Espresso – which is also a type of roast – requires a unique, rapid brewing method that utilizes pressure, not gravity, to brew, and is always prepared fresh to be savored on the spot.

“Espresso roasts are typically a dark roast that is dense and full-bodied,” says Ann-Marie Kurtz of Starbucks Coffee Company. “Our Starbucks Espresso Roast is made using a special blend of beans from Latin America and the Asia/Pacific region that are roasted to produce a rich and caramel sweetness.”

Making a perfect espresso shot at home requires an espresso brewing machine and is simple when keeping four basic fundamentals in mind: proportion, grind, freshness and water. The proportion of coffee to the appropriate amount of water ensures espresso is not watered-down or bitter. Additionally, espresso requires a very fine grind to properly extract the full flavor of the coffee beans. Coffee beans should always be stored in an airtight container and ground fresh before each use. Brewing espresso with fresh, filtered water will further enhance the coffee’s flavor.

“Once brewed, the flavors of a good espresso blend can be enjoyed by the shot, but also blended with milk or water to create a variety of beverages,” says Kurtz. “For example, Cocoa Cappuccino is Starbucks newest espresso-based beverage that combines fresh espresso with bittersweet mocha sauce, steamed milk and foam and topped with Starbucks signature mocha drizzle.”

Espresso-based beverages can also be made at home after mastering the art of brewing the perfect espresso shot. Commonly enjoyed beverages that can easily be crafted with the help of an espresso brewing machine include:

* Caffe latte: Extract one shot of espresso, combine with steamed milk in a 6- to 8-ounce cup and top with 1/4 inch of foamed milk.

* Cappuccino: Extract one shot of espresso and add to a 6- to 8-ounce cup. Top with half steamed milk and half foamed milk.

* Americano: Extract a shot of espresso and combine with hot water in a 6- to 8-ounce cup.

* Macchiato: Extract a shot of espresso and “mark” it with a small amount of foamed milk on the top.

To maintain the coffee flavor, it is best to use a single shot of espresso for a 6- to 8-ounce beverage and a double shot for a larger 12- to 16-ounce beverage.

For more information about Starbucks coffee and brewing, visit www.starbucks.com.

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Using a espresso machine that is automatic is typically a matter of reading the instructions, adjusting settings to individual preferences, adding coffee beans and water, then pushing the start button.

If the automatic machine that is purchased is top quality and has been set up correctly, the only thing that could mess up the espresso would be bad coffee beans or water with too many minerals in it.

The only thing an automatic espresso machine is missing is the atmosphere that comes from watching a skilled barista pull a good shot of espresso, however, the savings in money and the convenience of having it at home make it worthwhile.

Typically, automatic espresso machines can produce an espresso in about 25 seconds. This is slightly longer than it takes a skilled barista but it also includes the time it takes to grind the beans.

Features

Fully automatic espresso makers contain more features than semi-automatic machines because they are able to do every step in the process, short of putting coffee beans in the hopper.

Most all automatic espresso makers grind the coffee beans, dose and tamp the filter basket, and measure and deliver the water before actually brewing the espresso.

Super automatic espresso makers include even more automated features. These machines also froth the milk and empty the grinds into a waste receptacle.

Top of the line automatic espresso machines are programmable, many with several individual settings so that each family member can set their own preferences. Preferences can include strength of brew, size of brew and whether or not to froth milk.

Going Automatic

The decision to go with a fully automatic espresso for home use is one that will pay off in the long run. Everyday stops at the local coffee shop can run from $4 to $6 depending on what is ordered. This can get expensive, $80 to $120 in a month.

An automatic espresso machine will pay for itself in a short period of time, which is a good reason for purchasing a top quality machine that is meant to last. Even if the initial cost is more than intended, in the end, it will still pay for itself.

Home users should take the time to research automatic espresso machines and understand that the simple machine they see in retail stores on the shelf are not as durable as the manufacturers whose main business is espresso machines.

