Espresso coffee: a staple of the Italian tradition

Espresso coffee is a variant of coffee made by grinding and roasting the seeds of Coffea Arabica and Coffea Robusta, the most prized types of coffee. Precisely for this reason, espresso is the most popular and drunk drink in Italy, and is a distinctive feature of its food and wine tradition throughout the world.

Nutritional values

For those who pay a lot of attention to their physical fitness, it will certainly be useful to know that 100 g of espresso contains:

• 9 kg/cal;
• 212 mg caffeine;
• 0.2% fat;
• 1.7 g carbohydrate;
• 2 mg calcium;
• 115 mg potassium;
• 80 mg of magnesium.

According to the health authorities, it is best not to exceed 300 mg of caffeine per day, the equivalent of three cups of espresso coffee, especially if made with a mocha coffee pot: strange but true, it contains more caffeine than coffee served at the bar.

The characteristics of a real Italian espresso

Given its worldwide fame, Italian espresso has certain characteristics that must be evident in the eyes of Italians and foreigners: the former to remain fully satisfied after enjoying a cup, the latter to confirm its excellence and delicacy. Here’s what should not be missing:

• Cream: this is the calling card, the feature that strikes you at first glance. The ideal one has a regular surface and a thickness of about 4 mm. It should last 3-4 minutes, just long enough to retain the volatile components of the coffee. The colour should tend towards hazelnut, with reddish hues;
• Aroma: it must be full and balanced, considering that the blends used are composed of hundreds of aromatic substances capable of creating the unmistakable aroma of Italian espresso;
• Body: The ideal body depends on the density given by the oil emulsions and the insoluble substances (i.e. colloids) in the mixture. It should be full, round, high. It also has an acidic streak that conveys a strong sensation of freshness;
• Taste: The perfect one must be balanced, harmonious, preventing one aroma from prevailing over another. It must also be persistent and long-lasting, a real treat for the palate.

Being able to obtain and, above all, serve an espresso with all these characteristics is the best way to pay homage to a tradition that makes Italy unrivalled in the world.

Italian espresso variants

In the past, you could only get different coffee variants at the bar. Nowadays, thanks to the availability of coffee machines, including capsules and pods, it is possible to obtain a wide choice at home, without having to settle for a standard mocha drink:

• Restricted (or short) coffee: this is obtained by filling the cup just below the halfway point, so that only the first fractions of coffee powder are extracted. The result is an intense, full-bodied and finely aromatic drink, which is also much thicker and creamier;
• Long coffee: let more liquid flow into the cup, resulting in a more diluted, more bitter coffee with a higher caffeine content;
• Caffè macchiato: ideal for those who do not particularly like the very strong taste of pure coffee, it is made by adding a small amount of milk, hot or cold, or cream;
• Coffee with cream: espresso with cream is served simply by adding whipped cream to the coffee;
• Corrected coffee: this is the expression used to indicate a cup of coffee which also contains a small quantity of a spirit, chosen at the discretion of the person making the request. Usually, the most popular are grappa or sambuca, served directly in the cup or on the side;
• Decaffeinated coffee: this is an espresso made from ground coffee that has been decaffeinated, i.e. deprived of caffeine. The optimal solution for those who prefer not to take caffeine without having to give up the taste of a real Italian espresso.