The Certified Italian Espresso and Cappuccino - Italian Espresso National Institute
Background
Since Autentico's objective is to provide our users with our top 10 picks of caffes/restaurants serving espresso/cappuccino in the selected US cities, we needed to base our ratings on the world's first certified benchmarks for espresso and cappuccino established in Italy.
In collaboration with the International Institute of Coffee Tasters and the Taster Study Center (Centro Studi Assaggiatori) with the objective of defining the highest quality espresso profile, the Italian Espresso National Institute was founded in 1998 to safeguard and promote espresso. The Institute obtained certification for espresso coffee with the mark Espresso Italiano (certificate of product conformity of Csqa n. 214 of 24 September 1999, DTP 008 Ed.1) and in 2006 the Institute obtained the certification for Cappuccino Italiano as well.
In collaboration with the International Institute of Coffee Tasters and the Taster Study Center (Centro Studi Assaggiatori) with the objective of defining the highest quality espresso profile, the Italian Espresso National Institute was founded in 1998 to safeguard and promote espresso. The Institute obtained certification for espresso coffee with the mark Espresso Italiano (certificate of product conformity of Csqa n. 214 of 24 September 1999, DTP 008 Ed.1) and in 2006 the Institute obtained the certification for Cappuccino Italiano as well.
Q&A
- What is Espresso? Espresso is the drink obtained by forcing adequately pressurized hot water through coffee powder. Espresso should not contain any additive or flavouring and should be free of any artificially added water.
- What is the Certified Italian Espresso? It is the drink-in-a-cup conforming to strict production specifications issued by the Italian Espresso National Institute and approved by a third-party Body operating in conformity with ISO standard 45011, (Csqa certificate n.214-24 September 1999). The sensory profile of the Certified Italian espresso has been determined through thousand of consumer tests carried out by the Italian Espresso National Institute in collaboration with the International Institute of Coffee Tasters and the Taster Study Center. The combined results of consumer tests and laboratory tests have given the definition of high quality espresso.
- What is the Certified Italian Espresso like? Italian Espresso has a hazelnut-coloured froth, verging on dark brown with tawny hinges. This cream has a very fine texture, which means its meash is tight and large or small bubbles are absent. The nose reveals an intense scent with notes of flowers, fruits, toasted bread and chocolate. All of these sensations are felt also after swallowing the coffee in the long lasting aroma that remains for several seconds, sometimes even for minutes. Its taste is round, substantial and smooth.Sour and bitter are well balanced and neither one prevails over the other. Astringency is absent or barely perceptible.
- How to make a Certified Italian Espresso? The Certified Italian Espresso can only be obtained from a qualified blend processed by means of a qualified machine and grinder-dispenser at the hands of a qualified barista, the Espresso Italiano Specialist. These four elements are fundamental.
- What are the most important technical parameters to make a Certified Italian Espresso? The essential requirement is starting from a qualified blend that is processed by means of a qualified grinder-dispenser and a qualified machine at the hands of a qualified operator, and complying to a few important parameters:
- Exit temperature of water from the unit: 88 deg C +/- 2 deg C
- Temperature of the drink in the cup: 67 deg C +/- 3 deg C
- Entry water pressure: 9 bar +/- 1
- Percolation time: 25 seconds +/- 5 seconds
- Viscosity at 45 deg C: > 1.5 mPa s
- Total fat: > 2 mg/ml
- Caffeine: < 100 mg/cup
- Millilitres in the cup (including froth): 25 ml +/- 2.5
- What is the ideal cup for for Italian Espresso? It is a white china cup, free of any inside decoration, elliptical in shape, with a capacity of 50-100 millilitres. This is the cup whereby it is possible to fully appreciate the look of an excellent froth, the precious smell and the warm and smooth taste of espresso.
- What is Certified Italian Cappuccino? A high quality cappuccino that abides by tradition is made of 25 ml espresso and 100 ml steam-foamed milk. At the basis of a Certified Italian Cappuccino there is always a Certified Italian Espresso, that is an espresso made in comformity with the rules set forth by the certification required to obtain the mark Espresso Italiano (certificate of product conformity CSQA n.214 of 24 September 1999, DTP 008 Ed.1).
