SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO BREW AN EXCELLENT ESPRESSO COFFEE.
It is called espresso to express the idea that the coffee is prepared instantly upon request. With about fifty grains of coffee (medium or medium-dark roasted), finely grinded and used to filter hot water at high pressure, you not only obtain the dark drink much beloved in ancient times, but also a full-bodied concentrate with intense aromas. The espresso coffee furnishes sensations that do not end at the moment of tasting, but rather persist well beyond.
Italian espresso coffee is created according to very precise parameters:
1. Use 6.5-7 gr. (about 0.25 ounces) of coffee expertly roasted and then ground to the right size.
2. The coffee must be ground and immediately pressed into the filter (with a suitable small press) using a force of 15-20 kg (33-44 lbs) .
3. The water should have a pressure of around 9 atmospheres and a temperature between 88° and 92° C (190-198 °F) .
4. The ideal contact time between the hot water and the ground coffee runs from 20 to 30 seconds; the coffee obtained has a volume between 25 and 35 cc (about 1 fl.oz.).
5. Finally, a white porcelain cup is used, that should always be hot and dry.
