The word espresso literally means brewed for you. This drink has been around since the early 1900’s. Actually the term expresso coffee has been around since the 1900’s but the method of making coffee in the Espresso method is much older than that. There is a lot of confusion about expresso coffee regarding whether it is the method of making the coffee, or if the term pertains to the coffee been used. There is also some question on how it should be drank.
One of the misconceptions behind expresso coffee is that it pertains to a particular type of espresso bean. This is actually untrue. Expresso coffee can actually made from any bean. It does not matter if it is decaf or bold, Columbian or Jamaican. Actually your favorite coffee been can be used to make espresso. This does not mean that the bean is not a very important part of the process it simply means that the bean does not make the coffee espresso.
So if it is not the particular bean it must be the blend. This is only partly true. There are specific blends that are designed for espresso but this blend does not make it expresso. Coffee. While it may be true that a better cup of expresso coffee can be made from a specialty blend this does not mean that you cannot make a cup of espresso out of any bean.
It’s not the espresso beans and it’s not the blend so is it the roast? There is common thought that expresso coffee must be a dark roast coffee. While actually the right roast will vary based on the part of the country you are in. For instance on the east coast of the Us people favor a light roast while Californians tend to prefer a dark roast. The standard in Italy is actually a medium roast. What roast is used depends entirely on personal taste.
Most coffees are about what is in the coffee expresso coffee is about how the coffee was made It is the brewing is what separates expresso coffee from other coffees. Expresso coffee is actually an individually brewed cup of coffee as the name implies in Italian. Unlike most coffee drinks expresso coffee is a shot of coffee that has been brewed from a tablespoon of finely ground coffee beans. A proper definition of expresso coffee would be a shot of coffee produced under a high amount of pressure with very finely ground coffee beans.
Making expresso coffee is a skill. A properly made cup of expresso coffee will have a light brown layer on the top. This layer is known as crema. Crema can only be produced if the coffee is made properly. In order to make an authentic cup of espresso you must have a true espresso machine. The difference in machines is how much pressure is applied to the brewing process.
Expresso coffee is not only made differently than all other coffees it is also drank differently. Drinking a fine cup of expresso coffee can be as methodical as sampling a fine glass of vintage wine, while also being as direct as drinking a rich stout. The process starts by smelling the coffee and inhaling the aroma. Then the coffee needs to drank in several swallows. Then to appear proper the drinker should place the cup firmly back onto the saucer it is served on.
Some people may look at a drinker funny if they add sugar to expresso coffee but actually this practice is accepted in Italy. However to truly savor the expresso coffee it should be drank straight. This will allow you to truly enjoy the experience the way it is intended.