All About Espresso

What is Espresso?

The word Espresso refers to two things: a beverage and a method of brewing.. Espresso is most often a blend of multiple coffees that are then roasted together. While roasted beans of any level can be brewed in the espresso method, the most common roast levels are dark. Brewing espresso requires a specialized machine that forces a small amount of hot water through finely ground beans to produce a concentrated beverage of about 1 fluid ounce. Though most people believe that espresso contains more caffeine than drip coffee, a single espresso shot has about half the caffeine of a typical 8 ounce cup of coffee.

A Brief History

The brewing of espresso is an Italian invention that dates back to the late 19th century. The earliest known reference to making coffee in this style is a patent registered in 1884 for a coffee machine that separately controlled the steam and water in brewing. It is regarded as the earliest invention of the espresso brewing method. Improvements were made to this invention during the early years of the 20th century, and the consumption of this beverage rose along with urbanization in Italy. In the 1950s, espresso became popular in the western United States,.. Not until the 1980s and '90s did gourmet coffee, including espresso, gain a strong footing in the United States with the emergence of Starbucks and other Seattle-based coffee roasters.

Popular Espresso Drinks

In the United States, the Latte has gained enormous popularity. Brewed espresso is poured in the bottom of the cup and then steamed milk and a small amount of foam is added to the top. Variations of this drink are many, made with different kinds of flavored syrups. The cappuccino is similar to a latte in that espresso is on the bottom, though a cappuccino has little or no steamed milk and considerably more foam. Additional popular espresso-based drinks include the macchiato (espresso "marked" with a small amount of milk on top), Americano (espresso diluted with hot water), and Cubano (a shot of espresso taken with sugar).

Straight espresso is most commonly drunk in non-chain coffee shops and quality restaurants where the quality of the coffee is high, and the coffee actually tastes good without additional flavoring.

The quality of an espresso relies heavily on the brewing process and freshness of the beans. It is recommended to grind the beans immediately before drawing the shots of espresso for the best results. While espresso may be brewed at home using specialized machines, most often it is made by a trained barista (Italian for bartender) in a coffee shop.

J. Martinez is the owner of J. Martinez & Company Fine Coffees, selling gourmet estate and single-origin coffees from all over the world, including Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and award-winning Espresso coffee.

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Reusable K-Cup Filters: The Next Big Trend?

In an attempt to save money, avid coffee users have begun using the reusable K-Cup filter, My K-Cup, as means of getting their morning cup of Jo.

The onetime $17.95 fee will leave you with a filter basket, filter holder and lid that is compatible with all Keurig coffee makers. The filter paper will need to be replaced, but several different websites offer 50 for about $6 so you won't have to dig too deep into your pockets.

When installing the My K-Cup into your Keurig brewer, you need to remove the black K-Cup original filter that comes with the brewer. This process is described on Keurig's website, "first lift the handle of the brewer, and then grasp the outside housing of the K-Cup Holder with the thumb and index finger of one hand and push up from below with the index finder of your other hand while holding the housing firmly. "

The process sounds harder than it is and should take no longer than five minutes. Look at the bright side, this is a onetime thing because once the reusable filter is installed it can be removed, cleaned and replaced in a matter of minutes.

My K-Cup is essentially a smaller version of filters used in regular coffee makers, but has the convenience of a single shot K-Cup. Keurig recommends that the filter holds two tablespoons of coffee beans for every six ounces of water, but when filling the filter you must be very careful.

The coffee grinds should be fairly loose and cannot exceed the top of the filter basket. When cleaning the owner must make sure that no grinds are left in the upper rim of the filter, a key part of cleaning that is often overlooked.

After every use, the filter needs to be cleaned with soap and rinsed through warm water. Be wary when cleaning because the filter, as well as your brewer, will be very hot, I'd say let it sit for at least 20 minutes before you start cleaning.

The paper filter can be disposed of after usage, while the reusable K-Cup, after rinsing, will be ready for reuse.

The filter should appear dry, this means that all the coffee was properly transferred into the cup. If the filter is indeed wet, that means there is a problem with the brewer's purge airflow and will not produce an ideal result. If that is the case, you should remove and reinstall the filter and if the problem consists contact Keurig's customer service.

The coolest aspect of My K-Cup is that you can use any type of beans you want, which is a first for any single shot filters. Although the process hasn't been perfected reusable K-Cups are still the cheapest, most convenient way to brew your early morning coffee.

If you have a Keurig Brewing Machine in your home, then check out BestKCupCoffees.com to find the best k-cups as rated by coffee lovers like yourself.

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Flavored Gourmet Coffee Is Great For Everyone!

