I am a connoisseur of fine European style coffees. Having made three trips to Europe, I really developed a taste for it. The coffee served in Starbucks and other chain establishments just does not make the grade. Pure espresso and sometimes, cappuccino done right can really be a treat. If done wrong, it can taste burned and flat. A good espresso should have a crema, the light brown colored foam that tops the beverage. It will also have a bitter-sweet taste. I like to add some cream to take off the edge. Good espresso may look like the following.

Equipment

You really need a bona fide pump driven espresso machine, not a steam driven one. The pump driven machines will provide a European style espresso with a thick crema. Shop around for a used machine before spending over $100 on a new one. I found a Gaggia Gran model for less than $20 at a second hand store. You can also look online at

Espresso Zone

I do recommend the Italian made machines. Even my old second hand Gaggia (below) has really endured very well.

Gran Espresso Zone

I also acquired a Quick Mill Vintage Espresso Machine like the one pictured below. It dates from the 1970s, presumably. It weighs a ton.


Great Coffeehouses

The Blackwater Coffee and Tea house offers just about the best espresso (shown below) I have had in North America. They are located in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright D. Lyon

Getting Espresso

The right blend of espresso is really key to brewing a good cup of it. For ground espresso, you might try Espresso Zone or Gevalia Kaffee. The Raven Coffeehouse in Port Huron, Michigan offers some of the best espresso I have had. It can be purchased at the location but not yet online. I would also recommend Diedrich Coffee. They have one of best espresso blends. I really like the Diedrich Coffee located in Brea, CA at 730 E Imperial Hwy. I think the very best espresso I have had in the states is at Caffe Italia in San Diego (1704 India Street). It was perfectly balanced and equally rich.

For the ideal home brewing process, get the Bristot Espresso pods at Espresso Zone

They come individually wrapped and sealed and make perfect espresso every time. There is no mess to clean up and the price is just over 30 cents a pod - which makes one or two small cups of espresso.

Espresso Zone     

Brewing

If you are using finely ground espresso, you need to place about two tablespoons (one scoop) into the basket and tamp it down firmly with a tamper. I prefer to use the espresso pods as there is no big mess to clean up. You really need a pump driven machine to get the crema. Pump machines normally have a light that will turn green when the machine is ready to brew. Make sure you have cold, clean water in the reservoir before you start. Make sure the machine parts are clean. Often, grounds are left over in the mount where the basket and portafilter attaches. When the green light goes on, turn the machine on and you should see a trickle of espresso coming out of the portafilter. Let it fill the small cup about two thirds of the way. The end result should look like this:

     Espresso Zone

You can let it brew longer to get a more mild, larger cup. I do this often as I enjoy the strong but mild less bitter cup. In a humorous way, the following Yahoo video illustrates what good espresso should look like.

Drinking

cup
When I was skiing once with a French woman, I noticed that she drank her espresso quickly. When I was in Salzburg, Austria, I was at an espresso place that had high tables scattered around. You could not get and espresso to go so people were gathered around these tables drinking their espresso in small cups know as demitasse cups.

You can use a larger cup if you want to run the espresso long. I like to use glass as it enhances the experience. I prefer to slowly sip the espresso, enjoying the essence of it completely.