Throughout college I was not a huge coffee drinker and was pursuing a degree in Biology to eventually go on and be an educator, but during my final years of college I would meet a first generation Italian-American that would leave a lasting impression on me forever. This man, Roberto became a good friend of mine and everywhere he would go he would bring a lunchbox full of thermoses of freshly brewed espresso from that morning, small cups, and a tub of ice. At every different stop of his day would share a cup of joe with anyone who was around and do his cheers, “cento venti anni salute.” Years later during the pandemic I wanted to transition out of work at a chemistry lab and find something that resonated with me and I thought back to all the small gatherings I got to witness where people got together for espresso and shared conversations via Roberto’s daily brew. Those small experiences had touched my heart deeply and I decided to follow a similar path , and although Roberto was very protective of his recipe, his love for the craft and intentionality could never be hidden, and that is what I hope to deliver to each person I get to make a cup for.