Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 10, Episode 19 - Pickled Pink - full transcript
THERE'S AN ITALIAN EXPRESSION--
"POCO MA BUONO,"
SMALL BUT GOOD.
TO ME, IT REALLY SUMS UP
THE ITALIAN
EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW?
IT'S NOT ABOUT FINDING
THE BIGGEST OR THE STRONGEST
OR THE MOST ELABORATE
OR EXPENSIVE, JUST THE BEST.
TAKE ESPRESSO. MANY WOULD ARGUE
THAT IT IS THE ULTIMATE
EXPRESSION OF COFFEE.
IT IS MEANT TO BE
SAVORED BUT NOT OVERDONE.
WHILE IN ITALY,
IT DOES SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION
FOR OTHER BEVERAGES,
THESE BEVERAGES ARE
STILL ABOUT THE ESPRESSO.
HERE IN AMERICA, WELL...
CAN I HAVE AN ICED
WHITE CHOCOLATE...
DOUBLE DECAF MOCHA GRANDE...
MACCHIATO FRAPPé...
WITH SOY FOAM,
CINNAMON SYRUP...
24-OUNCE, BIG BUZZ...
AND A TWIST.
WITH SPRINKLES.
WITH AN EXTRA SHOT
OF ESPRESSO, PLEASE.
LUCKILY, WE CAN REPAIR THIS.
YOU SEE, ESPRESSO'S
REALLY SIMPLE STUFF.
ALL YOU NEED TO PRODUCE
A PERFECT 30-MILLILITER SHOT
IS TO USE NINE BARS OF PRESSURE
TO PUSH 200-DEGREE
FAHRENHEIT WATER
THROUGH A 7 TO 9 GRAM PUCK
OF PERFECTLY GROUND COFFEE
THAT'S BEEN COMPRESSED WITH
APPROXIMATELY 40 POUNDS OF FORCE
ALL WITHIN 25 SECONDS
OF BREW TIME.
SOUND COMPLICATED? WELL, THAT'S
WHY FOR MOST OF ITS EXISTENCE
ESPRESSO HAS BEEN PREPARED
EXPRESSLY
IN CAFéS LIKE THIS
BY PROFESSIONAL BARISTAS.
NOW LUCKILY THE ITALIANS
HAVE LAID IT OUT FOR US
WITH THE FOUR M's...
ROUGHLY, VERY
ROUGHLY TRANSLATED,
WITH MY ITALIAN, IT'S...
SO IT SEEMS THAT IF WE'RE
WILLING TO ABSORB A FEW FACTS,
POLISH A LITTLE TECHNIQUE,
PURSUE A LITTLE HARDWARE
AND OBTAIN A FEW FINE BEANS,
ESPRESSO, HOMEMADE ESPRESSO,
IS WELL WITHIN OUR REACH.
WORTH THE EFFORT?
DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU
CONSIDER YOUR COFFEE TO BE...
¶
Closed Captions provided
by Scripps Networks, LLC.
Captioned by
Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
WELL, I GUESS THE BEST PLACE
TO START IS THE BEGINNING,
"M" NUMBER ONE...
THE BEANS.
NOW LEGEND STATES
THAT ONCE UPON A TIME,
AN ETHIOPIAN GOAT HERDER NOTICED
THAT WHEN HIS HERD ATE
THE FRUITS OF A PARTICULAR BUSH,
THEY BECAME VERY
FRISKY AND EXCITABLE.
NOW SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER,
THIS INSPIRED THE HERDER
TO HARVEST THE SEEDS,
ROAST THEM, GRIND THEM,
AND BREW THEM
INTO THE FIRST CUP OF COFFEE.
KIND OF HARD TO SWALLOW,
IF YOU ASK ME.
THE POINT IS COFFEE
BEANS AREN'T BEANS AT ALL,
BUT RATHER COFFEE PITS,
WHICH DOESN'T SOUND
NEARLY AS GOOD.
NOW THERE ARE TWO COMMERCIAL
COFFEE VARIETIES...
ALTHOUGH ROBUSTA BEANS
SOMETIMES SHOW UP
IN ESPRESSO BLENDS FOR BODY,
MOST OF THEM FIND THEIR WAY
INTO BIG, BULK, BUDGET BLENDS
AND VENDING MACHINE COFFEE.
REAL COFFEE COMES
FROM ARABICA BEANS,
AND THEY ARE GROWN FROM
SUMATRA TO COSTA RICA,
ETHIOPIA TO HAWAII.
LIKE WINE GRAPES, THE FLAVOR,
BODY AND AROMA OF COFFEE DIFFERS
DEPENDING ON WHERE
AND WHEN IT IS GROWN,
BUT NOTHING AFFECTS THE FLAVOR,
BODY AND AROMA OF COFFEE MORE
THAN THE ROAST.
COFFEE BEANS ARE
LIKE BAKED GOODS
IN THAT THEY ARE
CULINARILY USELESS
UNLESS HEAT IS APPLIED.
NOW THIS IS USUALLY ACCOMPLISHED
IN A ROTATING DRUM
THAT ENSURES AN EVEN ROAST.
NOW ONCE
THE INTERIOR TEMPERATURE
OF THE BEAN REACHES
400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CALLED PYROLYSIS TAKE PLACE,
FORCING OILS TO
THE SURFACE OF THE BEAN
AND DARKENING THE COLOR.
NOW AT THIS POINT,
IT IS UP TO THE ROASTER
TO STOP THE PROCESS
AT PRECISELY THE RIGHT MOMENT
TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED
FLAVOR FOR THAT BEAN.
NOW THERE ARE FOUR
BASIC ROAST LEVELS
DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO.
AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES,
THE BEANS REACH A LIGHT
OR "CINNAMON" ROAST.
THE BEANS ARE TAN AND DRY
IN A BREW MADE FROM THEM
THAT TASTES A LOT
LIKE TOASTED GRAIN.
THE NEXT LEVEL IS
A MEDIUM OR "CITY" ROAST.
AT THIS POINT, THE BEANS ARE
THE COLOR OF MILK CHOCOLATE
BUT NOT YET EXPRESSING OIL.
THIS IS A GOOD ROAST FOR
TASTING THE SUBTLE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN COFFEES
OF DIFFERENT REGIONS,
AND IT'S MY PERSONAL
CHOICE FOR DRIP COFFEES.
NEXT UP, DARK,
"FULL CITY" ROAST--
AT THIS POINT, THE BEANS
ARE CHOCOLATE BROWN
AND STARTING TO PUSH
OUT A LITTLE OIL.
CARAMEL OVERTONES
EMERGE IN THIS STAGE,
BUT THEY DON'T
OVERWHELM THE BEAN,
WHICH IS WHY IT'S MY
PERSONAL ESPRESSO FAVORITE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
WE HAVE THE VERY DARK, FRENCH,
OR "ESPRESSO" ROAST.
THE BEANS ARE DEEP
MAHOGANY AND SHINY WITH OIL.
BREWS RENDERED FROM SUCH BEANS
ARE RELATIVELY LOW IN ACIDITY
AND CONTAIN LESS CAFFEINE
THAN BREWS FROM LESSER ROASTS.
FLAVOR-WISE, LIGHTER BEANS
TEND TO BE MORE COMPLEX,
ACIDIC AND REVEALING
IN TERMS OF THEIR ORIGIN.
DARKER BEANS ARE
RICHER AND SWEETER,
AND BREWS DRAWN FROM THEM
TASTE LESS LIKE THE BEAN
AND MORE LIKE
THE ROASTING PROCESS ITSELF.
OH, HERE'S A COMMON
MISCONCEPTION.
ALTHOUGH ONE
OF THE DARKEST ROAST STAGES
IS CALLED "ITALIAN,"
ESPRESSO IS NOT ALWAYS
MADE FROM ITALIAN ROAST.
IN FACT, IN ITALY,
ESPRESSO TYPICALLY
COMES FROM MEDIUM ROAST.
NOW HERE'S ANOTHER
FUN FACT. ESPRESSO BLENDS,
WHICH GENERALLY ARE
TWO OR MORE BEANS,
OFTEN INCLUDE--WHAT WE WOULD
CONSIDER TO BE LOWER CLASS--
ROBUSTO BEANS,
BECAUSE THEY CONTRIBUTE
TO A HEAVIER CREMA IN THE CUP.
