Coffee educator Allie Caran digs into the details in making a perfect espresso in this three minute video over at Business Insider.
The main takeaway from the video is that there’s a lot of variables involved, and if you want to get the best espresso possible you need to know how to control them. To some extent that’s the goal of this site as well, but Caran’s explanations are much more succinct than mine.
Another point she touches on is the relatively recent trend of drinking sparkling water with your espresso. Some cafes — notably Blue Bottle here in San Francisco — provide a shot glass filled with sparkling water along with your espresso. Time will tell whether this trend is here to stay or is just a passing fad. If nothing else, drinking water after your espresso will make your dentist happy.