Make The Perfect Espresso

Many mistakenly believe it is a specific bean or grind that makes an espresso when in actuality, it is also the perfect combination of pressure and brew time that produce the quintessential cup. A good espresso is intensely concentrated, dark and full-bodied but filtered, which distinguishes it from Turkish-style coffee.

In 1903, Italian Luigi Bezzera invented espresso by adding pressure to the coffee brewing process. Espresso, meaning "pressed out" or made on demand "expressly" for a consumer, produces a better cup of coffee as it allows the best qualities of the bean to be extracted. Making a proper espresso can be almost as sensual as drinking it. You will need an espresso machine, the best quality espresso roasted beans such as Café Britt, and some important know-how.

First, fresh coffee is ground into the portafilter and manual pressure is applied using a tamp to pack the grounds into a "cake." You can also take the "easy way" and use an espresso pod which has the precise measure and required compactation. Next, you rely on a quality espresso machine to force water through the coffee resulting in a shot of espresso. A properly brewed cup will have a satiny mouthfeel and will be topped with a rich, uniform hazel coloured crema without the dark "tiger" lines atop that are present in a poor quality cup. The alluring aroma will encourage immediate consumption, which is important as the complex and volatile liquid breaks down in quality quickly.