Espresso coffee is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing very hot water under pressure through coffee that has been ground to a consistency of fine power. Espresso obtained its origin in 1822, with the innovation of the first crude espresso machine in France. The Italians perfected this wonderful machine and were the first to manufacture it for all coffee lovers. Espresso Coffee has become such an integral part of Italian life and culture that there are presently over 200,000 espresso bars in Italy!