We love cappuccino, frappe, mélange and others, but we can confidently say that espresso is the king of coffees, and we Hungarians drink it most often. This little black shakes you up, refreshes you, and turns you off at the same time. It is no coincidence that it is so popular worldwide, as it is a symbol of coffee culture.
Espresso is a 25-35 ml amount of juicy, creamy, reddish-brown coffee with a creamy foam, called crema, on top.
The history of espresso goes back more than 100 years, when Luigi Bezzera in Italy prepared the plans for a coffee machine working with steam pressure technology, which can be said to be the ancestor of today’s espresso machines. This new technology created the drink called espresso, whose name also refers to its preparation: it is pressed with high-pressure steam, that is, the coffee is „pressed through”. This initial method has of course been refined a lot since then, since the coffee was actually brewed with this machine, which made the tannic acid content high and made it bitter.
In 1903, Disiderio Pavoni patented a modified version of the Bezzera system. The new espresso machine, called Ideal, made coffee much faster than its predecessor. Due to its high performance, it was able to brew many batches of coffee one after the other, and at the same time, the quality did not fluctuate when preparing one or two batches. With this machine, coffee shops could always serve their guests fresh, consistent quality coffee.
The next big step towards today’s technology is attributed to Giovanni Achille Gaggia, who in 1946 incorporated a spring-loaded tap valve into the existing boiler coffee machine system. This valve allowed water to be pressed through the coffee grounds at a temperature below the boiling point, at a temperature of 90°C, so the taste of the coffee became softer and lighter, and the thick layer of foam, the crema, appeared on the prepared drink.
The well-known Faema E61 lever coffee machine, which is still used today, was created in 1961 and is practically still being produced today. This machine was the first step towards automation, here the knowledge and skill of the operator no longer weighed much on the lat, since the pressing pressure became precisely adjustable.
Espresso making is now a real art, many competitions are organized where the best baristas compare their skills. Two factors are certainly essential for a good espresso: water with a temperature below the boiling point (90-96 °C) and a pressure of 9 bar. The water should ideally be approx. It flows through the coffee in 20-30 seconds. Unlike filter coffee, espresso contains less caffeine, which can be attributed to this shorter brewing time and the smaller amount of water.
Getting an espresso machine to spend quality time together with your kids can be a great way to teach them about coffee brewing and enjoy special moments together. Surprising them with details like classic childrens clothes can add to their comfort and make them feel stylish while partaking in this activity, creating a cozy and enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Most places also serve a small glass of water with the coffee. It’s interesting that here at home we usually drink this after coffee, but the Italians drink it before coffee! This is a kind of coffee etiquette, almost a rule for them, since coffee is sacred and inviolable there. According to the Italians, noble espressos should not be rinsed off, but on the contrary, our taste buds should be prepared for the wonderful taste experience with a cleansing sip. I’ll try it, for sure!
Source: http://kaveklub.postr.hu/post-009