The quality of true espresso assumes indispensable etiquette and serving of the coffee, in a so-called “coffee ceremony”. The value, according to the Certificate of the Italian Espresso, is the ware in which the coffee is served.

Ideally, what should be used for espresso (“ristretto”, “normale”, and “lungo” is a white cup made from thick-walled porcelain, covered with enamel proof. It should be the elliptic form, truncated inside, with a space of about 75 ml. Such a cup, at the expense of the big thermal capacity and the unique shape, gives a chance for the drinker to value the magnificent foam, fine aroma, and the warmness and softness of the espresso.

Despite the fact that the cup contains 75 ml, the maximum serving under the Certificate is 50 ml for “Lungo”. For “normale” it’s 30 ml, and for “Ristretto” it’s 25 ml. The most appropriate dosage is “ristretto”, because in the first 25 seconds under pressure the coffee blend extracts all the best substances: glukonats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, aromatic oils, and all other unnecessary substances remain in the filter.

How does a barista preparing Italian espresso define whether a product corresponds to the accepted standards? First of all the taste – a well trained expert can give a good estimate of the contents of a small cup thanks to their excellent senses of perception. However, if he doesn’t want to try too many coffees in one day, there are also other ways to define the quality.

For example, true espresso is made with a quality machine at a speed of 1 ml a second. So, in order to prepare, for example, “lungo”, only 50 seconds is required. Therefore, the design of a good espresso machine guarantees that when using correct grinding, you will receive 25 ml of a drink with all the best components of coffee present.

If the preparation takes less than 15 second, it means that the hot water did not take with itself all the necessary parts for good coffee, leaving a part of them in the final mix that leads to an unbalanced, more bitter taste. If the preparation lasts longer than necessary, then some unpleasant and caustic elements are getting into the coffee.