Considered as the quintessential form of coffee by coffee aficionados, espresso is regarded as a tiny miracle of chemistry and physics that as much as art, it is a science. As the quintessential form of coffee, it is the purest way of enjoying coffee's aroma and flavor. This type of coffee can be prepared on the spot, yet, should also be consumed immediately. Many regard the preparation of espresso a tedious and messy task. Nonetheless, many believe that with the right espresso maker and proper ingredients, preparing espresso is just a simple task.
Preparing the perfect cup of espresso requires the use of an espresso maker, espresso beans, a coffee grinder, the demitasse and a timer. The first thing that should be done is to prepare the demitasse. The demitasse is described as a small cup used to serve coffee or espresso. Depending on the language, it is sometimes referred to as incan, fildan, filxhan, flidzni, or pocillo. A demitasse has about 60-90 ml capacity which is half the size of a full cup of coffee and come with matching saucers. They are usually made of white pottery or porcelain but there are colorful and metal ones already being produced and sold in the market.
After preparing the demitasse, it is now time to start preparing your espresso maker. Add fresh water to the water tank. Fill your machine's water reservoir with cold clear water and prepare a blank shot to release steam which will ensure that the machine will be properly warmed up. The quality of water to be used in the preparation of espresso is critical as this will affect the taste of the final product. Mineral deposits are usually found in hard water which affect the taste of the espresso and in the long run may cause damage to your espresso maker. The use of soft water like filtered or bottled water is greatly advised to prevent damage to your machine.
Preparing the coffee is the next step in making an espresso after the espresso maker is aptly warmed up and the water is prepared. It is advised to use high quality coffee that has been processed and roasted properly. Though roasting coffee is a whole other topic, coffee aficionados claim that this is the way to ensuring a truly fresh coffee. A grinder will be necessary if one is to use coffee beans. Many coffee connoisseurs prefer using freshly ground coffee beans as they ensure the freshness of coffee. Nonetheless, depending on one's preference, using pre-ground coffee beans that can be purchased in the market is also alright.
After preparing the coffee, place approximately 7 grams of coffee for each 1 to 1 shot of espresso in the coffee grinder's built in doser. After dosing the coffee, the coffee needs to be firmly and evenly packed or tamped. Place the coffee in the filter holder of your espresso maker and tamp the ground coffee firmly, making sure it is evenly distributed and compact. Be sure to brush off any loose grounds before placing the filter holder in the machine. Brew for 25-30 seconds using a timer. This is then followed by extraction which generally runs about 25 second in order to yield 1 shots of espresso. The main thing to avoid is extracting too much bitterness from the ground coffee while at the same time making sure to fully extract the coffee's aromatic oils and its fine tastes. The final espresso cup should fill half of the demitasse and have a lovely caramel-colored crema forming perfectly on top.
Pulling a perfect cup of espresso is easy given the right ingredients and espresso maker. If you follow all these steps, then voila, you just made the perfect espresso shot.
Preparing the perfect cup of espresso requires the use of an espresso maker, espresso beans, a coffee grinder, the demitasse and a timer. The first thing that should be done is to prepare the demitasse. The demitasse is described as a small cup used to serve coffee or espresso. Depending on the language, it is sometimes referred to as incan, fildan, filxhan, flidzni, or pocillo. A demitasse has about 60-90 ml capacity which is half the size of a full cup of coffee and come with matching saucers. They are usually made of white pottery or porcelain but there are colorful and metal ones already being produced and sold in the market.
After preparing the demitasse, it is now time to start preparing your espresso maker. Add fresh water to the water tank. Fill your machine's water reservoir with cold clear water and prepare a blank shot to release steam which will ensure that the machine will be properly warmed up. The quality of water to be used in the preparation of espresso is critical as this will affect the taste of the final product. Mineral deposits are usually found in hard water which affect the taste of the espresso and in the long run may cause damage to your espresso maker. The use of soft water like filtered or bottled water is greatly advised to prevent damage to your machine.
Preparing the coffee is the next step in making an espresso after the espresso maker is aptly warmed up and the water is prepared. It is advised to use high quality coffee that has been processed and roasted properly. Though roasting coffee is a whole other topic, coffee aficionados claim that this is the way to ensuring a truly fresh coffee. A grinder will be necessary if one is to use coffee beans. Many coffee connoisseurs prefer using freshly ground coffee beans as they ensure the freshness of coffee. Nonetheless, depending on one's preference, using pre-ground coffee beans that can be purchased in the market is also alright.
After preparing the coffee, place approximately 7 grams of coffee for each 1 to 1 shot of espresso in the coffee grinder's built in doser. After dosing the coffee, the coffee needs to be firmly and evenly packed or tamped. Place the coffee in the filter holder of your espresso maker and tamp the ground coffee firmly, making sure it is evenly distributed and compact. Be sure to brush off any loose grounds before placing the filter holder in the machine. Brew for 25-30 seconds using a timer. This is then followed by extraction which generally runs about 25 second in order to yield 1 shots of espresso. The main thing to avoid is extracting too much bitterness from the ground coffee while at the same time making sure to fully extract the coffee's aromatic oils and its fine tastes. The final espresso cup should fill half of the demitasse and have a lovely caramel-colored crema forming perfectly on top.
Pulling a perfect cup of espresso is easy given the right ingredients and espresso maker. If you follow all these steps, then voila, you just made the perfect espresso shot.
About the Author:
Donald Mitchell is a barista from Louisiana who works in a local coffee shop in their town. Being in front of coffee and espresso makers the whole day makes Donald enjoy preparing his espresso the traditional way every now and then.