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Did you know? |
If you think about espresso, you probably think about small bistros that offer great little snacks and excellent coffee. You probably think that espresso is a fairly new invention that is available to almost everyone around the world.
In a way, you are correct, espresso as we know it today was not perfected until after World War two when Achille Gaggia created the first spring level espresso machine that produced crema, which is the important foam that is found on the top of every espresso. However, espresso can be traced back to 1901.
Espresso is an Italian creation. The word itself means fast and that is the essence of what the coffee drink is. During 1901, a coffee machine was created by Luigi Bezzera that forced steam and boiling water through coffee. This machine created a quick coffee that was full of flavor.
Unfortunately, the original machine also created a burnt flavor and the espresso produced was not the rich medley of flavor that the drink is today. Still, the coffee caught on and people began to improve on the machine that Bezzera created.
The first person to improve the design was Desiderio Pavoni. His machine was so popular that it found its way from Italy to the United States. In fact, the first espresso machine in the US arrived in 1927.
After that, it became a quest to find better ways to improve the coffee machine. Achille Gaggia improved it significantly but it wasn’t until M. Faema created an electric pump that the espresso became what it is today.
It is often surprising to realize that espresso has such a long history. It is a drink that is quick to make and quick to drink. It is the express of coffees and we often think of things like that as having a short history. We think of espresso as a drink to be enjoyed and nothing more.
But not on this site, here we understand how wonderful espresso is and we enjoy spending our time talking about espresso, the machines that make it great, the cups that provide a flourish to it and the many different sides of espresso.
If you love espresso as much as we do, it is time that you come and take a seat. We have lots to talk about.
Jan 25 2009
These days, you can buy some really fine espresso machines for the home, but there are still many models that rank up there as “commercial”. The most noticeable difference between a commercial espresso machine and one designed for home use, is size. An average home espresso maker will have only one group (that’s the name [...]
Jan 24 2009
We’re all familiar with coffee house giants like Starbucks or the Second Cup. But we shouldn’t overlook the smaller, independent coffee shops that pop around all major cities. Black Forest Espresso is one such small coffee shop. They are located at the Country Club Gate Center, in Pacific Grove, California. You’ve probably never heard of [...]
Jan 24 2009
With so many espresso machine models, styles and choices, it can be hard to know what you should be looking for when out to get the best espresso machine you can. There are simple espresso machines, and then there are some with more bells and whistles than you’ll likely know what to do with. Don’t [...]
Jan 24 2009
Though espresso machines with all the latest bells and whistles are popular kitchen appliances these days, they are not your only option for home espresso brewing. Depending on how familiar you are with making espresso, you may not realize that there is a much simpler (and cheaper) kind of espresso machine. It’s not even really [...]
Jan 21 2009
Not interested in a big, expensive or fancy espresso machine but want a simpler option? There are actually small espresso makers that just sit there silently on your stovetop, and don’t have a single feature beyond the brewing of espresso. They are sometimes called stovetop espresso makers, or sometimes moka pots. These stovetop espresso makers [...]
Jan 05 2009
Espresso coffee machines are no longer the toys of the rich, as they can be found reasonably priced in nearly any kitchen appliance store. They run the gamut from inexpensive steam machines, to luxury gadgets with more options than you will know what to do with. Basically, there is something for anyone wanting to get [...]
Jan 02 2009
No matter how fancy or expensive your espresso maker is, you need to start off with good coffee beans if you want to make excellent espresso. Buying whole bean coffee is the way to go for freshness and taste. Espresso beans aren’t any different from regular coffee beans, regardless of what coffee sellers might want [...]
