| What is Espresso ? |
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The word "espresso" refers to a method of brewing coffee that is unique in two important ways:-
The Critical Crema In the espresso extraction process, water-soluble substances are dissolved from the ground coffee, the same as in regular coffee brewing. Additionally, under the 8 - 10 bar of espresso machine pressure, non-soluble oils in the ground espresso are emulsified and it is this pressure that forces the oils out and into the cup as crema. It transforms the properties of the coffee in terms of its mouth feel, density, viscosity, aroma and taste. Since the oils in the ground coffee have to be emulsified to be an espresso, a thick, crema is the single most important indicator of espresso quality. It should be rich, velvety, and plentiful with the aroma and fragrance captured in it. Moreover, the colour of the crema is the single most important indicator of the freshness of the coffee. Reddish-brown crema indicates an excellent espresso made from high-quality coffee, recently roasted, and properly ground just prior to infusion. The older the coffee is from the roast date and/or the longer the espresso has been in ground form and in contact with the enemy oxygen, the lighter the colour of the crema and the less desirable the espresso will be.
Coffee Preparation There is no "best" way to prepare coffee; each of us prefers one method to the others. Coffee is an everyday part of our lives and it should fit our lifestyle and pocket book. Making coffee is both a ritual and a practical part of life. Unlike tea or cocoa, coffee lends itself readily to many different ways of preparation. All of these methods share the same basic principle, which is to use very hot water to extract from the precise amount of ground beans the natural oils that give coffee its wonderful aroma and flavour. The resulting brews described below, are all technically a coffee infusion.
The Filter Method The drip or filter method is possibly the most widely used method today. Medium fine ground coffee is placed in a paper or reusable basket unit and nearly boiling water is poured on top. For best results, a small quantity of cold water should be poured on first to wet (infuse) the grounds. The resulting brew filters through the unit into a pot or mug and is ready to drink. The coffee grounds remain in the filter basket.
The Plunger Pot / French Press / Cafetiere The plunger method (said to have been invented in the 30's) extracts the most flavour from the ground beans. Coarsely ground coffee is placed in the bottom of the pot, the coffee is just covered with cold water to allow the infusion process to start and to prevent burning when the hot water is introduced. Hot water (87 - 92 degrees C.) is added to the wet grounds and stirred gently with something non metallic -to protect the hot glass, allowed to steep for four to five minutes, then the plunger is slowly pushed down to separate the coffee grounds from the coffee infusion. This method is only slightly less convenient than the filter method and is today one of the two fastest growing ways to make fresh ground coffee. Very fresh-roasted coffee (2 days or less) will produce a foaming action when made in the plunger pot as C02 is being released.
Espresso And Cappuccino Espresso and its derivative cappuccino, invented in Italy, are the fastest growing methods of making coffee. Espresso machines force hot water through a very fine precise amount of compacted coffee into the cups below. Good espresso is expensive to make because in order to extract the greatest amount of flavour from the coffee, a high level of pressure is required (8-10 bar) and thus a high quality machine. When making espresso, it is important not to over-extract the coffee, which means that the entire process should take around 25 - 30 seconds. The 'crema' lies on top of the black coffee underneath and will tell you everything about the quality of the espresso. Too light, or too thick or too thin: all mean that the espresso is sub standard. A reddish-brown colour is perfect. Espresso can become like a religion to some people. And there certainly is a big difference between a good espresso and a not so good one. Espresso is the foundation of cappuccino and cafe latte. A good espresso is less obvious under a head of frothed milk, but the quality of the coffee underneath is still an important factor. The aim in steaming the milk is to aerate it and give it the consistency of whipped cream without burning it. The combination of frothed and steamed milk is then poured and ladled onto the coffee in the cup, gently as though folding it in. The small amount of remaining milk is poured in also. And there we have the perfect cappuccino.
The Moka / Napoletana / Stove Top No Italian home is without one or more mocha jugs of varying sizes, and no matter what you may think of the coffee, their visual appeal is undeniable. Wonderfully designed stovetop pots; they combine the characteristics of espresso and percolator coffee. They force the water, which has come to the boil in the lower chamber, up through a tube and then down through the finely ground coffee. Handled expertly they can satisfy coffee cravings and produce an adequate 'espresso type' coffee in under a minute. This is the same premise that many so-called electric "steam-driven" espresso machines use. It is not true espresso because of the lower pressure developed. These machines can be identified by the screw top through which the water is placed.
Arab Or Turkish Coffee Although the coffee bean spread from Arabia to the rest of the world, the Arab method of making coffee did not. There is a fundamental difference between the Arab and other methods: the Arabs boil their coffee, traditionally, three times. Boiling coffee boils away the most delicate flavours, but it is a romantic way to make strong-tasting coffee. Arab coffee is made in an ibriq, a small copper pot with a long handle. Two teaspoons of very fine (a powder) ground coffee plus one of sugar are added to a cup of water and the mixture is brought to the boil. The ibriq is taken off the heat as it comes to the boil, usually three times, and then it is poured out and drunk. A cardamom seed may be added for flavour. Only the very best coffee grinders can grind coffee into the powder required for this method. |