Classic espresso is a strong aromatic coffee with a velvety, tart flavor and a long aftertaste. The main feature of preparing the drink is that water heated to a certain temperature passes through a mixture of ground grains under a pressure of 9 atmospheres. As a result of extraction, oils, colloids, lipids and other substances are released that give coffee its special taste and aroma.
Traditionally, special automatic coffee machines are used to prepare the drink, but if you wish, you can brew classic espresso in a Turk.
A little bit of history
The history of coffee lies in the distant past. It is believed that humans have been using coffee for about 2.8 million years. This is explained by the fact that East Africa is the birthplace of wild coffee, and it was there that the remains of the most ancient man were found.
The next stage in the spread of coffee was Yemen. For the first time, coffee plantations began to be cultivated in the city of Mokha. Under the old name of the city, a drink called “Mocha” was sold here. Over time, coffee spread to Holland, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The 17th century marks the beginning of the spread of coffee in Europe.
Coffee invigorates you, start your morning with a cup of your favorite drink
On the territory of Russia, the use of coffee was started by Peter I. For a long time, coffee was a drink only of noble people, and symbolized luxury and prosperity. Today, coffee is popular among all segments of the population.
The invigorating properties of the coffee drink were discovered by the German chemist F. Runge. More precisely, he identified the first “caffeine” in the drink. This happened in 1819. And in 1981, S. Snyder from America proved that caffeine has an invigorating effect.
L. Bezzera was the first to invent an apparatus for preparing coffee drinks. He was not happy with the fact that workers spent a lot of time making coffee, and the machine greatly simplified this process. Later, D. Pavoni patented the invention and began to conduct experiments, selecting optimal temperature, water and steam pressure to improve coffee performance.
Using a coffee machine makes espresso preparation faster
A. Gadzhia launched serial production of cars in 1947. His devices are still in use today.
Aeropress
This method is based on manually pressing coffee powder filled with hot water through a paper filter using the syringe principle. Coffee experts fell in love with the AeroPress for the speed of preparing the drink and its final “purity”.
Experts recommend using water at a temperature of 80-90ºС
Coffee acquires a more pronounced taste without impurities and foreign tastes. This method is especially appreciated in megacities, where people are always in a hurry and at the same time appreciate quality coffee.
The birthplace of the AeroPress is the USA.
Some Aeropresses are equipped with a special insert that complements the action of the paper filter, creating a creamier drink. Preparing coffee with an AeroPress enriches the drink with acidity, which is suitable for connoisseurs of rich coffee.
You can take the Aeropress with you on hikes and trips
Calorie content of different types of drink
Not all coffee-based drinks are high in calories. Water combined with coffee is 0 calories. Calories are contained in the drink due to the addition of milk, sugar, syrups, whipped cream and other sweeteners.
Table. Calorie content in different types of coffee
| Name | Number of calories |
| Espresso, Americano | 1-2 |
| Cappuccino | Without additives – 90, with additives 210 |
| Latte | 90-200 |
| Moccaccino | 300 |
| Frappuccino | 300-400 |
| 3 in 1 | 70 |
| Soluble | 15-18 |
The taste sensation depends on the quality of the coffee beans. The aroma and taste are affected by how the grains are grown and processed. The taste is affected by climate, harvest time and the degree of ripeness of the fruit. The quality of the drink depends on how each stage of grain processing takes place.
Expresso with milk
Ingredients:
- 100 ml milk;
- coffee beans;
- sugar and/or cocoa powder (to taste);
- a cup of espresso (volume about 70 ml).
Cooking method:
- Whisk the milk directly into the espresso cup;
- Place a cup under the coffee dispensing spout and dispense espresso coffee;
- Sprinkle with cocoa powder.
Enjoy your coffee!
Pros and cons for health
The morning of most citizens begins with a cup of coffee. But scientists have not yet come to a consensus whether drinking coffee is beneficial or not. Their opinions were divided.
Benefits of coffee:
- Contains antioxidants necessary to remove radicals from the body. These radicals contribute to rapid aging of the body.
- Antioxidants help fight heart disease and diabetes.
- Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.
- The stimulating effect of caffeine on the entire body.
- Improving blood circulation in the brain.
- Reducing the risk of developing gallstone disease.
Coffee lifts your mood
Cons of coffee:
- Increased risk of kidney stones.
- Flushes calcium from the body.
- Sleep disturbances and increased heart rate.
- Drowsiness sets in after a burst of energy.
- Complications during pregnancy.
You should give up coffee in the following cases:
- Calcium deficiency
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Insomnia
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Individual intolerance
In other cases, there are no contraindications, but you should not abuse the drink.
