passes through the coffee, it is important that it be clean and in good working order. The BlendA blend is any combination of "single-origin" coffees. Because few single-origin coffees provide all the flavors and aromas necessary for a good espresso, roasters blend several coffees together to achieve the taste they desire. The Grinder/DoserThe coffee grinder/doser crushes the beans into small particles for brewing. However, there is no "ideal" particle size; the barista must decide how coarse to make the ground in order to achieve the flavor he desires. The HandThe skill of the operator is of great importance in espresso making - even with today's technically advanced machines. Coffee BrewingProper brewing enhances the taste of coffee by allowing you to extract the proper amount of flavor from the bean. Espresso CoffeeEspresso is a coffee beverage prepared using water under pressure and served in a preheated demitasse cup. When made correctly, espresso has a top layer of golden foam, known as crema. Traditionally, espresso is prepared by a master coffee maker, or barista. To enhance the quality of his/her espresso, a trained barista generally concerns him/herself with four things: The MachineBecause the espresso machine controls the temperature and pressure of the water as it