How do you drink your Espresso?

[Alacrity59]

I mix the crema. I like to corretto with some Sambuca.

In the summer months, shakeratto!

Great for breakfast

Well I'm kidding . . . maybe with a little Grappa for me later in the day. I've never liked the crushed ice thing but a shot of the cold remainder from the bialetti folk keep in a jug in the fridge is a nice pick me up.

 

[totorlekiller]

No sugar, not piping hot but just enough not to burn my tongue on, about 2-3 swigs and we're done.

Same here. That's the proper way. Sugar, milk or mayonnaise just does not belong in cafe.

 

[ricardo9505]

I remember a beautiful occassion when I was younger, like they do in the caribbean, where my folks are from, some fresh sugar cane juice or a piece of stalk in the cup. grab a lime cut a rind piece and drop in. brown sugar and sip. if in the afternoon, a nice cigar and enjoy in the curing room from my great grandaddy's tobacco farm. memories.

 

[Alacrity59]

I remember a beautiful occassion when I was younger, like they do in the caribbean, where my folks are from, some fresh sugar cane juice or a piece of stalk in the cup. grab a lime cut a rind piece and drop in. brown sugar and sip. if in the afternoon, a nice cigar and enjoy in the curing room from my great grandaddy's tobacco farm. memories.

Wow. You painted a picture there, in words, but a picture none the less.

 

[nff]

with my mouth. thats "how" i drink my espresso. and most of the time l like to enjoy it neat.

 

[rajagra]

From a glass.

Bonus feature: the ridge where the handle clips on also traps any grinds that work their way into the drink.

 

[Doc4]

Back in my student days, I spent a couple months in Vancouver, studying like a dog. I made sure to always go to Starbucks (hey, I was young ... didn't know any better) and get a double shot of espresso with cream on top, to boost me through the afternoon doldrums.

Way back then, they gave you your coffee in an actual ceramic cup (unless you asked for "to go"), so they'd serve me the espresso in a tiny mug on a tiny plate, and they'd warm the mug with hot water before putting the espresso in. Wonderful.

Nowadays, if I make the two mistakes of (a) walking into a Starbucks and (b) ordering an espresso ... they give it to me in the bottom of a big "to go" cup, and most of the whipped cream gets stuck on the side of the cup.

Friggin' barbarians.

 

[kaliandee]

I enjoy espresso, but I also enjoy trying to perfect my frothing, so usually I end up making a cappuccino. While the boiler builds up a head of steam I let the shot sit on the cup warmer to keep it from cooling down and going too bitter.

When I do drink espresso as espresso, it usually sip it over a period of a couple of minutes.

-John

 

[ironfisted]

I'm with Sam...two to three sips and it is done. Not that I rush it, I just want to enjoy it while it's hot and fresh. I can always draw another one if I want more.

 

[D E Windsor]

I believe the word espresso does indeed indicate the manner in which the shot is prepared, pulling the shot. I enjoy mine with one spoon of sugar. I sip and swish to get the full flavor but in short enough time so as not to let it cool down to much. The best way for any person to enjoy his espresso is to do so in the way he likes best. Individuality is what it's all about.

 

[Mick]

When I do espresso I do it as a double or heavy double (2.5 oz) shot.

I do not put sugar in it.

Just the straight pull.

I will fill the cup with boiling water from the machine then pour it out to get the cup screaming hot so that the shot can be enjoyed over a few minutes

 

[kdizz]

Not insanely hot, with some sugar if I'm in the mood, and always a double. Throughout the day I'll have one or two more with a shot of milk. Ahhh, I believe its about time for another! Cheers

 

[shakin_jake]

The whole point behind espresso coffee is to enjoy it fast. That is what espresso means.

~~~yes, express, means quickly but where the term espresso originated in regards to coffee...my understanding, from what I've read on the subject here and there, back in the day, an Italian factory owner was tiring of his employees taking coffee breaks and wanted to shorten them, hence espresso coffee was developed...a quick way to brew a cup, so the employee could get back to work

Nowadays, an express way to make a cup fast would have to be pouring boiling water onto some freeze dried coffee (Taster's Choice comes to mind..., Sanka). Can't imagine it getting any quicker than that. It takes me about 8 minutes to pull a shot, fool with frothing my milk, and lately I'm into Café Breva (frothing half and half= So really, this way to brew, calling it espresso, is a bit of an oxymoron if you will


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

 

[Warhorse]

double shot cools as I mix in a spoon of raw sugar, then boom.

+1.... That's how it's done in my house.

 

[rajagra]

Every time this thread is bumped it reminds me to make an espresso.

Keep the comments coming.

 

[Graybeard57]

I sip it slowly, letting it cool on my tongue so that the flavors soak my taste buds.

 

[bogiesan]

As much as I enjoy the conversation, I wouldn't talk razors at home-barista.com or at coffeegeek.com.

the term "espresso" is related in no way to the concept of speed. Like getting a good shave, it's impossible to make good espresso quickly. Espresso is complicated, but not difficult. Espresso is the concentrated essence of everything that is good and wonderful about coffee: aroma, body, taste. At the same time, the extraction method, if properly executed, allows nothing bad from the coffee to enter the cup.

Out of respect for the many hands that picked, processed, roasted and handed to me the seeds from 72 individual coffee cherries required to fill every double dose basket, I try to make the best espresso shot every single time and I savor the experience in the same way oenophiles attack a wine.

I use a professional-grade machine because the precision control of temperature and pressure is absolutely necessary to achieve the quality of espresso I enjoy: ristretto. I have a professional grinder because the precision adjustment of particle size is fundamental to controlling the subtleties of espresso.

As a hopeless espresso snob, I rarely have coffee away from my home since most espresso is undrinkably incompetent; Americans drink coffee-flavored milk--Americans do not know from espresso. There are a few skilled and enthusiastic baristas here in Boise ID and they can pull a superb ristretto at my request.

Espresso should always be a surprise but it should never be unpleasant. Nor should espresso require sugar to be enjoyed. However, that's not to say someone cannot prefer espresso with sugar. Just sayin' a superbly crafted espresso has distinctly sweet notes. If it doesn't, any of dozens of things went wrong. Most likely it was simply made by someone who doesn't drink espresso and that's just sad.

 

[StillShaving]

When modern espresso was first created, it was to brew coffee faster. Interesting article here:
The Long History of the Espresso Machine

 

[2Deuce2]

Doppio

 

[ackvil]

The whole point behind espresso coffee is to enjoy it fast. That is what espresso means.

Espresso is defined as a strong black coffee made by forcing steam through ground coffee beans. To me that means it is to be savored one sip at a time.

This is the only coffee in which I put no sugar, splenda, or any sweetener in it. Just enjoy it as it was brewed. Just enjoyed one ten minutes ago.