What is Espresso?

The Espresso Process:

Espresso is a coffee beverage prepared using water under pressure and served in a preheated demitasse cup. When made correctly, espresso has a top layer of golden foam, known as crema.

Traditionally, espresso is prepared by a master coffee maker, or barista. To enhance the quality of his espresso, a trained barista generally concerns himself with four things:

The Machine:
Because the espresso machine controls the temperature and pressure of the water as it passes through the coffee, it is important that it be clean and in good working order.

The Blend:
A blend is any combination of "single-origin" gourmet coffees. Because few single-origin coffees provide all the flavors and aromas necessary for good espresso, baristas often blend several coffees together to achieve the taste they desire.

The Espresso Grinder/Doser:
The espresso grinder/doser crushes the beans into small particles for brewing. However, there is no "ideal" particle size; the barista must decide how course to make the ground in order to achieve the flavor he desires.

The Hand:
The skill of the operator is of great importance in espresso making - even with today's technically advanced machines.

The above information was supplied by the SCAA