In Italy, coffee like great food and wine is at the very centre of daily life, its consumption mimics or even defines the very pattern of social and economic behaviour. To an Italian a break for coffee is a regular, necessary ritual where both creative thought and reflection are stimulated both by the invigorating qualities of the coffee and by the lively yet relaxed atmosphere. Maybe that is why Italy seems to produce so many outstanding designers.
It may surprise readers to know that a cup of espresso coffee actually contains less caffeine than in any other prepared coffee beverage.
Arabica has a caffeine level of 1.1%-1.7%, Robusta has a level from 2%-4.5%.
A good roasting
For many people roasting is an art. Toasting is carried out through hot air flows (about 240° C) on the beans that are lightly shaken. The beans during this stage change, due to evaporation of water and some volitile substances, change of colour to brown-black due to carbonization of the cellulose and caramelisation of the sugars; essential coffee oils (ptrolosis) appear on the surface that brings the characteristic aroma and there is a light loss of caffeine due to the heat.
In Italy the roasting is done in order to obtain a cup of very aromic and not poor of caffeine compared to the coffee of other countries.
The toasting can increase the friability of the product, helping the grinding. It also increases the capacity of absorbing humidity and for this reason coffee, especially if grinded, must be preserved inside packages under vacuum or with inert gas.
Specialised tasters evaluate the coffee parts both raw and baked, they decide how to obtain the desired mixture. This requires technical capabilities and availability to the continuous research. The culture of coffee has its maximum expression in the preparation of mixtures. By mixing coffee species from different countries, qualities and characterisics are blended and integrated obtaining products with a more harmonic aroma.
It's in the blending
To prepare the perfect espresso, certain rules need to be compiled but once familarised and practised, it becomes second nature.
The blend of coffee is down to personnal taste, though we recommend a blend of Robusta and Arabica coffees or pure Arabica..
Coffea Arabica (Arabica) and Coffea Canephora (Robusta) are the main types of coffee beans used in the preparation of espresso coffee. Robusta is less subtle and lacking in aroma and can tend towards bitterness and produces a less attractive brownish/grey crema. However, by skilful blending (as in wine making) the end result can be spectacularly pleasant.
It's all in the grind
Getting the grind right is vitally important. Too coarse, your espresso will underextract and the coffee will be weak. Too fine, overextraction will occur and the result will be a tendency for the coffee to be bitter. Your extraction time depends on the coffee bean blend used and can vary from 20-25 seconds per fl.oz. Looking at the crema (the golden brown head that should be on every espresso) is the trademark of a correctly prepared espresso. Ideally you should have a creamy brown crema which clings to the side of the cup lazily during drinking, and should hold a teaspoon of sugar on top for a short while. It is also recommended that you only grind enough fresh beans to cover your immediate needs for about half an hour. Beyond this the coffee will start to oxide and lose its aroma and fragrance.
Espresso perfetto
Whichever coffee you choose, a serving should be between 7 and 7.5 grams per lever pull.
To prepare a perfect espresso requires an espresso machine capable of achieving two important criteria, firstly th machine must be capable of exerting a water pressure of at least 9atm (bar) through the machine's coffee filter holder. Secondly, the water temperature should be 90 C. If the pressure and temperature are less than this, the result will be weak coffee. If higher than this, the result will be a dark crema and a woody, overtly bitter flavour.
Machines can be broadly divided into two types: pump operated, where the required pressure is produced by an electric pump, or by a traditional lever machine where the Barista primes the machine by operating a spring loaded lever, then releasing it.
If the grind of your coffee is correct and your machine fulfils the above criteria, you will have a 30-40ml serving of coffee with a persistent layer of chestnut coloured crema with perfect balance of fragrant aroma with a hint of bitterness and mouth filling satisfying body.
There's something magical about this liquid pleasure, which is Italy's number one. Here in the UK we are making this our daily refresher too.
