The Perfect Espresso

Pulling the Perfect Espresso

Last year I was travelling though Italy on a food, wine, olive oil, and scenery tour. My lovely wife and I worked our way from Venice to the Amalfi Coast, and everyday had multiple memories that will last a lifetime. Food and wine are a passion there, and unlike most North American places fast food is not just the golden arches. Everything there was done properly and done well when it came to anything food related. We saw men fishing in the early day time and serving what they caught us in the evening, if I had a craving for red snapper and none was caught, none was being had case closed. Throughout our travels, we asked many locals about the best place to eat in the particular area we may have been at the time and the answer was almost always the same, best place...”My house”...which was sometimes followed by, “you come, eat with us”.
I cannot wait to go back and cannot stress enough that if you have the chance to go, jump on it, but very importantly stay away from tourist areas and tourist traps, find out the where the locals eat, or go to their market and you will see the real Italy.
Before we had left for Italy, I was told by a good friend of mine who happens to be Italian that I would travel for my espresso. When I pushed for a more clear explanation, he told me how here if you want a coffee you pull into the nearest timmy’s, maybe starbucks or if you are really bold here in Ottawa you will hit Bridgehead. To top it off if you are in a rush you will get it from the drive through and drink it in the car towards your destination. My friend explained that in Italy you have to first find your favourite coffee place...sorry espresso! When Italians think of Americanized coffee they call it “Stained Water”, to them it is espresso for your caffeine fix. In Italy I was further told, that your favourite place does not have to be the corner destination, it can be a place 30 minutes down the road and they will go there multiple times a day for the hit of espresso. Initially I scoffed at the idea of finding a place, I like a good espresso and each place that, if it does it well would work for me. Well I was proven wrong! I enjoyed my espresso in most places, but about a 15 minute walk from my B&B in Florence was Corona’s Cafe, a place that had an espresso with my name on it. Cannot explain why, but the atmosphere the way the barrista pulled the shot of espresso, the mini antipasto plate served after work, just everything about this place was right for me. As I was told I would do, I made sure that two to three times a day I went for my favourite espresso from my new favourite place, and I really never really lingered there for more than 5-6 minutes, but when I needed my caffeine hit, there was only one place for me.

Many of the locals stand around have their quick hit, and head off to work, home or where ever their destination is, some linger on for a bit chatting it up with other locals, and then usually more cafe is ordered, then some vino, then some antipasto, then some more vino etc, etc, etc...

But one thing I noticed and also fell in love with was called cafe corretto, which means corrected with booze, yes booze! Think of it...a strong shot of caffeine topped with sambuca or grappa, I could have danced all night!
Anyways, below is a video from youtube about pulling the perfect espresso, also below is a list of the different types of cafe found in Italy. If you get the chance and there is a little Italy near where you live, try and find a good quality espresso like the one described in the video, then go back to Starbucks and order one from them or any other chain coffee shop and see the difference.

Espresso : known a Cafe in Italy, served in a 3 oz or demitasse cup. Strong in taste with a rich bronze froth known as a crema on top.

Doppio : Simply a double espresso.

Ristretto: More concentrated than a regular espresso that is made with less water.

Lungo or Caffe Americano: An Espresso made with more water - opposite a Ristretto.

Macchiato: Espresso that is "marked" with a dollop of steamed milk on top.

Corretto: Espresso that is "corrected" with grappa, cognac or sambuca.

Cappuccino: Espresso with foamed milk and containing equal parts espresso, steamed milk and foamed milk.

Cappuccino scuro: Cappuccino prepared with less milk and is a darker color.

Cappuccino chiaro: Cappuccino prepared with more milk (but less than a cafe latte) and is lighter in color.

Cafe' latte: Espresso made with more milk than a cappuccino but only a small amount of foam. In Italy it is usually a breakfast drink.

Latte macchiato: Steamed milk that is "marked" (sometimes ornately) with a shot of espresso coffee.