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F OAM: NEWS ESPRESSO MACHINE HISTORY ON DISPLAY IN NICE, FRANCE WHEN THE OWNERS OF NICE, FRANCE–BASED espresso machine manufacturer Unic learned that the annual Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) conference was set to take place in its seaside hometown in June 2013, Unic decided to go big: Besides hosting the event's most talked-about party at an 18th-century palace, the company trotted out an array of vintage espresso machines, marking its 95-year history and tradition of stunning design and technical excellence over the years. "It's a daily indulgence to see these machines in our showroom, so we thought others in the specialty-coffee world would like to see them, as well," says Pascale Moll of Unic. A parade of dazzling antique espresso machines dating back to 1919 lined the Unic Espresso Equipment booth at the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe's trade show in June, which was held in Nice, France, where Unic is headquartered. The machines were complemented by a timeline of major turning points in the French company's history, making this booth one of the most popular spots at the show. Thousands of attendees passed through Unic's booth over the course of the SCAE show, and they took their time ooh-ing, ahh-ing, and photographing the machines, the oldest of which was manufactured in 1919. "I'm thrilled everyone enjoyed seeing the machines," Pascale says. "They are so beautiful, so much a part of history. They are the best ones to tell the story of Unic." —Staff reports BESIDES THE FACT THAT DAVID SCHOMER is one of the original specialty-coffee leaders in the United States, and the man credited as the first to bring latte art to the masses, we like him because he has a strict no-bull policy. If likes something, he'll say so; but if he doesn't like it, he'll let you know. When David gave the thumbs up to the Nuova Simonelli Aurelia T3 then, it really meant something. With his legendary Seattle coffee company, Espresso Vivace, opened in 1988, David has set the standard for excellence in almost every area of coffee, from training (his most famous book, Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques, is now in its eighth printing and available in four languages), to retailing (his articles on the business of coffee retail in Barista Magazine are consistently revered). Coffee writer Julie Beals sat with David for a thought-provoking interview about his fascination and appreciation of the Aurelia T3. You can read the entire thing online at www.nuovadistribution.com. For now, here's an excerpt: Julie Beals: What is it about the T3 that gives it an advantage? David Schomer: Nuova Simonelli plated the necessary surfaces in stainless steel, because brass can make the coffee taste rancid. With that, and the temperature stability, we got the lovely varietal flavors stacked up like trout in a stream, plus sweetness. JB: Why is the temperature so stable? DS: They put 14 pounds of brass in the grouphead. That means the 18 barista magazine PHOTO BY AMANDA WILSON TALKING T3 WITH DAVID SCHOMER hot water has tremendous thermal inertia. It comes to temperature more quickly and holds within 5/100ths of a degree Fahrenheit throughout the brewing cycle, regardless of volume served. I couldn't believe it when Gianni Cassatini came up to me last year at Coffee Fest and told me they had done this. I was waiting to see if anyone would go that far with the groupheads, to avoid losing heat when the water reaches the espresso puck. The stability is amazing. That was the final thing that had to be done. There had been all kinds of designs before, none of which completely shuts the door on the temperature control issue. —Staff reports