How do you drink espresso?

-It has to be downed in one gulp!

Don't think this is a joke—Italian espresso really is meant to be downed in one gulp! Many friends may find their first sip of espresso very bitter, but gradually, you'll begin to sense the rich aroma and full body of espresso's original flavor—something no other coffee can offer.

Quite a few friends also say that espresso is truly addictive the more you drink it! Every time you're sleepy, a cup of its extremely high concentration and intense flavor profile really wakes you up instantly, and for the next half hour while drinking water, you'll still want to keep drinking coffee—this experience is truly fascinating.

What isespresso?

The original name of espresso is Espresso. The name comes from the past participle of the Italian word esprimere, derived from the Latin exprimō, meaning "to press out." However, some linguists believe its meaning is similar to the English word express, carrying the sense of "fast, personal, and exclusive." Although the two interpretations of its etymology differ, they precisely reflect two major characteristics of espresso.

The making of Italian espresso cannot be separated from extraction by a pressurized coffee machine—what we now call an espresso machine. The earliest espresso machine was born in the industrial era of 1884. In order to quickly extract the essence of coffee so that workers could grab a quick cup and then continue working full of energy, an Italian registered a patent for a steam-powered machine used to make coffee, making coffee preparation much faster.

At first, the coffee machine used the pressure generated by a steam engine to let hot water quickly pass through the coffee grounds and extract a rich coffee liquid. But at that time, people did not pursue coffee taste much, coffee bean quality was not as good as today, and the amount of espresso was not large—usually only a few dozen milliliters—so the taste really was bitter and strong, but it truly was very refreshing.

But this speed of coffee preparation and its taste fascinated Italians, so Italian coffee quickly became one of the most representative cultures locally. Later, people pursued more in terms of the taste of Italian coffee, so in 1901 an Italian designer acquired the patent for the steam-powered coffee machine.

On the original steam boiler coffee machine, a handle and a portafilter basket were added, and the grind size of the coffee beans was studied and adjusted so that the coffee particles could be pressed by external force, allowing the density of the coffee bed itself to resist the rapid passage of high-pressure water, better distributing the high-pressure water flow so it could evenly pass through the entire coffee bed and then "press out" a cup of coffee liquid with balanced flavor and a cleaner, smoother mouthfeel.

Although the taste and mouthfeel improved, the concentration was still very high, so when people drink espresso, they still retain the tradition of standing and downing it in one gulp, then leaving right after without lingering too long in the café.

Compared with drinking it directly, espresso is more often made into Americano, latte, cappuccino, and other coffees before being consumed, so when buying home espresso beans, try to choose types that can accommodate a variety of coffee flavors.

Home espresso bean recommendation ①: Front Street Classic Espresso Blend

Most coffee enthusiasts have only heard of Mamba coffee, but do not know the recipe and origin of "Mamba." In fact, Mamba is a blend of Indonesian Mandheling beans plus Brazilian coffee beans, and the flavors complement and harmonize with each other. In early years in Taiwan, Mamba blends were very popular in coffee shops and could be considered an old-school coffee flavor. Front Street Classic Espresso Blend adds robusta to the base of the Mamba recipe, fully enhancing the coffee's crema and making the body of the espresso stronger. It is suitable for home preparation and for latte art.

Home espresso bean recommendation ②: Front Street Specialty Espresso Blend

As one of the world's top coffee-producing countries, Brazil coffee and Colombia coffee have long been famous. Front Street combines coffee beans from the two origins: the nutty aroma and balanced taste of Brazilian coffee plus the chocolate notes of Colombian coffee perfectly achieve an effect where one plus one is greater than two. The extracted espresso has flavors of cream cookies, cocoa, and roasted nuts. It is suitable for friends who do not like acidity, for making Americano and latte.

Home espresso bean recommendation ③: Front Street Strawberry Candy Espresso Blend

If you want to make an espresso with floral and fruity aromas, you should focus on medium-roasted coffee beans. Front Street Strawberry Candy espresso coffee beans are recommended, and you can order directly from the Taobao or Tmall store. This is a blend based on two major origins—Front Street Costa Rica Tarrazú, famous for its honey processing, and Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee—and on this basis, combined with Colombian coffee beans. The espresso thus created is not only not harsh; under extraction by the coffee machine, it has good crema and a velvety texture, while also having a sweet-and-sour taste like strawberry gummy candy. It is suitable for making Americano or latte.

Home espresso bean recommendation ④: Front Street Commercial Espresso Blend

If you want to recreate the same Americano or latte as in a coffee shop, you can buy Front Street Commercial Blend coffee beans. It uses a blend of three major origins—Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam—and after medium-dark roasting, it has rich coffee crema and roasted aromas, specially customized for coffee shop operations. Americano made with Front Street Commercial Blend has a mellow taste with rich dark cocoa and toasted bread flavors, and is very easy to drink; made into a latte, it is rich and smooth, leaving a lingering fragrance after drinking, and the price is affordable, making it a daily staple bean for home preparation.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.