Q & A: Espresso Italiano
So Diverse, So Unique
by Michele Cremon


For Italians, espresso coffee is a daily ritual that lives on, in its many local variations, in every corner of the country. What are the peculiarities that make espresso so special, one of the biggest symbols of Italian style? To get to the bottom of the cup, Italian writer Michele Cremon interviewed a host of experts. What emerges is a tapestry of tradition and innovation, portraying a beverage at once deeply rooted in local tradition and poised to conquer markets around the world.

Espresso Science
Ernesto Illy was born in 1925. Known as a leading businessman, he is first and foremost a scientist and a communicator of coffee culture.

Q: Dr. Illy, what are the physical-chemical characteristics that make espresso so distinctive?

A: Espresso is not a simple solution (like filter coffee) but a polyphase product containing suspensoids, that is to say colloid substances made up of microscopic droplets of emulsified oil (carrying the aromas), tiny particles of ground coffee (less than 5 microns) and microbubbles formed by the gas contained in the cells not destroyed by grinding. Extraction is very rapid (25 seconds compared with 6-8 minutes of percolation for filter coffee) and is based not on diffusion but a wash-out process. Most of the surface is presented by the ultra-fine particles. The bigger ones (some of which measure as much as 500-600 microns) are composed of agglomerations of intact cells and contain carbon dioxide (12 liters per kilo of roasted coffee) as well as the extraordinary cocktail of coffee aromas. When the pores of these cells are opened up by hot water, they produce a microscopic effervescence which helps form the body of the coffee. The peculiarities of espresso are thus constituted by its crema (the result of gas), its high degree of body, low surface tension and high viscosity and density, with the result that espresso "paints" your tongue, producing a lasting after-taste and after-flavor. In all this, coffee-making technique is crucial. The resistance presented by the coffee surface properly tamped in the filter must be only slightly less than the force applied to it (9 kilos per square centimeter). Getting this parameter right is of paramount importance. If the resistance is too low, the percolation time is shorter and the result is like insipid brown washing-up water. If it is too high, the water does not pass through the coffee. Finding the right balance is far from easy, like dancing on a tightrope. The physical-chemical characteristics I have described can only be attained by means of a specific method of making espresso. People should know, for example, that a properly-made espresso is made with 6 to 7 grams of coffee, not 14.

Q: Should espresso be made with a blend of several types of coffee?

A: Espresso enhances aromas by fixing them in oil and trapping them in the crema. This leads roasters to select batches of coffee of varying quality and origin, choosing those which are able, each with its distinctive aromatic spectrum, to provide the richest overall organoleptic effect. At Illy we use a blend of nine components, each of which contributes its own particular tone: flowers, fruit, caramel, honey or chocolate. It's rather like music: some people like to listen to solo recitals. Personally, I prefer an orchestral performance.

Q: With the great organoleptic variability of coffee batches, how can you make sure that a blend remains the same over time?

A: This is the hard part of our trade, because espresso also brings out all the faults, even the smallest ones, that would be barely perceptible in filter coffee because it is diluted. One cup is made from fifty beans. If just one of them is imperfect, we can tell immediately. Our experts can give us an organoleptic description of each batch, backed up by chemical analysis of the aromas, and so with the help of computers we can make sure that the characteristics of our product remain consistent.

Technology
Espresso is venerated as a tradition, but is in fact a product of the industrial age. Maurizio Giuli, marketing manager of Nuova Simonelli, explores the origins of the technology behind the cuppa.

Q: What are the origins of the modern espresso machine?

A: Espresso first saw the light of day with the Bezzera, patented in 1901 by Milan engineer Luigi Bezzera. The liquid produced was more akin to moka coffee than what we would call espresso, because the extraction pressure provided by the steam in the boiler was only 2 bars. Modern machines work at a pressure of 9 bars. The next great innovation came in 1948, when Achille Gaggia introduced the lever. He created a system which worked at higher pressure, producing a cup of coffee whose physical-chemical characteristics are similar to what we know today. In the early 1950s, Nuova Simonelli were the first to design and patent a machine working with a hydraulic pump (external). This innovation introduced a new generation of espresso coffee machines. In 1962 Faema used the same principle, but added a number of technical improvements: a heat exchanger, enhanced group configuration and thermosiphonic circulation. Not only was the model an instant success, it coincided with the boom in Italian bar business which started in the 1960s. The subsequent improvements have been minor and incremental, with the exception of the introduction of super-automatic machines in the 1970s.

Q: How do you see the future evolution of coffee machines?

A: The great success of espresso-based drinks in the rest of the world means that the various models are adapted to different operational conditions. Technological evolution is now dictated by electronics, which gives staff support in ensuring consistent compliance with official parameters, even with traditional machines.

A Market In Flux
Flavio Urizzi is the export manager for CMA, which manufactures Astoria espresso machines in Susegana.

Q: How is the market changing?
A: Machines are developing in terms of speeding up coffee making and making the job of bar staff easier. Whereas in Italy the barista is still an institution (respected but starting to thin out), abroad bar and catering staff tend not to stay long in their jobs and there simply isn't the time to give them proper training. This means that there is a need to simplify the way machines function, and the trend is towards pods and super-automatic machines. In Italy superautomatics play a marginal role. According to figures recently published by UCIMAC (the Italian Association of Coffee Machine Manufacturers) in 2003 a total of over 200 super-automatics were sold in this country, against a total export of just under 6,000. If compared against the total of over 27,000 conventional espresso machines sold and distributed just in Italy, it is clear that the traditional system of preparing espresso is still dominant.

