The whole process begins with simple water. This water has to be good or no amount of decent coffee grounds will matter. Water should be fresh and piping hot. Water should not be stale, mildewy, unclean and not properly filtered. The perfect temperature is just about at boiling point.
Now for the coffee ? choose any coffee that is grown above 3000 feet above sea level. There are many varieties ? Brazilian, Bogotan ? my favourite is espresso. It should be pre-roasted, fresh within at least three days and smell good.
Robusta is one type of coffee that some people use for espresso machines, but it is not the best because it has very little flavour and way too much caffeine. It is considered an easy to grow plant and fairly disease resistant than other coffee trees.
Coffee should be ground in what is called a burr. Burr blades are pyramid in shape and have plates with two teeth that force the coffee to be ground in between. However, coffee types like Viennese or French roasts are darker and are best chopped in grinders. Grinder blades chop only.
The fineness of the grind is determined by the space between the plates. Good-sized grains are the size of sand. Avoid grains that resemble dust or gravel. Be speedy when removing ground coffee from a grinder. Too much exposure to the air makes it oxidize and absorb nearby smells. Garlic infused coffee would be horrible!
A great cup of espresso requires a clean and top quality espresso machine, or the experience is not worth it. What does this mean? Without a 9 bar pump pressure or more, the machine will be unable to generate thermoblock or boiler heat to properly stew the grinds. The boiler will heat the water to the right temperature. Avoid steam-pressurized machines and be careful not to burn yourself.
The next step is to make the coffee! Warm up your machine and clean it by running fresh water through it. Simply turn it on, allow time for the water to heat up and flush the system and warm the inner surfaces by pouring a cup of water instead of coffee into it.
Now carefully add your grounds and slightly pack them down like you would with pipe style tobacco. It should feel slightly springy, but it should not move around suddenly when you remove your finger.
Put the hopper back into the machine in a firm manner. Warm your espressos cup and stand it underneath the outlet. Press start and in under five seconds you will have a shot's worth of piping hot espresso.
Cappuccino is easily constructed by heating a half-cup of milk in your microwave for 90 seconds until it froths. Add this to your espresso. Garnish lovingly with nutmeg, chocolate or cinnamon. I like all three. Then sprinkle with brown sugar. Enjoy!
So where did it all start?
A guy named Luigi Bezzera from Italy invented the Espresso drink in 1903. He was basically frustrated with the time it took to make a decent cup of coffee and wanted to find a way to brew it much quicker. He attempted to increase the applied pressure during the coffee brewing process and thereby reduced the overall preparation time. As expected the coffee drink was prepared much quicker and it in fact tasted even better. This drink soon came to be called the now hugely popular "Espresso". There are over 15 variations of Espresso produced such as Americano, Black eye, Capuccino, Cubano, Doppio, Caff? Latte, Caff? Macchiato, Mocha, Red Eye, Long Black, Lungo, Ristretto, Flat White, Corretto etc.Each of these variations are produced by altering the proportion and temperature of Milk and Water added and by adding various ingredients such as Chocolate, Gelato, Cinnamon, Caramel and even Brandy. When the brewing process begins pressurized water at about 85'C - 95'C is forced into the ground coffee kept in the filter. If the water if forced at a temperature lower than the recommended range, the Espresso produced will turn sour and if it is forced at a higher temperature it will turn bitter. So one should be careful that the water is forced at the ideal temperature range.
How Is Espresso Made?
To make a delicious cup of creamy Espresso you basically need three things
1. A Good Espresso Machine
2. High Quality Coffee beans
3. Some Water
When the brewing process begins pressurized water at about 85'C - 95'C is forced into the ground coffee kept in the filter. If the water if forced at a temperature lower than the recommended range, the Espresso produced will turn sour and if it is forced at a higher temperature it will turn bitter. So one should be careful that the water is forced at the ideal temperature range. A High quality Espresso machine will control the temperature of the forced water effectively and maintain it at the ideal temperature. The entire brewing process will finally produce a rich, creamy, reddish brown like syrup which is your"Espresso". Freshly brewed Espresso should be served immediately or else it will degrade due to cooling and oxidation. To enjoy a delicious cup of creamy Espresso it is recommended to consume it within 2 to 3 minutes from the time of serving. Another popular misconception is that only a specific bean or roast can be used to produce authentic Espresso coffee. This is absolutely not true as any bean or roast can be used.
Variations Of Espresso
There are over 15 variations of Espresso produced such as Americano, Black eye, Capuccino, Cubano, Doppio, Caff? Latte, Caff? Macchiato, Mocha, Red Eye, Long Black, Lungo, Ristretto, Flat White, Corretto etc.Each of these variations are produced by altering the proportion and temperature of Milk and Water added and by adding various ingredients such as Chocolate, Gelato, Cinnamon, Caramel and even Brandy.
Both Rob Carlton & Prakash Singh are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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