Get the pure coffee essence on National Espresso Day! Whether you sip one cup or keep buzzing all day long, November 23rd is the day.
- The word espresso (/ɛˈsprɛsoʊ/; Italian pronunciation: [eˈsprɛsso]) in Italian means ‘quick in time.’ Before the advent of the espresso machine, espresso was simply a coffee expressly made for the person ordering it. It was also made with recently roasted and freshly ground beans. The cup was brewed shortly before serving. In the late 1800s, this practice was commonplace in cafés and restaurants.
- Angelo Moriondo is credited with the earliest known example of an espresso machine in 1884.
- In 1901, Italian Luigi Bezzera invented the first successful espresso machine. The newer technologies produced a smaller, more concentrated cup more quickly than traditional coffee brewing methods.
- Additionally, this thicker, more intense brew created a creamy foam on top called the crema.
- In 1903, the patent was bought by Desiderio Pavoni, who founded the La Pavoni company and began to produce the machine industrially (one a day) in a small workshop in Via Parini in Milan.
- One shot of espresso requires 50 coffee beans.
- Coffee contains more caffeine than espresso. Strong tasting coffee has no more caffeine than weak-tasting coffee.
- Espresso is not referring to a particular type of bean, it is a type of coffee brewing method.
- Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world second to only oil.
- Espresso is coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. It is generally thicker than coffee brewed by other methods. It has a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids and also has crema on top (a foam with a creamy consistency)
- The origin of the term “espresso” is the subject of considerable debate. Although some Anglo-American dictionaries simply refer to “pressed-out”, “espresso,” much like the English word “express”, conveys the senses of “just for you” and “quickly,” which can be related to the method of espresso preparation.
- Espresso is regulated by the Italian government because it is considered an essential part of their daily life.
- “Crema” is the initial light/tawny colored liquid that comes out during an espresso extraction.
- As of 2015, astronauts on the International Space Station can brew fresh espresso on board.
- An espresso shot contains approximately 2.5% fat while there is only 0.6% fat in filtered coffee. This is derived from the natural oils contained in the coffee beans.
- Espresso is used as a base for a lot of other coffee drinks, including, but not limited to, mochas, lattes, and cappuccinos!
- The ideal brewing temperature for a shot of espresso is 190-195 degrees Fahrenheit. This is to make sure it’s extracted properly. As for the serving temperature for espresso, it is 160 degrees Fahrenheit,
- The ideal time for pulling a single shot of espresso is 25-30 seconds
- The size of an espresso cup matters for a variety of reasons. The perfect size cup for a shot of espresso is 2 ounces, and that should only be filled 2/3 of the way full. Porcelain is the best bet for cup material, and warming the cup beforehand will help make the perfect drink.
- Espresso was invented so workers drinking espresso would spend less time on their coffee breaks.
- The act of producing a shot of espresso is often termed “pulling” a shot, originating from lever espresso machines, which require pulling down a handle attached to a spring-loaded piston, forcing hot water through the coffee at high pressure.
- The first espresso machine was installed in the United States in 1927. It was a “La Pavoni” machine and was installed at Reggio’s in New York.
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