If you think whipped cream, caramel syrup or chocolate sprinkles are legitimate coffee condiments, don't read this article; you're not worthy of owning an espresso machine. If you've been eyeing one of these fine machines so that you can make your own Mocha Frappuccinos instead of queuing at Starbucks you should stop eyeing now and save your money. You don't need an espresso machine to make a Frappuccino any more than you need a Ferrari to commute from Neihu.
Espresso is an art and time was when learning to become a barista was an apprenticeship akin to studying painting or music, not a part-time job for high school kids on summer vacation. Thank God, then, that technology has reduced the sophisticated science inherent in these machines to child's play. A pity that our collective palette has been dulled to the point where this is acceptable.
There is much more to making excellent espresso and espresso-based drinks than having an expensive machine sitting on your kitchen counter. And while this article will focus on la macchina, there are three equally important aspects that Italians refer to collectively as machelli and which cannot be neglected, namely; la miscela (the blend of the coffee), la macinadosatore (the grind and amount of coffee) and la mano (you, the barista). While advances in the machines have reduced the importance of the barista, understanding and appreciation of the coffee itself remain a must. The essence of great espresso is crema, the mantle of foam that sits atop the liquid. A thick layer of crema which clings to the sides of the cup, when the latter is swirled, is the best indicator of excellent coffee, excellently roasted. If the crema is reddish-brown, it's of the highest quality. If it's golden hued, it's not.
Since few people roast their own coffee, you'll want to look for beans that are dark but which do not glisten with surface oils. These oils are an indication that the beans have been over roasted and will produce a bitter espresso, as is the case with French or Italian-roasted beans. While a bitter espresso may be -- to borrow a metaphor -- some people's cup of tea, it is actually a deception; French and Italian roasts can be made using inferior beans roasted until they sweat their natural oils and thus go stale more quickly. Remarkably, in a properly made espresso, maximum flavor is extracted from the bean while much of the caffeine and excess acids are left behind. This is the result of a combination of high pressure, small volume of water and the speed at which it is prepared -- factors which are largely handled by the machine.
Determining the type of machine that best fits your needs can be difficult, but there is a method to the madness. There are seven types of machines from which to choose. We will deal herein with only four types since the first three -- the moka, the stovetop and the steam models -- are good only on camping trips or for producing unnecessary frustration at home. The four remaining types are the piston, the semi-automatic pump, the automatic and the superautomatic.
Piston machines are easily identifiable; they're the chrome or brass-plated machines that look more like antiques than modern kitchen appliances. That's because they're more like antiques than modern kitchen appliances. Still, they make an excellent entry-level device for producing espresso. Because they are very hands-on, your skills as a barista will develop more quickly. Also, because they involve more work your appreciation of espresso will heighten -- or disappear completely, which accounts for the large number of these machines that can be found in garage sales.
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