Flavored gourmet coffee is a great way to have coffee with a bit of gourmet flair and sweetness. Flavoring coffee dates back to the Arabs in Yemen who from the very beginning began adding spices while the coffee was brewing. Today purveyors use natural and natural identical flavorings to create some of the most unique coffees in the world. The result is coffee with added sweetness and depth of flavor.

When I started drinking coffee, I would only drink flavored gourmet coffee or coffee that was loaded down with flavored coffee creamer. My palate was not used to the richness and robustness of the black coffee. My palate has changed, and now I enjoy drinking both flavored and non flavored gourmet coffee. Sometimes depending on the day, or if I feel like something sweeter and lighter, I will choose the flavored blends over non flavored.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of different kinds of gourmet flavored coffee on the market today. Some of the best sellers include: Hazelnut, French Vanilla, Irish Creme, Amaretto and Tiramisu. Today many find purveyors and suppliers of this wonderful beverage are offering more interesting flavors such as: Swiss Chocolate, Baked Alaska, Blueberry Cream and Caramel Apple. The flavors sound so intriguing and decadent, and in reality they are really not bad for you at all! Many companies use all natural flavorings or flavorings that do not add any extra calories.

Another great thing about gourmet flavored coffees is they are quite inexpensive! Many companies flavor only premium, high-grown, 100% Arabica coffees. That means treating yourself and your guests to superior coffee is not only delicious, but also quite cost-effective. The prices for this are right on par with the non-flavored choices and readily available for everyday drinking pleasure.

Gourmet flavored coffee is great for entertaining with as well. I like to serve a rich flavored coffee with notes of chocolate and cinnamon for after dinner. If I'm entertaining overnight guests I love to serve a sweet and light gourmet coffee with French vanilla or Hazelnut notes in the morning. This way the guests and my family can enjoy the different gourmet offerings. I also like to serve different choices depending on the seasons or holidays. One of my favorites is to serve Autumn Harvest Spice in the Fall. It has notes of pumpkin, nutmeg and spicy-sweet cinnamon which is perfect for Halloween and pumpkin harvest time!

Christine Rankin is a professional writer who provides information on coffee for Gourmet Coffee Guide - your premiere online resource for fine coffee!

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For The Perfect Cup of Coffee At Home

When creating the perfect cup of coffee, there are a few tips to keep in mind. When you're learning how to create the perfect cup of coffee, keep these things in mind and you won't be let down. For starters, you'll want to use a milk frother. This adds richness to your coffee that is unmatched anywhere. they can also be used for other things such as lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, hot chocolate and even milk shakes. Yes, you can even use ice cream! There are many things you can do with a good milk frothing machine.

For starters, use a quality bean. Don't use pre ground coffee beans - grind your own! The best coffee comes from freshly grounded coffee beans. The way you roast and toast your coffee beans has a huge impact on the overall taste of your cup of coffee. Roasting releases the natural flavor and aroma of the bean and has a big impact on whether your coffee is smooth, rich or mellow. Experimentation is key! Next up is to choose a good grinding method. Here are some general coffee techniques and the affect they have on your coffee. An automatic drip means you'll be getting a medium sized grind. A plunger/French press means you'll receive a coarse grind, where as a percolator grind gives you an even coarser grind. An espresso grind is extremely fine.

How to create the perfect cup of coffee can be confusing at first but if you use a good milk frother and a start with the guidelines I just wrote, you'll be makin a perfect cup of coffee in no time. Good milk frothers will also allow you to make great lattes, espressos, milkshakes, whipped cream and hot chocolate. Experiment until you find something you like!

Some of the most popular warm beverages are made from milk. This includes coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, espressos and even hot chocolate. The list goes on and on. In order to get the desired result, you will need to add steamed milk, which can be done by using a milk frother. However, there are lots of different types available to get your steamed milk. One that will automatically heat your milk up and keep it at a good temperature is a good starting point.

The type of you require depends on your needs. How much you expect to use it, how much milk you'll need and what type of jug to use are all things to consider. There are five basic types of milk frothers. This includes manual frothers, battery powered frothers, automatic electric frothers, espresso makers with steam wand and handheld milk frothers. When frothing with a jug, keep in mind that you will want to use milk that is right for the recipe you're using. This also determines what type of milk frother you will need.

The shape of the frothing jug is normally just for the type of "art" you would like your milk frother to produce. Bell shaped jugs are a great option that are good for creating a rolling or troidal pattern. The way you pour the resulting milk will also greatly impact the type of milk frothing you get. However, you'll want to use a smaller jug when you only need a cup or two at a time.

Below you find a list of the various types of milk frothers available with a short explanation of the pro's and con's of each type to aid you in making a choice of which type will suit your needs best.

for more info visit http://www.milkfrotherhq.com

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