Moriondo’s patent for a steam-powered coffee machine (image: wikimedia commons)
While espresso was never designed per se, the machines –or Macchina– that make our cappuccinos and lattes have a history that stretches back more than a century. This is why technology has been such an important part of the historical development of espresso and a key to the ongoing search for the perfect shot. It’s all about precision and consistency and finding the perfect balance between grind, temperature, and pressure. As you might be able to tell from the precision of Illy’s description, good espresso is good chemistry. Done right, the result is a concentrate of not more than 30 ml (one oz) of pure sensorial pleasure.įor those of you who, like me, are more than a few years out of science class, nine atmospheres of pressure is the equivalent to nine times the amount of pressure normally exerted by the earth’s atmosphere. While there is no standardized process for pulling a shot of espresso, Italian coffeemaker Illy’s definition of the authentic espresso seems as good a measure as any:Ĭ (190°-200☏) passes under a pressure of nine or more atmospheres through a seven-gram (.25 oz) cake-like layer of ground and tamped coffee. More specifically, it is a preparation method in which highly-pressurized hot water is forced over coffee grounds to produce a very concentrated coffee drink with a deep, robust flavor. First, and most importantly, espresso is not a roasting method. But what exactly is espresso and how did it come to dominate our morning routines? Although many people are familiar with espresso these days thanks to the Starbucksification of the world, there is often still some confusion over what it actually is – largely due to “espresso roasts” available on supermarket shelves everywhere. Before espresso, it could take up to five minutes –five minutes!– for a cup of coffee to brew. In another sense, it is also the first instant coffee. It is the purest distillation of the coffee bean, the literal essence of a bean. Read Part 1 on reinventing the coffee shop.įor many coffee drinkers, espresso is coffee. Or does it? In our ongoing effort to unlock the ways design factors into the world around us, Design Decoded is looking into all things coffee. Java, joe, café, drip, mud, idea juice, whatever you call it, coffee by any other name still tastes as bitter.
PERSONAL EXPRESSO MACHINE SERIES
This is the second installment in a series about that centuries-old molten brew that can get you out of bed or fuel a revolution. A freshly poured espresso shot (image: wikimedia commons)Įach topic we tackle on Design Decoded is explored through a multi-part series of interlocking posts that will, we hope, offer a new lens for viewing the familiar.
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