Espresso Variations! How to Make Cuban Coffee, Con Panna, and Roma Espresso?

Under the high-pressure extraction of an espresso machine, the essence from the coffee puck is concentrated into a small, exquisite cup of coffee, which serves as the foundation for all espresso-based beverages—the "espresso." When espresso machines were invented, espresso began to gain popularity worldwide. However, during that time, economic depression and trade embargoes restricted the circulation of quality coffee beans, forcing people to use inferior beans for extraction.

To mask the unpleasant flavors of inferior beans, people at that time would roast coffee beans to an extremely dark level. Unsurprisingly, the espresso extracted from these beans had an intensely bitter and burnt taste that stimulated people's palates, making it unbearable. Consequently, some people who couldn't tolerate bitterness, like those at FrontStreet Coffee, would find various ways to dilute the bitterness of espresso. For example, the "Romano Espresso" with lemon and sugar that FrontStreet Coffee shared a few days ago is one such method.

Besides lemon, many different substances can be added to espresso. Without changing the essence of espresso, they dilute the coffee's bitterness, making it more palatable and allowing people to enjoy this brief moment of deliciousness. Therefore, as the title suggests, FrontStreet Coffee is here to share content about creative ways to drink espresso today! Let's explore the different ways espresso can be enjoyed!

Ristretto and Lungo

Ristretto and Lungo are likely already familiar to everyone, so FrontStreet Coffee will give a brief introduction. Both are members of the espresso family—specifically, the short-extraction and long-extraction versions of espresso! By limiting/extending the extraction time of espresso to reduce bitterness/dilute concentration, they make espresso more acceptable to people.

Adding Sugar Directly

Adding sugar to coffee is the most common approach! Sugar not only reduces the bitterness of coffee but also makes the entire cup more palatable due to the presence of sweetness. So if you don't want too much trouble, adding sugar is definitely the simplest method.

Sugar also comes in many varieties! The most common sugars in coffee are white sugar and brown sugar. If you don't need too much sweetness, adding 5g of white sugar to a 40ml double shot of espresso will suffice; if you prefer it sweeter, you can increase the sugar amount to 10g or switch to brown sugar. If you think it's still not sweet enough, why not try "Cuban Espresso."

Cuban Espresso with Brown Sugar

Besides the mojito mentioned in Jay Chou's song, Cuban Espresso is another famous beverage from Cuba! By adding a large amount of brown sugar, the coffee is transformed into a more popular drink. Although traditional Cuban coffee is made with moka pot coffee, with the evolution of times, espresso has become more popular. The specific method for this Cuban-style espresso involves dividing the espresso extraction into two parts: during the extraction process, first collect a small amount of coffee liquid and pour it into a cup containing a large amount of brown sugar, then stir until it foams!

When all the sugar has dissolved and the coffee becomes thick, simply add the remaining espresso and stir again, and you're done~

Macchiato with a Small Amount of Milk Foam

But many friends don't like the sweetness that sugar brings, so why not try adding a small amount of milk to dilute the bitterness and concentration of coffee with the lactose and flavor of milk? Coincidentally, Macchiato is exactly such a drink!

"Macchiato" translates to "mark" or "stain" because in the past, people would ask baristas to add a small amount of milk to espresso to dilute the bitterness. However, espresso with just a small amount of milk added doesn't look much different from other espressos in appearance. Pop quiz: which of the following espressos has milk added?

(Answer revealed: the one on the right~) When coffee orders pile up, baristas can easily give the wrong product to customers. Therefore, to distinguish them, baristas would garnish the surface with a small amount of milk foam to mark the espresso with milk added. That's how Macchiato got its name.

Con Panna with Cream

If you want to enjoy a non-bitter espresso while also experiencing a very rich, smooth texture, then Con Panna is definitely the perfect choice! Like Macchiato, Con Panna is a very traditional Italian coffee~ Its full name is "Espresso Con Panna," which translates to "espresso with cream," but people generally习惯 to abbreviate it as "Con Panna," which directly translates to "康宝蓝"!

As its name suggests, this coffee consists only of espresso and cream. The presence of cream not only diminishes the bitterness of coffee but also brings a richer taste experience with its dense, soft texture. The preparation method is very simple—just add cream to espresso. The amount of cream added should be based on your personal preference—add as much as you'd like~ Many friends might also think of Affogato, but Affogato is considered a coffee dessert that goes beyond the scope of drinking, so it's not included here~

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