How to Analyze Your Espresso's Crema

Ahh, there's nothing like a hot, fresh espresso.

The potent little cup of supercharged coffee is a delight to all of the senses, but making it just right is an art form unto itself.

Today's FamilyFirst site (and it's just a bit late, escusi) is called Crema! A Sign of Good Espresso, or a Symptom of Bad Espresso.

Here's a sampling of what you'll learn here:

Crema is part of the visual lure of espresso, the aromatics, the mouthfeel, the flavor and long-lasting aftertaste or espresso. In its technical definition, crema is gas bubbles suspended in a liquid film, that has high "surface tension" between the water molecules. Crema should be compact and persistent: it should last 2 minutes before the suspended water molecules drain, the entrapped gas is released and the liquid underneath shows through.

You have lots of photos to examine here that define what constitutes good and bad crema. And you also have lots of advice for how to avoid common espresso mishaps. Read carefully, and you too will be creating coffee-shop-perfect cups of exquisite espresso!

http://www.sweetmarias.com/espresso-crema.html

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