MORE ON THAT LATER.
IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT
THAT THIS STEAMER TRUNK
IS A ROASTED COFFEE BEAN.
NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF TASTY
COMPOUNDS LOCKED AWAY IN HERE,
AND IF OUR SALT AND WATER'S
GONNA GET AT THEM,
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BREAK IN...
THAT IS, GRIND THE BEAN.
OF COURSE, ONCE WE DO THAT,
THE CLOCK IS TICKING,
BECAUSE MOST OF THE GOOD
STUFF IN HERE IS VOLATILE,
MEANING THAT IT
DISSIPATES RAPIDLY.
THEREFORE, WE CAN DEDUCE
THAT GRINDING IS BEST DONE
RIGHT BEFORE BREWING.
THAT MEANS WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO DO OURSELVES.
OF COURSE,
IF WE GRIND TOO LARGE,
THE WATER WILL MOVE
THROUGH TOO QUICKLY,
LEAVING US
AN UNDER-EXTRACTED BREW.
TOO FINE A GRIND, AND WELL,
WE'LL PROBABLY PLUG UP
THE WATER FLOW ENTIRELY,
WHICH'LL MAKE A BIG MESS.
NOPE. WE NEED
A GOLDILOCKS MACHINE
THAT CAN DELIVER
A GRIND THAT'S JUST RIGHT.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE DOZENS
OF COFFEE-MILLING DEVICES
IN THE MARKETPLACE,
THERE ARE REALLY
ONLY TWO STYLES,
AND FIRST IS THE VERY
POPULAR BLADE STYLE--
KIND OF USES A LITTLE
PROPELLER HERE
TO JUST PULVERIZE
WHATEVER IS PUT INTO IT.
IF YOU'RE A FAN OF THIS SHOW,
YOU HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN US TAKE
MANY A SPICED TASK IN THESE.
THE REAL ADVANTAGE--PRICE,
RANGING ANYWHERE
FROM $15 TO MAYBE $40.
NOW ON DOWN HERE,
THE PRICE GOES UP--
$60 TO OVER $400.
THESE ARE THE BURR GRINDERS.
THEY'RE SPECIAL,
BECAUSE THEY HOUSE THIS DEVICE
IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.
THE BEANS ARE FED IN THROUGH
HERE AND ARE PULVERIZED
OR ACTUALLY GROUND
BY THESE MILL WHEELS.
ONE IS STATIONARY, THE OTHER
ONE CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR.
NOW BY CHANGING THE DISTANCE
BETWEEN THESE WHEELS,
OF COURSE, YOU CAN AFFECT
THE SIZE OF THE GRIND.
NOW DOES THIS REALLY MAKE
A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR ESPRESSO?
COME HERE.
¶
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE,
THE SAMPLE FROM
OUR BLADE GRINDER
IS JUST WILDLY INCONSISTENT.
LOOK, WE GOT THESE
HUGE COFFEE BOULDERS,
WHICH WATER WILL NEVER BE ABLE
TO EXTRACT ANYTHING FROM.
HERE, WE HAVE UP HERE--
WE GOT THIS LITTLE
BITTY MICROSCOPIC DUST,
WHICH'LL PROBABLY
JUST PLUG UP OUR PUCK,
WHICH IS WHAT YOU CALL THE
COFFEE IN THE ESPRESSO MACHINE,
PREVENTING THE WATER
FROM PASSING THROUGH.
ON THE OTHER HAND,
LOOK AT THE SAMPLE
FROM OUR BURR GRINDER.
IT'S A VERY,
VERY DIFFERENT TALE.
LOOK, WE HAVE A VERY CONSISTENT
GRIND, SIZE AND SHAPE.
THAT IS GOING TO LEAD
TO AN EVEN EXTRACTION
AND A FAR MORE
PLEASANT CUP OF COFFEE--
MICROSCOPIC
DIFFERENCES TO BE SURE,
BUT IN ESPRESSO,
SMALL THINGS MATTER.
NOW MY GRINDER ACTUALLY
HAS 34 GRIND SETTINGS,
AND I HAVE FOUND
THAT NUMBER THREE IS PERFECT
FOR MY ESPRESSO.
YOUR PARTICULAR MACHINE MAY BE
RATED COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY.
IT MAY HAVE
10 GRIND SETTINGS OR 20.
YOU'RE JUST GONNA HAVE
TO KIND OF TINKER AROUND
AND FIND OUT WHAT
WORKS BEST FOR YOU.
NOW I NEVER BREW
WHEN I DON'T BREW A DOUBLE SHOT.
THAT'S JUST
THE KIND OF GUY I AM.
THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE
14 TO 17 GRAMS OF COFFEE.
NOW AFTER A WHILE, YOU'LL GET
USED TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE,
BUT UNTIL THEN, YOU MIGHT
AS WELL CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK
AND USE A SCALE, DIGITAL SCALE.
NOW I'M JUST GONNA PUT DOWN
THE PORTAFILTER
FROM MY ESPRESSO MACHINE--
MORE ON THAT SHORTLY--
ZERO OUT ITS WEIGHT
AND FILL HER UP,
SEE WHERE WE LAND.
COUPLE OF PULLS...
KNOCK IT DOWN, A COUPLE MORE,
JUST TO KEEP IT FROM
FALLING OVER THE EDGES.
LET'S SEE WHERE WE LANDED...
OOH, 16 GRAMS, NOT BAD.
WELL, NOW THAT WE HAVE
"LA MISCELA" OUT OF THE WAY
AND "LA MACINAZIONE"
OUT OF THE WAY,
ORDINARILY WE WOULD GO
STRAIGHT TO "LA MANO."
BUT CONSIDERING
WHERE THIS CAME FROM,
I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY BACK
UP AND DEAL WITH "LA MACCHINA."
CIAO! "LA MACCHINA"
MEANS THE MACHINE IN ITALIAN,
AND BESIDES,
PERHAPS, THE VESPA HERE,
I CAN'T THINK
OF ANOTHER MACCHINA
THAT BETTER REPRESENTS
THE ITALIAN WAY OF LIFE.
NOW THE MACCHINA IS CRUCIAL,
BECAUSE LIKE COTTON CANDY,
ESPRESSO ONLY EXISTS
BECAUSE SOMEBODY INVENTED
A MACCHINA TO MAKE IT,
AND HE MADE THAT MACCHINA
OUT OF THE DESIRE
FOR THE GREAT MANNA
OF THE 20th CENTURY--SPEED.
DATELINE, MILAN, 1901--
HOPING TO REDUCE THE TIME
HIS EMPLOYEES TOOK
FOR COFFEE BREAKS,
MANUFACTURER LUIGI BEZZERA
STARTED TINKERING AROUND
WITH A MACHINE THAT
USED STEAM PRESSURE
TO FORCE WATER
THROUGH COFFEE GROUNDS,
THUS PRODUCING A FAST
OR ESPRESSO COFFEE.
PROBLEM WAS THE COFFEE PRODUCED
BY HIS TIPO GIGANTE,
AS HE CALLED IT, WAS SO BITTER
THAT NOBODY WANTED TO DRINK IT.
IN 1905 BEZZERA SOLD HIS PATENTS
TO DESIDERIO PAVONI,
WHO IMPROVED THE DESIGN
AND TOOK ESPRESSO PUBLIC.
THE NEXT BIG
ESPRESSO BREAKTHROUGH
CAME IN 1947
WHEN THE GAGGIA
COMPANY DELIVERED
THE FIRST HAND-ACTUATED
PISTON MODEL,
WHICH GAVE
THE BARISTA THE ABILITY
TO PRODUCE CONSISTENT PRESSURE
IN A SUB-BOILING TEMPERATURE,
WHICH IS CRUCIAL
FOR SUPERIOR FLAVOR.
THIS IS, BY THE WAY,
WHERE THE EXPRESSION
"PULLING A SHOT" CAME FROM.
