Espresso Lexicon

The modern coffee shop would be lacking without the espresso machine. It is the center piece of big, heavy coffee producing equipment, and usually the most interesting with all kinds of knobs, buttons, dials and handles. Most of us do not have one of these contraptions in our home. While many of us have brewed a pot of coffee, relatively few will have extracted a shot of espresso, even on a small home machine. For this reason, espresso and the process of its extraction is largely a mystery for the average coffee consumer. Add to this the yuppy cache of ordering an espresso drink with a good amount of pomp (a double-short-skinny-halfcaf-cap, for example) and what is a modest coffee drinker to do? The following definitions will hopefully answer any questions you were afraid to ask. And, by the way, don't be afraid to ask! We love to talk about coffee at Chelsee's as much as we love making it!

Espresso

About an ounce of pressure extracted coffee that is characterized by a layer of "cream foam" called crema, in which the richest flavor resides. Espresso should be consumed immediately to preserve the crema. The mere presence of crema is not by itself an indication of good espresso. Look for a dark, reddish color with perhaps a tiger-mottle pattern on the surface of the shot. Espresso should be the consistancy of honey but should have a chiffon-like feel on the palette.

Espresso also carries the connotation in Italian of "made to order", specifically for the customer. Hence, espresso is always ground as needed and served as quickly as possible.

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