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An Espresso please!
Espresso...mm... A finely ground, dark roasted coffee pressed and percolated into a strong, rich coffee drink. It delights your senses and makes your day better. Espresso is most specific in Italy from all countries world-wide. There, ordering a coffee means that you are ordering an espresso. The Italians stop in their local bar once, twice and even three times a day for the perfect cup of espresso.
In America it is hard to find espresso done right. It is all about the grind of the coffee, the right temperature, the pressing of the coffee and the foaming of the milk. These are skills that few people know how to wield properly on this side of the ocean. Thanks God for the espresso machines and coffee pods. With them you can make your perfect espresso even in your own kitchen at home.
In Italy they use a "machinetta", an invention that looks like a metal hourglass that has a top like a pitcher. It has two chambers. You put water and coffee into the bottom chamber. The machine is placed on the stovetop and heated until the water boils, percolating through the espresso grinds and into the second chamber. The pressure on the grinds between the two chambers insures that the coffee is pressed (the word "espresso" means "expressed") and the rich taste comes from getting as much of the flavor out of the grinds as possible. Then, the milk is heated and whipped separately. It seems very easily to use. In fact is not so easy, because you can make a lot of mistakes. For example, common mistakes are: or using the wrong amount of water or coffee or turning the heat on too strong or not using the right timing.
But people want a simple machine, error free to make espresso home. This made espresso machine so popular. Espresso machines let you get the right combination of the necessary steps every time.
There is a wide range of models to choose from, with different features and capacity. Some are designed especially for use in restaurants or bars, capable of producing large volumes of coffee in shorter amount of time. Models made for home usually produce either one or two "shots" of espresso at a time. If you prefer your espresso "macchiato" with milk, or you want to turn your espresso into a cappuccino, you will want to get an espresso machine with a nozzle that creates the steam and lets you froth the milk.
Beyond these choices, you might want to consider a product that lets you use coffee pods. These pods look like large tea bags. They contain the exact amount of espresso to deliver a perfect shot every time. You simply put the pod into its slot, close it, and start the machine. When the cycle has finished, you just throw the pod away. It helps prevent any problems with measuring out the espresso and makes cleaning up absolutely easy.
If you purchase a machine that uses coffee pods, you might want to consider whether or not it can also take either another brand′s coffee pods or regular loose espresso. Some machines do, but many will work only with the coffee pods that the same company also designs. Having the flexibility to use either the pod or loose coffee means you can still use it even if you run out of pods, which might need to be special ordered. Until these machines become more popular, it′s not likely that the pods will be carried consistently in local grocery stores. Plus, the choice to use either kind of coffee also gives you the freedom to experiment with other roasts or flavors of espresso to further indulge your love of coffee.
[Author]
Alexandra Popa