NOW A DECADE LATER, AN ELECTRIC
PUMP REPLACED THE MANUAL PISTON,
AND A MODERN MACHINE, MACCHINA,
CAPABLE OF GENERATING
9 ATMOSPHERES OF PRESSURE--
PERFECT FOR
ESPRESSO EXTRACTION--
WAS BORN.
CIAO!
FOR ESPRESSO LOVERS
IT IS THE BEST OF TIMES,
AND IT IS THE WORST OF TIMES.
IT'S THE BEST OF TIMES
BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF
GOOD HOME ESPRESSO MACHINES
ON THE MARKET
AT A REASONABLE PRICE.
IT'S THE WORST OF TIMES
BECAUSE THERE ARE
EVEN MORE REALLY CRUMMY
HOME ESPRESSO MACHINES
NOT AT A REASONABLE PRICE.
NOW AT THE VERY LEAST,
WE REQUIRE A DEVICE
THAT CAN GENERATE
THE PROPER TEMPERATURE,
THAT IS BETWEEN, SAY,
195 AND 202 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
AND ENOUGH PRESSURE
FOR EXTRACTION,
THAT BEING NINE BARS,
GIVE OR TAKE A BAR.
NOW TO MY MIND,
THAT AUTOMATICALLY RULES OUT
MANUAL MACHINES SUCH AS THIS,
WHICH RELY COMPLETELY
ON THE SKILL OF THE BARISTA
TO APPLY THE PRESSURE.
ALSO RULES OUT ULTRA-CHEAP
ELECTRIC MACHINES LIKE THIS.
THEY'RE USUALLY UNDER 100 BUCKS
AND ALMOST ALWAYS
LACK A PUMP OF ANY TYPE.
AS YOU CAN TELL, JUST BY
LOOKING DOWN INTO THE BOILER,
THIS DOESN'T HAVE A RESERVOIR
AND JUST USES BOILER PRESSURE--
BAD COFFEE,
BAD DEAL AT ANY PRICE.
ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM
ARE SUPER-DELUXE AUTOMATIC
MACHINES LIKE THIS BABY,
WHICH NOT ONLY GRINDS A COUPLE
OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF COFFEE
BUT BREWS EVERY DRINK
YOU CAN THINK OF
AND GETS RID
OF THE GROUNDS FOR YOU.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO--PUSH
A BUTTON AND MAKE THE PAYMENTS.
SINCE I DON'T OWN A COFFEE SHOP,
I THINK I'LL SKIP THIS BEAUTY.
TRUTH IS MOST OF US JUST REALLY
NEED A SEMI-AUTOMATIC MACHINE,
AND THAT CERTAINLY MAKES UP
THE GREAT BULK OF THE INDUSTRY.
AUTOMATICS, OF COURSE,
WILL GENERATE CLOSE
TO THE RIGHT PRESSURE,
CLOSE TO THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE,
DO SOME FROTHING,
BUT LEAVES THE REST
OF THE BREWING TO US,
WHICH IS JUST FINE.
THE PROBLEM IS IT'S EASY
TO BE SEDUCED THE WRONG WAY.
FOR INSTANCE, DON'T BE SEDUCED
BY BIG, FANCY, YOU KNOW,
INDUSTRIAL-LOOKING DESIGN.
DON'T BE TAKEN
IN BY SHINY SURFACES
OR DIALS AND EXTRA
BUTTONS AND WHATNOT.
TRUTH IS THERE'S JUST A FEW
THINGS YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR.
FOR INSTANCE,
CHECK OUT THE SWITCHES.
THERE SHOULD REALLY JUST BE
THREE--POWER, BREW AND FROTHING,
WHICH OF COURSE BOOSTS
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER.
THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A KNOB
FOR ROUTING THE STEAM
INTO THE MILK FROTHER,
WHICH SHOULD BE
ARTICULATED AND EASY TO ACCESS.
THE PORTAFILTER, THE THING THAT
THE COFFEE ACTUALLY GOES IN,
SHOULD FIT EASILY AND SNUGLY
UP INTO
THE DIFFUSER HEAD THUSLY.
THE DRAIN SHOULD
BE EASY TO GET AT.
YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OF THAT,
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NICE
TO NOT DUMP DIRTY
WATER ALL OVER YOURSELF.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE RESERVOIR.
IT SHOULD BE EASY TO REACH
AND SUFFICIENT IN VOLUME
TO SUPPORT YOUR
PARTICULAR COFFEE HABIT.
NOW THE ONLY KIND OF EXTRA
FEATURE THAT I LIKE HERE--
WARMING TRAY UP TOP TO KEEP
YOUR CUPS NICE AND WARM.
IT'S A NICE FEATURE.
I LIKE THIS LITTLE GUY--
NOT TOO SEXY-LOOKIN'
BUT BOXY AND NICE,
AND I LIKE THE FACT
THAT IT'S SMALL.
WON'T TAKE UP TOO
MUCH COUNTER SPACE.
LET'S GO TO THE SECOND
STAGE OF TESTING, SHALL WE?
¶
¶
WE'VE ALLOWED OUR MACHINE TO
HEAT UP FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES.
IT'S GOOD TO GO.
I'VE ADDED A COUPLE OF SHOT
GLASSES TO THE EQUATION.
THESE ARE 1-OUNCE SHOT GLASSES,
AND I LIKE BREWING
DIRECTLY INTO THEM
INSTEAD OF A CUP MUG
OR DEMITASSE.
HELPS TO KEEP ME HONEST.
NOW WE HAVE REACHED THE KIND
OF THE MOST MYSTERIOUS PART
OF THE PROCESS--TAMPING...
THAT IS, THE PROCESS
BY WHICH WE CONVERT
THIS 16 GRAMS OF COFFEE
INTO A TIGHT LITTLE PUCK,
WHICH IS NECESSARY
FOR THE BREWING PROCEDURE.
IT WILL REQUIRE
40 TO 50 POUNDS OF PRESSURE,
AND THE BEST WAY
TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT
IS SIMPLY TO TAMP
ON A BATHROOM SCALE.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE ONE AT HOME.
NOW IF YOUR ESPRESSO MAKER
CAME WITH A TAMPER
THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS,
THROW IT AWAY!
AND GO ONLINE
OR TO A KITCHEN STORE
AND BUY YOURSELF A REAL TAMPER,
SOMETHING WITH
A LITTLE BIT OF HEFT.
IT'LL JUST COST A FEW DOLLARS.
NOW IN ORDER TO DO THIS
PROPERLY, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE COFFEE IS LEVEL
AND THE PORTAFILTER IS LEVEL.
YOU'RE GONNA SET THE TAMPER
DOWN, POSITION YOUR ARM
SO THAT IT'S
STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN
AND THEN APPLY THE PRESSURE
AND TWIST.
COME UP AND JUST GIVE IT A TAP
TO GET THE SPARE KIND
OF GROUNDS OFF THE SIDE
AND TAMP ONE MORE TIME.
50 POUNDS, TWIST.
THERE. IT'S A NICE-LOOKING PUCK
IF I DON'T SAY SO MYSELF.
NOW WE MOVE THE PORTAFILTER
OVER TO THE DIFFUSION HEAD,
AND IT SHOULD FIT EASILY.
WE LOCK INTO PLACE FULLY
SO THE PRESSURE WON'T
GO OVER THE SIDES.
OUR SHOT GLASSES GO DOWN,
AND WE BREW,
AND I'M GONNA TIME
THIS FROM THE MOMENT
THAT THE COFFEE BEGINS TO FLOW
UNTIL IT REACHES UP
TO THE 1-OUNCE LINE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT
TO TAKE 20 TO 30 SECONDS.
IF BOTH OF THESE SHOT GLASSES
FILL IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME,
WE'LL KNOW THAT WE HAVE
THE APPROPRIATE GRIND SIZE
AND APPROPRIATE PRESSURE
ON THE PUCK AS WELL.
15 SECONDS...
LOOKING GOOD SO FAR.
20...
YOU SEE A NICE
HEAD BUILDING UP THERE.
AND 25...
THERE. YOU SEE THAT NICE
CHESTNUT FOAM ON THE TOP?
