I wasn't planning on including this place - a quaint little coffee shop in the heart of Kennebunkport's tourist area.  What would they know about quality espresso and lattes and such?  Turns out - quite alot.

I ordered my regular - a latte with three shots, skim milk and no foam.  Parked myself by the window, sipping and reading the local paper.

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I was the only customer.  The coffee guy had to tell someone.  "I drew two perfect cups of espresso today."

"Huh?"

"In the two years that I've worked here I've only drawn three perfect cups of espresso.  Two of them were today."

​"What makes espresso perfect?"

"Everything.  The grind has to be just right.  It needs to tamped down evenly, not too firmly, not to lightly.  Just the right pressure of steamed water going through the grind for the right amount of time and the right amount of steamed water.  The cup has to be warm.  The "crema" (the light head that forms on a cup of espreso) tells all.  Fine, evenly distributed foam, just the right color crema, no streaks."

I thought back to all the other espresso places I've been to where the workers seem more interested in quickly moving the customers through than putting their heart and soul into each and every cup of espresso.

Yeah, they know about espresso in Kennebunkport.