Espresso and Cappuccino are well known coffee drinks even if you are remotely familiar with coffee drinks available. Ever since Espresso machines became popular in homes and cafes, there are newer coffee drinks becoming popular and offer so many choices to coffee lovers.

Here are some of the popular coffee drinks:

Also known as Short Black, this is strong, dark coffee having chocolate-brown layer of crema on the top. For rich and thick espresso, the coffee beans should be roasted to dark brown and finely ground. Espresso is usually poured in small cups of 25 - 30 ml.

How to make Espresso coffee?

Making Espresso coffee using an Espresso machine is quite simple. Here are the steps for making standard Espresso coffee:

• Get coffee beans of good quality and roast them until they become very dark.
• Once you got the dark roasted Espresso beans, grind them so that they become fine powder.
• Fill the handle of the machine with finely ground coffee beans.
• Before you turn on your espresso machine, place the cup under the handle.
• Now, you get creamy, espresso coffee.

'Cappuccino' is derived from the Italian word 'Capuchin'. The Catholic Capuchin monks wear headdress that bear a likeness to the frothy layer of cappuccino.

The standard Cappuccino is prepared by pouring steamed milk and frothed milk into espresso with chocolate flakes sprinkled over the top. Usually the froth should be thick enough to stay over the rim of the cup.

How to make Cappuccino?

Cappuccino is made of equal shots of espresso, steamed milk and frothy milk. To make good cappuccino, the ratio should be 1/3 espresso, 1/3 very hot milk and 1/3 thick foam of milk. The hot milk is added with espresso coffee and finally, some sugar.

Here are the steps for making traditional Cappuccino coffee:

• Get coffee beans of good quality and roast them until they become very dark.
• Once you got the dark roasted Espresso beans, grind them so that they become fine powder.
• Fill the handle of the machine with finely ground coffee beans.
• Get very hot milk and also heat foam.
• Add steamed milk and milk froth with espresso.
• Sprinkle chocolate flakes over the top, if you like.

Espresso Lungo

Espresso Lungo is a mild Espresso and prepared by mixing some hot water (usually, one or two ounces) with standard Espresso and served in large cups.

Espresso Americano

Espresso Americano is made by adding the standard Espresso coffee on the top of hot water in a large cup so that coffee cream stays on the top of hot water

Ristretto

This is very strong espresso coffee served in much smaller cups (1/2 ounce).

Latte

Latte is an Italian word meaning milk.

Latte is espresso with steamed milk and a small cap of milk froth on the top and generally served in a glass.

Macchiato

This is espresso with steamed milk or a shot of foam added, usually served in a small cup. Macchiato is usually made of one part of milk and four parts of espresso.

Doppio

This is double espresso and is made of two shots of espresso and served in small cups of about 50 ml.

Mocha

This is espresso with hot chocolate and hot, steamed milk added, usually served in a glass.

Espresso machine needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. It helps to make good espresso with natural flavour and taste as the deposits on the filter and reservoir can ruin the taste of espresso. Furthermore, the periodical cleaning of the machine ensures that your coffee is hygienic and does not invite diseases.

Cleaning and maintenance of your machine also make it durable and long lasting. Regular maintenance is also must for better working condition.

Here are a few things that you should follow while cleaning your machine on a regular basis:

• After you have made your coffee, let the machine become cool. Before you clean it, turn off the machine and remove the plug.
• Do not clean the machine by immersing it in water or placing it under running water.

Descaling tablets	Water filter prevents lime deposit

• Instead, take a piece of wet cloth or sponge and clean the dirt off the body of the machine.
• Now, open the filter holder and wash it with warm water & soap and rinse it and drain.
• Also remove the filter.
• Carafes can be cleaned using mild detergent but do not use dishwasher.
• Make sure that you do not use cleansers made of strong chemicals as they can damage the parts of your machine. Some parts like thermo jug needs careful cleaning as it contains a glass bulb inside.

• Clean the outer parts of the machine with damp cloth or sponge. To remove the deposits from the machine, use the backflush method with following procedure.
• Fix the blind filter (with no holes) in the filter handle.
• Let the water flush through group head and keep shaking the filter handle so that shower screen and other inner parts are completely rinsed with water.
• Now, stop shaking the filter and keep it firm and let the water run through the group head for half a minute.
• Then, let the pressurized water pour out.
• Now, repeat this procedure for a few times.

As a weekly routine, you need to clean your machine the same backflush procedure. However, the procedure slightly varies as you will use cleaning tablets or powder with usual backflushing. On average, after 35 shots of espresso, you would need to use cleaning powder.

Cleaning tablets

The method is as follows:

• Put the cleaning powder in the blind filter before it is inserted.
• Let the water flush through group head and keep shaking the filter handle so that shower screen and other inner parts are completely rinsed with water.
• Now, stop shaking the filter and keep it firm and let the water run through the group head for half a minute.
• Then, let the pressurized water pour out.
• Now, repeat this procedure for a few times.

Your coffee machine needs descaling depending on the water used and the frequency of usage. The natural symptom of clogging of valves and water paths with lime deposits will be slowness in brewing cycle and it may occur between every three and four months.