THAT IS CALLED THE CREMA,
AND THAT IS THE SIGN
OF A PROPERLY PULLED ESPRESSO.
NOW AN ITALIAN MIGHT ADD
A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR TO THIS.
ME? WELL...
AHH! I LIKE IT NEAT. WHOO!
NOW IF WE WERE TO PULL A LITTLE
SHORT, SAY LESS THAN AN OUNCE,
WE'D HAVE WHAT IS CALLED
AN ESPRESSO RISTRETTO
OR RESTRICTED.
CLOSER TO 2 OUNCES,
AND IT WOULD BE A LUNGO,
2 1/2 TO 3, A DUBLE OR DOPPIO.
A ROMANO GETS A TWIST OF LEMON,
AND AN ESPRESSO CON PANNA
IS DRESSED UP
WITH A LITTLE WHIPPED CREAM
AND COCOA.
THE THERE'S THE CORRETTO,
WHICH IS AN ESPRESSO CORRECTED
WITH A SHOT OF GRAPPA.
MOST OF THE ESPRESSO DRINKS
SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES
ARE PAIRED SOMEHOW WITH DAIRY.
THAT IS WHY MOST
OF THE MANUFACTURERS
OF ESPRESSO MACHINES
INCLUDE A FROTHING WAND
ON THEIR MACHINE.
SO BASICALLY, MILK FROTHING
IS JUST LIKE WHIPPING CREAM,
ONLY INSTEAD OF USING
A WHISK TO MAKE THE BUBBLES,
WE'RE GONNA USE STEAM. OW.
HERE I HAVE 1 CUP OF COLD MILK.
I LIKE TO USE WHOLE MILK.
DO NOT USE SKIM.
IT WILL NOT
CREATE ENOUGH BUBBLES.
YOU COULD GO WITH 2%,
I GUESS. WHOLE'S BETTER.
NOW I'M GOING TO APPLY THIS
LITTLE ALLIGATOR CLIP HERE
AND A THERMOMETER,
'CAUSE I WANT TO GET THIS
UP TO AT LEAST 160 DEGREES.
THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO TELL.
NOW UNDER THE NOZZLE AND SLOWLY
OPEN UP THE VALVE.
THERE'S GONNA BE A LITTLE
BIT OF SPUTTERING.
NOW YOU WANT TO BASICALLY
KEEP THE TIP JUST OFF
THE BOTTOM OF THE PITCHER
FOR WARMING THE MILK, OKAY?
THAT'S NOT FOAMING.
THAT'S ANOTHER OPERATION.
JUST KEEP IT MOVING UNTIL
THE THERMOMETER REACHES 160.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE
BIT OF TIME. THAT'S OKAY.
THE LAST THING YOU
WANT IS POUR COLD MILK
INTO YOUR PERFECT ESPRESSO.
WHEN YOU REACH 160, GO AHEAD
AND PULL THE THERMOMETER OUT
AND THEN DROP THE PITCHER
SO THAT THE TIP
OF THE WAND IS JUST, SAY,
1/3 TO 1/2 AN INCH
UNDER THE SURFACE.
NOW THAT'S GONNA START
SUCKING IN SOME AIR
AND BLOWING UP THOSE
BUBBLES THAT WE NEED.
KEEP IT MOVING. THERE. WHEN IT
COMES RIGHT UP TO THE TOP,
SLOWLY SHUT OFF THE VALVE,
AND MAKE SURE THE TIP
IS UNDERNEATH THE MILK
WHEN YOU DO THAT.
AND I LIKE TO JUST TAKE A TOWEL,
KIND OF HOLD ONTO THAT,
OPEN IT UP, CLEAN OUT THAT
NOZZLE AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
AMERICA, WHEN IT
COMES TO ESPRESSO DRINKS
CONTAINING DAIRY PRODUCTS,
WE NEED TO WORK
ON A FEW DEFINITIONS.
NOW LET'S SAY THAT
I HAD A MUG SUCH AS THIS
AND THAT I ADDED ONE
SINGLE SHOT OF ESPRESSO.
NOW IF I WERE TO ADD JUST
A WEE DOLLOP OF FOAM TO THAT,
WE WOULD HAVE
OURSELVES A MACCHIATO.
IF, HOWEVER, WE
ADDED EQUAL PORTIONS
OF STEAMED MILK AND FROTH,
WE WOULD HAVE
OURSELVES A CAPPUCCINO,
WHICH ONE WOULD NEVER EVER DRINK
AFTER M.0 A.:0 IN ITALY.
NOW IF WE HAD
OURSELVES ANOTHER MUG
AND THIS TIME WE ADDED NOT ONE
BUT TWO SHOTS OF ESPRESSO,
THEN 8 TO 10 OUNCES
OF STEAMED MILK...
AND JUST A LITTLE
BIT OF FOAM UP ON TOP,
WE WOULD HAVE OURSELVES A LATTE.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS
STRICTLY AN AMERICAN CONCOCTION.
IF YOU ORDER IT IN ITALY, THEY
BRING YOU A GLASS OF HOT MILK.
AHH!
¶
¶
NOW I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE
PROBABLY SOME FOLKS OUT THERE
WHO WOULD LIKE TO ENJOY
THE LATTE EXPERIENCE
WITHOUT, YOU KNOW,
EXPERIENCING THE WHOLE ESPRESSO
MACHINE CASH OUTLAY THING.
AND WELL, FOR THOSE OF YOU,
THERE'S MAYBE A LITTLE SHORTCUT.
IT'S NOT ESPRESSO, OKAY?
BUT IT'LL GET YOU
THERE PARTWAY AT LEAST.
IT REQUIRES A SECRET
PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY,
WHICH I KEEP HIDDEN UP HERE.
THERE IT IS.
OH, I'M SORRY.
THERE IT IS.
IT IS CALLED
A FRENCH PRESS OR PRESS POT.
HERE'S WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.
OKAY, WE BEGIN WITH THE COFFEE.
I HAVE 16 GRAMS.
THAT'S 1/2 AN OUNCE BY WEIGHT,
7/24 OF A CUP BY VOLUME.
WE'LL JUST CALL IT A BIG
FAT 1/4 CUP, SHALL WE?
NOW YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THIS IS
COARSELY GROUND COFFEE. WHY?
WELL, BECAUSE FINE GROUND COFFEE
LIKE OUR ESPRESSO GRIND
WOULD SLIP THROUGH THE SCREEN,
CREATING A NASTY SLUDGE.
WE'LL JUST MAKE UP FOR IT
WITH A LITTLE EXTRA BREW TIME.
NOW 10 OUNCES OF WATER
JUST OFF THE BOIL.
REMEMBER, 195 TO 200
IS OUR TARGET.
PLUNGER GOES ON.
AND WE SET OUR TRUSTY TIMER FOR
BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR MINUTES.
WE'LL SAY THREE.
(timer beeping)
NOW IT'S TIME TO TAKE
THE PLUNGE, AND WE DO SO SLOWLY,
GENTLY.
NOT ONLY ARE WE PUSHING OUT
THE GROUNDS AT THIS POINT,
SUBMERGING THEM, WE ARE
EMULSIFYING THE OILS
IN THE WATER PHASE
OF THE COFFEE,
WHICH WILL CREATE BODY THAT'LL
SOMEWHAT IMITATE ESPRESSO,
NOT THAT IT'S THE REAL THING.
THERE. NOW WE POUR.
A LITTLE BIT OF STEAMED
MILK, A LITTLE FROTH...
AND YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF
A DARN GOOD FAUX LATTE.
AHH... WHETHER YOU DECIDE
TO BREW YOUR OWN
OR SIMPLY FIND A BARISTA WHO
CAN DO MORE THAN PUSH A BUTTON,
THE SEARCH FOR GREAT ESPRESSO
IS A JOURNEY WELL WORTH TAKING.
THIS DELICIOUS ELIXIR
IS A COMBINATION OF ART
AND SCIENCE, MAN AND MACHINE,
PRESSURE AND PLEASURE.
IT'S 100 YEARS
OF ITALIAN EXPERIENCE
EXPRESSED IN A SINGLE
ROBUST GULPFUL OF JOY--
SMALL BUT GOOD...
