Espresso connoisseurs, familiar with Italian caffe, complain that the vast majority of the espresso in North America is poorly prepared and often undrinkable as espresso. Instead of being the essence of coffee that it is supposed to be, the average espresso is weak, bitter, without aroma and generally unsatisfying. Many have little or no crema, the essence of a great espresso.

European espresso tends to be a denser, bitter-sweet brew with a thick head of crema and intense, distinctive flavour profiles. Although there are differences in roasting styles even between Northern and Southern Italy, there is a consensus as to what the perfect espresso should be.

European espresso blends are characterized by their lighter roast and, surprisingly to North Americans, a small (5 - 10%) amount of high grade robusta coffee beans are often included. The emphasis is on high-grade robusta as opposed to the low- grade robusta often used to make canned coffee and instant coffee.

The lightest of the espresso roasts is called a Full City Roast. The definition of Full City Roast (by the Specialty Coffee Association of America) is the darkest brown that a coffee bean can be roasted without oils developing on the surface of the bean.

Not by coincidence, this roast degree is also the most commonly recognized ideal roast for almost all coffees, whether intended for espresso or for "conventional" brewing methods. A roaster can best show off premium-grade arabica coffee with a light roast. All of the nuances and flavours of the individual coffee variety are preserved and highlighted. A lightly roasted espresso blend offers no dark-roast "mask" to cover an inferior grade of coffee. It means that more flavour is available to extract - the barista can extract more golden crema into the cup before the coffee is exhausted. This is the style of roast favoured in Northern Italy and Northern Europe.

In Milan, Italy the espresso ristrettos are generally one ounce using one of the area's most popular espresso blends (ristretto means "restricted" - the espresso is restricted to the first, most flavourful part of the pour).

Roasting the coffee beans to a darker brown, just past a full city roast, produces visible surface oils on the coffee bean. This roast is variably called Vienna Roast or Light French. However it is typical of espresso blends found farther south in Italy, around Florence.

In the finished cup of espresso, the more subtle of the coffee flavours are lost, having been replaced by the dominance of the roast, which is beginning to take on burnt overtones. In this style the bite of the roasting flavour is more present in the espresso. Also, a little less flavour is available because the flavour oils, having been extruded on to the surface of the bean, are lost more quickly from exposure to the air.

Roasting coffee beans nearly black - with a full coat of surface oils - is generally referred to as French or Italian Roast. These beans may look great in the coffee bin, with a heady, rich aroma and seem to promise the ultimate in espresso experience.

In truth, these beans are shiny because dark roasting has caused most of the "flavour-oils" to sweat out. Much of the subtle essence of the coffee is destroyed by the prolonged exposure to heat during the roasting process. The oily sheen on the surface of the beans means any remaining flavours are exposed to the air, where staling can develop more quickly.

What's left is not the "coffee" flavour, but the caramelization of sugars - and caffeine, of course. It is also possible to use lower quality (and lower cost) beans, since the inferior qualities of the coffee are masked by the strong roast taste.

This espresso features a sharp, bitter bite in the finished cup. It is commonly taken with sugar if it is to be consumed straight, and pulled very short.

In Naples, along the Via Roma, this espresso is served ristretto (3/4 of an ounce). The tazzini (small ceramic cups) are kept in hot water baths so that they are the exact temperature of the espresso, and so that every drop of delicate crema survives.

In the espresso extraction process, water-soluble substances are dissolved from the ground coffee, the same as in regular coffee brewing. Additionally, under the 8 - 10 bar of espresso machine pressure, non-soluble oils in the ground espresso are emulsified and it is this pressure that forces the oils out and into the cup as crema. It transforms the properties of the coffee in terms of its mouth feel, density, viscosity, aroma and taste. Since the oils in the ground coffee have to be emulsified to be an espresso, a thick, crema is the single most important indicator of espresso quality. It should be rich, velvety, and plentiful with the aroma and fragrance captured in it. Moreover, the colour of the crema is the single most important indicator of the freshness of the coffee. Reddish-brown crema indicates an excellent espresso made from high-quality coffee, recently roasted, and properly ground just prior to infusion. The older the coffee is from the roast date and/or the longer the espresso has been in ground form and in contact with the enemy oxygen, the lighter the colour of the crema and the less desirable the espresso will be. A light golden colour crema indicates a poor quality espresso. The 4 "M's" (below) can either enhance or detract from the quest for perfect espresso.

