To the uninitiated, it may take a while for the experience to sink in and grow in you. To the regular espresso drinker, there is no compromise, for there is no other kind of coffee but this short, foamy brew.
My inescapable romance with espresso blossomed way back during my apprentice days in France and Italy, out of sheer necessity. It kept me going on chilly, teeth-chattering mornings, when I would stop by a stand-up coffee bar to down a freshly brewed aromatic cup. Working in a French kitchen gave the coffee a special niche on our regular daily menu, and we were fortunate enough to have an owner who believed that the staff should eat well. A typical day would start us off with a pate or galantine and a salad, followed by a roast as main course and of course ending with a variety of cheeses and fresh fruit such as raspberries, peaches and apricots. This was washed down by the cooking wine, which we happily quaffed and poured into ice-filled glasses, after which the waiter would bring us down cups of steamy espresso. Putting down the empty cups signaled the start of the busy dining hours. Espresso was a loyal mistress who stayed on as we waited for the marketing van to fetch us and take us to the fish market in the early mornings.
In Italy, our landlord at the pension was always questioned as to why he had a machine which could supply a whole hotel lobby, but had only four tables in his inn. His only answer was that the machine made good coffee. It not only made good coffee but made a good driver out of me, for when you started your morning off with these huge double cups of cappuccino, you could evade even the most unruly Italian drivers.
But what is real espresso? According to definition, espresso coffee is made by forcing steam through finely ground beans at high pressure. Literally "espresso" in Italian means "spur of the moment". Although there are espresso pots one puts on the stove, true espresso was developed around the start of the 1900s by an Italian company called Bezerra, which manufactured the first espresso machines. These were versions that had arms that could be cranked and had spring-powered pistons that forced the steam out. Today machines have come along way by having their own bean grinders and are fully automatic and operate at the touch of the button. Such state –of –art machinery follows the same principles, but only the best can produce the cream or very fine foam atop every brew. This foam provides the richness of aroma, texture and roundness of taste: Good espresso has a creamy mouth feel even without the addition of cream. Of course a well-made demitasse can coat the palate, so that it is only drunk during breaks or after meal. If it is taken before or during a meal, it could blank out the ability to discern subtle flavors.
The Italians are so finicky about espresso that a drop of milk could make one espresso variation differ from the other. For example, espresso in Italy is drunk "short’ or with the demitasse half-filled, while in France it is full and drunk "long".
In South America and Spain, they are fond of the "cortado" or a demitasse with a top layer of foamed milk. Cafe latte is made with steamed milk and espresso, while a cappuccino has more foam on top and has a higher espresso-to-milk ratio. Steamed milk with a dot of espresso is latte macchiato, while the reverse, espresso macchiato, is a shot of espresso with a thin layer of foamed milk. Caffe mocha is espresso with chocolate syrup, whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Such variations, say purists, should, according to a logical though unwritten rule, be taken only during breakfast or in the afternoons. Having a cappuccino after dinner only complicates and puts a heavy ending on a meal. Espresso, like wine must have a finish. It should linger and echo inside the palate, and signal a meal’s end. It may also be taken with some grape or fruit alcohol such as grappa, kirsch or poire on the side or perhaps a cognac after. Peasants normally start a cold day with a shot of grape alcohol and a demitasse of espresso (though this is not a sound practice, especially in countries that impose heavy fines for drunken plating).
As for the stimulatory effects of caffeine in coffee, moderation is the key to better appreciation. Like any other drug, caffeine is not metabolized at the same rate among different individuals. Women may tend to respond to caffeine more quickly than men.
High-grade blends which have a bigger percentage of Arabic beans could very well be lower in caffeine since other beans may have two or even up to four times their caffeine content. Since caffeine is slowly water-soluble, coffee that steeps using the American percolator method may release more caffeine. So the good news may be that espresso as being termed "strong coffee" is a misnomer since it takes a maximum of 30 seconds to make a small cup of espresso, the caffeine content may not differ from your regular tasteless coffee cup bought from your favorite donut shop.
