Home Espresso Then & Now | Lifestyle

by DanielMarkovic

Home espresso equipment is exploding onto the home gadget market in ever skyrocketing numbers and designs with ever more affordable prices, but what is the true definition and roots of espresso coffee and what are the crucial factors in a great home espresso ?

Cafe espresso or simply, espresso, as it is now popularly known, is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans.

The term cafe-espress was first used in the 1880s, well before espresso machines were invented and simply means coffee custom made, expressly for the person ordering it.

The earliest espresso coffee makers were introduced in the early 20th Century, and the original patent was filed by Luigi Bezzera of Milan, Italy, in 1901. However these early coffee machines used high steam pressure not water to brew the espresso and it wasn't before the mid-1940s, that the design was updated to a piston lever home espresso maker.

Thanks to the pressurised water involved in the brewing process, the flavours and chemicals in a good espresso become extremely concentrated. Because of this, espresso is employed as a base for other coffees like latte, cappuccino, mocha and macchiato.

The significant differences between a great espresso and drip coffee are a thicker consistency, more dissolved solids and crema, a brownish foam that sits on the surface of the coffee which is a mixture of vegetable oils, proteins and sugars.

Even though it clearly relies on the individual coffee beans used and the maker or barista, as a rough guide there is customarily two to three times the quantity of caffeine in an espresso than in the same amount of drip brewed coffee. An expert operator of an espresso machine is a barista, the Italian word for a barman.

Home espresso machines have surged in popularity with the general rise of interest in espresso, largely since the 1990's and the huge upsurge in the number of coffee houses and chains in every street & mall.

We are currently experiencing a new wave of creativity as the electronics industry turns it's attentions to home espresso machines and we will now find a large range of espresso equipment in expert kitchen and appliance stores, online vendors and shops.

Many are fully automatic, push button home espresso machines which can both grind and make a fresh cup with just one touch. They should make a better espresso than untrained folks, but generally not as good as the top trained baristas.

It could be that the success of the large coffee chains in educating the masses in the joys of espresso will be their downfall as more people now enjoy their espresso at home.

DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice.

Daniel Markovic' blog is an excellent read if, like him, your passion is espresso. His search now is for a great espresso coffee maker that will brew the perfect home espresso.