Ever wondered why il
caffé in Italy tastes so darn good? Apparently, it’s not just in the
quality of the beans but also the exact method of preparation. And, according
to one of the leading Italian coffee roasters, Lavazza, there are rules for
getting it right!
Warning: a degree
in science may be required!
- The pressure in the coffee machine should be
kept at nine atmospheres.
- The water should be brought to 90–95 °C and not
to boiling point.
- Freshly ground coffee should be used within one
day.
- The brewing time for a standard 30 mL cup of espresso
should be 25 to 30 seconds. Longer than this can result in a burnt flavour and
dark foam, while less time results in the dreaded dishwashing-water coffee with
a light, weak foam.
- The espresso cup should be warmed to 45 °C and,
ideally, should be made of special, thick porcelain, which is even thicker at
the bottom to prevent the coffee from getting cold too quickly and losing its aroma.
- If this wasn’t enough, strictly speaking, the
espresso cup should be white and shaped like a truncated cone to maintain the crema (the foam).
- Espresso should be drunk within two minutes of
being prepared. (Tip: this is the
reason why fast service bars in Italy serve the best coffee, rather than restaurants where you have to wait for the coffee to be served by a waiter.)
So, how do you know your coffee is any good? It’s all in the crema! The crema is a layer of coffee foam that floats on the surface of the espresso
and it is widely regarded as the best indicator of espresso quality. Ideally, it
should be similar to a hazelnut in colour and thick enough so that, if sugar is
added, it floats on the surface for a few seconds before sinking. The crema should then close over the sugar
after it drops.
Seems like too much hard work? Leave it to the professionals
and enjoy a true Italian espresso on a city break in Italy!
