All of your life when you wanted a cup of coffee in a café or restaurant you simply asked for a cup of coffee. Maybe you started going to your local Starbucks or other neighborhood coffee shop where you learned about espresso, mocha and lots of flavored coffee drinks. But then you went on vacation south of the border anywhere from Mexico to Argentina at the southern tip of South America. There you looked at the menu in a coffee shop and you did not see “coffee.” Rather you saw types of café. One of the choices was café Americano. The same thing might happen to you on a trip to Europe. What is café Americano? Is it what you want if you simply want a cup of coffee?
Coffee for Gis After World War II and Offshore Americans Today
In the aftermath of the Second World War there were more than a million US military stationed abroad with a significant fraction of those service personnel stationed in Europe. Those folks wanted a cup of coffee just like mom brewed up on the farm in Iowa, Illinois, or Indiana. Folks in Europe eventually caught on to that the GIs wanted and diluted two shots of espresso with about 120 milliliters of hot water. This process results in a coffee similar to that of a drip percolator albeit with a different process. They called it “American coffee or café Americano .This approach is still used today not just in Europe but elsewhere around the globe including in Mexico, Central America and South America. So, if you want a standard cup of coffee when visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, San Jose, Costa Rica, or Buenos Aires, Argentina, ask café Americano, “por favor.”
Is Café Americano Better Than Drip Coffee?
The caffeine content of café Americano is pretty much the same as coffee from a drip percolator. However, café Americano has a richer flavor due to the use of espresso instead of the drip percolator process. If you spend a significant amount of time out of the USA and routinely drink café Americano you will notice the difference when you come back home and start brewing your own coffee once again. The difference may be enough that you will start going to your local coffee shop where all coffee drinks start with espresso. Or you may simply buy an espresso machine and only buy finely ground coffee specially prepared for making espresso.
How Much of a Bother Is It to Make Espresso?
Making espresso is easy once you get used to it. However, you will need finely ground coffee and a scale for measuring accurately. You will need a special filter called a portafilter what should come with your machine. This filter holds the coffee grounds while boiling hot water is forced through during the espresso brewing process. Follow the instructions that come with your espresso machine and do not be discouraged when you do not immediately achieve expert results. Many find the process of making their own espresso sufficiently rewarding that it becomes their morning routine. You can even dilute a couple of shots of espresso with 120 milliliters of hot water if what you really want is the café Americano that you became accustomed to on your last trip to Paris, Florence, or Buenos Aires!