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Automatic Espresso Machines – Set it and Forget It

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This is a Krups "Vivo F880" espresso...

Image via Wikipedia

Most espresso machines on the market offer a great number of features and deliver delicious tasting espresso. They also have one problem…most espresso machines operate manually. Enter the automatic espresso machine. Automatic espresso machines will grind the coffee beans, put the grounds in the hopper, then fill the reservoir with water, heat the water and then force the heated water through the grounds to produce a perfect cup of espresso every time. Some high-end machines will even dump the used grounds from the hopper when finished so that the machine is ready for the next brewing cycle. [Read more…]

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Espresso Machines

7:12 pm by Leave a Comment
Coffeemaker

Image via Wikipedia

Baristas are trained in the art of making the perfect espresso. It requires a lot of patience and practice and is not easy to master. However, there is an easier way. An espresso machine. Espresso machines make espresso a much simpler beverage to create by controlling the temperature precisely.

There are several different types of espresso machines available, each functioning in a different manner. There are piston-driven espresso machines, semi-automatic machines, and automatic espresso machines.

In the Beginning

Espresso came into being when people were looking for a quicker way to make their coffee. In Italy, around 1901, Luigi Bezzera found a way to make hot pressurized water and its steam push through a bed of finely ground coffee. The result was a quick, individual cup of highly concentrated coffee that came to be known as espresso. Bezzera acquired a patent for his machine and in 1903 these first espresso machines were sold in Europe.

These machines were not easy to use. There was no consistency to the espresso produced because the temperature and steam were controlled by the operator, leaving room for a large amount of diversity in the resulting beverages.

In 1935 Illy invented a coffee maker that used compressed air instead of steam, thus solving the problem of exploding espresso makes. His machine gave a more favorable, stable result.

The lever action espresso machine was invented by Achille’s Gaggia in 1945 and still today bears his name. Both the Illeta and Gaggia versions of espresso machines are available on the market today.
Illy continued to expand and simplify his espresso machine by combining the best parts of other makers. [Read more…]

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Coffee Pods

1:53 pm by Leave a Comment
Coffee maker

Image by &y via Flickr

A great day begins with a cup of freshly roasted coffee. And that you get from an excellent coffee pod. Pods or coffee pods or espresso pods are a simple way to get a perfect espresso and with excellent results. But for the beginners let’s answer a simple question first i.e. what are coffee pods? Coffee pods are freshly roasted coffee, ground perfect, tampered to the correct pressure and then encapsulated in a paper. It is the beginning of a rich experience of the way you drink coffee.

The original pod was first designed by Illy caffe around 10 years ago. It wa the year 1996 when Illy opened its idea to the coffee industry to bring a standard pod size to the market. Many coffee machine makers now offer adaptors with their machines to accept pods. By using pods in your machine not only can you guarantee perfect results, there is no mess and pods help to look after your machine. In fact used pods can even be used as fertilizer for your garden as well. That is why a rich coffee taste is always benefiting. [Read more…]

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Latte Frothing Basics – How to Make Delicious Frothed Milk

2:38 pm by Leave a Comment
cappuccino

Image by Michael Sarver via Flickr

Few coffee drinkers fully appreciate the fact that frothed milk is what makes a cappuccino or latte. Without the milk and foam, it is just plain espresso. Like anything worth learning, it takes a bit of practice, even the most capable baristas have a hard time at first. Let us take a look at the frothing process.

Most experts agree that it is best to begin with a stainless steel pitcher, some cold milk and an espresso machine with a steaming wand. Past that, there are as many differing ideas about the frothing process as there are blends of espresso.

Stainless steel is preferred for its easy maneuverability, but any non-plastic container will work as long as it will not melt or crack with heat. The kind of milk you start with depends on the texture of foam you want to achieve. The higher the fat content, the more dense and more difficult to froth the milk with be. Skim milk produces light, airy foam, and is probably the easiest for beginners to practice with.

To determine how much milk is needed, fill the cups you plan to drink from with half the milk the drink requires. For example, a cappuccino is half espresso and half steamed milk, so you would fill the cup one-fourth full will cold milk because steaming will cause the milk to roughly double in volume. Pour the milk in the pitcher. [Read more…]

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