If soft water is used, you can descale your machine after 80 uses while descaling is necessary after 160 uses if filtered water is used. When filtered hard water is used, descale the machine after 80 uses.

The steps of descaling procedure are as follows:

• First, remove the filter holder.
• For descaling, you can use descalers like white vinegar or Urnex. Fill the water reservoir with vinegar solution.

Descaling tablets	Water filter prevents lime deposit

• Switch on the machine. Now, the solution will rinse the boiler and pipes.
• You can use backflushing to rinse the pressure release valve with the solution.
• Let the machine run for 30 - 50 minutes.
• Then, empty the coffee machine and refill the reservoir with water.
• Run the machine and this will rinse the inner parts of the coffee machine.
• Repeat it with clean water 2 or 3 times until the descaler is completely flushed out of the machine.

Coffee (genus: coffea), one of the well-known and widely-consumed beverages worldwide was first discovered in Ethiopia in the 9th century. However, it was only after 15th century, coffee reached Italy, the country where the history of modern day coffee drinks originates from. Subsequently, coffee houses started becoming popular in Italy, UK and Austria in the 17th century. The next two centuries saw coffee spreading to Central America and South America, the largest coffee producers of modern day. Today, coffee is one of the largest exports for more than 12 countries worldwide as the consumption of coffee has increased manifold in recent times.

Coffee is made from the ripe coffee beans which are dried, roasted, ground and brewed using different methods. There are two popular varieties of coffee available - Coffea Canephora and Coffea Arabica. The caffeine content in Coffea Canephora (also known as robusta) is higher (2 - 4 %) than Arabica and accounts for its strong flavour. Arabica has caffeine content between 1 – 2 % and has better flavour, pleasant aroma and little sweet aftertaste. Most popular coffee drinks like espresso and cappuccino blend both these coffee in specified ratio to get different flavours and aroma.

When coffee berries (which contain coffee beans or seeds) become ripe, they are plucked and the fleshy part of the berries is removed. Coffee seeds are then dried (now they look green) and roasted before they get ready for consumption.

It is the roasting process that gives different flavours and aroma to coffee beans so it is important that beans should be roasted at right temperature and for varied durations. When coffee beans get roasted, the moisture in the beans gets evaporated and the chaff fell off and removed. While roasting, coffee beans turn to yellow, to brown and then to dark brown depending on the roasting time. Soon, coffee beans also begin to get different aroma, from mild to strong, again depending on different roasts.

Light roast

Roasting time of 5-8 minutes gives mild flavour to beans, e.g. cinnamon roast and New England Roast.

Medium roast

This is roasting of beans for 10 minutes and gives good aroma and a bit sweet taste, e.g. American roast, city roast.

Dark roast

Also known as Italian roast. Preferred for making espresso and cappuccino coffee drinks. Coffee beans are roasted for about 15 minutes until they turn to very dark brown or black. This roasting offers strong flavours and a bit acidic taste to coffee beans.

You may like to store your coffee in different forms for later use. Typically, un-roasted, green beans can be stored for much longer time (2 years) in ideal conditions. Roasted seeds can lose flavour and aroma within six months while ground coffee should be used as soon as it is ground for good aroma and flavour.

Environmental factors like air, temperature, humidity and sunlight can affect the quality of coffee so they need to be considered while storing coffee.

• Store green beans in jute or paper bags and also keep them away from direct sun light. Never use plastic bags to store green beans as the beans will deteriorate rapidly without air. Make sure that humidity is around 60 % and the temperature is around 20 C.



• Roasted beans should be stored in air tight bags or containers and should be kept in cool places like freezers and away from direct sun light. At best, roasted beans can be preserved for a few months and get deteriorated after that. If you want to use roasted beans from freezer, let them come to room temperature before you grind them.
• If you grind your coffee in your home, it is always better to use it as soon as possible. Ground coffee loses flavour and aroma much quickly so it should be stored in air tight containers. When you buy ground coffee from stores, it should be used as quickly as possible once you open the bag.

Espresso coffee machines are used to make espresso coffee, a type of coffee beverage invented in Italy. For making espresso coffee, the coffee beans should be roasted until they turn to dark brown and become slightly greasy to touch. After that, the roasted coffee beans should be finely ground.

The history of espresso coffee machines dates back to early nineteenth century. In 1822, the first espresso machine was invented in France. More than a century later, Dr. Ernes Illy designed the first automatic espresso coffee machine in 1933. However, it was Achilles Gaggia who made innovations in the machine and invented the modern espresso machine in 1946. Gaggia’s machine was pioneer to the coffee machines that came later and it used spring lever system to produce the high pressure to make espresso coffee.

A decade later, in 1960, Faema Inc made the first pump or traditional espresso coffee machine.

Espresso coffee machines can be classified depending on the size of the machine. In fact, there are several models and you can browse our reviews of the latest espresso machines to know the extensive features and the cost details of each model.

Jura Home Espresso machine

Smaller espresso machines are suitable for domestic use in kitchens and they do not need much space and they are also easy to install and use.

