What is the right cup for an espresso?

No matter how good is the espresso we prepare, we often forget to give the most importance to an important subject: his serving.

Coffee has long ceased to be considered a simple, everyday habit and has found the place he deserves in the gastronomic universe. Modern coffee lovers employ a real arsenal of knowledge, ranging from the composition of blends to all factors that influence coffee extraction, such as temperature, grind deegree and extraction time. Especially with regard to the preparation of a correct espresso, the factors are so many that are about to become science. Often, a basic step for the enjoyment of espresso is neglected: proper serving.

Of course, everyone knows that the espresso should be prepared at the time it is ordered, served immediately, at the right temperature and consumed quickly, ideally before its crema falls. But we often do not give the proper meaning to an important part of serving espresso: the cups!

In other places, such as wine or cocktail, it is certain that the right glass plays a huge role, both in the overall enjoyment of the drink and, ultimately, in its taste. No one thinks to serve a Old Fashioned in a tall and fine glass, as no one would serve a Margarita in a thick and low glass. In coffee but especially in espresso, it is often seen that coffee is served in the wrong glasses, which remove points from the overall experience and change, more or less, the taste of coffee.

We gathered some basic characteristics that espresso cups should have in order to enjoy our favorite coffee in the best possible way. Although most specialized espresso cups and glasses meet these specifications, it is good to have these things in our mind, especially if we are planning to buy more cups for our collection.

What standards have the proper espresso cups to meet?

Material: When talking about espresso cups, it is well known that they should be made of porcelain. Porcelain cups are indissolubly linked to the history of espresso, and are found in all traditional Italian espresso bars. Beyond the aesthetic piece, porcelain ensures a correct and even distribution of temperature and minimizes the likelihood of coffee reaching a flat flavor within a few minutes.

 

Size: The ideal cup size for espresso is 60-90ml for single espresso and slightly larger for lungo or for double espresso. In larger sized cups, the coffee temperature drops faster, on the other hand the crema dissolves much easier. We can improve this feature by pre-heating our cups (filling them with hot water) before serving coffee, but it is important that our cups are of the right size.

Shpae: The cups we choose must be shaped to "embrace" the espresso. As excessive as it may sound, the shape of our cup can affect both the flavor and the smell of our favorite coffee. The bottom of our cup should be suitably tilted to help the crema float on the surface, but also better diffuse the aroma of coffee. Still, the cup should be shaped to allow us to enjoy our espresso until the last sip - we are talking about a coffee that is rich in flavor but a little in a cup. Cups in weird shapes can be beautiful aesthetically, but generally good to avoid.

Thickness: Espresso fanatics prefer cups with thick walls and thick lips. The reason is so much easier to maintain the temperature and the fact that the thickness of the glass makes it easier and more enjoyable every sip of espresso.

 

Color: As far as color is concerned, there is of course no limit to the outer color of the cup, which can be white, monochrome or even colorful, with fanciful designs. However, for a complete espresso experience, it is good for the cup inside to be white so that we can easily distinguish the different color tones in both the cream and the drink itself. This tip may seem too much, but it is difficult to find an espresso bar in Italy with non-white cups.

Handle: Entering even more detailed details, it is worth mentioning that the handle that has an espresso cup should be ergonomic, easy to hold and allow us to hold the cup only from this without the need to touch the espresso cup our fingers in the main body of the cup.

 

Espresso was never a simple matter. Enrich your collection with the right espresso cups and enjoy your coffee as a real Italian. It's the detail that makes the difference in the coffee we deserve!