4) Espresso

Espresso is a delicious, concentrated elixir composed of complex and highly fragile nuances of aroma, flavour and texture. When prepared with great skill, all the exquisite flavour potential of the chosen beans can be coaxed into the cup in the form of this rich nectar, that should free of the bitterness or harshness often associated with badly made coffee or espresso.

Coffee is a very special thing. Just like wine, good espresso (and indeed, good coffee in general) will have different characteristics depending on the origin, the variety, and the processing of the beans used, and the way they are then roasted. This spectrum of naturally-occurring flavours in great coffee, whilst quite subtle, is as wide and varied as you can imagine! People are now beginning to use some of the many fantastic single estate, single species beans for espresso, which make wonderfully characterful espressos – even though traditionally a blend is thought more suited for espresso in order to create great balance, harmony and complexity.

Great espresso is often best on its own, unadulterated, as this is where the true magic of the drink can be  fully expressed – revealing with rich intensity the specific characteristics of the beans used, and the quality of its preparation.

That said, espresso is also delicious when combined with small amounts of perfectly steamed milk (microfoam), that is velvety smooth, and served at just the right temperature. This combination of milk with espresso creates cappuccino, caffe latte, and macchiato, to name the classics. Lovers of the cuisine look for quality rather than quantity in both the espresso and its combinations with milk – hence minimal amounts of milk (not the pint-sized vats that many cafes serve) that preserve the flavour of a beautiful espresso, and work in harmony with it rather than smothering it.

A cautionary note: Achieving truly great espresso is a challenging endeavour that is dependent on numerous factors being carefully controlled at every stage of the process (these include the variety, quality and source of the beans, the degree and skill of the roast and blend, the freshness and storage of the beans at all stages, the machinery available to the barista, and , crucially, the knowledge, skill and techniques of the barista in preparing the espresso). So many variables can affect the espresso and hinder the delivery of the original potential of the beans. Even good espresso is something of an acquired taste, and if not well prepared, espresso can be  concentratedly bad - a bitter, noxious and unpleasant brew – meaning that unfortunately many people’s experience of espresso can be a negative one. Even the best beans in the world can be ruined (or at least not allowed to show their full potential) if the barista is not skilled, or when a good barista uses below-par machinery.

…But when prepared with great beans, quality equipment, by a skilled barista who cares, espresso is a true delicacy.

Still unsure what espresso actually is? Welcome to my world! Understanding espresso (and coffee generally) as a beverage and as a process, can be infuriatingly yet wonderfully confusing! The above description is just one of many that could be equally accurate. For a less biased and more straightforward definition, you can look it up on wikipedia.