FINlos reviews…

You read that correctly, it’s spelled/pronounced espresso, not expresso. If there was a list of the greatest food creations ever created for consumption, this simple beverage would be at (or near) the top of the list.

(Several of the other things on the aforementioned list would also be Italian. What can I say, they know food.)

The process of preparing and consuming espresso is one that invigorates all the senses. It is a pleasurable thing to grind your own fresh beans in a manual grinder; to smell the tangy, pungent scent of that particular blend as the beans are crushed in the steel innards of the mill, the sound of the coffee bubbling and steaming in the percolator whets the appetite, the swirls the dark makes as it mixes with the heated milk, all a feast to absorb.

And that leads to another of espresso’s wonderful qualities: there are so many ways to enjoy it.

You can drink it as a shot, a lightning bolt to the digestive system as the deep, rich flavor coats your mouth and the energy raising caffeine spreads through your body. There are few things more intrinsically vitalizing than a shot of black espresso. And add a little sugar to take the bite off and you have the perfect pick-me-up.

If you cant handle the lightning or are simply in the mood for something more smooth, then steam some milk and add your shot of espresso. Voila, you have a latte. It packs all the energetic punch of the espresso but is much easier to drink at a leisurely pace.

And if you really want to get fancy, steam that milk a little longer so that it builds some fluffy foam, add the foam and a little milk to the espresso, and you have a cappuccino. Stronger than a latte because it has less milk, but still milder than a shot of espresso, it’s foamy head helps to maintain the warmth of the beverage beneath, like a fluffy, lactose laced blanket.

And if you really want to get adventurous, add any number of flavored syrups like chocolate or vanilla. Sprinkle some cinnamon or nutmeg on top. Drink it sweetened or black. Espresso is one of most versatile and flavorful drinks. And it has all of these qualities without being process or artificially flavored like the more popular beverages (read: high fructose corn syrup = bad).

And all you so-called coffee drinkers that chug Folger’s, or Maxwell house, or whatever wimpy drip stuff you drink, own up and admit that you are drinking watered down dirt brew. And don’t try to cover it up with your French vanilla blend so that your house smells like a candy shop. You are still drinking watered down dirt brew that happens to smell like what you think French vanilla should smell like. Move up to the big leagues and drink some real coffee with real flavor

I believe people who say they don’t like coffee have not tried espresso. And if they have and say they still don’t like it they probably had cheap stuff, espresso that wasn’t made properly, or Starbucks. If you want to enjoy your brew, spend a few extra bucks and buy the good stuff.

I can honestly say that there isn’t a day (if I can help it) that goes by that I don’t consume at least one dose of espresso. And it’s not a mistake that I labeled it a dose, because for me and billions of others (read: yes, it’s a drug) coffee is the over-the-(checkout)counter drug of choice.

Enjoy!

Rated four and one-half stars for beverage perfection and caffeine addiction. Would have been rated a perfect five were it not for the occasional bad cup o’ joe, conglomerated coffee chains, and the bourgeois barista culture.

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