Espresso was basically originated in Italy in the 20th century. The word ‘espresso’ means ‘fast’ in Italian. In 1884 in the city Turin, Angelo Moriondo is said to have patented the first espresso machine. It was designed however, to produce bulk brews, and not the single servings.
In 1901, Luigi Bezzera invented a machine that could force water through a series of filters at high pressure. He even got the machine patented.
Its invention has been traced to the Italian railway station in Milan, where those about to board a train wanted a quickly made cup of coffee and some espresso makers contend that the term ‘espresso’ may be associated with ‘express trains’ of those stations.
The first espresso machine installed in an American restaurant was at Regio’s, in New York City in 1927.
Then in 1938, a fellow named Cremonesi designed a piston that forced hot water through the coffee, making the old style espresso machine that required boilers and high pressure steam obsolete.
In the 1980s, in America the specialty coffees made their appearance and the espresso culture began to move ‘up market’. From initially serving the down market expatriate Italians to the indigenous more up market customer.
Espresso in history
