Ever imagine what Starbucks would be like if it didn't have an espresso machine? The famous coffee spot just wouldn't seem the same. So, where did this machine originate from and who do we thank for this convenience of "foam" coffee? An espresso is nothing more then coffee that is brewed by mixing hot water with ground up coffee beans. Believe it or not, the coffee espresso machine has been in existence for almost 100 years.

The first official coffee espresso machine comes to us from France. It was created by a gentleman named Louis Bernard Rabaut in 1822. The machine was a simple contraption that allowed steam and water to flow through a filter lined with fresh coffee beans. Mr. Edward Loy Sel de Santias showed his version of the espresso machine at the Paris Exposition in 1855. He impressed the crowd by being able to brew up 2,000 cups of what was then called fast coffee in an hour.

Mr. Luigi Bezzera, an Italian, received a patent for his coffee machine in 1901. The machine used the same principle as Louis Rabaut's in the early 1800s. The machine was supposed to enable people to make fast foam coffee without the need of waiting 10 minutes for a cup of hot Joe.

In 1903, Desiderio Pavani purchased Bezzera's patent and La Pavoni machines were introduced to the U.S. in 1927. Americans gawked over this fast foam coffee. The taste however was another story. The steam and boiled water gave coffee a burnt flavor.

That changed with the invention of a spring lever for the machine. The purpose of the spring lever enabled the machine to able to apply pressure to the beans. Applying this pressure to the beans instead of simply adding boiling water improved the taste immensely.

M. Faema supplied the finishing element to the evolving espresso machine in 1961 by adding an electric pump which would change the way we drink coffee all together. With this advancement to the espresso machine the way was paved to have the machines introduced to households worldwide. In 1991, the first ever espresso machine was able to be purchased by ordinary households.

The next time that you get that good old cup of of espresso or cappuccino in the morning just take a second and reminisce. Try to envision the pioneers whose inventions paved the way to make a simple cup of cafe latte possible. It's hard to think about all the hard work and effort that is put into one simple cup of coffee.

A good deal of dedication and discipline was put into play to allow this simple creation to evolve into what it is today. The final result has triggered an American favorite as evidenced by the numerous specialty coffee bars springing up everywhere. We now can enjoy this delicious crema coffee all at the push of a button.
Source
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