Lively, stimulating, and full of character: espresso represents the Italian sense of life and love of flavor.

But what makes this dense, black beverage a truly Italian original espresso? All you need are the five "golden rules"; follow them and you'll enjoy the pleasure of espresso at home, just like in the cafè.

Our technician and barista Giovanni Coialbu, who works in the quality lab in the Cellini plant in Genoa, has some advice for you.

The blend
One of the qualitative characteristics of espresso is the harmonious relationship between acidity and bitterness. But a perfect espresso also boasts a full aroma and a rich body. A single coffee source is not enough to achieve all of this – you need a blend of multiple sources: Fine Arabica, grown exclusively in the highlands and of extremely high quality, and prized Robusta, to enrich the fullness of body of the coffee. All of our blends have an especially high percentage of Arabica and are distinguished by their delicate aroma and lower caffeine content.

The grinding
Grinding is an essential factor in the perfect flavor of espresso. This process celebrates the content of the coffee beans, so that the hot water releases the aroma and develops it fully. Our ground blends are distinguished by their optimal granulometry.
For an automatic coffee machine or espresso machine, you need to select a grind level between fine and medium. For a cup with approximately 30 mL of espresso, you need about 7 g of coffee (50 beans).

The machine
The espresso machine is the other essential element in preparing espresso coffee. It must heat the water to a temperature between 88 and 92°C, and must have an extraction pressure of 8-10 bar in order to fully release the most delicate components of aroma and flavor. This is how to properly develop the "crema". The crema must be brown in color, long-lasting, and thick.
Naturally, you can also prepare an excellent coffee at home, without a professional machine, using the classic moka espresso maker. However, you must be careful to follow certain rules:
a) add the ground coffee to the filter without pressing down, using about 7 g of product for each cup;

b) insert the filter into the boiler, filled in advance with water to the level of the safety valve, firmly screw on the upper receptacle, and place it on the burner over a low flame. Never allow the coffee to boil because this will create an unpleasant flavor; before serving in the cup, stir the coffee with a spoon in the receptacle of the coffeemaker.

The hand
The professionalism of the barista is also a determining factor. His or her ability to understand the coffee product celebrates a quality espresso. He or she is directly involved in all the elements analyzed above.
In order to prepare coffee at home, the passion that each of us brings to the preparation of this superb beverage is very important.

Maintenance
Espresso machines must be kept constantly "under control", in order to maintain peak efficiency.
The filters, filter holders, sprayheads, and underpan seals must be checked every day. The sprayheads must be cleaned using the "blind filter" and a special detergent for espresso machines. It's good practice to soak the filters and filter holders in a water bath overnight.
Weekly, or as advised by your installing technician, you must regenerate the resins from the purifier. This function is done automatically, at a given time of day set during the week.
Wear and tear on the filters, gaskets, and sprayheads must be checked monthly.
Mechanical parts subject to wear must be overhauled annually by qualified personnel.
Proper maintenance of the coffee machine makes it possible to offer a product that is always perfect. Very often, changes in the flavor of the coffee can be traced to encrustations that have formed in the filters, filter holders, and sprayheads.
The grinder/doser must be kept in perfect operating condition. Every week, the bell jar must be carefully washed and dried,  and the doser must be cleaned of oily substances with a stiff-bristled brush.
Both the wear of the grinders and the precise weight in grams delivered by the doser must be checked monthly.