Espresso Tips  

Table of Contents

1. Making a real espresso.
2. Keeping your coffee beans fresh.
3. The secret of an Italian cappuccino.
4. Four rules for creating a perfect espresso.
5. Three traits of a perfectly made espresso.
6. An easy way to keep your machine clean.

Making an Espresso...

1. ...Using a Pump Espresso Machine.

• Grind coffee until it becomes fine enough.
• Wait until the machine reaches the correct temperature (usually when indicator's light on)
• Ensure the filter compartment is clean
• Fill the filter with 6-7 grams (1 tbs) of ground coffee per cup
• Pack the ground coffee in lightly and spread evenly. If coffee is pressed down too hard the coffee may become too strong
• Your Pump machine should extract espresso within a very short time
• Your espresso should be thick and creamy.
• Don't forget to try it the true Italian way: Pour some drops of water into coffee near the handle side of the cup and put some sugar into the opened-up hole on the creamy surface.

2. ...Using a Super-Automatic Espresso Machine.

• Adjust grinder's settings to the finely ground (the smaller number indicates the finest ground) but do not choose the lowest number.
• Push the button... and enjoy your perfectly made espresso.

3. ...Using a ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) System.

• It is the easiest way to make espresso. (See also FAQ)

Keeping your coffee beans fresh...

• Once your pack of coffee has been opened, it should be placed in a sealed container or wrapped tightly using a scotch tape and stored in a refrigerator.

The secret of an Italian cappuccino...

• ...lies in the coffee itself.
• In order to make a good cappuccino, it is necessary to use a single portion of espresso that is strong and concentrated together with 80 to 100 milliliters of frothy milk (about a third of a cup). See our Recipes for details.

Four rules for creating a perfect espresso...

Preparing espresso is a genuine ritual fusing art and science, and it has its rules.

• The Blend: Only a blend made up exclusively of Arabica coffees provides a harmonious, well-balanced taste striking happy compromise between bitterness and acidity as well as imparting rich,fragrant aroma and a full body.
• The Grinder: You can experiment with an adjustable grinder until you find the perfect setting (allow an extraction time of between 15 and 20 seconds for home brewing). The exact dose of coffee: 6 to 7 grams per cup!
• The Machine: Espresso machines must be able to heat water up to 90’C (194’F) and to exert pressure equal to 9 atmospheres or more.
• The Operator: His or her main function is to follow the other three rules and to press down the coffee in the machine with just the right touch of the hand.

The Traits of a perfectly made espresso...

Thanks to this emulsion process espresso coffee delights us with its three unmistakable traits:

• its Cream: namely, the foam that characteristically tops every good cup of espresso;
• its Body: the emulsion of the oils gives the coffee a fullness of body that cannot be obtained with any other coffee brewing technique;
• its Aroma: the greater richness in the aroma of espresso is due to the presence of the cream which prevents the volatile substances from dispersing into the air immediately after the preparation of the coffee.

An easy way to keep your machine clean...

• If you are concerned with the work involved with cleaning your espresso machine, use an espresso machine with the "Easy Serving Espresso" system.