True Espresso is dedicated to creating traditional Italian style espresso beverages. We believe that what many coffee bars offer today is a watered (or milked) down version of a true espresso beverage. So what makes a better, more authentic espresso drink? Quite a few things, actually, not the least of which are the blend of beans and the roast. Other factors include the amount of espresso, water, milk, and foam that go into the beverages. Let’s take a closer look at these factors with our founder and barista, John Patalano.
Blend: "Espresso by definition must be a blend of a variety of beans. How many varieties is always a topic of discussion. Some coffee connoisseurs would suggest that a real espresso must have a minimum of seven coffee beans blended together. Others suggest that simply a blend of two different coffee beans is enough. True Espresso feels the answer lies somewhere in between. Four or five different beans is fine."
Roast: "There is a misconception that espresso must be dark. The truth is that there are a wide variety of espresso roasts, ranging from a light chocolaty brown color to roasts darker than French Roast. It depends on the region of the coffee beans used. A general rule of thumb is that South American beans are better roasted light, and African and Indonesian beans are better dark. So it isn’t a good idea to mix five different coffee beans from various countries in South America and then roast them to a crisp. In fact, any coffee that’s roasted too dark is no good. Unfortunately, many coffee companies in this country think that darker is always better. As a result, many coffee houses offer their consumers burned coffee. True Espresso offers a lighter, smoother, more traditional roast which results in a less bitter drink."
Espresso, Water, and Milk: "Even with a great blend of beans roasted just right, it is still possible to be served a terrible espresso. You want to know what makes a better espresso beverage? Smaller cups. It’s true. That’s the big secret. A traditional cappuccino is an eight ounce cup with equal parts espresso, milk and foam. The majority of coffee shops offer a cappuccino in a twelve ounce cup. 'What’s wrong with that?' you ask, 'I like getting a little more for my money.' The truth is that they are using the same amount of espresso that would normally go into an eight ounce cup and putting it in a twelve ounce. So you’re not getting that extra kick in your coffee. And what about the bigger sizes... the 16, 20, and 24 ounce drinks? It stands to reason that if you get a bigger drink, you should get extra shots of espresso. But some places will use the same amount of espresso no matter what size drink you order."
The barista may run your shot a little longer for a bigger drink, but you’re just getting more water. The amount of espresso in your twelve ounce cappuccino will be the same as in your 20 ounce cappuccino. Talk about a weak drink! What you’re paying for in the larger size is not more espresso, it’s just water or milk. True Espresso believes in maintaining the proper ratio of coffee, water, milk and foam."
Foam: "Foam can be tricky. But, man, does it make me nuts to see a barista use a spoon or a huge spatula to dispense or withhold foam from a milk pitcher. I know what you’re thinking. 'Now this guy’s just being a coffee snob.' But it does make a difference. Milk and foam should be poured out simultaneously using nothing more than an educated shake of the wrist. For a cappuccino: pour slowly and shake the wrist a lot. You’ll get a foamier, richer cappuccino. For a latte: pour fast and don’t shake the wrist at all. You’ll get a lot more milk and less foam that way. The main difference between a cappuccino and a caffe latte, besides foam, is the amount of espresso. There should be more espresso per ounce in a cappuccino. It’s supposed to be a stronger drink. For a latte use the same amount of espresso, but place it in a larger cup. Most coffee shops make both drinks using the same amount of espresso in the same cups, essentially offering the consumer the exact same drink. But then again, they do use that huge spatula to fix the whole milk/foam issue."
"I worked for a big coffee company chain, and then I worked for La Prima Espresso Company in Pittsburgh, PA. I’ve seen espresso done the wrong way, and I’ve seen espresso done the traditional way. My goal with True Espresso is to continue making espresso beverages in a traditional fashion. I hope that this has been informative. At the very least I hope the next time you go out for a cappuccino; you watch the barista a little closer or ask some questions. Please feel free to drop me a line, and I invite you to check out my coffee menu to see how we prepare drinks at True Espresso."