Espresso Maker - A Must-Have For Home Baristas
Espresso is a dark, strong drink that is made by forcing hot coffee through finely ground, tightly packed coffee grounds. It is the basis for many popular coffee drinks at the cafe.
A skilled barista (also called an espresso maker) controls a number of factors to make a perfect cup of espresso. This includes the temperature of the water, its pressure, and how tightly the coffee is packed.
Origins
The espresso maker is a machine that forces small amounts of near boiling water under high pressure through coffee beans that have been finely ground. The espresso is stronger and more concentrated. It is served in smaller cups. This is a great choice for those who want an incredibly strong cup of coffee but want it quickly!
In the 19th century the first espresso machines were created. The coffee industry was a big business, but brewing it took too long. People everywhere were hungry for coffee in a hurry!
Angelo Moriondo of Turin patented one of the first coffee machines in 1884. It held a name that was "New steam machinery for the economical and instantaneous preparation of coffee beverages, method A. Moriondo."
The Milanese manufacturers Luigi Bezzerra and Desiderio Pavoni adapted and improved on this machine. They introduced the portafilter, multiple brewheads, as well in other innovations that are still in use with espresso makers today. The machine was dubbed the Ideale and it wowed audiences at the 1906 Milan Fair. Today the Moka pot is found in nine of ten Italian households.
Variations
The flavor of espresso is more intense than coffee, and it is a great match with milk and other ingredients to make café favorites such as cappuccinos or lattes. Its strong flavor is evident in recipes for baked goods, marinades and other dishes.
There are four main types of espresso maker including manual levers, semi-automatic, automatic, and super-automatic machines. Each model has a unique method of creating pressure extracting the espresso.
A manual lever works by using a mechanical piston to press water through the grounds. It's a good compromise between human control and mechanized accuracy. You still have to grind, tamp, and pull the shot by hand, but there's a lot more control over water temperature and pressure.
Moka pots are yet another manual espresso maker that works similarly to a modern pump-driven espresso machine. In an airtight tank boiling water produces steam. The steam is directed into a container of ground coffee, then through an iron filter into the top cup. These machines are less expensive however they can only create 1-1.5 bars of steam pressure. This is not enough to make espresso.
Ingredients
With a little effort and practice, espresso makers can help baristas at home create cafe-style drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites. You can also add flavored extracts or syrups to espresso shots for an indulgence drink like the espresso martini.
For a perfect cup of espresso you'll need premium beans, fresh milk, and sugar. To ensure a consistent extraction, look for beans that have a specific espresso label. Make them into fine powder. You can try different roasts to find the one you prefer the most.
You'll also need a burr grinder, which grinds the beans to a consistent texture. The espresso machine comes with an in-line portafilter to hold the grounds as well as a tamper, which is used to pack the coffee tightly.
You'll also need an espresso cup set as well as a steamer to make the silky aerated-milk that is characteristic of espresso drinks. Some machines come with a steam wand that can help with the process. espresso coffee maker 'll also have to regularly descale the machine, which involves running an acidic solution of water and vinegar through the system.
Techniques
Espresso brewing relies upon creating pressure to rapidly extract intense flavors from finely ground dark-roast, dark-roast brewed coffee packed into a "puck." This method of brewing creates a strong coffee shot called espresso. If done correctly espresso will have a beautiful crema (or dense foam) over the top.
As opposed to the Moka Express that uses heat to purify water through coarsely ground coffee most espresso makers make use of highly pressurized water forced through small grounds with high temperatures. This produces an espresso like drink that can be dilute in water or milk to make other beverages, like cappuccinos or lattes.
While the Moka Express is a simple low-cost machine, other espresso machines can be complex, expensive, and offer many drink options. The most well-known machines, however, are Italian-designed lever machines which use spring-loaded arms for dispense hot water from a cylinder to a portafilter. The barista can alter variables such as water temperature and grind size shot-by-shot to get the most optimal results. These machines were instrumental in bringing espresso into greater prominence throughout Italy and Europe.
Equipment
A good espresso machine must be able extract soluble and non-soluble solids from finely roasted, tightly packed coffee. This process is assisted by pressure and controlled variables, like temperature and grind size. The flavor is also the result of a myriad of factors such as the beans used and the way they are brewed.
There are several different types of espresso machines, however the semiautomatic model is the most well-known. It makes use of an electric pump to push the water through the grounds. It also permits the user to do the grinding and tamping. These machines are among the most affordable, but they're not as consistent as spring pistons or other manual designs.
The higher-end lever models come with a calibrated piston that does the work. These machines are more forgiving than spring piston models, but they still require some skills to operate correctly. These machines require a lot more maintenance. You will need to heat up the portafilter and take apart the piston and portafilter each time.