EATS, THAT IS.
"POCO MA BUONO,"
SMALL BUT GOOD.
TO ME, IT REALLY SUMS UP
THE ITALIAN
EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW?
IT'S NOT ABOUT FINDING
THE BIGGEST OR THE STRONGEST
OR THE MOST ELABORATE
OR EXPENSIVE, JUST THE BEST.
TAKE ESPRESSO. MANY WOULD ARGUE
THAT IT IS THE ULTIMATE
EXPRESSION OF COFFEE.
IT IS MEANT TO BE
SAVORED BUT NOT OVERDONE.
WHILE IN ITALY,
IT DOES SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION
FOR OTHER BEVERAGES,
THESE BEVERAGES ARE
STILL ABOUT THE ESPRESSO.
HERE IN AMERICA, WELL...
CAN I HAVE AN ICED
WHITE CHOCOLATE...
DOUBLE DECAF MOCHA GRANDE...
MACCHIATO FRAPPé...
WITH SOY FOAM,
CINNAMON SYRUP...
24-OUNCE, BIG BUZZ...
AND A TWIST.
WITH SPRINKLES.
WITH AN EXTRA SHOT
OF ESPRESSO, PLEASE.
LUCKILY, WE CAN REPAIR THIS.
YOU SEE, ESPRESSO'S
REALLY SIMPLE STUFF.
ALL YOU NEED TO PRODUCE
A PERFECT 30-MILLILITER SHOT
IS TO USE NINE BARS OF PRESSURE
TO PUSH 200-DEGREE
FAHRENHEIT WATER
THROUGH A 7 TO 9 GRAM PUCK
OF PERFECTLY GROUND COFFEE
THAT'S BEEN COMPRESSED WITH
APPROXIMATELY 40 POUNDS OF FORCE
ALL WITHIN 25 SECONDS
OF BREW TIME.
SOUND COMPLICATED? WELL, THAT'S
WHY FOR MOST OF ITS EXISTENCE
ESPRESSO HAS BEEN PREPARED
EXPRESSLY
IN CAFéS LIKE THIS
BY PROFESSIONAL BARISTAS.
NOW LUCKILY THE ITALIANS
HAVE LAID IT OUT FOR US
WITH THE FOUR M's...
ROUGHLY, VERY
ROUGHLY TRANSLATED,
WITH MY ITALIAN, IT'S...
SO IT SEEMS THAT IF WE'RE
WILLING TO ABSORB A FEW FACTS,
POLISH A LITTLE TECHNIQUE,
PURSUE A LITTLE HARDWARE
AND OBTAIN A FEW FINE BEANS,
ESPRESSO, HOMEMADE ESPRESSO,
IS WELL WITHIN OUR REACH.
WORTH THE EFFORT?
DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU
CONSIDER YOUR COFFEE TO BE...
¶
Closed Captions provided
by Scripps Networks, LLC.
Captioned by
Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
WELL, I GUESS THE BEST PLACE
TO START IS THE BEGINNING,
"M" NUMBER ONE...
THE BEANS.
NOW LEGEND STATES
THAT ONCE UPON A TIME,
AN ETHIOPIAN GOAT HERDER NOTICED
THAT WHEN HIS HERD ATE
THE FRUITS OF A PARTICULAR BUSH,
THEY BECAME VERY
FRISKY AND EXCITABLE.
NOW SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER,
THIS INSPIRED THE HERDER
TO HARVEST THE SEEDS,
ROAST THEM, GRIND THEM,
AND BREW THEM
INTO THE FIRST CUP OF COFFEE.
KIND OF HARD TO SWALLOW,
IF YOU ASK ME.
THE POINT IS COFFEE
BEANS AREN'T BEANS AT ALL,
BUT RATHER COFFEE PITS,
WHICH DOESN'T SOUND
NEARLY AS GOOD.
NOW THERE ARE TWO COMMERCIAL
COFFEE VARIETIES...
ALTHOUGH ROBUSTA BEANS
SOMETIMES SHOW UP
IN ESPRESSO BLENDS FOR BODY,
MOST OF THEM FIND THEIR WAY
INTO BIG, BULK, BUDGET BLENDS
AND VENDING MACHINE COFFEE.
REAL COFFEE COMES
FROM ARABICA BEANS,
AND THEY ARE GROWN FROM
SUMATRA TO COSTA RICA,
ETHIOPIA TO HAWAII.
LIKE WINE GRAPES, THE FLAVOR,
BODY AND AROMA OF COFFEE DIFFERS
DEPENDING ON WHERE
AND WHEN IT IS GROWN,
BUT NOTHING AFFECTS THE FLAVOR,
BODY AND AROMA OF COFFEE MORE
THAN THE ROAST.
COFFEE BEANS ARE
LIKE BAKED GOODS
IN THAT THEY ARE
CULINARILY USELESS
UNLESS HEAT IS APPLIED.
NOW THIS IS USUALLY ACCOMPLISHED
IN A ROTATING DRUM
THAT ENSURES AN EVEN ROAST.
NOW ONCE
THE INTERIOR TEMPERATURE
OF THE BEAN REACHES
400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CALLED PYROLYSIS TAKE PLACE,
FORCING OILS TO
THE SURFACE OF THE BEAN
AND DARKENING THE COLOR.
NOW AT THIS POINT,
IT IS UP TO THE ROASTER
TO STOP THE PROCESS
AT PRECISELY THE RIGHT MOMENT
TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED
FLAVOR FOR THAT BEAN.
NOW THERE ARE FOUR
BASIC ROAST LEVELS
DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO.
AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES,
THE BEANS REACH A LIGHT
OR "CINNAMON" ROAST.
THE BEANS ARE TAN AND DRY
IN A BREW MADE FROM THEM
THAT TASTES A LOT
LIKE TOASTED GRAIN.
THE NEXT LEVEL IS
A MEDIUM OR "CITY" ROAST.
AT THIS POINT, THE BEANS ARE
THE COLOR OF MILK CHOCOLATE
BUT NOT YET EXPRESSING OIL.
THIS IS A GOOD ROAST FOR
TASTING THE SUBTLE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN COFFEES
OF DIFFERENT REGIONS,
AND IT'S MY PERSONAL
CHOICE FOR DRIP COFFEES.
NEXT UP, DARK,
"FULL CITY" ROAST--
AT THIS POINT, THE BEANS
ARE CHOCOLATE BROWN
AND STARTING TO PUSH
OUT A LITTLE OIL.
CARAMEL OVERTONES
EMERGE IN THIS STAGE,
BUT THEY DON'T
OVERWHELM THE BEAN,
WHICH IS WHY IT'S MY
PERSONAL ESPRESSO FAVORITE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
WE HAVE THE VERY DARK, FRENCH,
OR "ESPRESSO" ROAST.
THE BEANS ARE DEEP
MAHOGANY AND SHINY WITH OIL.
BREWS RENDERED FROM SUCH BEANS
ARE RELATIVELY LOW IN ACIDITY
AND CONTAIN LESS CAFFEINE
THAN BREWS FROM LESSER ROASTS.
FLAVOR-WISE, LIGHTER BEANS
TEND TO BE MORE COMPLEX,
ACIDIC AND REVEALING
IN TERMS OF THEIR ORIGIN.
DARKER BEANS ARE
RICHER AND SWEETER,
AND BREWS DRAWN FROM THEM
TASTE LESS LIKE THE BEAN
AND MORE LIKE
THE ROASTING PROCESS ITSELF.
OH, HERE'S A COMMON
MISCONCEPTION.
ALTHOUGH ONE
OF THE DARKEST ROAST STAGES
IS CALLED "ITALIAN,"
ESPRESSO IS NOT ALWAYS
MADE FROM ITALIAN ROAST.
IN FACT, IN ITALY,
ESPRESSO TYPICALLY
COMES FROM MEDIUM ROAST.
NOW HERE'S ANOTHER
FUN FACT. ESPRESSO BLENDS,
WHICH GENERALLY ARE
TWO OR MORE BEANS,
OFTEN INCLUDE--WHAT WE WOULD
CONSIDER TO BE LOWER CLASS--
ROBUSTO BEANS,
BECAUSE THEY CONTRIBUTE
TO A HEAVIER CREMA IN THE CUP.
