Espresso Maker - A Must-Have For Home Baristas
Espresso is a strong dark-brown drink that is created by pushing hot water through tightly packed, finely ground coffee. It is the base for numerous popular café drinks.
A skilled barista (also called an espresso maker) controls a number of variables to make an excellent cup of espresso. This includes the temperature of water, its pressure, and how tightly packed the coffee is.
Origins
The espresso maker is a machine that forces small amounts of near boiling water under a high pressure through coffee beans that have been finely ground. The resultant drink is stronger than drip coffee, and is more concentrated and served in smaller cups. This is a great option for those who want an intense cup of coffee but want it quickly!
The first espresso machines were invented in the 19th century. The coffee industry was huge in the 19th century however, brewing took a lot of time. People were impatient and needed to have a cup of coffee in a hurry!
Angelo Moriondo of Turin patented one of the first coffee machines in 1884. It held a name that read "New steam machinery for the economical and instantaneous brewing of coffee beverages Method A. Moriondo."
The Milanese manufacturers Luigi Bezzerra and Desiderio Pavoni adapted and improved on this machine. coffeee added the portafilter, multiple brewheads and other innovations that are still connected to espresso machines today. The machine was dubbed the Ideale and it wowed audiences at the 1906 Milan Fair. Today, a Moka pot is located in nine out of ten Italian households.
Variations
Espresso's flavor is more concentrated than coffee, so it is a great match with milk and other ingredients to create delicious coffee drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes. Its strong flavor is evident in baked goods recipes marinades, other dishes and more.
There are four types of espresso machines: semi-automatic, super-automatic and manual lever. Each one has its own method of creating pressure extracting the espresso.
A manual lever machine uses a piston made of metal that presses water through the ground. It's a great combination of the human hand and mechanized consistency. You'll still need to grind and tamp shot but you can manage water temperature and pressure much better.
Moka pots, a different manual espresso maker, work similar to modern espresso machines that are powered by a pump. In an airtight tank boiling water produces steam, which is then forced through the bottom chamber, into a filter basket with ground coffee, and then into a metal filter where it is pumped into the top cup. These machines are cheaper, however they can only create 1-1.5 bars of steam pressure. This isn't enough to make espresso.
Ingredients
Espresso makers can help baristas at home create popular cafe drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. You can add flavored extracts or syrups to espresso shots to make drinks that are rich, like an espresso martini.
The essential ingredients to make a great cup of espresso include high-quality coffee beans fresh milk, sugar and fresh. To ensure an even extraction, choose coffee beans that bear a special espresso label. Finely grind them. You can play around with different roasts to find the one you like best.
You'll also require a burr grinder, which grinds beans to a consistent texture. The espresso machine also has a portafilter, which holds the grounds, and the tamper, which is used to seal the coffee.
You'll also need an espresso cup set, as well as steamer to make the silky aerated-milk that is so characteristic of espresso drinks. Certain machines have steam wands built-in that can make this step easier and faster. It is also necessary to regularly remove the scale from the machine, which involves running a solution of vinegar and water through the system.
Techniques
Espresso brewing relies upon creating pressure to quickly extract intense flavors from finely ground dark-roast and dark-roast beans packed into a "puck." This method of brewing produces a strong espresso shot known as espresso. When espresso is made properly it creates a gorgeous crema that sits on top.
Contrary to the Moka Express that uses heat to purify water through coarsely ground coffee, most espresso makers use highly pressurized water that is forced through small grounds under high heat. This creates an espresso-like drink that can be diluted with milk or water to make other drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes.
The Moka Express is a low-cost basic appliance. Other espresso machines are more complicated, costly and provide a range of drinks. The most well-known lever machines are Italian-designed and employ a spring-loaded arm to dispensing hot water from the cylinder into a portafilter. The barista can adjust variables such as the temperature of the water and grind size shot-by-shot to get the most optimal results. These machines were essential in bringing espresso to wider prominence across Italy and Europe.
Equipment
A high-quality espresso maker needs to be able to extract soluble and insoluble solids from tightly packed, finely ground coffee. This process is made much easier by the use of pressure and controlled variables, such as temperature and grind size. Then there's the flavor that is influenced by a host of factors including the beans as well as the method in which they're handled and prepared.
There are a few different types of machines that create espresso but the most widely used is the semiautomatic machine. It uses an electric pump to force 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 reliable as spring pistons or other manual designs.
The lever models that are more expensive come with the calibrated cylinder which does all the work. They're a bit more flexible than spring piston machines but still require some skill to use properly. These machines require a lot more maintenance. You have to heat up the portafilter, and take apart the piston and portafilter each time.