What is Italian espresso?
Espresso is arguably one of the most popular coffee drinks of all time. Originally developed in Italy, it is the Italian Espresso Institute that sets the gold bar for it’s standard.
Known for its strong and rich flavor, espresso is commonly used as a base for various coffee recipes such as lattes, cappuccinos, and the likes. Taking this into consideration, do you have any idea where coffee and espresso originated from? If you’re curious, here is a quick overview about the history of Italian espresso and how you can make it at home.
Espresso is a strong coffee drink consumed around the world originally developed in Italy. It is the base more many coffee based drinks such as Americano, Cappuccino, Latte and more.
Before we go through the steps how to make Italian espresso, let us first go through what Italian espresso exactly is and how it differs from American espresso.
Italian espresso dates as far back as the early 1900s and was developed to be a quick and easy strong coffee drink. While the concept behind the espresso remain the same, there are some aspects in Italian espresso that makes it unique. Italian espresso is typically consumed as is and with little to no added ingredients such as sugar and milk. The Italian Espresso Institute has set parameters for what is considered to be true Italian Espresso.
| Portion of ground coffee | 7 ± 0.5 g (0.25 ± 0.02 oz) |
| Exit temperature of water from unit | 88 ± 2 °C (190 ± 4 °F) |
| Temperature in cup | 67 ± 3 °C (153 ± 5 °F) |
| Entry water pressure | 9 ± 1 bar (900 ± 100 kPa; 131 ± 15 psi) |
| Percolation time | 25 ± 5 seconds |
| Volume in cup (including crema) | 25 ± 2.5 ml (0.88 ± 0.09 imp fl oz; 0.85 ± 0.08 US fl oz) |
How to make Italian espresso
Now that we know what Italian espresso is, let us now go through the steps needed in order to make quality and authentic Italian espresso. When it comes to making Italian espresso, the first thing that you need to consider is the tool or equipment that you would be using. Our Machines use a patented technology to make Authentic Italian Espresso at the touch of a button. For the home Enthusiast, there are generally two ways to make Italian espresso – easily using an espresso machine or using a stovetop espresso maker also known as a Moka pot. A true espresso maker can be quite expensive. The Moka pot is a handy coffee maker that can create highly concentrated coffee that is stronger than regular drip coffee but still not considered to be an actual espresso shot. Regardless, we would be following the steps on how to make espresso using a Moka pot for this recipe:
- Fill your Moka pot with cold water up to the rim.
- Add finely ground coffee up to the rim of the filter
- Place the filter on top of the water and screw the top portion of the Moka pot and seal tightly.
- Place the Moka pot on the stove and let it sit on medium to low heat
- Simply wait for the coffee to percolate before pouring it onto a cup.
Conclusion
For any coffee enthusiast, knowing the history of coffee and it’s culture is one way to better appreciate the beverage. Hopefully, this article was able to provide you with the character of the unique and sought-after Italian espresso and how you can make it at home.
Got coffee inquiry? Give us a call or our friends from Earl Of Coffee would be happy to help. Go to www.earlofcoffee.com for more coffee tips and product reviews.
