Yahoo Movies What Exactly Is Espresso?
If you're a coffee drinker, chances are you already know your go-to coffee shop order by heart. Still, you may not know exactly what it means when you ask for an extra shot of espresso in your drink, so we're here to enlighten you. Espresso, which originated in Italy, is made from the same beans as coffee but served in shots rather than full mugs, partially because of its strength.
Espresso is made with pressurized water that is forced through very finely ground coffee beans. This is why special espresso machine kitchen appliances can often be a little bit pricey—but totally worth it when you're looking to make the real thing. A finished espresso shot, when prepared correctly, will be topped with "crema," the golden brown foam you see at the top of your drink. This froth has an intense flavor, and some prefer to stir it into their drink.
Although espresso is made from beans that are grown, processed, and roasted just like other coffee beans, the finished product is stronger, thicker, and more caffeinated than classic drip coffee. But because of the different serving sizes (espresso is always served alone as a shot) one serving of espresso is less caffeinated than a serving of drip coffee. For reference, espresso can range between 29 and 100 milligrams of caffeine and a standard cup of coffee usually clocks in around 80 and 200 milligrams.
Espresso is also used for other coffee drinks like Americanos and Cappuccinos, and those combinations can also impact the amount of caffeine. You can learn more about coffee and being your own barista here.
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