !!

Whatever you close – you are sure to get a wonderful coffee, as both give a wonderful freshly brewed espresso or cappuccino!