Coffee Month

Espressos are available in almost every coffee shop and they are the base for many coffee drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, etc… But, how many espresso drinkers know what makes it different than regular coffee? It is made from the same beans that coffee is but to be used for espressos the beans must be ground with a burr grinder (a tapered male and female blade grinder). This is very important if you are going to grind your own beans for espresso. A spinning blade grinder (propeller shaped) works fine for grinding coffee beans for filtered coffee, however it just smashes them up making the resulting grinds vary in size which will just not work for espressos.

The espresso brewing process was invented in Italy around the turn of the century and it made its way to the US after World War II. The word espresso comes from the Latin word Expresesre which means “to press out”. This dark rich black coffee is traditionally served in a small “shot” type glass (about an ounce), you will see the word ‘shot’ used in recipes that include espresso. Example: Drinks like Cappuccinos take two ‘shots’ of espresso to make. Using dark roasted coffee beans is usually preferred when making espressos. Many people think a darker roast makes a difference in the taste, but it does not. A lot of the flavor depends on the quality of the blend, the beans being used, and where the blend was made. However, it is largely a matter of personal preference. The only MUST for beans that will be made into espresso is they have to be finely ground.

Espressos have to be made with an Espresso Machine, which can cost a minimum of $50.00 and the prices just go up from there. Nevertheless, if you drink a lot of espresso or other coffee drinks that espresso is the base for you may want to invest in an Espresso Machine. I recommend one that has a steam apparatus for frothing milk.
How does an Espresso Machine work? A pump in the machine forces hot (not boiling) water through the grounds at about nine atmospheres of pressure. This extracts the heart of the beans. An 18 to 23 second pull on the lever should extract a ‘shot’ from an espresso machine and should produce ¾ of an ounce to one whole ounce of yummy espresso. The water temperature is very important, and most at-home espresso machines take some time to warm up to the right temperature. If the water is not at the right temperature your homemade espresso may not taste too good, so read the instructions that come with your machine, it should tell you how long the warm up will take (usually 10 to 15 minutes).

Enjoy!

What I am drinking now: Green Mountain Coffee Breakfast Blend K-Cups

Tags: Espresso //