Home Espresso Machine vs. The Barista Art Of Coffee Making
Making a smooth, silky espresso or a perfectly steamed latte can require training, artistic flair, and attention to minute details. Many baristas (coffee house employee who specializes in preparing fancy coffee drinks) go through extensive training to be able to create drinks that their customers will love.
I was flitting about the internet today and came across an interesting article about the art of coffee making. The author is an acclaimed espresso maker, who is actually paid to train baristas in how to properly make espresso.
According to the article:
An espresso, a real one, requires seven to eight grams of freshly ground coffee roasted two to three days in advance, or preserved using pressurization. The water can’t be too soft, and must not exceed 200 degrees F to avoid burning, nor be lower than 190 F in order to extract all the best aromatic components.
She also explains errors that many baristas make when preparing the beverage:
The beverages I tasted were almost syrups, full-bodied but with a very sour, almost salty taste. I suspect that beans that were roasted too recently played a part. After roasting, beans need a few days to breathe and mature. These too-young beans are a big problem. Also, I’ve visited too many coffee bars that don’t heat cups before serving, and in the process sacrifice flavor and aroma. Or that serve in wet cups, an espresso sin.
Now I love my cappuccinos and espressos, but I certainly don’t have the ability to make them on my own… to my satistfaction at least! So, I prefer using a high end home espresso machine – the Jura Capresso Z5 to be exact. It does all the hard work for me, and I get a “perfect espresso” every time because it’s an automated machine!
Sure, an automatic espresso machine takes the beauty and fun out of coffee making for some. But for others (like me) who simply want a great cup of coffee, they are great! What do YOU think?
Visit the review page (link at the side of this blog) for a free in depth review on the Jura Z5 – my personal favorite home brewing machine.