Espresso

Espresso, which has been popular for generations in Europe, is a gourmet treat for many people in the United States.

This term refers to the brewing method rather than the type of bean, roast or blend used. It is often misspelled as expresso, which seems to be an Americanization of the original word though no clear history exists. The word was first coined around 1900 and comes from the Italian word for express since it is made expressly for and served immediately to the customer.

This brew is prepared by forcing approximately 1.5 ounces of nearly boiling water through finely ground, tightly packed coffee producing a dark brown, slightly thick liquid with a small amount of foam called crema. This beverage is freshly made on request using the proper pressure and temperature to extract only the finest qualities of the bean.

Perfect extraction of this nectar is an art form and the key is timing since over extracting results in a thin bitter drink. For the best results mineral water at 190-195 degrees Fahrenheit (88-89 degrees C) should pass through 1.5 -2 oz. coffee in about 25 seconds at 9-10 atmospheres of pressure. The grind is extremely fine, almost to the consistency of powdered sugar. The more finely ground the beans the slower the espresso comes. The beans are roasted slightly darker than for other brewing methods and are a blend from several different countries to produce the sweetness, smoothness and strong aroma desired.

The color should be a deep reddish-brown that drips out of the porta filter of the machine like honey and should have a crema making up 10-30% of the beverage. It is usually served in a demitasse (smaller than the standard cup) which should be pre-warmed from a source other than the brewing machine. This brewing method is also used in the popular drinks-cappuccino and café latte. The cappuccino combines one-third espresso, one-third steamed milk and one-third frothed milk while a café latte contains one-third espresso and two-thirds steamed milk.

Many people have debated whether this brewing method yields more caffeine than others. Caffeine content is determined by the amount of time the beans are exposed to the water and to a lesser degree the roasting time of the coffee beans. Other brewing methods bring the coffee into contact with the water for much more time and the darker espresso roast diminishes caffeine concentration. A single has half to two-thirds the caffeine of a standard cup though it should be noted that the standard cup is more than twice the volume of a demitasse.

The Italians define a proper brew with the four "M's"-miscela, which is a good blend; macinazione, which is the correct grind of the blend; macchina, which is a high quality brewing machine; and mano, which is the skilled hand of the barista. Each of the four "M's" must be precisely controlled to provide the perfect drink.

A proper brewing machine is vital to producing a quality beverage. These machines weren't invented until the beginning of the twentieth century. The modern machine as we know it was introduced by Gaggia in 1946. The Gaggia Crema Caffe model was the first machine able to consistently force water through a bed of grounds cheaply and easily enough for commercial use and until quite recently only expensive industrial machines could provide the pressure and water temperature required. Many types of machines are marketed today in both home and commercial models but there are only four basic categories.

The manually operated machine, which can be spring or lever operated, relies on physical force rather than an electric pump. In the lever operated machine the operator (barista), lifts a lever to allow the water to flow into the brew head and then firmly forces the lever downward with consistent pressure to produce the golden brew. With the spring operated type of machine the barista pulls the lever down against the spring then slowly releases the pressure by forcing the lever back up. The lever operated machine requires more skill and takes longer to learn to use.

With the semi-automatic machine the operator turns on an electric switch forcing water through the grounds and controls the amount of liquid allowed to flow into the cup.

When using the full automatic espresso machine, the operator presses an electric switch and the machine automatically doses the correct quantity of water through the coffee grounds.

The electrically operated super automatic machine automatically grinds the beans, tamps the grounds into a puck, doses the correct quantity of water and then drops the used puck into an internal dump box. Some commercial models automatically froth the milk into the cup at the same time.

The super automatic machine is also frequently referred to as a coffee center and can be used to make café crème. Although similar to espresso this beverage is brewed at a faster rate through coarser grounds by adjusting the grinder on the super automatic machine which allows the water to pass more rapidly. Café crème is a richly aromatic, smooth brew that is less intense but still topped with a layer of crema.

Brewing machines vary greatly in price depending on the type, capacity and quality of machine desired. Although generally more expensive than other brewing methods, these machines provide a uniquely flavorful experience which until quite recently was beyond the reach of domestic machines.