Morning Espresso with illy

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Y’all know I love coffee. My mornings are just not complete without enjoying some kind of coffee first thing to start my day. Like, it’s a non-negotiable. ☕️ 

I recently got to attend a fun event with illy at their flagship caffè on Montgomery St, where they have a permanent Univeristà del Caffè (University of Coffee) location where they host all kinds of classes all about coffee. illy employees go through their trainings here, but anyone can sign up for a class or book a team offsite here. Click here for more info and to sign up for a class!

Our morning at the University of Coffee room started with learning how to make latte art. You guys, it is way harder than it looks! I actually wish I took this class years ago, because when I used to work at Google we had really fancy espresso and milk steaming machines. I got the hang of the espresso part, but I pretty much just used the steamer to warm up my milk. Imagine all of the pretty lattes I could have been making over those five years!

We learned from one of illy’s experts how to make the perfect steamed milk for latte art, and the art of pouring—truly, it is an art! We got to make our own lattes, and while my “art” didn’t exactly turn out Instagram-worthy, I also learned that a chocolate swirl on top and a few flicks of a toothpick can turn a flop into a very pretty latte. 

After trying our hand at latte art, we got to go through an illy mixology class—coffee cocktails, anyone? Such a yummy treat. 

illy recently came out with their new Y3.2 iperEspresso Espresso & Coffee Machine, and I’m so excited to have one of my own at home now! It’s so stinkin’ cute, and I love its minimal and elegant design. illy partnered with the Italian architect Piero Lissoni to design this machine, and I appreciate how compact and sleek it is—perfect for my small kitchen counter. 

I chose the white color, but I also love the adorable Cape Town blue. Every morning I’ve been enjoying making myself a delicious shot of espresso with the touch of a button (but it also makes drip coffee, if you prefer!), thanks to illy’s innovative iperEspresso capsule system that makes cafe quality espresso in a snap. Btw, how cute is illy’s latest Art Collection with Olimpia Zagnoli, an Italian illustrator? Love these sweet little espresso cups! I really identify with the one with blue hair and pink glasses. ?

I’ve been loving my morning espressos, and having illy every morning has been reminding me of my time in Italy earlier this summer, where I drank at a lot of illy caffès. It’s been so fun to have that at home as part of my morning routine to get my day going. Maybe next up I need to get a machine with a steam wand so I can keep practicing my latte art. ? 

Event photography by Christopher Sturm.

Thank you to illy for sponsoring this post!