Sweet, Ribbony, Caramelly Freedom by Rachael Afra

Sweet, Ribbony, Caramelly Freedom by Rachael Afra

Starting the day—a crucial time for everyone—requires a good coffee or tea beverage. I need coffee to function, so if it isn't right, it makes my day go by slowly. It may sound ridiculous, but I'm not alone. Caffeine is necessary. I noticed when it comes to their cuppa; everyone has their something: a certain way, a style, the length of time to wait for a fresh brew. I know that since coffee chains have taken over, some coffee lovers order more complex drinks like Americanos, macchiatos, or ristrettos and are confused about what it is.  

 

Espresso is a concentrated shot of coffee where a small puck under pressure combines with hot water to produce a layered shot. It's most impressive since the machine extracts the bean between 20-30 seconds. The result is a syrupy ribbon layer of rich brown to sweet caramel coffee. I prefer an Italian Roast, Colombian, or Kenyan to start the day right.  

 

Here's a list of espresso drinks to try:  

 

  • Solo - A single shot of espresso 30mL   

  • Doppio - A Double shot of espresso 60mL 

  • Ristretto - Italian for short, it's a half shot of espresso 15mL, the most concentrated. 

  • Lungo - A long pour, shot of espresso with more water at 30 seconds with a 1:3 ratio 

 

  • Con Panna - One shot of espresso with whipped cream 

  • Macchiato - Italian for marked, espresso only first, then a scoop of milk foam goes on top 

  • Red Eye/Black Eye - One shot in a drip coffee/Two shots in a drip coffee 

  • Con Hielo - Espresso poured over ice and sugar 

  • Cuban Shot - One shot of espresso brewed with demerara sugar at the same time 

  • Americano - One shot of espresso and 3 oz. hot water

 

The Americano has a history where Italians served WWII soldiers espresso in hot water, which helped the GIs enjoy their drip coffee, aka a Cup of Joe!  "Cup of Joe" however has had been said before WWII, from a naval officer, but there are more stories' attached to the "Cup of Joe". 

 

When adding milk to your coffee, it becomes something different, the flavor changes, and you have found something that you may enjoy again later. I will discuss this further in the next blog.     

 

Check out Press & Mortar's pantry of coffee, teas, and sugars  

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