These manufactures are usually only found on the Internet, they don’t put their wares in discount stores to be sold with regular coffee makers, after all a truly rich espresso is not regular coffee, it is a delectable creation to be savored.

Purchasing an automatic espresso machine is something friends and family members alike will be talking about for a long time, especially when they get that first delicious espresso without going to the coffee shop.

-Sharon V. Chapman

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Gourmet coffee drinks are all the rage and range from typical, strong Italian espressos to tall, iced lattes and cappuccinos in a variety of flavors. All of these are variations on traditional coffee, although the process of making each is entirely different.

Coffee

Regular, traditional coffee is an uncomplicated drink to make. It can be made with automatic coffee makers, on the stovetop with a percolator or even with nothing more than hot water using instant crystals.

There are fancier methods of making coffee like using a French Press or using gourmet, flavored coffee beans for variety. However, the true coffee connoisseur prefers coffee beans that haven’t been altered with flavorings.

Espresso

Espresso is the backbone of coffee shops and coffee beverages. Although it is enjoyed by many people, it is more often used as the main ingredient in coffee based drinks like latte and cappuccino.

Espresso is made in much the same way as coffee except that it is made one serving at a time with a much larger amount of coffee beans per serving. A typical serving of espresso is one to two ounces.

Although it is possible to make faux espresso using the stove and a pot, the end result is not the same as using an espresso maker. Espresso makers have the ability to heat the water to extremely high temperatures and use the resulting steam to force the water through the compressed puck of finely ground coffee to extract the flavor and produce an espresso shot.

Espresso is typically served in tiny, warmed coffee cups known as demitasse cups. It is not typically served with cream or sugar, but that is of course up to the drinker. It is often served with a lemon twist on the edge of the cup.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is an espresso based drink that has become very popular, even among people who don’t drink coffee.

Cappuccino is made using espresso and frothed milk. A shot of espresso, or two if the drinker asks for a double shot, is prepared. While it is being prepared, milk is steamed then frothed using a frothing wand attachment

The frothing process creates thick foam on the top of the milk that is a signature part of cappuccino.

The espresso is poured into a cappuccino mug. Next, the frothed milk is added, using a spoon to hold the foam back in order to spoon it on top of the cappuccino at the end.

Once the foam has been placed on top, it can be sprinkled with cinnamon, chocolate or other flavoring.

So, regardless of whether cappuccino or espresso is preferred, espresso will still be a component of the coffee shop. Cappuccino and espresso are both popular drinks that are very different from each other. Without espresso there would be no cappuccino and the world of coffee would not be the same.

-Sharon V. Chapman

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Unlike most independent coffee places, they have a handy drive-through as well. They open early, but close fairly early as well. During the week, they open at 6am and close at 5. Their hours are more reduced on the weekends.

So what can you get at Waverly’s Coffee and Espresso? Obviously, all your favourite coffee and espresso drinks. They even have a popular drink of White Espresso, though you’ll have to try it to know what’s in it. Apparently, more caffeine than regular coffee, for one thing. They blend their own beans, too. Along with the espresso, cappuccino, latte and machiatto, they also serve chai tea, smoothies, ice cream, and hot chocolate. A whole range of beverage choices.

And you can get a bite to eat while you’re there too. Muffins and bagels are on the menu too, along with other freshly baked pastries.

Waverly’s also has a wholesale coffee roasting business, so if you want to serve their custom blends at your own coffee shop or restaurant, they are happy to oblige.

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Even with the best espresso makers, there are always a few extra tips you can learn to improve your brewing technique.

The most important tip would be to get a good machine in the first place. Don’t skimp and buy one of the super cheap steam machines. They will make an acceptable espresso, but it won’t be fantastic. If you are aiming for excellence, spend a little more for a pump machine. They are no longer all that expensive, and can sometimes be found at roughly the same price as the steam versions. They start at around $100, but can easily run up ten times that.