MORE ON THAT LATER.
IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT
THAT THIS STEAMER TRUNK
IS A ROASTED COFFEE BEAN.
NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF TASTY
COMPOUNDS LOCKED AWAY IN HERE,
AND IF OUR SALT AND WATER'S
GONNA GET AT THEM,
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BREAK IN...
THAT IS, GRIND THE BEAN.
OF COURSE, ONCE WE DO THAT,
THE CLOCK IS TICKING,
BECAUSE MOST OF THE GOOD
STUFF IN HERE IS VOLATILE,
MEANING THAT IT
DISSIPATES RAPIDLY.
THEREFORE, WE CAN DEDUCE
THAT GRINDING IS BEST DONE
RIGHT BEFORE BREWING.
THAT MEANS WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO DO OURSELVES.
OF COURSE,
IF WE GRIND TOO LARGE,
THE WATER WILL MOVE
THROUGH TOO QUICKLY,
LEAVING US
AN UNDER-EXTRACTED BREW.
TOO FINE A GRIND, AND WELL,
WE'LL PROBABLY PLUG UP
THE WATER FLOW ENTIRELY,
WHICH'LL MAKE A BIG MESS.
NOPE. WE NEED
A GOLDILOCKS MACHINE
THAT CAN DELIVER
A GRIND THAT'S JUST RIGHT.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE DOZENS
OF COFFEE-MILLING DEVICES
IN THE MARKETPLACE,
THERE ARE REALLY
ONLY TWO STYLES,
AND FIRST IS THE VERY
POPULAR BLADE STYLE--
KIND OF USES A LITTLE
PROPELLER HERE
TO JUST PULVERIZE
WHATEVER IS PUT INTO IT.
IF YOU'RE A FAN OF THIS SHOW,
YOU HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN US TAKE
MANY A SPICED TASK IN THESE.
THE REAL ADVANTAGE--PRICE,
RANGING ANYWHERE
FROM $15 TO MAYBE $40.
NOW ON DOWN HERE,
THE PRICE GOES UP--
$60 TO OVER $400.
THESE ARE THE BURR GRINDERS.
THEY'RE SPECIAL,
BECAUSE THEY HOUSE THIS DEVICE
IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.
THE BEANS ARE FED IN THROUGH
HERE AND ARE PULVERIZED
OR ACTUALLY GROUND
BY THESE MILL WHEELS.
ONE IS STATIONARY, THE OTHER
ONE CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR.
NOW BY CHANGING THE DISTANCE
BETWEEN THESE WHEELS,
OF COURSE, YOU CAN AFFECT
THE SIZE OF THE GRIND.
NOW DOES THIS REALLY MAKE
A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR ESPRESSO?
COME HERE.
¶
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE,
THE SAMPLE FROM
OUR BLADE GRINDER
IS JUST WILDLY INCONSISTENT.
LOOK, WE GOT THESE
HUGE COFFEE BOULDERS,
WHICH WATER WILL NEVER BE ABLE
TO EXTRACT ANYTHING FROM.
HERE, WE HAVE UP HERE--
WE GOT THIS LITTLE
BITTY MICROSCOPIC DUST,
WHICH'LL PROBABLY
JUST PLUG UP OUR PUCK,
WHICH IS WHAT YOU CALL THE
COFFEE IN THE ESPRESSO MACHINE,
PREVENTING THE WATER
FROM PASSING THROUGH.
ON THE OTHER HAND,
LOOK AT THE SAMPLE
FROM OUR BURR GRINDER.
IT'S A VERY,
VERY DIFFERENT TALE.
LOOK, WE HAVE A VERY CONSISTENT
GRIND, SIZE AND SHAPE.
THAT IS GOING TO LEAD
TO AN EVEN EXTRACTION
AND A FAR MORE
PLEASANT CUP OF COFFEE--
MICROSCOPIC
DIFFERENCES TO BE SURE,
BUT IN ESPRESSO,
SMALL THINGS MATTER.
NOW MY GRINDER ACTUALLY
HAS 34 GRIND SETTINGS,
AND I HAVE FOUND
THAT NUMBER THREE IS PERFECT
FOR MY ESPRESSO.
YOUR PARTICULAR MACHINE MAY BE
RATED COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY.
IT MAY HAVE
10 GRIND SETTINGS OR 20.
YOU'RE JUST GONNA HAVE
TO KIND OF TINKER AROUND
AND FIND OUT WHAT
WORKS BEST FOR YOU.
NOW I NEVER BREW
WHEN I DON'T BREW A DOUBLE SHOT.
THAT'S JUST
THE KIND OF GUY I AM.
THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE
14 TO 17 GRAMS OF COFFEE.
NOW AFTER A WHILE, YOU'LL GET
USED TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE,
BUT UNTIL THEN, YOU MIGHT
AS WELL CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK
AND USE A SCALE, DIGITAL SCALE.
NOW I'M JUST GONNA PUT DOWN
THE PORTAFILTER
FROM MY ESPRESSO MACHINE--
MORE ON THAT SHORTLY--
ZERO OUT ITS WEIGHT
AND FILL HER UP,
SEE WHERE WE LAND.
COUPLE OF PULLS...
KNOCK IT DOWN, A COUPLE MORE,
JUST TO KEEP IT FROM
FALLING OVER THE EDGES.
LET'S SEE WHERE WE LANDED...
OOH, 16 GRAMS, NOT BAD.
WELL, NOW THAT WE HAVE
"LA MISCELA" OUT OF THE WAY
AND "LA MACINAZIONE"
OUT OF THE WAY,
ORDINARILY WE WOULD GO
STRAIGHT TO "LA MANO."
BUT CONSIDERING
WHERE THIS CAME FROM,
I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY BACK
UP AND DEAL WITH "LA MACCHINA."
CIAO! "LA MACCHINA"
MEANS THE MACHINE IN ITALIAN,
AND BESIDES,
PERHAPS, THE VESPA HERE,
I CAN'T THINK
OF ANOTHER MACCHINA
THAT BETTER REPRESENTS
THE ITALIAN WAY OF LIFE.
NOW THE MACCHINA IS CRUCIAL,
BECAUSE LIKE COTTON CANDY,
ESPRESSO ONLY EXISTS
BECAUSE SOMEBODY INVENTED
A MACCHINA TO MAKE IT,
AND HE MADE THAT MACCHINA
OUT OF THE DESIRE
FOR THE GREAT MANNA
OF THE 20th CENTURY--SPEED.
DATELINE, MILAN, 1901--
HOPING TO REDUCE THE TIME
HIS EMPLOYEES TOOK
FOR COFFEE BREAKS,
MANUFACTURER LUIGI BEZZERA
STARTED TINKERING AROUND
WITH A MACHINE THAT
USED STEAM PRESSURE
TO FORCE WATER
THROUGH COFFEE GROUNDS,
THUS PRODUCING A FAST
OR ESPRESSO COFFEE.
PROBLEM WAS THE COFFEE PRODUCED
BY HIS TIPO GIGANTE,
AS HE CALLED IT, WAS SO BITTER
THAT NOBODY WANTED TO DRINK IT.
IN 1905 BEZZERA SOLD HIS PATENTS
TO DESIDERIO PAVONI,
WHO IMPROVED THE DESIGN
AND TOOK ESPRESSO PUBLIC.
THE NEXT BIG
ESPRESSO BREAKTHROUGH
CAME IN 1947
WHEN THE GAGGIA
COMPANY DELIVERED
THE FIRST HAND-ACTUATED
PISTON MODEL,
WHICH GAVE
THE BARISTA THE ABILITY
TO PRODUCE CONSISTENT PRESSURE
IN A SUB-BOILING TEMPERATURE,
WHICH IS CRUCIAL
FOR SUPERIOR FLAVOR.
THIS IS, BY THE WAY,
WHERE THE EXPRESSION
"PULLING A SHOT" CAME FROM.