For a relatively healthy person, the dose of espresso per day is no more than 4-5 servings of approximately 30-40 ml. It is best to drink coffee before four o'clock in the afternoon. The best time to drink coffee is morning and lunch. In order not to overload the nervous system, it is better to avoid coffee in the evening.
Secrets of preparing and serving espresso coffee
Recently, espresso has become very popular. Therefore, many coffee shops mainly offer this type of coffee to their visitors. Point holders must know how to properly prepare and serve real, delicious espresso. There are several rules for this.
We choose only high-quality coffee
When choosing espresso beans, you need to consider price, flavor, and roast. It should be remembered that a quality product cannot be cheap. To make good coffee, it is better to choose Arabica varieties. The beans are chosen medium grind, dark roast.
The taste of the finished drink depends on the quality of the coffee beans
Grind coffee for 1-2 servings only
The beans are ground for espresso literally for 1-2 servings, because ground coffee needs to be used as quickly as possible. When interacting with oxygen, ground grains quickly lose their aroma. The grains should look broken, not crushed. They must be complex in shape and the same size.
Properly storing coffee
It is ideal to prepare ground coffee before use. In paper bags, grains are stored for about two weeks without loss of taste. It is great to store roasted coffee in glass containers. It is better if it is dark glassware.
You can store coffee in airtight foil bags for about a year. This is basically how coffee is sold on store shelves. Such packages have a check valve, which allows gases formed during long-term storage inside the package to escape.
The container for storing coffee beans must be airtight
Prepare the coffee machine
After installing the coffee machine, you must remove dust from the tanks before using it. Next comes connecting the machine to electric current and water supply. After turning on for about 15 minutes, any machine is quite loud.
Change the water
Cold water, preferably filtered, is always poured into the tank. After the first boil, the water is drained. Coffee is prepared at temperatures equal to 90-98 degrees. To prepare espresso, you need to take 7-8 grams of finely ground coffee and pour it into the holder. You can tamp the coffee to give it a stronger taste. Next, start the machine, and after 30 seconds the coffee will be ready.
Coffee in filter holder, all ready to make espresso
Do not let the coffee boil in the Turk
Cold water is always poured into the Turk. It is advisable to use a small turk for preparing one or two servings. It is better to pour coffee into a pre-heated mug. Do not allow the drink to boil. It is better to remove the foam and put it away. It is believed that if coffee is prepared correctly, the foam will be light in color.
Serve in a warm container
White porcelain cups are most often used to serve espresso. These cups are small in volume, from 30 to 70 ml. The diameter and height are only 5 cm. The unique shape and high heat capacity help to fully appreciate the aroma and taste of coffee. Cups should have thick walls. In a cup with thin walls, coffee will cool quickly. The cup is placed on the saucer. There are special cups called demitasse. They are made of high quality ceramics.
The drink is served in thick-walled containers
Serve espresso with water
You can drink water served with coffee both before and after. If you drink water before taking it, you can prepare your taste buds and fully experience the taste of the drink. And after coffee they drink water to get rid of the bitter aftertaste.
Serve the right desserts with espresso
Along with espresso, you can serve cakes, muffins, croissants, chocolate with different flavors, candied fruits, and nuts. True gourmets love to drink espresso with lump sugar. It is fashionable to serve cheesecakes with a cup of coffee.
Espresso can be drunk with any sweet dessert
Drink hot
It is better to serve coffee hot. This way you can feel its attractive taste and aroma, slowly savoring it. You should not reheat cold coffee. The taste of properly prepared espresso should be rich, but not sour or bitter. The foam on the coffee should look like mousse. If the preparation technology was correct, then 60 ml of coffee will be ready in 20-25 seconds.
Selection of coffee beans
The first rule of creating the right espresso is choosing the right coffee base. You can purchase a ready-made mixture in a package marked “espresso” or select beans for subsequent grinding. The latter should have a strong degree of roasting, but not be over-roasted, otherwise the coffee will taste bitter. When creating a mixture yourself, you need to take Arabica and Robusta beans in a 2:1 ratio - then the taste will be tart and rich!
The finished espresso mixture should be very finely ground, similar to river sand.
It is preferable to choose Italian coffee varieties, since they more often than others sell pure raw materials without flavored additives.
How to make espresso at home
No wonder espresso is considered the king of all drinks. Based on it, you can prepare several different types. They are divided depending on the proportions of coffee and various additives. You can brew such drinks according to the recipe at home.
Con panna recipe
The whipped cream top gives the coffee an unmatched taste.
This coffee is served with cream. A large cup is filled with a shot of classic espresso. Only natural whipped cream is used for coffee. They are laid out on top in an amount of 25 grams. You can sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the cream.
Lungo recipe
More water is added to lungo than to classic espresso
. You will need:
- 7 grams of ground coffee;
- 60 ml water;
- Heated utensils for serving coffee.
