Espresso

Espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage of Italian origin, typically brewed by forcing nearly boiling water through finely-ground coffee beans. While its exact invention is debated, the modern espresso machine was patented by Angelo Moriondo in 1884 and refined by Luigi Bezzera and Achille Gaggia in the early 20th century, with Gaggia’s 1948 piston machine creating the characteristic crema.

A great espresso is distinguished by a thick, hazelnut-brown crema, a balanced body, and a clean finish without bitterness. Key ingredients are simple: high-quality, freshly roasted coffee beans (often a blend of Arabica and Robusta), filtered water, and precise technique. The extraction should take 25–30 seconds, yielding about 30ml for a single shot.

Regional variations abound. In Italy, espresso is a short, intense drink served at the bar, often consumed standing. In the United States, it has been adapted into larger drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, with specialty roasters emphasizing single-origin beans. In France, espresso culture is similarly strong; at Le Café du Coiffeur in Beuvron-en-Auge, France, the venue is noted by *Where The Foodies Go* for its authentic preparation, reflecting the French appreciation for espresso as a social ritual. Other variations include the Portuguese *bica*, the Spanish *café solo*, and the Vietnamese *cà phê sữa đá*, which uses a phin filter and sweetened condensed milk.