NOW A DECADE LATER, AN ELECTRIC
PUMP REPLACED THE MANUAL PISTON,
AND A MODERN MACHINE, MACCHINA,
CAPABLE OF GENERATING
9 ATMOSPHERES OF PRESSURE--
PERFECT FOR
ESPRESSO EXTRACTION--
WAS BORN.
CIAO!
FOR ESPRESSO LOVERS
IT IS THE BEST OF TIMES,
AND IT IS THE WORST OF TIMES.
IT'S THE BEST OF TIMES
BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF
GOOD HOME ESPRESSO MACHINES
ON THE MARKET
AT A REASONABLE PRICE.
IT'S THE WORST OF TIMES
BECAUSE THERE ARE
EVEN MORE REALLY CRUMMY
HOME ESPRESSO MACHINES
NOT AT A REASONABLE PRICE.
NOW AT THE VERY LEAST,
WE REQUIRE A DEVICE
THAT CAN GENERATE
THE PROPER TEMPERATURE,
THAT IS BETWEEN, SAY,
195 AND 202 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
AND ENOUGH PRESSURE
FOR EXTRACTION,
THAT BEING NINE BARS,
GIVE OR TAKE A BAR.
NOW TO MY MIND,
THAT AUTOMATICALLY RULES OUT
MANUAL MACHINES SUCH AS THIS,
WHICH RELY COMPLETELY
ON THE SKILL OF THE BARISTA
TO APPLY THE PRESSURE.
ALSO RULES OUT ULTRA-CHEAP
ELECTRIC MACHINES LIKE THIS.
THEY'RE USUALLY UNDER 100 BUCKS
AND ALMOST ALWAYS
LACK A PUMP OF ANY TYPE.
AS YOU CAN TELL, JUST BY
LOOKING DOWN INTO THE BOILER,
THIS DOESN'T HAVE A RESERVOIR
AND JUST USES BOILER PRESSURE--
BAD COFFEE,
BAD DEAL AT ANY PRICE.
ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM
ARE SUPER-DELUXE AUTOMATIC
MACHINES LIKE THIS BABY,
WHICH NOT ONLY GRINDS A COUPLE
OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF COFFEE
BUT BREWS EVERY DRINK
YOU CAN THINK OF
AND GETS RID
OF THE GROUNDS FOR YOU.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO--PUSH
A BUTTON AND MAKE THE PAYMENTS.
SINCE I DON'T OWN A COFFEE SHOP,
I THINK I'LL SKIP THIS BEAUTY.
TRUTH IS MOST OF US JUST REALLY
NEED A SEMI-AUTOMATIC MACHINE,
AND THAT CERTAINLY MAKES UP
THE GREAT BULK OF THE INDUSTRY.
AUTOMATICS, OF COURSE,
WILL GENERATE CLOSE
TO THE RIGHT PRESSURE,
CLOSE TO THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE,
DO SOME FROTHING,
BUT LEAVES THE REST
OF THE BREWING TO US,
WHICH IS JUST FINE.
THE PROBLEM IS IT'S EASY
TO BE SEDUCED THE WRONG WAY.
FOR INSTANCE, DON'T BE SEDUCED
BY BIG, FANCY, YOU KNOW,
INDUSTRIAL-LOOKING DESIGN.
DON'T BE TAKEN
IN BY SHINY SURFACES
OR DIALS AND EXTRA
BUTTONS AND WHATNOT.
TRUTH IS THERE'S JUST A FEW
THINGS YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR.
FOR INSTANCE,
CHECK OUT THE SWITCHES.
THERE SHOULD REALLY JUST BE
THREE--POWER, BREW AND FROTHING,
WHICH OF COURSE BOOSTS
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER.
THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A KNOB
FOR ROUTING THE STEAM
INTO THE MILK FROTHER,
WHICH SHOULD BE
ARTICULATED AND EASY TO ACCESS.
THE PORTAFILTER, THE THING THAT
THE COFFEE ACTUALLY GOES IN,
SHOULD FIT EASILY AND SNUGLY
UP INTO
THE DIFFUSER HEAD THUSLY.
THE DRAIN SHOULD
BE EASY TO GET AT.
YOU MIGHT NOT THINK OF THAT,
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NICE
TO NOT DUMP DIRTY
WATER ALL OVER YOURSELF.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE RESERVOIR.
IT SHOULD BE EASY TO REACH
AND SUFFICIENT IN VOLUME
TO SUPPORT YOUR
PARTICULAR COFFEE HABIT.
NOW THE ONLY KIND OF EXTRA
FEATURE THAT I LIKE HERE--
WARMING TRAY UP TOP TO KEEP
YOUR CUPS NICE AND WARM.
IT'S A NICE FEATURE.
I LIKE THIS LITTLE GUY--
NOT TOO SEXY-LOOKIN'
BUT BOXY AND NICE,
AND I LIKE THE FACT
THAT IT'S SMALL.
WON'T TAKE UP TOO
MUCH COUNTER SPACE.
LET'S GO TO THE SECOND
STAGE OF TESTING, SHALL WE?
¶
¶
WE'VE ALLOWED OUR MACHINE TO
HEAT UP FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES.
IT'S GOOD TO GO.
I'VE ADDED A COUPLE OF SHOT
GLASSES TO THE EQUATION.
THESE ARE 1-OUNCE SHOT GLASSES,
AND I LIKE BREWING
DIRECTLY INTO THEM
INSTEAD OF A CUP MUG
OR DEMITASSE.
HELPS TO KEEP ME HONEST.
NOW WE HAVE REACHED THE KIND
OF THE MOST MYSTERIOUS PART
OF THE PROCESS--TAMPING...
THAT IS, THE PROCESS
BY WHICH WE CONVERT
THIS 16 GRAMS OF COFFEE
INTO A TIGHT LITTLE PUCK,
WHICH IS NECESSARY
FOR THE BREWING PROCEDURE.
IT WILL REQUIRE
40 TO 50 POUNDS OF PRESSURE,
AND THE BEST WAY
TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT
IS SIMPLY TO TAMP
ON A BATHROOM SCALE.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE ONE AT HOME.
NOW IF YOUR ESPRESSO MAKER
CAME WITH A TAMPER
THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS,
THROW IT AWAY!
AND GO ONLINE
OR TO A KITCHEN STORE
AND BUY YOURSELF A REAL TAMPER,
SOMETHING WITH
A LITTLE BIT OF HEFT.
IT'LL JUST COST A FEW DOLLARS.
NOW IN ORDER TO DO THIS
PROPERLY, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE COFFEE IS LEVEL
AND THE PORTAFILTER IS LEVEL.
YOU'RE GONNA SET THE TAMPER
DOWN, POSITION YOUR ARM
SO THAT IT'S
STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN
AND THEN APPLY THE PRESSURE
AND TWIST.
COME UP AND JUST GIVE IT A TAP
TO GET THE SPARE KIND
OF GROUNDS OFF THE SIDE
AND TAMP ONE MORE TIME.
50 POUNDS, TWIST.
THERE. IT'S A NICE-LOOKING PUCK
IF I DON'T SAY SO MYSELF.
NOW WE MOVE THE PORTAFILTER
OVER TO THE DIFFUSION HEAD,
AND IT SHOULD FIT EASILY.
WE LOCK INTO PLACE FULLY
SO THE PRESSURE WON'T
GO OVER THE SIDES.
OUR SHOT GLASSES GO DOWN,
AND WE BREW,
AND I'M GONNA TIME
THIS FROM THE MOMENT
THAT THE COFFEE BEGINS TO FLOW
UNTIL IT REACHES UP
TO THE 1-OUNCE LINE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT
TO TAKE 20 TO 30 SECONDS.
IF BOTH OF THESE SHOT GLASSES
FILL IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME,
WE'LL KNOW THAT WE HAVE
THE APPROPRIATE GRIND SIZE
AND APPROPRIATE PRESSURE
ON THE PUCK AS WELL.
15 SECONDS...
LOOKING GOOD SO FAR.
20...
YOU SEE A NICE
HEAD BUILDING UP THERE.
AND 25...
THERE. YOU SEE THAT NICE
CHESTNUT FOAM ON THE TOP?
THAT IS CALLED THE CREMA,
AND THAT IS THE SIGN
OF A PROPERLY PULLED ESPRESSO.
