Secrets to the perfect cup

Operations Guide for your Café Ristretto™ (continued)

To remove drip tray, lift out and toward you.

With a Sunbeam pump espresso machine and a little experience, you can create café-quality coffee at home. Here are a few helpful suggestions:

•A single shot of espresso should result in only 30-35mls of coffee.

•The grind of coffee is critical. Use a fine to medium grind for domestic espresso machines.

•A common mistake is running too much water through the ground coffee, resulting in a thin and bitter tasting espresso.

•Ensure your coffee grinds are ‘tamped’ evenly. ‘Tamping’ refers to the amount of pressure with which coffee grinds are packed into the filter.

•If your espresso pours too slowly, tamp the coffee grind more lightly, or try a coarser grind.

•If your espresso is thin and watery, tamp the coffee grinds harder, or try a finer grind.

•Always use cold milk and a clean stainless steel jug when steaming.

•Don’t boil the milk when steaming. The ideal temperature is when the jug becomes too hot to touch.

•Always use the freshest beans or ground coffee available and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place.

•Whole bean coffee stays fresh longer than ground coffee.

•When grinding your own coffee, never grind more than you will use for immediate brewing. Once ground, the coffee will begin to loose it’s flavour.

•Although not recommended, if you need to keep coffee for extended periods of time, it’s best to freeze the coffee. Although before use, ensure that the coffee has been allowed to thaw to room temperature.

•Keep your espresso machine clean and thoroughly rinsed. Run water through the brewing head and flush the steaming arm in fresh water after each use.

•Little things count – warming your cups, using filtered water and serving the coffee immediately after brewing do make a difference.