A good espresso coffee is sexy as hell. It flows out of the machine at a languid pace, initially dark and brooding, before shifting into a golden foam that would bat its eyelashes at you if it had them. Once settled in the glass, it breathes out and releases an intoxicating scent that is earthy and sweet, capturing everything from the aromas of freshly sawn timber and rich dark chocolate to delicate floral and fruity cherry scents.
Making the perfect espresso is almost a high art, especially for those who practise at the elite level – and Australia has plenty of those. Ranked one of the biggest coffee markets in the world, the Australian coffee market is worth more than $9bn and Australia coffee fiends sip and savour around 2kg of coffee beans each year. One in four of us reckon we can’t get through the day without a brew.
