Archive for November 10th, 2009
If specialty coffee drinks were a fully furnished home, espresso would be the rock-solid foundation. Without that rich, full-bodied flavor underlying the sweetness of cappuccino, mocha and others, you’d just have a lot of style and no substance. Many people believe they know the secret to making the perfect espresso, and there’s no doubt that it takes time and dedication. Depending on your patience and level of commitment, you can even start from scratch.
Blending is a process many coffee lovers take for granted. Believe it or not, producers and wholesalers take care to blend different types of coffee beans to achieve an optimal balance of pleasing aroma, sweetness and other factors. Roasting is yet another step that most coffee consumers don’t trouble themselves with. It’s a common misconception that espresso should be roasted extra dark. In truth, this method will result in a bitter brew more often than not.
The next step is grinding the beans – an end that can be achieved in one of two ways. A typical grinder heats up the espresso, in effect dulling its taste and aroma. That’s why many coffee connoisseurs prefer a conical burr grinder that grinds consistently without creating friction-based heat. Tomorrow we’ll continue with this step-by-step outline, all the way to ridding a coffee maker of mineral deposits with a descaler.