The Italians have a word for it - Machelli. It means that four distinct factors have worked in combination to provide the perfect cup of espresso. The 4 "M's" of espresso success are:

-La Macchina (the machine)
-La Miscela (the blend of coffee)
-La Macinadosatore (the grind and dose)
-La Mano (the barista or operator)

The perfect cup is hot and always absolutely fresh and made to order. The demitasse cups it will be served in will be pre-heated. The espresso will be 1 to 2 ounces in size, unless it is ordered ristretto, where it may be less than 1 ounce.

The perfect espresso will be dressed in a thick mantle of delicate, reddish-brown foam known as crema. The crema should be thick enough to crawl up the sides and cling there when the cup is tilted and the liquid swirled around.

The flavour is balanced, somewhat sweet, never burnt, sour or bitter. This is the result of skillful blending and roasting of the beans as well as careful preparation of the brew itself. A blend is desirable because no one variety of coffee bean has the full range of taste characteristics that contribute to good espresso. A good blend for espresso should have body, acidity, flavour and aroma. The aroma is rich but never acrid or bitter.

The roast must be just dark enough to bring out the desired flavour characteristics but should never be allowed to carbonize or burn. Roasting darker for espresso is done to provide body - but not acidity, since acidity is amplified through the espresso method.

True espresso gives a taste sensation that is pleasing and of substance. It provides a rich and satisfying burst of flavour with a pleasing aftertaste.

The taste of a truly excellent espresso is a special experience and when recalled, it is always with pleasure and anticipation. The perfect espresso is a small but brilliant jewel of flavour . . . the quality of the flavour is more important than the quantity.

Coffee is a serious business in Italy. For example a regular customer at a Rome espresso bar orders her espresso this way - "caffe macchiato tiepido al vetro senza schiuma" (literally "spotted, tepid coffee in a glass without foam". She makes it sound like a normal way to ask for a morning coffee. Which it is, in the country that invented espresso. Italy is famous for its espressos and cappuccinos and Italians take it very seriously.

What espresso and cappuccino are even served in can create endless debate.
Sergio Testa, a spokesman for the large Turin-based Lavazza S.p.A. coffee company, suggests that coffee in a glass "may stimulate the body more because one is able to see it". For Stefano Santini, a a barman and glass fan, it is simply cremier and cleaner."

Vasco Caldani, a coffee connoisseur and director of La Tazza D'Oro S.p.A. calls coffee in a glass " an aberration and a horror." At the famous La Tazza D'Oro bar near the Pantheon (reputed to serve Rome's best espresso), coffee is available only in porcelain cups.

Espresso is a institution in Italian life. An increase in espresso prices is front page news. Over 2,000 companies roast and deliver coffee, compared to a handful in most other Western European countries. Served by baristas who spend there life perfecting the art of espresso, a coffee provides the most common pretext for an animated and lively discussion of the week's soccer activity. It is usual to consume the espresso at the bar, often in a single gulp, and sometimes to the accompaniment of a "brioche" or a "cornetto" (a sweet croissant).

An espresso can be "lungo" long - a comparative term for a coffee that may take three swallows to consume instead of two. Or "ristretto" (restricted) - a mere centimeter of concentrated liqiuid - in the bottom of the cup. Or "corretto" (corrected) - with some "grappa" (grape liquer) or other alcohol added. Or "machiatto" - marked with a small amount of milk whose temperature should be clarified to the "barista" (barman).

These terms may be used in combination. "Un caffe ristretto machiatto" is a short espresso marked with a few drops of milk. And the phrase " al volo" may be added, as in "un caffe lungo coretto al volo". "Al volo" literally means "in flight"; if you ask for your coffee this way, you're in a hurry.

The amount of foam is a delicate subject in Italy. "It's a tricky subject," says Mr. Caldani of La Tazza D'Oro. "Unfortunately, " he says, "foam has become fashionable." The foam question is confronted daily. Your espresso may be served "senza schiuma" (without foam) or "con molta schiuma" (very foamy).

With cappuccino, the choices expand beyond foam. It might be "chiaro" (clear) - with a lot of milk - or "scuro" (dark) - with a little milk.