• Commercial espresso coffee machines are used in restaurants cafes.

 


Gaggia commercial Espresso coffee machine

 

• Pump or traditional espresso machines: They use pump to pour the pressurized hot water through the coffee powder straight away into the cups.

 


Krup XP 5080 Pump espresso machine

 

• Steam type espresso machine is a primordial type of espresso machine that uses steam energy to make espresso coffee.

Krup 872 Steam Espresso machine - 4 cup capacity

Espresso machines have a boiler where water is heated until it becomes steam and gets high pressure which drives the hot water through the fine ground coffee. In pump espresso machines, the electrically driven pump forces the hot water into the chamber where it is blended with coffee and finally coffee is poured directly into the cups. In the smaller, domestic espresso machines, the pump is enclosed within the machine and uses a pressure levels between 10 and 20 bars.

Espresso coffee is usually thicker than filter coffee and it can be blended to make other coffee drinks like cappuccino and cafe mocha.

Here are some useful tips on buying an espresso machine that suits your needs:

Price range

When you shop around for espresso machines, you will find that price ranges allow you to choose cheap as well as expensive, high-end espresso machines. Entry level espresso machines are ideal for beginners and may not cost over 35. However, you may find some good models in the price range of 75 - 100 and they are suitable for any modern kitchen.

Pump driven or steam driven?

Pump driven machines are better option than the models that use steam. They produce better quality espresso coffee and also easy to use and maintain. However, steam type machines are relatively cheaper and can be consider if you are bound by budget concerns.

Drip tray

Make sure that you get removable drip tray with your machine. Some machines will provide a surface for keeping the cups warm and check out for this feature.

Check for Thermoblock

To get thick espresso with frothy crème on the top, the machine should be able to produce enough pressure levels for the hot water to blend with coffee. Make sure that your Espresso machine has minimum 15 bar pressure.

Check for Thermoblock

Most Espresso machines come with thermoblock that maintains the temperature levels in the machine. Typically, the milk needs to be heated to 120 C to have creamy appearance while the temperature should not exceed 90 C. So, make sure that your Espresso machine has the thermoblock feature.

Brass filter holder

Espresso machines come with filter holder made up of brass or aluminum. Brass filter holder is better option than aluminum as it conducts less heat so keeps coffee warm for longer.

Durability

Cheaper machines may have components that are less durable. For better durability, Espresso machines with components made of metal rather than plastic are preferred option.

The most widespread technique of preparing coffee is drip brewing. It is a relatively quick method and effortless to clean. The following are a few of the popular features of coffee makers.

1 TO 4 CUP SETTING: For making a few cups, a suitable coffee maker capable of making one to four cups is preferable. This is to make sure that the coffee maker will attain the required temperature before the brew cycle begins, to get a strong cup of coffee. But this model will take a bit longer time to start the brew cycle.

REMOVABLE WATER HOLDER: One of the convenient features of a modern coffee maker is the removable water holder, which you can take to the water source, fill it up, and place it back on the machine, instead of bringing water from the source to fill up the holder. This model is very popular among coffee lovers, but its availability is limited.

BUILT-IN GRINDER: It is better to choose a burr grinder as an alternative to a blade grinder. In a blade grinder the beans get burnt due to friction while grinding. Remember, a separate grinder is not a convenient option because of the extra counter space it occupies.

GLASS CARAFE OR THERMAL POT: In case the coffee is to remain in the pot for more than 30 minutes, get a coffee maker with a thermal pot. The coffee will not burn in a thermal pot as heat is not applied to it constantly. So the coffee will remain hot and tasty in the insulated pot. Another advantage is that it is a sturdy model. Unlike glass pots, thermal pots are unbreakable.

FILTER BASKET SHAPE: A cone shaped filter basket is preferred than a flat bottom one. It will facilitate water to flow more evenly. The coffee becomes more consistent, especially while brewing lesser quantity.

PROGRAMMABLE TIMERS: For the sake of convenience, it is better to equip with programmable timers. Grind the coffee before going to bed, pour water and grind and set the timer. A nice coffee will be ready when you wake up in the morning.

CAPACITY: Some of the modern coffee makers are provided with extra large capacity pots. Some of them are also having side by side pots. When large quantity of coffee is required, it is handy to have large capacity pots.

BUILT-IN CHARCOAL FILTERS: Even though built in charcoal filters are available; they are not preferred by many. If you have filtered water supply in your kitchen, these filters are not at all necessary. Avoid machines which will not work without charcoal filters.

PAUSE AND SERVE: Try to exercise patience and wait to eliminate drips after brewing. Many machines do not reach the required temperature before the brewing starts and coffee will therefore remain under extracted.

STAINLESS STEEL HOUSING: Coffee lovers prefer a metal housing in order to maintain a proper brewing temperature. It is sturdy and has an aesthetic appeal when installed in your kitchen.

SINGLE SERVE POD MACHINE: Single serve pod machines are the new introduction in the market. These machines look impressive and are easy to clean. These are convenient for busy persons but coffee may not taste fresh and it is not very economical