Espresso - a matter of culture

There’s not solely one way to enjoy espresso. Traditionally espresso defines the “shot” , the drink one enjoys in a single gulp of fullest flavor. But there are other drinks based on coffee made with the espresso brewing method.

How do you like your coffee? Are you one of those individuals who chug it down completely black? Or, maybe youre one of us new-age folks who prefer a latte or iced cappuccino. Either way, one thing remains the same; you love your daily java fix.

Many people are unaware of the power of an espresso machine and how great coffee can taste and save money over time! Espresso is a relatively new discovery. Coffee lovers everywhere have enjoyed many cups of espresso, and with it, the higher doses of caffeine.

A Short History of Espresso

The term café-espress has been used since the 1880s, well before espresso machines existed. It means coffee made to order, expressly for the person ordering it. It also means coffee fresh in every sense of the word:

* Made from fresh beans roasted at most two weeks prior to use,
* Ground just before brewing,
* Brewed just before drinking.

Ideally, all cafés and restaurants would serve even their regularly brewed coffee as espresso in this larger sense—freshly ground in press pots, neopolitans, vacuum brewers or table top pourovers. The aroma of good coffee is delicate and dissipates in a matter of minutes after grinding, whether it is brewed or not.

People are in a hurry. For many workers, waiting five minutes for coffee to brew is too long. They were also in a hurry 100 years ago when inventors started looking for faster ways to brew coffee to order. It being the age of steam, the first attempts used steam rather than water. A steam brewing contraption at the 1896 World's Fair is said to have made 3000 cups per hour. Unfortunately, steam-brewed coffee tastes awful since coffee generally needs to brew at just below boiling (195-205°F or 90-96°C) to taste its best. In 1901, the Italian inventor Luigi Bezzera came up with a workable solution. Pavoni manufactured these first espresso machines in 1905.

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How to choose the Best Espresso Machine

Ask any true coffee-lover worldwide about the best cup of coffee and you'd most likely get an answer "The Espresso!" This one tiny shot of pure coffee adorned with foam at the top gives a kickstart to many of us, awakening our minds and bodies and making us fit to survive through the rest of the day. Most people who haven't had a good cup of espresso typically say they don't like it because it is bitter. If espresso is bitter, it most likely hasn't been made properly as it is supposed to taste like a cup of molten bitersweet chocolate.

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Coffee Hacks with Mark

Coffee aficionado Mark Frauenfelder demonstrates his favorite portable coffee maker, the Aeropress and makes a delicious cup of methamphetamine-free espresso. While you enjoy your first cup, watch this mesmerizing gogo dancer, Miss Foxie Moxie.

CLICK HERE TO BUY AN AEROPRESS



Source: Boingboing.net

Italy aims to standardise the perfect espresso

By Malcolm Moore in Rome
Telegraph.co.uk


It is arguably one of Italy's greatest gifts to the world, ranking alongside renaissance art, opera and ice cream.

But Italians fear that the good name of their coffee is being diluted by chain cafes passing off shoddy versions of espresso and cappuccino.

Now officials are proposing to establish a gold standard for their national drink.

Marco Lion, the head of Italy's parliamentary agriculture commission, is worried that the "true identity of Italian coffee" could be lost because, he says, many cafes in Europe do not have the faintest idea how to make a good cup.

"There is only one true and authentic way to make a cappuccino, but for some reason there appear to be myriad types sold in cafes," he said.

So, after a "period of rigorous checking", Continental cafes that meet criteria set out by the commission would be awarded a "certificate of authenticity" for their coffees.

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In some homes, high-end coffee is revered as much as fine wine

By T. SUSAN CHANG
The Associated Press

In an era when $5 fancy coffee drinks are the norm, a growing number of people are willing to invest $1,000 or more to make the perfect cup of coffee at home.

Seduced by the gleaming, multilevered, counter-hogging machines that have begun crowding catalogs and showrooms, more people are willing to spend more money (sometimes significantly so) in pursuit of that perfect cup of Joe.

Consider this the centerpiece of the consumer revolution in coffee. A generation ago, a cup of coffee meant a bottomless mug at the diner, an overboiled brew from the home percolator, or even — shudder — a spoonful of instant.

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Signature Espresso

Ever wondered how you can turn your insatiable need for caffeine into an all day affair ? Sure you’ve got your morning latte covered, and the midday piccolo and afternoon ristretto is a done deal. But there’s still that lingering need to fill the void between after dinner and bedtime with as much coffee as possible (doctors advice may differ).

Enter the Epic Espresso Signature Drink Workshop ! Not only can you fill your head with all sorts of interesting coffee related facts, but you can also learn a few tips and tricks on how to make some stunning coffee based dessert drinks, meaning you’ll never have to take too long a break from your caffeinated lifestyle.

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