Espresso

coffee · Italy · pressure · bold flavor

Concentrated liquid gold. Espresso is made by pushing hot water through tightly packed, finely ground coffee beans under high pressure. This creates a strong, concentrated shot of coffee that is usually only about one ounce (25 to 30 milliliters), which is way smaller than a regular cup of coffee.

Born in Italy. Espresso originated in Italy and became one of the most popular ways to make coffee around the world. It's especially loved in Italy, where people often drink it quickly as a small, strong shot at a coffee bar.

The creamy top layer. When espresso is made perfectly, it has a special light-colored foam on top called crema. This creamy layer sits above the dark brown espresso and makes the drink taste richer and more delicious.

Pressure makes it special. The key to espresso is the pressure pushing the water through the ground coffee very fast. This pressure creates that strong, concentrated flavor and the foamy crema that makes espresso different from regular drip coffee.