Homemade Espresso Drinks

Making your own espresso drinks may take a little bit of practice to perfect, but nevertheless, it is worth the effort. The first step to making your own espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, etc. is to purchase a good quality espresso maker.

Espresso Machines
This is where you will need to decide just how much of a caffeine addict you really are.  If you consume an espresso drink once in a blue moon, you may consider investing in a less expensive machine.  Though if you go this route, I must warn you that machines which are under $50 are more likely to give you headaches.  I started off with a less expensive machine and had to deal with several messes when I first started.  If you opt for a more expensive machine, you will have an easier time operating it and will have much better tasting espresso.

Either way, there are many machines to choose from.  Just be aware that there are two basic types of machines.  One machine type has nobs which is a manual machine and the automatic machine has buttons.  I prefer the machine with nobs since espresso made by hand is almost always better than when it is made from an automatic machine.  I recommend the Mr Coffee ECMP50 Espresso/ Cappuccino Maker.  If you chose this model, you will need to purchase a carafe or demitasse in addition to the machine. 

Selecting Espresso Beans
Although espresso is usually ground just prior to making, it is possible to find already ground beans.  If you prefer to start with already ground beans, just be sure the container says "espresso" on it.  If you do not have a coffee bean grinder but want to buy whole beans, simply buy a small bag of beans that say "espresso beans," and dump them in the grinder at your grocery store.  Set the grinder to espresso so that it will give you a fine grind, and put the bag in the machine so that it will catch the grounds.  Once you get home, be sure to put the espresso grounds in the freezer.  If you have a coffee grinder, you will be free to buy espresso beans in bulk.  Just be sure that whatever brand you decide to try says "espresso" on the container.  This will give you the best results when it comes to flavor.  If you like grinding your beans just prior to making espresso, be sure to keep the bag of beans in the freezer so they will stay fresh and will not go bad.  You will always have a better flavor if the beans are kept frozen after opening the container.

Getting Started Making Espresso
Once you have your espresso machine, read the instructions well and follow them closely.  You will need to learn the right amount of pressure with which to tamp the grounds in order to get the best tasting espresso.  You will also need to get used to steaming milk.  If you like lattes, you'll need to learn how to steam milk without making foam.  If you like cappuccinos, you'll have to learn how to steam the milk so it will make foam.  Since every machine has different specifications for tamping the grounds and steaming, I cannot really give you advice on how to do this.  The best thing will be trial and error and of course, following the instruction manual.

Once you've become familiar with your machine, it may be a good time to invest in an espresso making book or guide.  I am a fan of Cappuccino Espresso: the Book of Beverages.  This book gives a good history of the drink as well as tips for buying espresso beans and a guide for making good espresso.  You will also find plenty of recipes for different types of espresso drinks to include recipes frappe drinks, which are well known from Starbuck's "Frapuccino." 

Overall, if you are a big coffee drinker, you will love this investment.  Espresso drinks are so much better than regular coffee that you may never want to make drip coffee again.  If you are already a big consumer of espresso drinks, you'll find that you'll easily make your money back since you'll be able to make your own cappuccino or latte before running out the door instead of dropping $4 or more for every visit to Starbucks.

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