For many, coffee is the first morning ritual with which they start the day. And it's not just the caffeine that tempts... Here are the first sips of this hot drink and of course the aromas that arise and rise above the cup. The fact is that coffee is one of the most commonly consumed beverages today, and the social aspect also contributes to this. When we arrange a meeting, a meeting or a date with someone, we usually invite each other for coffee! Ah, can you even imagine a day without a cup of intoxicatingly fragrant coffee?
Did you know that coffee is much more than just taste? Properly prepared espresso is offered to all five senses, which intertwine and create a whole that is greater than the individual parts, and trigger reason and imagination. You can read more about the five flavors of feeling coffee at espresso.si, now let's see what types of coffee we know and how to prepare it correctly.
ESPRESSO
COFFEE DRINKS WITHOUT MILK
For espresso, the coffee beans are roasted for a longer time and are darker than in regular roasted coffee, and with roasting they lose their sour taste. It uses Arabica coffee or a blend of Arabica and Robusta. Espresso already in its name indicates that it is prepared very quickly and under high pressure. Hot water passes under optimal pressure through the container with ground coffee beans, and in about 25 seconds the espresso is ready. The pressure allows foam or cream to form on top of the espresso. Usually you will get about 30 or 40 milliliters of espresso in a cup, in Italy even as little as 25 milliliters. Espresso is also the base for most versions of coffee drinks with or without milk. You can read more about preparing real Italian espresso at home at espresso.si.
DOPPIO, AMERICANO...
COFFEE BASE & ETERNAL CLASSICS
There are other coffee drinks without milk. One of these is doppio, which is the Italian word for double. So it's two espressos in one cup. This does not mean that more water is let through the coffee machine when preparing espresso, as in this case it is lunga. If hot water is poured into the cup first and then the espresso, we are talking about a long coffee. Americano is prepared in the exact opposite way: first, espresso is poured into the cup and diluted with hot water. When preparing espresso, most of the coffee is extracted at the beginning, later the liquid is more diluted. A real barista knows exactly to the second when it is the right time to stop the jet for the perfect espresso. If he stops it a little earlier, we get a ristretto. This is a very concentrated and strong coffee that is very little in the cup.
CAPPUCCINO, MACCHIATO
COFFEE DRINKS WITH MILK
The most famous and popular is certainly the cappuccino. Cappuccino originates from Italy, where it is usually drunk only at breakfast. The same ratio of espresso, hot milk and milk foam is used for preparation. Usually the espresso is on the bottom, followed by the milk, and the foam on top. Macchiato means stain; only a small splash of milk is added to the espresso. To prepare a latte macchiato drink, pour a deciliter to a deciliter and a half of hot milk into a glass together with the foam and then gently pour the espresso so that the ingredients remain in separate layers. We prepare white coffee in a similar way, except that there is no visible layering. For coffee with milk, hot milk with very little foam is added to the espresso, while for coffee with cream, whipped cream is added. Moccacino contains hot chocolate instead of milk and milk foam.
THE WAY FROM GRAIN TO INCORPORATING BEVERAGE
Coffee is a beverage made from boiled ground coffee beans, which originates from Ethiopia. The taste of coffee primarily depends on the type of coffee plant, but it is additionally influenced by climatic conditions, the substrate on which the plants grow, and the method of harvesting, grain processing, storage and transport. After the green coffee beans are harvested, they are roasted at various stages. For roasted coffee, the coffee beans must be roasted from 200 °C to 240 °C, which gives the coffee its characteristic roasted taste. Roasted coffee is suitable both for use in coffee machines and cafeterias and for preparing Turkish coffee. Among the types of coffee, Arabica and Robusta are among the most important. Arabica beans grow on trees in Ethiopia, in a temperate climate and at an altitude of over 1,000 meters. They represent the majority of coffee production in the world and are considered to be of higher quality. Meanwhile, robusta grows at a lower altitude, up to about 900 meters. Already in the name, it can be perceived that it is a more "robust" coffee variety, which is less sensitive to heat and yields more richly. The aroma and taste of arabica is mild and sweeter, while robusta has a stronger taste, is less acidic and contains more caffeine. The more expensive arabica is more prized among coffee traders, although on the other hand, robusta contains more coffee oils, making the espresso creamier. You can read more about how coffee gets from the grower to our cup at espresso.si.
