Same as percolator, pressure method is
the most popular brewing methods that is used in an espresso
coffee maker. Espresso is simply steam forcing hot water through
compressed coffee. These little pots, quite different in appearance
from any electric espresso machine, work on the same principle. In
Italy no home is without one. Although the most famous brand is
Mocha
Express, there are many other manufacturers, and there are some
amazing designer models. The best ones are made of heavy stainless
steel, but it is important that the handle is made of some other
material or has a heat-resistant coating. Each pot makes exactly its
quantity: if you want to brew more, or less, coffee, buy a
different-sized machine. Make sure the pot is not too small to sit
comfortably on the smallest burner of the cooker, or else you may
need to go to Italy to buy a little metal adapter frame. After
prolonged use the rubber seal may need replacing.
Fill the bottom half with fresh water
just to the safety valve. Fill the brew basket with very finely
ground ("espresso" grind, finer than filter) dark-roasted coffee. As
you fill it, use the back of a teaspoon gently to tamp the coffee
down, leaving no space or loose coffee in the basket. (If less
strength is desired, omit the tamping.) When the basket is full, run
your finger straight across the top to level the bed. Remove any
loose coffee from around the outside of the rim. Place the basket
into the top of the lower half. Carefully screw both halves
together, while not tilting the bottom half too much. Make sure the
screwing is tight. Place over medium-to-high heat to start, but when
the first rumblings indicate the water the noises become a sort of
intermittent bubbling sound - if uncertain, check the level of the
coffee in the top - it is important to remove the pot from the heat.
Serve the coffee as quickly as
possible. Many Italians prepare their morning coffee in this manner
while they heat a saucepan of milk. When coffee and milk are ready,
they pour both together into a large mug.
There are other methods of brewing
coffee, most of which are a variation of one of the above. The
French drip pot, the Italian Neapolitan and the Brazilian "sock" are
variations of filtering. There is an overnight cold water drip
method used in various parts of the world, including Japan and the
deep south of the US, which makes a very strong extraction. This
potent elixir, kept in the refrigerator for days, is used in small
amounts and diluted with hot water to make individual cups of
coffee, very much like the principle of commercial liquid coffee
concentrates.
