Espresso Recipes

Martini Espresso? Why Not?

Just about everyone who enjoys their coffee loves to sip an espresso - yet another gift from our Italian friends. And there are magical things you can do with your espresso in addition to getting yourself jump-started in the morning.

Of course, espresso is that delectable, thicker-textured coffee you get when you stop off at the coffee shop on the way to work. Their espresso machine pressure-forces steam through finely ground coffee and purists say that the true test of a perfectly made espresso is to add a teaspoonful of sugar. If the sugar remains on top of the coffee for half a minute, then that is espresso perfection.

Martini espresso? Magical things? We'll get to that in a moment.

In the United States, some prepare their morning shot of espresso and top it up with boiling water to make "espresso Americano." Or you can dress it up with a plop of whipped cream on top - you now have espresso con panna. Your espresso topped with foamy milk gives you a macchiato. Try this one; very different - espresso Romano is served black, with a twist of lemon. Nibble on a Granita - to make this, you freeze your sweetened espresso and then crush it - try it as a topping for ice-cream.

I promised you magical things to do to your espresso. How about espresso martinis? You really have to try this to believe how good it is. There are as many variations on the classic martini espresso as there are aficionados of this wonderful "digestif" and here's one to start you off. You'll need your cocktail shaker, very well chilled and about half filled with crushed ice (make your ice with filtered water; it does make a difference). Then pour in the following espresso martini ingredients,

• two ounces icy-cold espresso coffee;
• three ounces top shelf vodka;
• three ounces Kahlua liqueur;
• two ounces white creme de cacao.

Shake these glorious nectars vigorously for a good minute as this concoction should be frothy as a cloud when you serve it. Strain into icy martini glasses and garnish with a coffee bean. That's a classic martini espresso. And here's something else - try rimming the glass with powdered chocolate before you pour your martini espresso - and wait for the ooohs and aaahs!

But that's only a start. This is one of my favorite espresso martini recipes. Try this sin-filled combination one wintry evening when you're planning to lounge in front of the fire and watch some TV.