But what is espresso exactly. To put it in the simplest terms, espresso is coffee's more aggressive and strong willed little brother. Espresso is caffeine's answer to a shot of whisky. Just as addictive in some cases, but will not get you thrown in jail.

Espresso is made by filtering 1.5 to 2 ounces of water through tightly ground, espresso coffee, roughly the caffeine equivalent of four cups of coffee. If everything goes according to plan, what you get is 2 ounces of compressed caffeine with a small layer of foam on the top. The resulting concoction looks like a dark German beer with a head…only a lot smaller.

But how do you make espresso? Is it as easy as Starbucks would have you believe? In a word…yes. So where do you start? Again, the answer is simple…right here. There are five basic types of espresso machines. Let's take a quick look:

<li>Stovetop espresso makers are popular with hikers and tourists because they do not require electricity. But since the stovetop espresso maker is usually the "one-cup" variety, you won't get the creamy foam layer top. What you will get though is a very concentrated shot of espresso.

<li>Steam powered espresso makers work a lot like the stovetop variety but is fashioned more like the standard pump driven espresso makers. Still convenient for tourists and hikers, the steam powered espresso maker is not as popular with this crowd because of its bulky size.

<li>The piston driven espresso maker is the grandfather of all espresso makers and the reason most espresso comes with a foamy top. Invented in 1938 by Achille Gaggia, the piston driven maker is still a good way to make espresso, though not often used. This kind of of espresso maker is sold as an antique as often as it is the caffeine junkie's primary maker.

<li>Pump driven espresso makers are the offshoot of the piston driven variety and the most popular maker in commercial settings. Usually hooked up directly to the building's plumbing, pump driven makers heat the water as it is filtered through the coffee and uses a built in shot timer to help insure every shot of espresso is exactly the same.

<li>Automatic espresso makers are becoming increasingly popular because the machine does almost everything for you. Automatic machines consistently produce the same espresso shot every time and require less fine-tuning than commercial makers. In addition, this expensive but consistent alternative to your daily trek to the corner coffe house does everything from grinding the beans to disposing of the spent grounds. The only thing the user has to do is turn on the machine.

Now that you know how to make espresso, how do you decide what your favorite concoction is? After all Starbucks has more varieties of espresso than Baskin Robbins does ice cream. You do not want to make a fool of yourself when you when you are late for work and don't have time to make your morning wake-me-up at home. Yo need to feel confident and proud when you walk up to the conter and ask for:

<li>ESPRESSO - For those who prefer the simple things in life, a single shot of espresso, no foam, is probably best.

<li>ESRESSO DOPIO - Or a double espresso is for those days when you just cannot wake up.

<li>If you are feeling a need for some balance in your life, try an ESPRESSO MACCHIATO (a single or double shot of espresso with a whipped cream top).

<li>For those sweet and sour days, try an ESPRESSO ROMANO, a single shot of espresso topped with a sliced lemon peel.

<li>For amateur espresso drinkers who prefer a foamier, creamier, more chocolaty taste than a straight shot of espresso, CAPPUCCINO, CAFÉ LATTE and MOCHA CAPPUCCINO is probably the safest bet.

So now that you know everything there is to know about espresso and why there seems to be a Starbucks on every corner of every city in every state in every country in the world, you can decide whether you want to join in on this worldwide phenomenon. But beware...if you decide not to join the crowd on this one, you will likely be left behind. A caffeine-powered work force is what made the world what it is today.

About the Author

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on espresso makers for A1 Coffee Makers.

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Espresso... What Espresso Machine Should I Buy? What is Espresso? An espresso machine is used to make traditional italian coffee which is known as espresso. Measurements of espresso are commonly referred to as “pulling” a shot. This term comes from espresso machines with long handles that need to be pulled in order to 'produce a shot' What Machine Should I Buy? There are many types of espresso machines available, which vary in quality. The really good ones control the temperature of the water to within a few degrees of what is considered optimum. How Long Does It Take To Make An Espresso Shot? It shouldn't take much longer than 20-30 seconds to make a rich shot of espresso. You can pull a shot of espresso into a pre-heated glass to maintain the right temperature of your drink. Milk based espresso drinks such as cappuccino also make use of steam wands built into the machine which steams and froths the milk. Does A Portafilter Make It Taste Better? Bottomless portafilters have the added advantage of ensuring the...

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