Espresso - A Taste of Italy in Every Sip

By: Michael Russell
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:17:53
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Traditionally served in a "demitasse" - a special cup with a capacity of 3 oz. - as a shot, espresso is a special drink: a mouthful of sensations and flavor. Espresso defines the very essence of coffee.

Italians are proud of their tradition and do know what a good espresso means. When asked, they'll even define the true test of a perfect espresso: when you ad sugar to it, the sugar should remain at the surface of the cream for thirty seconds before sinking. Are you ready to start counting? Customarily espresso is drunk in one sip. But what if you want to double the pleasure? Well, you could just order a second espresso, or order a Doppio from the start. An espresso doppio means, in Italian, a double shot.

Espresso Americano, as the name suggests, is a type of beverage consumed in the "American style". Practically what you do is add hot water over a traditionally prepared espresso to make a full regular cup. Espresso Americano can be consumed with milk and sugar.

For a richer taste, there are other espresso recipes you might want to try. Espresso topped with a spoonful of whipped cream is also known as espresso con panna. Or maybe you'll find tastier a macchiato: espresso topped with milk foam. An espresso Romano is a traditional espresso shot with a twist of lemon. For a hot summer day, try a Granita: freeze sweetened espresso and then crush it. This is a perfect topping for ice cream specialties as well.

You can also enjoy espresso in various cocktails. A classic espresso cocktail is the Espresso Martini. To prepare a drink for two you need 7 oz vodka, one espresso shot, ? oz Kahlua and ice. Shake vodka and crushed ice for about 30 seconds, then add espresso and Kahlua and give it another two or three shakes. Let it stand for about a minute and then strain into two martini glasses. Garnish with coffee beans.

Another vodka-based espresso cocktail is called simple: Vodka Espresso. Shake one shot of vodka, one espresso shot, two teaspoons of castor sugar and ice cubes for thirty seconds. Strain into a glass and layer one shot of Amarula Cream on top.

Another tasty cocktail with espresso is the Mocha Martini. Let's say you've forgotten to drink your espresso shot and now it's cold. Why waste such a delicious beverage? Use it in a cocktail: shake one shot cold espresso, one shot bourbon, one shot cocoa liqueur and one shot Amarula Cream with crushed ice. Strain into a chilled glass and then float half a shot of double cream in the center. Garnish with cocoa powder.

As you see, espresso is an amazing drink that can ad flavor to many other drinks. One may be able to even define espresso as a sip of Italy: sensual, romantic, full of flavor, appetizing, mysterious and passionate. You can enjoy this beverage in its traditional form, or let your imagination discover new possibilities. Chefs even use espresso to improve the taste of certain cakes and ice cream, create syrups and much more. Why not create your own espresso-based recipe?

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Espresso

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Coffee category

  • Coffee T-Shirts and Gifts: Share Your Addiction - By: Ruth Lanham
    If there is another thing a lot of people are passionate about, it's their coffee. For a lot of people, without their coffee, they might not be able to function on the morning or even an entire day. It could make their day at work that much worse as well. It's not always a joke how popular and important coffee is to people.
  • Tomorrow's Tamari Takes Time - By: Search Pros
    Since the Buddhist monk Kakushin brought back the original soy sauce from China in 1254, soy sauce has become virtually ubiquitous world wide. So what is the difference between Soy Sauce, Shoyu and Tamari?
  • Coffee for a Better Life - By: Vader West
    To that, the coffee bean itself contains a number of benefits to health. But the culture of coffee, like the tao of tea, contains a lot of excess trimmings. Espresso machines, for example, produce a highly concentrated form of ordinary coffee. And then the all-consuming vice: sugar.
  • Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee - By: Adam Akelis
    It has been scientifically proved that coffee can fight fatigue that is why millions of people across the world drink coffee to fight tiredness. Coffee can actually helps to improve mental performance, elevates and improves mood and also boosts physical energy.
  • Gourmet Coffee and Fitness - By: Adam Akelis
    Today for larger number of people, coffee has become a main delight in life and some people give your word by it to get their day started. Everyday you will come across more and more data proving tea as a huge means to wade off ill health.
  • Flavored Coffees a Delicious Enticer - By: Adam Akelis
    Millions of people enjoy and consume coffee as a drink not only for its aroma but for its property as a stimulant. Some like to drink hot steaming coffee, while others dribble over cold coffee shakes.
  • How Do Coffee Grinders Work? - By: Paul Archer
    Coffee grinders and electric coffee grinders are the best thing since sliced bread.
  • The 9 Things People Do Not Do When Making Espresso - By: Shikin Roslan
    Espresso simply means ‘to press out’ in Italian. However it is easier said than done. Let me just start off with what espresso really is.
  • How To Apply Logic In Choosing An Espresso Coffee Maker - By: Dean Caporella
    Choosing an espresso coffee maker isn't just determined by price. Many people have rushed in and bought a coffee maker simply because they thought that it's price dictated how good or efficient the machine was. This can be a costly mistake.
  • Espresso Coffee Machine Essential Buying Tips - By: Richard Davies
    Most avid coffee drinkers will concur that an espresso coffee machine is the one and only piece of kit you can purchase that will deliver the perfect cup of coffee. You will be surprised, then, that many of these coffee fans don't actually own an espresso coffee machine. There are a number of different types of machine.