Espresso
I'd like to talk for a moment about espresso. Those of you who know me will recall that I am not a coffee drinker. Technically, this is still true. Since I have spent time here in France though, one thing I have picked up is the customary espresso that accompanies every meal. I was reluctant at first, having had so many mediocre experiences with American coffee. At one point, Frans Maas (the logical Dutchman on the team) said "how can you ever truly finish a meal if you don't take a coffee?" So I gave it a shot.
To make a long stort short, coffee in Europe and coffee and America are two completely different things. Back home, we serve a watered down, bitter cup of bean juice that generally tastes like a cross between muddy water and turpentine. Here in France, if you ask for "un cafe" what you get is a cup of what we call espresso back home. This is an entirely different beverage. I heard it was made from the same raw material though, so I got curious about what makes these little cups of coffee here so much different, and so much better.
It turns out that espresso is an entirely different process. It's produced by putting pressurized water through more finely ground coffee beans, and ALSO it's a smaller serving so it's more concentrated. It's a simple matter of physics that the "drip method" machines we have back home cannot possibly produce the same result. The pressure and heating mechanism of the espresso process extracts oils and flavors from the bean that you just can't produce with a drip machine. The result includes a creamy "head" on espresso that seals in flavors and allows other flavors to develop even after the cup is brewed. Take a cup of American coffee and set it on a table for 10 minutes, see if it improves the taste. It's like comparing apples and oranges, these are two entirely different beverages.
If you want a "cafe americano" here in France, they serve you a cup of expresso and a pot of hot water (so you can dillute it to your wimpy tastes you strange American...).
You've probably guessed by this point that I've decided I really like espresso (as we call it). I am looking into getting a home espresso machine, because it truly is a wonderful way to conclude a meal. I'll let you guys know what I find. And it's ok to like it because it's not French at all, it's Italian! -JB
To make a long stort short, coffee in Europe and coffee and America are two completely different things. Back home, we serve a watered down, bitter cup of bean juice that generally tastes like a cross between muddy water and turpentine. Here in France, if you ask for "un cafe" what you get is a cup of what we call espresso back home. This is an entirely different beverage. I heard it was made from the same raw material though, so I got curious about what makes these little cups of coffee here so much different, and so much better.
It turns out that espresso is an entirely different process. It's produced by putting pressurized water through more finely ground coffee beans, and ALSO it's a smaller serving so it's more concentrated. It's a simple matter of physics that the "drip method" machines we have back home cannot possibly produce the same result. The pressure and heating mechanism of the espresso process extracts oils and flavors from the bean that you just can't produce with a drip machine. The result includes a creamy "head" on espresso that seals in flavors and allows other flavors to develop even after the cup is brewed. Take a cup of American coffee and set it on a table for 10 minutes, see if it improves the taste. It's like comparing apples and oranges, these are two entirely different beverages.
If you want a "cafe americano" here in France, they serve you a cup of expresso and a pot of hot water (so you can dillute it to your wimpy tastes you strange American...).
You've probably guessed by this point that I've decided I really like espresso (as we call it). I am looking into getting a home espresso machine, because it truly is a wonderful way to conclude a meal. I'll let you guys know what I find. And it's ok to like it because it's not French at all, it's Italian! -JB
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