A perfect espresso? Recognizable from its cream.
Origin
Coffee is a tropical plant that belongs to the Caffea category, but the debate regarding its origins has always been very intense. The legend says that its origins are from Etiopia, particularly from Kaffa where a shepherd was wondering why his goats couldn’t sleep at night. Then he found out that his goats were eating the fruits of a plant, the coffee one. What is certain is that this beverage always had energizing properties and was used during religious rituals, but also as a medicine to cure kidney stones, gout, measles and cough. It was only during the XVI century that coffee started to be the drink we do now a day. This use spread first in Egypt, then Syria and then Turkey. The firsts to be in contact with this beverage were the venetians during the XVII century, thanks to the trade, and from that moment on, it spread all over Europe.
Cookit
Espresso is the flagship of the Italian tradition, as the use of Moka. It is necessary to pay attention to some small details: the water you pour in the base must not overcome the valve, fill the filter with ground coffee but never press, use low fire, turn off the fire as soon as coffee starts to come out and stir before pouring. Easy right? But this is just one way to drink this ancient beverage. Besides espresso, you can have it American, lungo, cold or hot macchiato, short, double, skimmed, brasilian. But coffee is not just a drink, it is also used to prepare delicious recipes!
Did you know
Coffee contains caffeine, scientifically recognized as a substance that facilitates digestion. It also has a tonic and stimulating effect, and that’s why it is famous for its stimulating properties. Coffee can accelerate the metabolism, because it makes your body burn more calories and it reduces appetite. It is perfect for a hypocaloric diet, if you don’t drink it with milk or sugar. But you need to pay attention…if you drink too much coffee, you can damage your digestive system and you can start suffering from insomnia, bursts of heat, tachycardia.
