Everything You've Ever Wanted To Know About Espresso.

copyright 2018 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc
Guest Editor Laura Keller
For many of us, espresso is a near necessity. Whether it gets you up and going in the morning, pulls you through long hours at work, or helps you unwind amid a stressful day, espresso has become a part of the everyday for people all over the world. But, despite its popularity, the origin and uses of espresso as an ingredient in delicious recipes are not as widely known as the beverage incarnation itself. To celebrate the cherished brew, let’s take a look at it’s background and appearance in tasty dishes outside of a mug!
 
Espresso: A Brief History
Before it was a widespread and commonly enjoyed beverage, and long before its appearance in venti cups, espresso was born in the city of Turin, Italy. In 1884, a man by the name of Angelo Moriondo patented the first known machine to use both steam and water to brew coffee more quickly. However, Moriondo’s machine brewed in bulk rather than single servings like the espresso machines we know and love. Flash forward to the early 20th century when Luigi Bezzerra and Desidario Pavoni were making improvements to the Moriondo machine that became some of the trademark characteristics of modern espresso machines. These were the portafilter and multiple brewheads, courtesy of Bezzerra. However, Bezzerra’s edits didn’t include mechanisms to regulate pressure and temperature, making it impossible to achieve a consistent product. Enter Pavoni, whose additions of a pressure release valve and steam wand took Bezzerra’s machine a step closer to espresso as it is known now. Working together, the two introduced the first cafe espresso and, with Pavoni’s marketing skills, the machine named the Ideale began to gain popularity throughout Italy. Sadly, no machine at this time, including Bezzerra and Pavoni’s Ideale, was able to brew at more than 2 bars of pressure without burning the coffee and producing an unsavory flavor. This was an issue ultimately solved by Achille Gaggia and his lever-driven machine. Gaggia’s rendition allowed the barista to control the pressure by manually operating a lever connected to a cylinder into which water was forced by steam pressure. This increased the possible pressure to up to 10 bars, ushering in the modern expression of espresso. This same mechanism, which only held an ounce of water at a time, reduced and standardized the serving size of espresso drinks. While the espresso machine underwent changes after this over time, such as a motorized pump and the introduction of a heat exchanger to regulate temperature, Gaggia’s machine birthed the first iteration of true espresso as it is defined today.
Espresso As An Ingredient
While espresso is generally pictured as a warm drink or a beverage delight over ice, it is often used as an ingredient for various delicious dishes. Here are some examples of how to take your love of espresso from a to-go cup to a dinner plate.
Breakfast
Not surprisingly, espresso goes well with many morning favorites. Amp up your most important meal of the day with a little caffeinated (or decaf) fun! Espresso powder can be incorporated into baked oatmeal and scone recipes for a morning meal that’ll give you a boost. Brewed espresso can be added to greek yogurt for a bold and creamy treat!
Entrees
The rich flavors of espresso pair well with many meats! Pork dishes are highly recommended. Use grounds or brew as a marinade for your pork products for a dish with a twist! This can be implemented in a variety of ways such as setting your bacon in ground for a BLT, marinating ribs in a brew for a coffee-roasted flavor, or even adding a few tablespoons of espresso to a meaty stew for hearty entree.
Not into meat? No problem! Adding espresso powder to vegetarian soups and chilis or marinating tofu in a fresh brew will add a new and tasty element to your meat-free cooking.

Dessert
Espresso and coffee flavored desserts are not at all unpopular. Coffee cake is a well-known sweet, often enjoyed at breakfast or as an after-dinner treat. But cake is not the limit for espresso desserts. Enjoy its flavors in brownies, doughnuts, meringues, cookies, truffles, and shortbreads! For a lighter alternative, try espresso glazed nuts with chocolate or maple syrup.