Expresso Coffee Is A Unique Experience
November 14, 2009 by Lucia Latte
Filed under Health & Fitness
Expresso coffee has been around for a long time but the term that we refer to it by today is relatively new. Expresso coffee is named after espresso the term that originated in Italy to describe individually brewed coffee. Espresso in Italian means brewed for you. There is some popular confusion on what exactly Expresso coffee is.
A popular misconception is that Expresso coffee is different than pother coffee because of the beans that are used. This simply is not true. There are specialty beans that are popular with Expresso coffee but they alone do not make a cup of coffee Expresso coffee.
The blend of the beans is also something that is often credited with being what is different with Expresso coffee. Blends just like beans may be made with Expresso coffee in mind but this does not mean that a cup of coffee made with these blends is Expresso coffee.
It’s not the bean 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.
Generally coffee is about what is in the coffee such as the bean and the blend but this is not the case for Expresso coffee. Expresso coffee is actually all about the way it is brewed. Remember this does not mean that there are not certain blends or beans that are designed for Expresso coffee but rather that the brewing method is the true difference between Expresso coffee and other types of coffee. Expresso coffee is actually not a cup of coffee at all at least not in the traditional sense. Expresso coffee is actually a small shot of coffee that has been brewed from extra fine ground beans and prepared under lots of pressure.
Simply placing the grounds into the machine and pressing the button does not make a cup of Expresso coffee a good Expresso. A good cup of Expresso is more of an art like producing a fine wine. In order to do this properly it the grounds must be ground fresh and then placed in a metal device that resembles a filter and then packing those grounds down with a flat metal surface. Packing the grounds just right is important. The right packing will provide a nice silky like surface to the top of the Expresso coffee. This surface is known as the crema. Good crema is vital to an outstanding cup of Expresso coffee.
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.
Many people think it is a sin to add sugar to a cup of Expresso coffee but actually there is nothing that says it cannot be drank sweetened. In fact it is common for this drink to be slightly sweetened in Italy. What matters is that you savor this coffee and make it more than just a drink. Drinking Expresso coffee should truly be a unique experience.
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