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Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

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Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#21

Post by hammock »

wildmusings wrote: post #17
hammock wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Espresso machines need not be fancy or ultra-expensive. That's a terrible myth. The best one I've found (in terms of quality espresso and reliability) is the Delonghi basic model and costs $99.[1] The Italian Americans I know also use this model, despite having tried others. [1] https://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-EC155-Espresso-Cappuccino-Ma...

I bought this exact one as a Christmas present for my mother back in 2013 and it broke within minutes of use. It felt shoddily built with very flimsy plastic parts. Thankfully Amazon has a great return policy so it was no big deal. I should add that I have a rough touch and it's always possible that that particular unit was defective. Something else for people to consider: a moka pot will actually make stronger coffe…

Sorry to hear that. I have seen these machines last years, beyond 10 years or more.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#22

Post by lytfyre »

jazzyk wrote: post #12
nickbauman wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The coffeeshop in my building (Spyhouse on 945 Broadway) just won #1 roaster in the US award. It takes 3 months for an employee to certify as a barista. The coffee they make is the best tasting espresso I've ever had in my life. Clearly they know what they're doing. The coffeeshop down the street has a similar setup, but it's not even 80% as good. I'm ruined.

For me, the only espresso which comes close to the Italian original (I visit southern Europe every year) is served at Eataly (the Flatiron location in Manhattan). I've tried many smaller coffeshops in Manhattan and Boston - often highly rated on Yelp - but they are not even close. Always a bit burnt or sour - a well done espresso is neither.

There are different styles of espresso, with roasters and barista optimizing for very different tastes - the Italian/Mediterranean style is one, the "third wave" style that's more prevalent on the North American west coast and Australia (Seattle/Portland/Melbourne/London UK) is another, and Scandinavian/Northern European being a third.

Then there's the many people who go to a coffee shop for a drink with a ton of syrup in it, so don't really get as much impact off the taste of the coffee, and will generally care more about the atmosphere and service.

Between the two factors, general audience reviews like Yelp lose a lot of their value if you're particular about your coffee.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#23

Post by luckydata »

HoppedUpMenace wrote: post #20

My first machine to make espresso was a espresso/drip coffee combo. Not knowing any better, I was merely pulling strong coffee and not espresso shots. Then I got a stand alone espresso machine, much closer to the real deal but still a far cry from what a coffee roaster like Temple Coffee could make in their store. Finally, invested in a Breville BES870XL and after many trials and errors, my espresso shots are fairly…

Ritual's coffee is terrible: acidic, unpleasant to the palate and lacking in aroma. I hope your coffee is better than theirs.

- disclosure: I'm Italian and I believe espresso in San Francisco sucks almost universally

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#24

Post by donretag »

Does an espresso really need the crema?

In Italy, espresso is simply called caffe. When you order coffee, you get an espresso. At home, many still use a caffettiera (sorry, do not know the word in English). A caffettiera will not produce any noticeable crema, but it is still an espresso.

I never drink coffee (I am way too energetic as is), but in Italy I constantly drink it since it is cultural. In fact, I leave tonight for Italy, so I expect a coffee soon after landing (after many many hours).

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#25

Post by nathancahill »

donretag wrote: post #24

Does an espresso really need the crema? In Italy, espresso is simply called caffe. When you order coffee, you get an espresso. At home, many still use a caffettiera (sorry, do not know the word in English). A caffettiera will not produce any noticeable crema, but it is still an espresso. I never drink coffee (I am way too energetic as is), but in Italy I constantly drink it since it is cultural. In fact, I leave toni…

Caffettiera = moka pot. I wouldn't be so bold as to argue coffee technicalities with an italian :), but espresso is technically different, mostly in regards to extraction through pressure as well as heat.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#26

Post by agentgt »

hx87 wrote: post #9
wildmusings wrote: post #4

You can actually simulate this at home with just a moka pot; no need for a fancy ultra-expensive espresso machine. Pour just a tiny amount of the espresso into a cup with sugar and beat it really hard with a spoon. Then pour the rest of the coffee into the same container. Voila, crema, or at least something that looks and feels like crema. I think this is a Cuban-American (maybe originally Cuban) innovation and growi…

> Cubans always drink espresso sweet. Is it because Cuban coffee is always smoky and overroasted? Or maybe I just bought the wrong Cuban coffee.

Cuban espresso is often made with robusto beans which are very strong. So your theory might be true.

Many cuban restaurants I have been to in Miami use Café Bustelo which to be honest probably wouldn't be so crappy if the roast-to-serve-delta was lower. Robusto beans get a bad wrap.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#27

Post by HoppedUpMenace »

luckydata wrote: post #23
HoppedUpMenace wrote: post #20

My first machine to make espresso was a espresso/drip coffee combo. Not knowing any better, I was merely pulling strong coffee and not espresso shots. Then I got a stand alone espresso machine, much closer to the real deal but still a far cry from what a coffee roaster like Temple Coffee could make in their store. Finally, invested in a Breville BES870XL and after many trials and errors, my espresso shots are fairly…

Ritual's coffee is terrible: acidic, unpleasant to the palate and lacking in aroma. I hope your coffee is better than theirs. - disclosure: I'm Italian and I believe espresso in San Francisco sucks almost universally

Their single origin Sweet Tooth espresso was pretty amazing when I had it last year, you could really taste the cantaloupe in that particular version. Their Seasonal Espresso was not bad either but I did make both at home as opposed to drinking them inside a Ritual shop.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#28

Post by saosebastiao »

luckydata wrote: post #23
HoppedUpMenace wrote: post #20

My first machine to make espresso was a espresso/drip coffee combo. Not knowing any better, I was merely pulling strong coffee and not espresso shots. Then I got a stand alone espresso machine, much closer to the real deal but still a far cry from what a coffee roaster like Temple Coffee could make in their store. Finally, invested in a Breville BES870XL and after many trials and errors, my espresso shots are fairly…

Ritual's coffee is terrible: acidic, unpleasant to the palate and lacking in aroma. I hope your coffee is better than theirs. - disclosure: I'm Italian and I believe espresso in San Francisco sucks almost universally

Interesting. I don't consider myself to have a very refined coffee palate, but I came away with the same impression. I wonder if you've tried any of the Seattle espresso shops: Vita, Vivace, Cherry Street, Millstead, Slate, Ballard Coffee Works...

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#30

Post by anarazel »

luckydata wrote: post #23
HoppedUpMenace wrote: post #20

My first machine to make espresso was a espresso/drip coffee combo. Not knowing any better, I was merely pulling strong coffee and not espresso shots. Then I got a stand alone espresso machine, much closer to the real deal but still a far cry from what a coffee roaster like Temple Coffee could make in their store. Finally, invested in a Breville BES870XL and after many trials and errors, my espresso shots are fairly…

Ritual's coffee is terrible: acidic, unpleasant to the palate and lacking in aroma. I hope your coffee is better than theirs. - disclosure: I'm Italian and I believe espresso in San Francisco sucks almost universally

I've not found a lot of good espresso after moving to SF either. The best, albeit a bit overpriced, so far is at Reveille's on 4th. If you have suggestions..
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