Espresso

Lore & Background

Coffee arrived in Italy in the 16th century, and by the mid-19th century it was drunk as drip coffee at home and infused coffee in cafés. In 1884, Angelo Moriondo of Turin patented a steam-driven coffee machine that brewed in bulk, likely the first Italian bar machine to control steam and water separately. In 1901, Luigi Bezzera of Milan filed a patent for a machine that brewed individual servings using a boiler and portafilter, producing coffee 'expressly' for the customer. Desiderio Pavoni purchased Bezzera's patents in 1903, modified the design, and began selling machines in 1905, generally considered the first commercial espresso machines. These early machines produced coffee at a rate of around 100–150 cups per hour but used steam at around 1.5 bars, yielding a burnt, bitter taste without crema.

Reader's Guide

Espresso's significance lies in its role as both a standalone beverage and the foundation for drinks like cappuccino, caffè latte, and americano. Its cultural impact extends beyond consumption, central to coffee shop culture and the third-wave coffee movement, which emphasizes artisanal production and high-quality beans. The quality of an espresso depends on factors such as grind size, water temperature, pressure, and the barista's skill in tamping. Despite a widespread myth, espresso can be made with various roast levels, not just dark roast. The spelling 'espresso' gained prominence by the 1970s, though 'expresso' remains common in some regions and is considered a variant by major dictionaries. The word itself conveys both 'pressed-out' and 'expressly for you', reflecting the method and the individualized service.

Did You Know?

• The first commercial espresso machines, sold by Desiderio Pavoni in 1905, produced coffee at a rate of around 100–150 cups per hour but lacked crema due to low pressure (1.5 bars).
• Modern espresso, using hot water under pressure as pioneered by Achille Gaggia in the 1940s, was originally called 'crema caffè' due to the crema.
• Espresso contains more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages, but its typical serving size results in less caffeine per serving than larger drinks like drip coffee.
• The alternate spelling 'expresso' has been used since at least the 1920s and is common in France, Portugal, and Spain, though it is considered a variant by the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster.