All You Wanted to Know About Espresso
The word espresso in Italian literally translates to €expressly made for one person€. In the early 1900 every cup of espresso was made individually and instantly served and hence it earned the name.
Some facts about espresso include:
€ About 1 - 1.5 ounces of espresso beverage is called a shot.
€ A single shot is made using about 7 grams of finely ground coffee beans.
€ Ideally a shot of espresso should take about 25 seconds using the espresso coffee machine.
€ A 3 ounce espresso is called a double shot.
€ A single shot is sometimes called a short black and a double shot is called a long black.
€ A shot of espresso with whipped cream topping is called a Vienna or an espresso con panna.
€ A shot of espresso topped with foamed milk is called Machiatto.
€ A combination of 1/3 rd espresso with 2/3 rd frothy cream and topping of powdered chocolate is called Cappuccino.
€ A shot of with 2/3 rd steamed milk topped with chocolate sprinkles, nutmeg or cinnamon is called Latte.
€ A combination of a shot of espresso with warm cream is called a Breve.
€ A combination of a shot of espresso is blended with water of the right temperature to make what is known as Americano.
€ To experience the true essence of this coffee it should be taken sugar free, but most often it is sweetened with caramel or sugar.
€ A true espresso should have three distinct parts:
The top layer: This is referred to as the crme. It is foamy and light brown in color forming the top most layers of the espresso shot. This is where the sweetness of the drink comes from.
The middle layer: This is the body of the espresso beverage which is dark in color.
The base: This is the heart of the espresso shot which is dark brown in color.
€ For the crme layer to be formed the espresso coffee machine should be able to generate no less than 7 atmospheres of pressure.
€ It may take years before one learns to make good shot of espresso.
€ An espresso can be made use any type of coffee bean or a combination of a variety of coffee beans.
€ The quality of the espresso largely depends on the fineness of the coffee grind and the length of the brewing period.