After getting a good machine, start with good coffee. Get some roasted whole bean coffee and grind your own right before you fire up the espresso machine. A fine grind is best. Having freshly ground coffee will make a huge difference in your final cup. The taste will be much stronger, bolder and rich.

Along with grinding your coffee beans before use, another thing to consider with your beans is the roast. Since espresso is supposed to be a very strong drink, you should get your beans roasted quite dark. Not on the verge of being burned, but definitely dark. If you get your beans roasted at a coffee house, ask for an Italian or espresso roast. They’ll know what you need. If they don’t, then find another coffee house.

A smaller tip would be to get the tamp just right. When you fill the portafilter with ground coffee, you need to press it down slightly. This will take some experimenting. Too much tamping, and the water won’t flow through the grounds. Too little, and it will pass through without drawing any flavour out.

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Of course, you can’t actually get imported espresso since it’s something you make fresh. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little Italy into your home espresso brewing. Specialty grocery stores often carry imported espresso beans, and many good roasters offer online ordering from their websites.

Be aware that roasted coffee beans only stay fresh for about 2 weeks (even less if they are already ground). Whether you are buying at a gourmet supermarket or directly from the roaster, check the roasting date. If the beans sat on a boat for a week before you even see them, you will need to brew up your espresso as soon as possible or they will soon be stale. You should also have the option to order unroasted or “green” beans, which would stay fresh during their travels. You’d have to roast them yourselves, and that would sort of defeat the purpose of getting them from Italy since you’d be doing all the work yourself.

A couple of well-known Italian coffee bean roasters are Segafredo and Illy, both of which can be purchased online from their websites. Illy is even found in some major supermarket chains.

When it comes to imported espresso machines, there are a number of excellent Italian manufacturers that you can count on for quality.  Saeco, Gaggia and La Pavoni are some names you should look for.  These won’t be cheap machines, and many of their models could be considered “professional”.

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So you’ve decided to start making your own espresso at home? Considering the prices of some gourmet espresso drinks at a coffeeshop, it’s a smart idea to look into doing it yourself. And thankfully, it’s easy to make espresso. Providing you have the right coffee and machine to work with.

Step 1: The Coffee

The Coffee

Make sure you start with fresh coffee beans; it is best to use beans that have been roasted within the past week.  You bean ask your coffee vendor for a good blend for maximum taste quality.

Once you have your beans, grind them immediately before brewing.  It is recommended that you use a good burr coffee grinder, and a conical burr grinder is optimum.  

Step 2: The Machine

The most common home espresso machine is referred to as a “pump” machine, because it uses electricity and a pump to create its internal pressure.

Steam machines are very inexpensive but since they produce weaker espresso, they are not as popular. Either way, the basic use is the same.

Step 3: Add Water to the Machine

To make espresso with a machine, you first need to fill up the water tank with cold water (filtered water is best). Make sure it’s securely closed, or the pressure could blow it open. Turn on the machine and let it get warmed up.

One shot of espresso requires approximately one ounce of water, and a doubleshot uses two ounces.

Tamping the grounds

Step 4: Add and Tamp the Coffee Grounds

First you have to unlock the portafilter, which looks like a handle with a little cup at the end of it. The handle part sticks out, and the cup fits into the machine.

Remove the portafilter and fill it with coffee grounds. Tamp well, but not too hard. That can take a bit of practice to get it just right.  Be sure to wipe off any grounds that may have gotten on the sides.

Lock the portafilter back in place, and you’re ready to brew. Depending on your machine, you may just have to hit one button or there may be other settings to adjust for temperature, pressure or length of pull time. You’d have to check your manual for that. Even with all those options, most machines will have a standard default setting for people just getting used to their machines.

Espresso a Brewin'

Step 5: Place a Carafe or Cup in Place and Brew

Once a cup or carafe has been set in place, let it start brewing and in a few moments a pressurized stream of water will flow through the portafilter and into a small carafe or right into your demitasse cup.