NOW AN ITALIAN MIGHT ADD
A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR TO THIS.
ME? WELL...
AHH! I LIKE IT NEAT. WHOO!
NOW IF WE WERE TO PULL A LITTLE
SHORT, SAY LESS THAN AN OUNCE,
WE'D HAVE WHAT IS CALLED
AN ESPRESSO RISTRETTO
OR RESTRICTED.
CLOSER TO 2 OUNCES,
AND IT WOULD BE A LUNGO,
2 1/2 TO 3, A DUBLE OR DOPPIO.
A ROMANO GETS A TWIST OF LEMON,
AND AN ESPRESSO CON PANNA
IS DRESSED UP
WITH A LITTLE WHIPPED CREAM
AND COCOA.
THE THERE'S THE CORRETTO,
WHICH IS AN ESPRESSO CORRECTED
WITH A SHOT OF GRAPPA.
MOST OF THE ESPRESSO DRINKS
SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES
ARE PAIRED SOMEHOW WITH DAIRY.
THAT IS WHY MOST
OF THE MANUFACTURERS
OF ESPRESSO MACHINES
INCLUDE A FROTHING WAND
ON THEIR MACHINE.
SO BASICALLY, MILK FROTHING
IS JUST LIKE WHIPPING CREAM,
ONLY INSTEAD OF USING
A WHISK TO MAKE THE BUBBLES,
WE'RE GONNA USE STEAM. OW.
HERE I HAVE 1 CUP OF COLD MILK.
I LIKE TO USE WHOLE MILK.
DO NOT USE SKIM.
IT WILL NOT
CREATE ENOUGH BUBBLES.
YOU COULD GO WITH 2%,
I GUESS. WHOLE'S BETTER.
NOW I'M GOING TO APPLY THIS
LITTLE ALLIGATOR CLIP HERE
AND A THERMOMETER,
'CAUSE I WANT TO GET THIS
UP TO AT LEAST 160 DEGREES.
THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO TELL.
NOW UNDER THE NOZZLE AND SLOWLY
OPEN UP THE VALVE.
THERE'S GONNA BE A LITTLE
BIT OF SPUTTERING.
NOW YOU WANT TO BASICALLY
KEEP THE TIP JUST OFF
THE BOTTOM OF THE PITCHER
FOR WARMING THE MILK, OKAY?
THAT'S NOT FOAMING.
THAT'S ANOTHER OPERATION.
JUST KEEP IT MOVING UNTIL
THE THERMOMETER REACHES 160.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE
BIT OF TIME. THAT'S OKAY.
THE LAST THING YOU
WANT IS POUR COLD MILK
INTO YOUR PERFECT ESPRESSO.
WHEN YOU REACH 160, GO AHEAD
AND PULL THE THERMOMETER OUT
AND THEN DROP THE PITCHER
SO THAT THE TIP
OF THE WAND IS JUST, SAY,
1/3 TO 1/2 AN INCH
UNDER THE SURFACE.
NOW THAT'S GONNA START
SUCKING IN SOME AIR
AND BLOWING UP THOSE
BUBBLES THAT WE NEED.
KEEP IT MOVING. THERE. WHEN IT
COMES RIGHT UP TO THE TOP,
SLOWLY SHUT OFF THE VALVE,
AND MAKE SURE THE TIP
IS UNDERNEATH THE MILK
WHEN YOU DO THAT.
AND I LIKE TO JUST TAKE A TOWEL,
KIND OF HOLD ONTO THAT,
OPEN IT UP, CLEAN OUT THAT
NOZZLE AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
AMERICA, WHEN IT
COMES TO ESPRESSO DRINKS
CONTAINING DAIRY PRODUCTS,
WE NEED TO WORK
ON A FEW DEFINITIONS.
NOW LET'S SAY THAT
I HAD A MUG SUCH AS THIS
AND THAT I ADDED ONE
SINGLE SHOT OF ESPRESSO.
NOW IF I WERE TO ADD JUST
A WEE DOLLOP OF FOAM TO THAT,
WE WOULD HAVE
OURSELVES A MACCHIATO.
IF, HOWEVER, WE
ADDED EQUAL PORTIONS
OF STEAMED MILK AND FROTH,
WE WOULD HAVE
OURSELVES A CAPPUCCINO,
WHICH ONE WOULD NEVER EVER DRINK
AFTER M.0 A.:0 IN ITALY.
NOW IF WE HAD
OURSELVES ANOTHER MUG
AND THIS TIME WE ADDED NOT ONE
BUT TWO SHOTS OF ESPRESSO,
THEN 8 TO 10 OUNCES
OF STEAMED MILK...
AND JUST A LITTLE
BIT OF FOAM UP ON TOP,
WE WOULD HAVE OURSELVES A LATTE.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS
STRICTLY AN AMERICAN CONCOCTION.
IF YOU ORDER IT IN ITALY, THEY
BRING YOU A GLASS OF HOT MILK.
AHH!
¶
¶
NOW I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE
PROBABLY SOME FOLKS OUT THERE
WHO WOULD LIKE TO ENJOY
THE LATTE EXPERIENCE
WITHOUT, YOU KNOW,
EXPERIENCING THE WHOLE ESPRESSO
MACHINE CASH OUTLAY THING.
AND WELL, FOR THOSE OF YOU,
THERE'S MAYBE A LITTLE SHORTCUT.
IT'S NOT ESPRESSO, OKAY?
BUT IT'LL GET YOU
THERE PARTWAY AT LEAST.
IT REQUIRES A SECRET
PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY,
WHICH I KEEP HIDDEN UP HERE.
THERE IT IS.
OH, I'M SORRY.
THERE IT IS.
IT IS CALLED
A FRENCH PRESS OR PRESS POT.
HERE'S WHAT YOU DO WITH IT.
OKAY, WE BEGIN WITH THE COFFEE.
I HAVE 16 GRAMS.
THAT'S 1/2 AN OUNCE BY WEIGHT,
7/24 OF A CUP BY VOLUME.
WE'LL JUST CALL IT A BIG
FAT 1/4 CUP, SHALL WE?
NOW YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THIS IS
COARSELY GROUND COFFEE. WHY?
WELL, BECAUSE FINE GROUND COFFEE
LIKE OUR ESPRESSO GRIND
WOULD SLIP THROUGH THE SCREEN,
CREATING A NASTY SLUDGE.
WE'LL JUST MAKE UP FOR IT
WITH A LITTLE EXTRA BREW TIME.
NOW 10 OUNCES OF WATER
JUST OFF THE BOIL.
REMEMBER, 195 TO 200
IS OUR TARGET.
PLUNGER GOES ON.
AND WE SET OUR TRUSTY TIMER FOR
BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR MINUTES.
WE'LL SAY THREE.
(timer beeping)
NOW IT'S TIME TO TAKE
THE PLUNGE, AND WE DO SO SLOWLY,
GENTLY.
NOT ONLY ARE WE PUSHING OUT
THE GROUNDS AT THIS POINT,
SUBMERGING THEM, WE ARE
EMULSIFYING THE OILS
IN THE WATER PHASE
OF THE COFFEE,
WHICH WILL CREATE BODY THAT'LL
SOMEWHAT IMITATE ESPRESSO,
NOT THAT IT'S THE REAL THING.
THERE. NOW WE POUR.
A LITTLE BIT OF STEAMED
MILK, A LITTLE FROTH...
AND YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF
A DARN GOOD FAUX LATTE.
AHH... WHETHER YOU DECIDE
TO BREW YOUR OWN
OR SIMPLY FIND A BARISTA WHO
CAN DO MORE THAN PUSH A BUTTON,
THE SEARCH FOR GREAT ESPRESSO
IS A JOURNEY WELL WORTH TAKING.
THIS DELICIOUS ELIXIR
IS A COMBINATION OF ART
AND SCIENCE, MAN AND MACHINE,
PRESSURE AND PLEASURE.
IT'S 100 YEARS
OF ITALIAN EXPERIENCE
EXPRESSED IN A SINGLE
ROBUST GULPFUL OF JOY--
SMALL BUT GOOD...
EATS, THAT IS.