Espresso

1. Assumption

Before learning about coffee and specifically espresso, I did not know that the brewing of coffee originated in the Ottoman Empire. I thought that the brewing of coffee beans began in Latin America. By reading Caffeinated History for class, I learned that during the 16th century the Ottomans began roasting coffee beans, grinding the beans, and boiling them in water in order to release coffee’s strong aroma.

2. Dish

I chose espresso because it is an Italian aromatic drink that can be consumed at all times of the day. Espresso is a black coffee which is made by forcing highly pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee beans.

This is a picture of a small cup of espresso with coffee beans in the background. The steam and coffee beans remind one of its strong aroma.

3. Chemical Analysis

Espresso is an Italian aromatic drink that is made from forcing highly pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is often described as having a strong smell and bitter taste. One can smell espresso because the aroma molecules (terpenes) are volatile and travel throughout the air to your nose. This drink has volatile molecules because the steam is composed of molecules that can travel throughout the air and are in the gas phase. The aroma molecules also evaporate over time which gives coffee its constant smell. The process of a person experiencing the smell occurs through signal transduction. Signal transduction begins with the aroma molecules binding to the GPCR proteins (transmembrane) which are embedded in the cell membrane in the lining of the nasal passages. Then the alpha subunit of the G-protein binds to the GTP. The GTP binds to and activates the enzyme adenylate cyclase which makes a second messenger called cyclic AMP (cAMP). This causes an increase in Ca2+ and Na+ cations into the cell and will eventually cause neurotransmission. Neurotransmission is the process that communicates the aroma with the brain and allows the person to smell. The smell of the espresso also contributes to its taste.

The communication of taste is similar to smell because both processes have GPCR proteins and are types of signal transduction. During signal transduction, a signal travels through the cell with the help of proteins and small molecules. When the bitter taste molecules bind to the GPCR, the alpha subunit binds to the GTP. The GTP travels along the membrane and activates the phospholipase C enzyme which produces IP3 (a second messenger). The IP3 will cause in increase in Ca2+ which will eventually lead to neurotransmission. During neurotransmission, the brain gets a signal which is interpreted as bitter taste. The bitter taste can be attributed to the nitrogen atoms and carbon rings of caffeine.

4. Cultural Analysis

The first coffeehouses began opening in Venice in 1645. Coffee started off as a beverage that the upper class drank. Eventually, as more and more coffeehouses were established, coffee became a beverage that all classes drank. For many working class people, having excellent coffee was a luxury. People throughout Europe wanted to grow their own coffee plants instead of importing coffee from Arab countries. The Arabian coffee traders wanted to have a monopoly, so they boiled the coffee beans to make them infertile before they exported the beans. After some time, the Dutch smuggled fertile coffee beans out of an Arab country and was able to create the first successful coffee plantation outside the Middle East. This led to the spread of coffeehouses throughout Europe.

In Venice the number of coffeehouses grew as the popularity of coffee grew. Coffeehouses were places where people could play games, read, and socialize. In 1759, the city had to pass a law limiting the number of coffeehouses to 206 because the government worried about politicians doing illicit acts. This shows how the number of coffeehouses in Venice grew quickly and that the demand for coffee was high in Venice. It also shows how the act of drinking coffee was a social experience, created camaraderie, and was a part of the Venetians everyday lives. In 1884 it is believed that Angelo Moriondo from Turin, Italy invented the espresso machine. This invention was the first machine that combined both water and steam. Later in the 20th century, Luigi Bezzera and Desiderio Pavoni invented the single shot espresso machine. Their changes to the original espresso machine created a cup of coffee that took a few seconds to make. Another man named Achille Gaggia perfected the espresso machine after World War II. The espresso machine continued to evolve as technology evolved. To this day, espresso is a popular drink which Italians sip (in order to savor) at any time of the day.

5. Integration

Making espresso is a quick process and is similar to the speed at which coffee’s popularity spread throughout Europe and the city of Venice. Even though this beverage is quick to make, people slowly sip their espresso while relaxing and socializing with others. The process of making and drinking espresso can be connected to coffee’s volatile property. When the espresso is quickly made it is served hot which causes the aroma molecules to evaporate at a fast speed. As the espresso cools down, the rate at which evaporation of the aroma molecules slows down. The volatile espresso will continue to slowly evaporate just as the person slowly savors each sip. One can enjoy talking with other people and appreciate the smell that spreads around the coffeehouse from the aroma molecules evaporating a little at a time.

Sources

https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/09/coffee-origins-coffee-history-ottoman-empire-how-did-coffee-spread.html

http://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-coffee/

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/07/14/535638587/italys-coffee-culture-brims-with-rituals-and-mysterious-rules

https://i0.wp.com/hungryhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/history-of-coffee.jpg?resize=758%2C569

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-long-history-of-the-espresso-machine-126012814/

https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/how-to/italian-coffee-culture/

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