Delicious and aromatic coffee is able to cheer up and charge positive for the whole day. Most people prefer other types of this drink a large cup of hot Americano. It will be interesting for real coffee lovers to find out how Americano coffee appeared, how it is made at home, and what is the fundamental difference between it and espresso.

Americano coffee - what is it

Currently, there are many ways to prepare this invigorating drink - cappuccino, latte, Americano, espresso, lungo, ristretto ... It is easy to get confused in such a variety, since it is not always possible to understand what is the fundamental difference between one coffee cocktail and another. Often, new coffee lovers wonder what exactly is American coffee. Diluted espresso? Or is it an independent drink that only pros can cook?

Americano is one of the varieties of coffee drink, the basis of which is a strong espresso diluted with water.

He owes his appearance to American soldiers who were in Italy after the end of World War II. The taste of espresso was too intense for them, so the barista was thought to dilute the classic drink with water. This made Americano softer, while not compromising the quality of the finished drink.

Since then, Americano has firmly established itself in the list of the most popular coffee drinks. During this time, several recipes for its original preparation appeared.

The composition and calorie content of the drink

Americano contains 2 main components - espresso and water. The caloric content of such a drink is in the range of 4 to 7 kcal.If you add milk, sugar, cream or honey to coffee, then the calorie content can increase by about 7 times. It should also be borne in mind that if a drink is made from soluble, not natural, raw materials, then its nutritional value is doubled.

 

Americano attracts many with its low-calorie and low caffeine content, this is especially true for losing weight and people suffering from obesity and problems with the cardiovascular system.

Classic Italian Americano Recipe

To make an authentic drink, you will need a coffee machine, freshly ground arabica or robusta grains and water.

  1. 7 grams of freshly ground coffee are laid in the machine and no more than 35 ml of water is added.
  2. When the preparation of the drink is finished, and this happens in about 30 seconds, it is diluted with water.
  3. Classic Americano according to Italian technology has a strict proportion: they take 120 ml of water for 7 grams of espresso. This is the only way to get an original Italian drink.

As a rule, other ingredients are not added to it. But if you really want to, you can enrich it with cream or sugar to reveal new facets of taste. However, when you add any ingredients other than sugar, you get another drink, which can not be called Americano.

Italian at home

If you wanted to enjoy Americano at home, then cooking it would not be difficult, it is only important to maintain a coffee recipe:

  1. Espresso is first brewed. This can be done both in the coffee machine and in the Turk. For the second option, you need to mix 2 teaspoons of freshly ground coffee, the same amount of sugar and a pinch of coarse salt.
  2. All components are put in a Turk and put on fire. The appearance of a pleasant smell and the first signs of drilling are expected, after which no more than 50 ml of water is added.
  3. As soon as the foam begins to form, coffee is poured into a thick-walled cup and allowed to brew for at least 10 minutes.
  4. Then the resulting drink is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1. If desired, cream, milk or sugar are added.

Some housewives make a mistake while making coffee: they immediately brew a drink with a high water content. This variation is not classic Americano. Well, God would be with him, but only with this method of cooking, the taste of the drink deteriorates.

European cooking option

For this kind of Americano, espresso is first brewed and then diluted in 90 ml of hot water. This allows you to make the drink less saturated. It is suitable for adherents of a healthy lifestyle, as it contains little caffeine.

There are 2 options for serving coffee:

  • or it is immediately diluted with water;
  • or bring 2 containers for self-mixing to the client.

Thus, the greatest complexity and importance is the preparation of delicious espresso, which is the basis of traditional Americano.

Differences between Americano and Espresso

Despite the fact that one drink comes from another, there are significant differences between coffee and Americano espresso:

Taste and strength.

  • Espresso is a highly concentrated version of a coffee drink that perfectly reveals the taste and aroma of roasted beans. Such coffee has a pleasant bitterness and a long finish, in which subtle, subtle notes of walnut are guessed.
  • Americano is diluted with water in a certain proportion, so the taste becomes softer, but the aroma, saturation and aftertaste leave.

True coffee aficionados like espresso more, as it reveals a rich aroma and taste. Americano is an ideal option for people who rarely drink coffee and do not like the characteristic bitterness in such a drink.

So, the answer to the question of which coffee is stronger, unequivocal - this is undoubtedly espresso. Only Lungo is stronger than him.

The second difference between Americano and espresso is volume.

  • In classic espresso, it is up to 70 ml. Coffee is always served in small thick-walled cups that retain the warmth and taste of the product.
  • Americano is served in containers up to 200 ml, and in some cases up to 250 ml. The dishes do not really matter; these can be both thin-walled cups and glass glasses.

Therefore, do not confuse these two completely different drinks. They have fundamental differences, and an incorrectly made order may interfere with enjoying the original taste of coffee drinks.

Americano - a kind of modification of the classic Italian espresso, which managed to win many fans around the world. To get a drink that is as close as possible to the original, you should responsibly approach the preparation of espresso, as it is in it that the guarantee of success of a delicious Americano is. If you follow all the recommendations, you can enjoy a delicious and low-calorie coffee drink that is perfect for people who can’t tolerate the rich and tart taste of espresso.

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