People all over the world have learned that high quality coffee is a drink to delight the taste buds. At home, at work, or while shopping, people love getting their coffee fix. Espresso is one of the best kinds of coffees. The espresso beans are readily available and have a delicious taste. If you have an espresso machine, it is easy to make, and doesn’t cost anywhere near what gourmet coffee shops charge. With an espresso machine and a little skill, you can have the wonderful flavor and aroma of espresso any time, and once you learn the steps, it’s easy to make!
Espresso is an extraction of coffee using a high pressure espresso machine. The following instructions are general, so they may need to be modified slightly for the type of espresso machine you have. But the fundamentals of making espresso are the same.
Here are the steps to making a great cup of espresso.
Start out with the highest quality espresso machine that fits your budget. If you can find one with a built-in grinder, that’s even better. Buy the finest quality coffee beans you can get.
Use cold water, filtered if possible, to pour into the machine’s water chamber. Check that the boiler cap is secure. One ounce of espresso equals one shot. Some machines will do up to four shots at one time.
Place the basket of coffee in the filter holder. The filter should have a measure for the amount of espresso you are making. Brush away excess grounds and place the filter holder in the machine.
Place the carafe under the spout. Then turn the machine on. The machine will force the water up and through the finely ground coffee. Some machines may use a metal cup rather than a glass carafe.
The brew cycle doesn’t take very long – less than a minute. When you start to see foam forming on the top, it means you’ve already got the best of the espresso, so it’s time to remove the carafe and turn off the machine. The brown foam that signals you to stop brewing is called “crema” by the way. There. Now you have a great cup of espresso.
Here are a few tips to help you make the best espresso possible.
Choose beans made especially for espresso. They are usually available in coffee specialty stores or sometimes in grocery stores.
If your espresso machine doesn’t have a built-in grinder, get a grinder made for grinding espresso beans. You want to grind the beans really fine.
If your tap water isn’t the best tasting, use a filter pitcher to fill your espresso machine or use bottled filtered water.