Italian Roast Coffee For An Authentic Espresso

Well, with Italian roast you can't go wrong either. Can 50 million plus Italians all be wrong? In fact Italian roast coffee is perfect for bringing a touch of Europe to your home. One of the things people think of with Italy is it's coffee.

The aroma is balanced and complex. It seems to be richer and fuller and has a bit of a bite to it. Generally speaking, Italian Roast coffee is darker in colour than most roasted blends of coffee and consequently develops an intense, full-bodied flavour from the blend of Pacific and Latin American origins.

Why the name Italian Roast when coffee comes from Brazil?

As is known, most of the coffee we drink today originates from Latin America or the Pacific, so where does the name Italian Roast come from?

If served in Illy Collection cups, for instance, you cant go wrong. Naturally it goes without saying, if you grind your own, Italian roast coffee is perfect for making authentic espresso. I think they do. And do the Italians know a thing or two about their coffee? Well, the name Italian Roast derives from the dark roasted blend style that is commonly used in Italy.

There is espresso coffee and espresso coffee, but with an Italian roast blend the difference is clear

In fact, most of today's household names, such as Gaggia, Lavazza and Illy are Italian family companies that have conquered the world with their particular blends of coffee, targeted marketing and wonderful coffee making machines. Gaggia, for instance started business in the 1940's, not so long ago, but they are recognised as a well respected coffee-company in most of the world.

Similar with Lavazza, started in Turin, not only famous for its coffee, but also a prestigious calendar, similar to that of Pirelli. And what espresso lover isn't familiar with the Illy Collection; neat espresso cups with exclusive designs produced in limited numbers.

Italian roast must deserve some of the success of these companies. Do you think all this could have been possible without a deep knowledge and respect for coffee?

Coffee Pods and Espresso Machines

There's nothing like the perfect espresso . Finely ground, dark roasted coffee, pressed and percolated into a strong, rich coffee drink that delights the senses and perks up your day. In Italy, ordering a coffee means that you're ordering an espresso. The Italians stop in their local bar once, twice, even three times a day for the perfect cup of espresso. But here in America, it's not as easy to find espresso done right. The grind of the coffee, the right temperature, the pressing of the coffee and the foaming of the milk are skills that few people know how to wield properly on this side of the ocean. But now with espresso machines and coffee pods , the guesswork is taken out of making espresso at domestic bars or even in your own kitchen at home.

perfect espresso espresso machines coffee pods

In Italy, most Italians wouldn't recognize what we think of as a coffee maker. They use a "machinetta", a contraption that looks like a metal hourglass that has a top like a pitcher. The machine has 2 chambers. Water and coffee go into the bottom chamber. The machine is placed on the stovetop and heated until the water boils, percolating through the espresso grinds and into the second chamber. The pressure on the grinds between the two chambers insures that the coffee is pressed - the word espresso means "expressed" - and the rich taste comes from getting as much of the flavor out of the grinds as possible. The milk is heated and whipped separately. But it's easy to make a mistake in this process. Either by using the wrong amount of water or coffee , turning the heat on too strong or not using the right timing .

it's easy to make a mistake wrong amount of water or coffee heat on too strong right timing

The growing popularity of espresso has meant that people want an easier, error free way to make it at home. So now you can find espresso machines that let you get the right combination of the necessary steps every time. There is a wide range of models to choose from, with different features and capacity. Some are designed for use in restaurants or bars, capable of producing large volumes of coffee in shorter amount of time. Unless you do enough entertaining at home to justify the cost, these probably aren't the best solution for you.

espresso machines

Models made for home usually produce either one or two "shots" of espresso at a time. If you prefer your espresso "macchiato", with milk, or you want to turn your espresso into a cappuccino, you will want to get an espresso machine with a nozzle that creates the steam and lets you froth the milk. Beyond these choices, you might want to consider a product that lets you use coffee pods . These pods look like large tea bags. They contain the exact amount of espresso to deliver a perfect shot every time. You simply put the pod into its slot, close it, and start the machine. When the cycle has finished, you just throw the pod away. It helps prevent any problems with measuring out the espresso and makes cleaning up absolutely easy.

coffee pods

If you purchase a machine that uses coffee pods , you might want to consider whether or not it can also take either another brand's coffee pods or regular loose espresso. Some machines do, but many will work only with the coffee pods that the same company also designs. Having the flexibility to use either the pod or loose coffee means you can still use it even if you run out of pods, which might need to be special ordered. Until these machines become more popular, it's not likely that the pods will be carried consistently in local grocery stores. Plus, the choice to use either kind of coffee also gives you the freedom to experiment with other roasts or flavors of espresso to further indulge your love of coffee.

machine that uses coffee pods

what is cappuccino

The main difference between the two is that a caffe latte has twice the amount of milk (usually whole milk, but one can order it with 2 percent or even skim) and no milk foam. Many people confuse this coffee drink with a caffe latte, another form of Italian coffee found at most coffee houses in America. What is cappuccino? Paper and glass cups tend to allow the heat to seep out faster. Additionally, the porcelain acts as another heat retainer. Served traditionally in a porcelain cup, the foam acts as an insulator and keeps the drink hotter longer. The milk foam that floats on top of a cappuccino is what distinguishes it from most other coffee drinks, in fact. If the texture and temperature of the milk is wrong, the drink won't be as good as it should be. The barista then steams the milk, which is the second most important ingredient. A cappuccino starts out with a shot of espresso. When the milk is properly steamed, it will be velvety and sweet. The barista will then float one centimeter of the foamed milk on top of the espresso. If one prefers their cappuccino to have more or less milk, the order would be for a wet or dry cappuccino, respectively. Until the mid 1990s, Americans didn't really enjoy cappuccino. Whether it was because people didn't know what the drink was or because it wasn't quite cool enough to drink isn't known. However, when upscale coffee houses started sprouting up en masse, more and more people began ordering the beverage. Hopefully, now that you've learned the question to "what is cappuccino", you'll be able to impress your friends with the new found knowledge. Typically speaking, Italians exclusively drink them in the morning, although in other countries it is customary to drink them after dinner. Traditionally, cappuccinos in Italy are served with breakfast.

The main difference between the two is that a caffe latte has twice the amount of milk (usually whole milk, but one can order it with 2 percent or even skim) and no milk foam. Many people confuse this coffee drink with a caffe latte, another form of Italian coffee found at most coffee houses in America. What is cappuccino?Paper and glass cups tend to allow the heat to seep out faster. Additionally, the porcelain acts as another heat retainer. Served traditionally in a porcelain cup, the foam acts as an insulator and keeps the drink hotter longer. The milk foam that floats on top of a cappuccino is what distinguishes it from most other coffee drinks, in fact.If the texture and temperature of the milk is wrong, the drink won't be as good as it should be. The barista then steams the milk, which is the second most important ingredient. A cappuccino starts out with a shot of espresso.Hopefully, now that you've learned the question to "what is cappuccino", you'll be able to impress your friends with the new found knowledge. Typically speaking, Italians exclusively drink them in the morning, although in other countries it is customary to drink them after dinner. Traditionally, cappuccinos in Italy are served with breakfast.