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Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

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Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#31

Post by wildmusings »

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.

I'm almost certain that the primary reason is a general preference for sweets among Cubans. But it's possible that the dark roasts commonly used are part of it.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#32

Post by resolaibohp »

Most people not familiar with espresso making believe the most important piece of equipment is the espresso machine itself. The most important piece of equipment is the grinder. A grinder that can grind beans to the correct consistency will make a mediocre espresso machine seem amazing. You can buy the most expensive espresso machine in the world and use a bad grinder and always have bad results.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#33

Post by mistersquid »

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

While I agree with your assessment of Ritual's coffee, with all due respect, your being Italian alone does not establish your competence in judging espresso. I do understand espresso originates from Italy. I'm just allowing for the possibility that some Italians are poor judges of espresso and some non-Italians are excellent judges of same.

To my taste as a non-Italian, Blue Bottle espresso is delicious. The baristas at the Blue Bottle location in the Financial District usually make a scrumptious cappuccino.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#34

Post by donretag »

nathancahill wrote: post #25
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.

It could very well be. Americans (or better yet, foodies) tend to care about minute details regarding food. In Italy, you go to a cafe/bar and order wine. No wine list, just red or white. You order a blonde/red/dark beer. No labels. Of course, you can specify brands, but in the US, ordering something simply by saying coffee/beer/wine is unheard of.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#35

Post by jazzyk »

siegecraft wrote: post #18
jazzyk wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Doesn't Eataly have various vendors so there's no guarantee that you're getting espresso from the right one? I'm going to be vacationing in the area soon and getting good espresso is on my list.

It has a variety of stands with all sorts of food. But the front coffee shop (and I think the only dedicated one) is great.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#36

Post by gwynplaine »

lytfyre wrote: post #22
jazzyk wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 syr…

Completely agree, Italian espresso was considered great decades ago, but standards have risen faster elsewhere since then. Italy still makes the best espresso _machines_ such as Simonelli. My experience of coffee there is coffee roasted so dark as to be considered burnt.

See the World Barista Championship winners, not a single Italian yet, unfortunately. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Barista_Championship

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#37

Post by llamataboot »

2AF3 wrote: post #15
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.

Bull Run on Lyndale might be better.

I think Bull Run has the best espresso in Minneapolis for sure.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#38

Post by nathancahill »

donretag wrote: post #34
nathancahill wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

It could very well be. Americans (or better yet, foodies) tend to care about minute details regarding food. In Italy, you go to a cafe/bar and order wine. No wine list, just red or white. You order a blonde/red/dark beer. No labels. Of course, you can specify brands, but in the US, ordering something simply by saying coffee/beer/wine is unheard of.

I think one of the reasons is that ordering red/white wine in Italy will get you something palatable. While it's certainly possible to order a house red or a house white at many places in the US, it might be undrinkable. So there's more of a need to specify.

Similarly with coffee. If I order coffee in the afternoon in the US, chances are that I will get a pot that has been sitting on the hot plate for a couple hours. Specifying an espresso drink will at least ensure that it's fresh.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#39

Post by gcb0 »

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…

a caffettiera is nothing but a crude, up-side-down espresso machine.

It is still espresso. I have no idea why you say it is not. Just pack the coffee grounds as you would on a espresso machine and you will get your crema. Though, it is a crude espresso machine, so don't expect a miracle.

Re: Neglected Food Bubbles: The Espresso Coffee Foam

#40

Post by elteto »

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…

Yep! This is also an essential step in preparing a "cortadito", which is sweet espresso with a dash of evaporated milk. Absolutely amazing.
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