For best results, use a pre-heated espresso cup or carafe. 

An espresso cup with thick walls is best for retaining the heat of the coffee.

Step 6: To Add or Not to Add to Freshly Brewed Espresso

Enjoy!

Now you can either enjoy your espresso straight, or use the milk frother to jazz it up into a latte or cappuccino.

Your machine may have it’s own milk cannister, or you might have to set a small jug beside the machine. Either way, a shot of hot foamed milk can be the crowning touch to your espresso. Worthy of any coffeeshop, and at a fraction of the price.

Step 7: Enjoy!

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Though sweet and mild milk chocolate may be a favorite for some, there is something to be said for that deep flavor you only find in a very dark chocolate.

The Ghirardelli Espresso Escape contains a potent 60% cacao, making it very dark indeed. Not as intense as their 86% cacao bar of Midnight Reverie, but still a cut above your average dark chocolate found at the supermarket.

Mixed in with the chocolate, the finely ground espresso beans are what makes this particular chocolate bar special. The beans are darkly roasted for maximum coffee flavour. As with any well-roasted coffee bean, you get a very delicate taste of caramel to balance the bittersweet dark chocolate.

Though it does have espresso beans in it, the chocolate isn’t crunchy or nutty. The beans don’t offer any texture, so there is only the velvet smoothness of pure chocolate.

The Espresso Escape bars are 3.5oz in size (or 100g) and can be purchased directly from Ghirardelli on their web site. Or if you are lucky, there may be an actual Ghiradelli ice cream and chocolate shop near you. You should expect to be around $4 each for a bar of this unique espresso-flavored dark chocolate.

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Simple straight espresso doesn’t need a recipe anymore than a black cup of coffee does. It’s just enjoyed right out of the machine, hot and topped with the foamy crema that naturally forms on top. A single serving of espresso is usually called a “shot”, and is much smaller than a cup of coffee.

After that, the next easiest espresso recipe would be the macchiato. It has a fancy name, but it’s just a basic shot of espresso served up with a dollop of milk foam on the top.

You may not be familiar with the macchiato, but a latte can be found pretty much anywhere that serves coffee these days.

A latte is made with a ratio of 1 part espresso, and 2 parts steamed milk. So a shot of espresso, and about twice that amount again in hot milk. Quite mild, compared to straight espresso.

And the more complicated espresso recipe would be the cappuccino. Here you have one shot of espresso, then the same amount in steamed milk, and a layer of foamed milk on top of that. The foam sits on top, and doesn’t dilute the espresso quite so much as in a latte.

Add some chocolate syrup to a cappuccino and you have yourself a lovely mochaccino, which is not really a traditional espresso drink but still very popular in the coffee shops nonetheless.

Of course, there is no limit to how you use your espresso in any number of ways. These are just the more well known espresso recipes to get you started.

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Like instant coffee, it’s made by dehydrating and crystallizing brewed espresso. Since its made with espresso, not coffee, the resulting powder is much stronger tasting than instant coffee.

Though using espresso powder in hot water can be used to make espresso, it’s not a great substitute for a freshly brewed shot. There will be no foam, or crema, on top and the texture won’t be quite as rich.

Aside from using espresso powder to actually make espresso as a drink, it can also be a very nice ingredient to have around the house for other cooking and baking. You can use it for wonderful coffee flavouring in just about anything, especially chocolate baked goods. Any recipe that called for instant coffee crystals can be improved with espresso powder.

You may have trouble finding it in stores, but there are a few brands of espresso powder out there. King Arthur Flour and Cafe Bustelo both make it, and can sometimes be found in the supermarket. Several online gourmet food shops carry their products as well.

If your recipe calls for powder, and only the espresso granules are available, they can be used just as easily. They are going to dissolve in your recipe either way.

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