How to earn half a star

Dear Restaurateur,

I am going to give you a test question in advance. If you want your rating to jump by half a star, go read this article on the God Shot.

What is a God Shot? From the linked article:

"But what exactly is the God Shot? The answer comes naturally to me, so naturally, that I can't actually put it in words with ease, but I do know instinctively what it is. One thing it's not: it is not meant to be a slam against God, or the breaking of one of the Ten Commandments (Thou shalt not...). It is a homage to God in a way because when someone talks about a God Shot, it is something so special, so unique, so perfect, it's almost as if God Himself has blessed it. And since a long ago Pope proclaimed that God blesses and approves of coffee, it is only natural it could extend to the perfect espresso: the God Shot."

The author goes on to define the range of the God Shot as "by nature ... the double ristretto."

The article even gives precise descriptions of it.

I am not saying that it is easy. More often than not I fail in the God Shot, and I brew about four ristretto doubles a day. The line between a God Shot (or any good ristretto) and a stalled shot (drip by bitter drip, a two minute monstrocity that you drink anyway because, well the cost of coffee beans, you know...) can be fine. Too much pressure with the tamper, a couple of microns too fine a grind and STALL. But if you get it right, you serve the concentrated pure essence of coffee. Perfection. A taste of Heaven on Earth.

So, dear Restaurateur, if you are going to have your waitrons brewing the espresso, train them, make them read this article, make them brew espresso until they can make a proper ristretto in their sleep.

The restaurant I reviewed last week in Alameda (a neat little place called C'era Una Volta - if you are in the area, check it out. The review will run Friday in the Preview Section) served an excellent espresso, which earned them half a star on the overall meal, probably the half star deducted from the otherwise perfect Dopo in Oakland (actually I think we were using a different system when I reviewed Dopo, so the currency is not exactly the same, but it is the only reason that Dopo did not get a perfect rating, which was too bad, because that is a great little restaurant).

If you are reading this for home consumption, the first thing to do is to buy a burr grinder. Then, throw out the overroasted French Roasts (and Peet's Major Dickason's Roast as well -- too dark). Then practice on your machine. You can make good espresso with wretched machines, even the steam powered ones, BUT you must practice. With the worst of the machines you will need to practice so long that by the time you reliably get it the machine will be worn out.

For those of you who are wondering: I have a cheap Krups pump machine, the very cheapest pump-driven machine you can find. It took me a week (and replacing the portafilter with one salvaged off my old steam driven machine), but I can get realiably good espresso provided I use decent beans.

I even get a God Shot here and there!

Posted by erik at November 11, 2004 11:07 AM | TrackBack