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To build a ristretto
My first time was on the Naval Support Activity base in Agnano Italy Circa 1994.
I still remember marveling at how small the cup was and how the sugar would sit on top of the crema before sinking to the bottom.
And the taste. To this day, when I am back in Naples, the taste of an espresso takes me back to 1994.
For the last 10 or so years, I have tried to make a Pavoni replicate that shot. Every once in a while, I'd get lucky. For the most part, I'd make cappuccino for my wife (born and lived in Naples until I stole her away) who would politely smile and say it's fine. But I knew it wasn't really.
Now that I have an L1, I've entered a realm where it's possible to make a true espresso. One that will take me back to 1994, one that my wife will say is wonderful, one that will have her family saying it's just like the espresso they get in Posillipo.
How do I do that? I have the tools, do I have the talent?
My grinder is a Rancillo Rocky which I think is good enough. The right beans are still a mystery but I think I need a darker roast.
One thing I do know is, Napoletani are a very pragmatic people so I don't think they are using expensive beans.
Any advice or tips for making a Napoletano espresso would be welcome and I really look forward to this thread.
I still remember marveling at how small the cup was and how the sugar would sit on top of the crema before sinking to the bottom.
And the taste. To this day, when I am back in Naples, the taste of an espresso takes me back to 1994.
For the last 10 or so years, I have tried to make a Pavoni replicate that shot. Every once in a while, I'd get lucky. For the most part, I'd make cappuccino for my wife (born and lived in Naples until I stole her away) who would politely smile and say it's fine. But I knew it wasn't really.
Now that I have an L1, I've entered a realm where it's possible to make a true espresso. One that will take me back to 1994, one that my wife will say is wonderful, one that will have her family saying it's just like the espresso they get in Posillipo.
How do I do that? I have the tools, do I have the talent?
My grinder is a Rancillo Rocky which I think is good enough. The right beans are still a mystery but I think I need a darker roast.
One thing I do know is, Napoletani are a very pragmatic people so I don't think they are using expensive beans.
Any advice or tips for making a Napoletano espresso would be welcome and I really look forward to this thread.
Comments
i don't think you'll have to try too hard
you want to use a dark roast (i.e. oil on the surface of the bean), being a blend with at least some robusta in it
as i wrote to you, we now only roast light - medium single estate coffees, but i don't think you will have too much trouble finding someone who can offer you a well assembled dark roast
be sure to pre-heat the cup with hot water too
kind regards
reiss.
Welcome! Reiss is correct, if you want to experience what you remember, you almost certainly want a blend with a decent amount of robusta. For starters, I'd find out what brand they serve at your wife's family's favorite bar. It could be Kimbo, Passalacqua, Gioia, Borbone... any of a number of regional roasters. Most likely they are using something in the neighborhood of 80/20 or 70/30, possibly even down to 50/50 (Kimbo Extra Creme is such a blend). Start there and then you can play around with what suits your palate.
For the record, I think some of the Italian blends are fabulous (of course, I am a bit biased). I buy the large 2.2 kilo bags, immediately freeze and store in small batches upon opening, then rotate between several different brands and styles. I have worked my way through quite a lot of the different roasters, both between what I have at home and also what I have when I'm traveling in Italy. If I can be of any help, please let me know.
Cordiali saluti,
Salvatore
Matt
I found Kimbo Extra Creme online so I'm going to try that first. I didn't know you could freeze coffee beans without affecting them too much. That's good to know.
Am I correct that I should be working for a 1:2 ratio of a 7 gram dose and 14 grams in the cup?
-David
Suffice to say the E10 I now have was, and continues to be, a revelation. The difference is out of this world.
That said - I'd gone down a long path of learning to taste coffee. For the longest time I was into the darker italian style coffee. But with the L1, my local cafe having a constant rotation of three new SO's every week and my own attempts at roasting, my tastes have changed.
There's more differentiation to be had in lighter roasts, more subtle flavours to be extracted.
I firmly believe a grinder upgrade will bring out the best in your coffee, in a big way - but you'll get more out of the experience if you expand your taste through the range of possible roasts!
I came across this link http://home.lamarzoccousa.com/brew-ratios-around-world/ that claims it to be a 1:3 if I read correctly 7grams would yield 21 grams.
But that seems high - thus my assumption of a 1:2 ratio might be more correct.
I'm asking my wife's mother and her boyfriend (her mom's boyfriend, not my wife's boyfriend
The next time I'm in Naples, I might ask a bar if I can spend some time behind the counter (for a fee) better understand the art of it.
i have read your source just now - i read 1:1 there too
reiss.
When ordering espresso in Naples, we never ask for ristretto per'se. We just ask for an espresso (cafe) and get the tiny shot of joy. I just assumed it was ristretto because of how little is in the cup.
The paragraph
"Of course, when talking about espresso, it’s impossible not to mention the birthplace of the espresso machine. If you’ve been to Italy at all, chances are you’ve either had an espresso or been in a cafe that serves espresso. What might be surprising, however, is that the traditional Italian method of making espresso is a 1:3 brew ratio. They have stuck to that formula for decades.So, while many specialty shops in the US and Europe use between 16-19 grams of coffee for espresso (yielding 24-38 grams of liquid), Italian cafes use about 7 grams of coffee that result in a 21 gram single shot of espresso."
your question related to ristretto as i understood it, which is 1:1, and i think the article to which you refer is in agreement with that too
By my estimation, a "caffè" is 7g IN/14g OUT if you are the only one ordering at the time. If you order two, they will use the double spout, and it's 14g in the basket, probably 28g OUT. Remember, however the output is still 1:2, but it is now shared between two cups. Therefore, in essence, you are always getting about the same volume in your cup: 14g or so (by my estimation), although I've probably been served as little as 10g at times.
I have never actually ordered a "ristretto," mostly due to the fact I think you might get some strange looks if you did. Remember, in Italy, it's just "caffè." Nothing to it. If you came to my house, however, and asked me for one, what I would do is still start with my standard 14g in the basket, but I'd choke the grind down a bit so you'd end up with around 14-16g in the cup. Tight, restricted, and compact are words that spring to mind. Of course, if you asked me for a single ristretto, it would be more in line with 8g IN/11g OUT using a single basket, which happens to be my go-to single shot anyway.
So, I'd agree with Reiss that my idea of what a proper ristretto should be is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:1.
Play around with it and see how it goes for you. Sample different coffees, as each roaster has a distinct flavor profile. All the bars I frequent in Italy are always picked based on the brand of coffee they use. If you should find yourself over there, whenever you have something enjoyable, be sure to ask not only what brand they are using (easy to tell by the logos on the cups), but also the blend. They will gladly tell you the ratio of Arabica/Robusta.
Salvatore
Matt
Grazie tante! I will certainly say your method of evaluation is more precise than mine. I just pulled myself a shot, thought it looked "about right" to what I might receive in Italy, and it measured out to 17g. So, while I can't say I've ever received some of the larger volumes you describe (>21g), so much can vary from bar to bar and region to region.
Glad to hear you enjoyed Torrefazione Cannaregio. I stopped in there on my last visit to Venezia (and, most likely, my LAST visit to Venezia... but that's another story) and also had a wonderful experience.
Salvatore
I'm very curious as to what happened to turn you off Venice so completely, as it is one of my favourite places, almost a second home. As this is rather off-topic, perhaps you would DM me the story, if you want to tell it.
Matt
https://ravecoffee.co.uk/products/the-italian-job-blend