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The popcorn machine has been a complete success. I don’t know how I lived without this thing before. Easy to assemble (place cover on machine and plug in) and I don’t burn myself with hot oil like I did with the stove top method. Bliss.

I am, however, still using stove top method for my espresso. Which is causing me some problems. I got the above pictured stove top espresso machine for my birthday about a month ago and I’ve used it quite a few times and still, STILL, I am not making espresso. I am making strong coffee. And don’t get me wrong – strong coffee is awesome. But I want espresso. With the caramelly stuff on top. I haven’t got the water:espresso ratio down yet either. Boo. What I really would like (hello wedding registry!) is an actual espresso machine. With a metal foamer and everything. But that will take time so for now, does anyone out there know how the hell to make espresso in my espresso maker?

In other news, I made a vegetable pie last night that had a lot of promise to start but turned out only so so. Here is a list of possible reasons why this decline in tastiness happened:

1) I used white wine instead of vegetable stock (win) but forgot to supplement the wine with a little bay leaf and other such vegetable stock spices.
2) I effed up the pastry, forgetting that I needed double the chickpeas for this one, and so the top was too small for the pie.
3) I accidentally added vanilla almond milk to the vegetable mixture.

I’m thinking 1 and 3 had the most impact. Sigh. It wasn’t terrible in the end, but it wasn’t great either. Thank goodness for the side of beets and turnip with marjoram. New recipe tonight I think…I’m thinking stir fry.

Update: just took a sip from my recently brewed pot…Yowza but that’s strong coffee. Not espresso. My pumpkin mug is disappointed.