Lungo has a bitter and less coffee-like taste. But the caffeine content in it is quite high. In Italian, the name of this coffee means “diluted.” To prepare lungo you will need the usual amount of ground beans - 7 grams, and double the amount of water - 60 ml. Coffee is ready in 50 seconds. A double portion of water will remove substances from the coffee during the preparation process that give it a bitter taste. This is a wonderful drink that allows you to become energetic at any time of the day. Serve lungo in a preheated cup or glass.
Ristretto recipe
Coffee and water are taken in approximately equal proportions
. You will need:
- 10 grams of ground coffee;
- 15 ml water.
Coffee beans are placed and the holder is installed in the coffee machine. The device turns off as soon as there is 15 ml of coffee in the cup. Ristretto is usually served in a small cup.
This type of coffee is usually drunk in one sip. It is a very thick, strong and invigorating coffee. Due to the quick preparation, the caffeine does not have time to build up in the caffeine, so it has an incredible coffee taste. Ristretto is usually served with a glass of cold water. Cold water will help prolong the pleasure you get from the drink.
Latte recipe
A mandatory ingredient in a latte is milk.
You will need:
- 150 ml milk 2%;
- 50 ml espresso;
- Sugar to taste;
- To taste cinnamon.
First, heat the milk to 70 degrees. Depending on your taste preferences, you can add sugar to the heated milk.
Espresso is best made from freshly ground beans.
Beat the milk in a blender for two minutes. Whisk the milk until it reaches the consistency of thick sour cream. Fill glasses with milk.
Next you can add coffee. To prevent the layers from mixing, the coffee must be hotter than the milk. To carefully pour in the coffee, insert a spoon almost to the bottom of the glass and pour a sharp stream of coffee down the center of it.
The remaining milk foam is laid out on the surface of the coffee in the form of a cap. For those who like spice, you can sprinkle a little cinnamon on the milk.
Ice espresso with milk
Ingredients:
- 110 ml milk
- 60 ml espresso
- 10 ml chocolate syrup
- 5 ml vanilla syrup
- 5-6 ice cubes
Cooking method:
- Mix the finished espresso with vanilla and chocolate syrup.
- Crush the ice cubes (or use whole ones) and pour into a tall glass.
- Then pour the sweet aromatic coffee inside, then carefully, in the thinnest stream possible, introduce the boiled milk, whipped to foam.
Enjoy your coffee!
Differences between Americano and espresso coffee
Most people mistakenly believe that Americano and espresso are two similar drinks. Their composition is really similar to each other, but they are prepared completely differently.
Espresso has a richer coffee flavor than Americano
Main differences:
- To prepare an Americano, espresso is diluted with water to 180 ml. It turns out that 40 ml of espresso requires three times more water.
- Americano contains less caffeine. It has a weaker coffee taste.
- Americano is rich in fruity and woody flavors.
- To decorate the weak taste of Americano, milk and sugar are added. It is served mainly in large cups.
- Espresso has a stronger and richer taste.
Caramel expresso macchiato
Ingredients:
- Water (2 cups).
- Sugar (1.5 cups).
- Vanilla extract (3 ml).
Cooking method:
- Pasteurized milk (250 ml).
- Espresso (60-80 g).
- Liquid caramel (4 teaspoons).
- Vanilla syrup (2 teaspoons).
- Place water with sugar in an enamel saucepan and bring it to a boil, then simmer for five minutes over low heat.
- Vanilla syrup should be added in a small amount at the end of cooking.
- Stir the caramel as soon as you remove it from the heat.
- Pour the mixture into a glass jar or bottle when it has cooled.
- Now you can move on to preparing the macchiato itself.
- For this you will need
- Heat the milk, but do not bring it to a boil.
- Brew espresso.
- Add vanilla syrup to warm milk and beat the mixture with a mixer - foam should form.
- Pour it into glasses (they should be 2/3 full).
- Pour hot coffee into glasses with foam, but be careful: it should not mix with milk.
- Use caramel to decorate the macchiato and the drink is ready.
Enjoy your coffee!
And a little more about espresso
Selling coffee is a profitable business
Coffee is considered to be the most marginal commodity. The markup on it is several hundred percent. Like the price of any other product, the price of coffee is made up of the cost of the products used in preparation. The calculation takes into account cooking time, employee costs, water and electricity used. Establishments also take into account the cost of their rent. In Moscow, the price of espresso starts from 150 rubles. per cup.
Coffee is considered one of the most common commodities in the market. It ranks second after oil. Coffee is one of the most amazing drinks with a long history. Coffee lovers are much less likely to visit the dentist because coffee contains elements that prevent bacteria from settling on tooth enamel.