Q: What is the best way of protecting the tradition of Italian espresso?

A: Priority should be given to investing in research and development to produce machines which comply with the physical-chemical parameters of espresso coffee. To this end, cooperation should be encouraged and intensified between manufacturers, coffee academies and universities and other research bodies.

Q: Which markets have the greatest potential for expansion?

A: Although the general market situation is not good, growth is continuing and there are considerable tracts of virgin market, especially in Asia. Besides China's immense potential, there is the Middle East and India, both of which are showing strong signs of growth. All too often, though, espresso abroad is considered merely an ingredient of "espresso-based beverages" rather than something to be drunk by itself, because the espresso served in the up-and-coming countries is not always up to standard.

Meeting New Demands
Andrea Mauri is sales manager of Rancilio, based in Milan.

Q: What distinguishes the machines sold in Italy from the ones sold abroad, in particular in America?

A: Americans like tall drinks. Because of these different tastes, the machines require some technical adjustments related to the larger size of the cups and the different ways of making coffee. In addition, we try to simplify the task of the baristas, providing them with a number of devices, such as a display which visualizes the brewing time of the espresso, and an automatic steam nozzle. This allows even the most inexperienced barista to heat the milk to the optimal temperature and obtain the best texture for a creamy cappuccino.

Q: It appears that automatic machines are becoming more similar to traditional ones.

A: Exactly. In spite of the fact that high staff turnover often makes the proper training quite difficult, there is a strong desire in America to emulate the manual dexterity and the gestures of Italian baristi.

Q: What must the Italian coffee industry do to preserve the quality of espresso?

A: We focus on personnel training. Five years ago we opened an American branch in Chicago which provides training for the technicians and salespeople.

Q: What is the best way to protect the espresso from the numerous and inferior imitations?

A: The different levels of certification are definitely important. We also need to be open to food and consumption habits different than ours, and welcome the various espresso-based beverages as long as there is an awareness that "lattes" and Frappuccini are something different than "caffe" Italian style. We must look ahead, by taking advantage of [espresso's popularity] to broaden and strengthen Italian coffee culture in all production areas.

Q: What do you think about barista competitions?

A: It is a very nice idea. It has the benefit of attracting media attention and stressing the professionalism and skills of the baristi in a playful and creative setting.

Certifiably Italian
Like many successful products, espresso has been the object of innumerable attempts at imitation, some palatable, some grotesque. This has led many companies to seek the certification of collective quality trademarks, with a view to providing further guarantees to end-consumers. One such scheme has been developed by the Istituto Nazionale Espresso Italiano (National Institute of Italian Espresso, or INEI). This lays down, among other things, that the infusion must be obtained from a blend of roasted beans of varying origins, ground by the caterer on the spot and put through the machine in such a way that the drink has a given organoleptic profile defined and verified in accordance with the scientific rules of sense-data analysis.
With the technical assistance of the Centro Studi e Formazione Assaggiatori (Taster's Study and Training Center), the International Institute of Coffee Tasters (IICT) has carried out thousands of tests on consumers, designed to ascertain the level of approval expressed by the Italian public on a range of blends available on the market. This was backed up by a panel of professional tasters asked to give their own subjective judgments, tempered by their superior analytical training. The final step was the cross-referencing of the verdicts of the "public jurors" with those of the "professional judges." The result was a profile of conformity adopted as the definition of the characteristics of the IICT "Certified Italian Espresso."

To Protect And Serve
The Specialty Coffee Association of Italy (SCAI) has vigorously promoted excellence in coffee. SCAI has enrolled 230 members in less than two years. Laura Soprano is public relations officer of SCAI.

Q: What is the mission of SCAI?

A: SCAI was set up to promote excellence of quality in coffee. We aim to contribute to promoting and safeguarding the culture and traditions of Italian coffee in the global market. Through our monthly journal Mondo Tostato we provide useful information targeted particularly at small and medium-sized companies, those that often find it difficult to gain access to statistics and market analyses. We also take part in coffee fairs, promote forms of collective advertising, organize coffee-making courses, and carry out surveys.

Q: What are the characteristic features of the Italian roasting industry?

A: In coffee terms, Italy is full of vitality and variety, with the big names surrounded by a wealth of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) deeply rooted in their own localities, working above all as suppliers to catering businesses. Although they predominantly supply customers in their own province or region, more than one third of the 112 companies interviewed in our sample also have customers abroad. This international dimension lends the sector further prestige and contributes to enhancing global awareness of the traditions involved in the craft of roasting and local tastes.

Q: How many of these roasters offer gourmet products?

A: I would echo the judgement expressed by CIC4 President Luigi Saquella in a recent interview with our newsletter. He said that of the eight or nine hundred roasters working in Italy, at least a hundred were unwittingly producing "special" coffees well before specialty coffee became fashionble, rather like Molière's Bourgeois Gentilhomme, who spoke in verse without knowing it.
The range of coffees is extremely varied, running from blends over 100 years old to the latest concept coffees, served in 18th-century coffeehouses in historic enclaves to bars in truck stops along the autostrada. Perhaps it is precisely this mix of tradition and innovation, training and imagination, that makes Italian espresso so diverse, and so unique.

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Michele Cremon is a freelance writer based in Trieste, Italy, and a frequent contributor to Mondo Tostato and EuroCoffee. He can be reached at info@mondotostato.it.