Welcome to the second part of ‘Commercial Coffee Machines & Grinders With A Helpful Guide’.
In Part 1 of this article, we primarily looked at grinders – in particular the La Pavoni ZIP Commercial Coffee Grinder – with La Pavoni having some of the best equipment in the business. We also looked at the importance of a good cup of coffee, and the other equipment that plays a big part in this process.
In this section, we are going to be concentrating on the actual Coffee Machine itself. We at Caterkwik are passionate about the products we sell, and take pride knowing that our customers receive the best quality we can offer at competitive prices. The La Pavoni PUB 2M 2 Group Semi-automatic Espresso Machine certainly falls into this category, and we will be mainly paying attention to this. However, there are plenty more variations of machines to suit various budgets, and these can be found here.
For over 100 years, espresso machines have been hand-built in Milan by the creator of commercial coffee machines La Pavoni, who are responsible for some of the best coffee machines in the industry.
Italian Made!
Some of the main features of this superb machine are as follows:
• Semi automatic operation.
• Push button indicator light.
• Press-forged nickeled brass groups with vertical infusion chamber & pressurisation system.
• Fully removable water tank.
• Electropump.
• Control switch & electrovalve.
• One hot water tap.
• One flexible steam jet.
• Automatic boiler water level control.
• Installation kit.
Colour option of Red or Black and a boiler capacity of 6 litres! An option of full installation with valuable & in depth training on how to use the machine in the correct way, you can already see the value for money the La Pavoni PUB 2M 2 Group Semi-automatic Espresso Machine would bring to your establishment.
A specification sheet can be viewed here & a manual sheet for the product can be found here.
Now we can spend a little time looking at the actual espresso and the different types of drinks that can be produced from the espresso, and a little guide with tips on how to master the art of making that perfect beverage for your customers.
The Espresso
The espresso is the very heart of a coffee. It forms the base for all drinks, and it is very important that it is made to the right standard. The layer on top ‘crema’ can be used as a guide to the quality of the espresso underneath. Too pale and thin means its too weak and watery, and too dark means it’s burnt and bitter.
To get the consistency right, we can go back to the 1st part of this guide and the importance of having the right Grinder to go with your machine. If the grinder is used correctly, you will be able to get the right consistency of the coffee powder that is produced.
Making an espresso is obviously the simplest of the beverages, as its a single shot of coffee on its own. It’s always best to heat the cup with hot water first, so this keeps the drink nice and hot when produced. Dispense the coffee grind into your handle and tamp with attitude so its nice and flat. Wipe any loose grind off the rim of the handle. Place the handle back into the coffee machine with your cup underneath (minus the hot water), and begin extraction. And there you go, your espresso has been produced.
There are many types of beverages you can create now you know how the espresso is produced:
- Macchiato (Espresso topped with a dash of milk froth).
- Espresso con panna (Espresso topped with whipped cream).
- Americano (Espresso with hot water).
- Caffe Latte (Milky, smooth coffee).
- Cappuccino (Made with frothed milk).
- Flat White (Rich, full flavoured with a unique velvety smooth texture).
- Mocha (Chocolaty cappuccino).
Top Tips
- Always guide the lever on your grinder back into place. Never let go as this could quickly damage or break.
- Flush the group head if not used for 5 minutes or more, this will ensure the water is the right temperature.
- Warm cups before use.
- Check flow of espresso to make sure its correct.
- Don’t put coffee in group handle until required.
- Tamp the coffee with attitude.
- Use milk straight from the fridge for frothing.
- Never heat milk above 160°F.
- Always clean steam arm.
- Never re-heat milk.
I hope this short guide has at least been a little helpful, and given you an insight into why it is important to have good quality coffee machines & grinders.
La Pavoni coffee machines start at just £859 excluding VAT. If these don’t suit your needs or budget, we do have other quality machines starting at just £480 excluding VAT so it’s a good time to take advantage of these fabulous prices.
Again, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries you require answers to, all our staff are trained and knowledgeable in all our products.
For our full range of commercial catering equipment, please keep browsing our site or call one of our sales team on 01229 480001.