- What kind of milk should be used? Fresh cow milk and have 3.2% minimum protein content and 3.5% minimum fats. This is the only kind of milk that can guarantee a high quality sensory profile.
- How to make a Certified Italian Cappuccino? A hundred millilitres of cold milk (3-5 deg C) are steamed until they achieve a volume of approximately 125ml and a temperature of approximately 55 deg C and then poured onto a Certified Italian Espresso into a cup of 150-160 ml capacity.
- What is the Certified Italian Cappuccino like? From a sensory standpoint, Certified Italian Cappuccino is of a white colour, trimmed with a brown edge of various thickness in the classical cappuccino, with decorations ranging from brown to hazelnut in the decorated cappuccino. The cream has a tight mesh with very fine or absent eye formation. The Certified Italian Cappuccino has an intense aroma combining the underlying scents of flowers and fruits with the bolder scents of milk, of toasted (cereals, caramel), chocolate (cocoa, vanilla) and dried fruits, Negative smoky and bio-chemical negative odours are absent. It discloses its remarkable body through an inviting sensation of cream and of high spherical perception, supported by a mild bitter taste and by a balanced, almost imperceptible acidity. Astringency is practically absent.
- What is the ideal cup for Cappuccino? It is a white feldspathic china cup, containing approximately 160 millilitres, the correct measure to contain 25 ml espresso and 100 ml steam-foamed milk (growing to a volume of about 125 ml). Cappuccino shall indeed be served in a cup that is full to the brim and its dome-shaped top shall be well in evidence. The shape is important too, because the moment when the steam milk is poured is the exact moment when coffee is incorporated, thus creating that perfect ring trimming the surface of classical cappuccino. Therefore, the bottom should be elliptical, of different thickness. The top of adequate width, should have a rather thin edge to convey the idea of elegance.
Definitions
Coffea Arabica - Is a species of coffea originally indigenous to the mountains of Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula and also from the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan.
Coffea Canephora (aka Robusta) - Is a species of coffee which has its origin in central and western sub-Saharan Africa. It is grown mostly in Africa and Brazil, where it is called Conillon. Is is also grown in Southeast Asia where French colonists introduced it in the late 19th century.
Espresso - A single shot of espresso of 25 ml is the basis for all drinks on the espresso menu served in an espresso porcelain cup with 50-100 ml capacity.
Espresso Ristretto - Espresso cup approximately 1/4 full.
Cappuccino - Contains 25 ml of espresso and 100 ml steam-foamed milk (growing to a volume of about 125 ml) in a Cappuccino cup with 150-160 ml capacity.
Caffe Latte - One shot of espresso topped with steam milk served in a latte glass.
Espresso Machiato - In Italian means "stained with" or "marked with". Machiato is more how you finish an espresso by simply pouring a very small amount of hot milk and top with a small head of foam over a shot of espresso. Can be a single or double shot of espresso.
Caffe Mocha - Is a hot chocolate with a shot of espresso added in a latte glass.
Americano - Is a shot of espresso diluted with hot water.
Coffea Canephora (aka Robusta) - Is a species of coffee which has its origin in central and western sub-Saharan Africa. It is grown mostly in Africa and Brazil, where it is called Conillon. Is is also grown in Southeast Asia where French colonists introduced it in the late 19th century.
Espresso - A single shot of espresso of 25 ml is the basis for all drinks on the espresso menu served in an espresso porcelain cup with 50-100 ml capacity.
Espresso Ristretto - Espresso cup approximately 1/4 full.
Cappuccino - Contains 25 ml of espresso and 100 ml steam-foamed milk (growing to a volume of about 125 ml) in a Cappuccino cup with 150-160 ml capacity.
Caffe Latte - One shot of espresso topped with steam milk served in a latte glass.
Espresso Machiato - In Italian means "stained with" or "marked with". Machiato is more how you finish an espresso by simply pouring a very small amount of hot milk and top with a small head of foam over a shot of espresso. Can be a single or double shot of espresso.
Caffe Mocha - Is a hot chocolate with a shot of espresso added in a latte glass.
Americano - Is a shot of espresso diluted with hot water.