Scott wrote:
> In article >,
> Richard Periut > wrote:
>
>
>>Steam is not invisible; what comes out of a steam locomotive? Steam and
>>vapor are interchangeable.
>
>
> At the point that you see it, it's not steam. The white cloud is steam
> that has cooled and condensed. At best, even if you say that steam and
> water vapor are interchangeable, then both are invisible and the white
> cloud that you see still isn't steam. As the quote from Argonne National
> Laboratory stated: "Water vapor (steam) is colorless, and the gas that
> is IMMEDIATELY outside of the kettle spout. The "cloud" or mist is water
> vapor that has condensed into liquid. It often takes on a foggy
> appearance." So, what you're seeing coming out of your espresso machine
> still isn't steam: it's a cloud of *liquid* water.
>
>
>
>>Main Entry: 1steam
>>Pronunciation: 'stEm
>>Function: noun
>>Etymology: Middle English stem, from Old English stEam; akin to Dutch
>>stoom steam
>>1 : a vapor arising from a heated substance
>>2 a : the invisible vapor into which water is converted when heated to
>>the boiling point b : the mist formed by the condensation on cooling of
>>water vapor
>>3 a : water vapor kept under pressure so as to supply energy for
>>heating, cooking, or mechanical work; also : the power so generated b :
>>active force : POWER, MOMENTUM <got there under his own steam> <sales
>>began to pick up steam>; also : normal force <at full steam> c : pent-up
>>emotional tension <needed to let off a little steam>
>>4 a : STEAMER 2a b : travel by or a trip in a steamer
>
>
> Dictionaries list usage, not necessarily PROPER usage. Remember that
> quote from Jesse Sheidlower (North American Editor of the
> Oxford English Dictionary) that I posted? "Dictionaries, in general, do
> not dictate usage: they reflect the usage that exists in the language."
> People often call the white stuff coming out of locomotives "steam."
> That doesn't mean that it *is* steam. People also call the white mist
> that comes out of their mouths on a cold day, "steam." It isn't.
>
> Besides, at best it's semantics. The underlying issue was: what was
> coming out of your espresso machine. It wasn't water raised above the
> boiling point.
>
>
>
>>If you go back and read my post, you'll see I stated very hot water and
>>steam. Usually the two go hand in hand. The Gaggia that I have is a 300
>>buck machine. It produces quality expresso with a thick velvety crema.
>>And as I told the op, I have observed what comes out of even more
>>expensive commercial machines, and I see the same thing when I don't
>>have any coffee in the output plate; very hot water and steam. BTW, my
>>Gaggia has a relay and a pump.
>
>
> I wasn't disputing the hot water part, just the steam. If your machine's
> emitting steam into the portafilter, I think Gaggia would want to know
> about that. Steam SHOULD come through the steam wand, not the
> showerhead. And steam and hot water don't go hand in hand when the water
> isn't hot enough to become steam.
>
> Go over to alt.coffee and ask people there about making espresso with
> steam. There are people there who sell and repair espresso machines;
> they'll tell you (as they've reiterated time and time again) that steam
> does not pass through the ground coffee.
>
Yes, exactly my point. Very hot water and vapor / steam is what flows
through that.

And I get a very good crema (head,) with the machine.

Rich

--
"Dum Spiro, Spero."

As long as I breath, I hope.

Cicero