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What is the traditional Serbian way of preparing meat?

Introduction to Traditional Serbian Meat Prep

Meat preparation is a crucial aspect of Serbian cuisine as meat dishes have been an integral part of Serbian culture for centuries. The traditional Serbian way of preparing meat involves a blend of locally available ingredients and techniques that are passed down from generation to generation. The art of meat preparation is considered a sacred skill and is a feature in many Serbian family gatherings, social events, and religious celebrations.

Importance of Meat in Serbian Cuisine

Meat is a staple in Serbian cuisine, with beef, pork, and lamb being the most commonly used meats. The traditional Serbian way of preparing meat involves slow-cooking methods that allow the meat to absorb the maximum amount of flavor, resulting in tender and juicy dishes. Meat is often grilled, roasted, or stewed, and spices such as paprika, garlic, and onion are used to enhance the taste. In addition to being a source of protein, meat is also considered a symbol of hospitality and generosity in Serbia.

Key Ingredients Used in Meat Preparation

The traditional Serbian way of preparing meat involves using locally sourced ingredients that are readily available. Some of the essential ingredients used in meat preparation include paprika, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Paprika is used to add a smoky flavor to grilled meat, while garlic and onion are used to enhance the taste and aroma. Salt and pepper are used sparingly to bring out the natural flavors of the meat.

Techniques for Grilling and Roasting Meat

Grilling and roasting are two of the most common methods used to prepare meat in Serbia. Grilling involves cooking meat over an open flame, while roasting involves cooking meat in an oven. Grilling is typically done outdoors, and the meat is placed on skewers or spits and rotated continuously to ensure even cooking. Roasting, on the other hand, involves cooking meat in an enclosed space, and the heat is circulated around the meat. Slow-cooking methods are used to ensure that the meat is tender and juicy.

Popular Meat Dishes in Serbia

Some of the most popular meat dishes in Serbia include cevapi, a type of grilled meat served with onion and bread, sarma, a dish made with meat and vegetables wrapped in cabbage leaves, and pljeskavica, a type of grilled meat patty. Other popular dishes include goulash, roasted lamb, and pork, and bean soup with smoked meat.

Conclusion: The Timeless Art of Meat Prep in Serbia

The traditional Serbian way of preparing meat is an art that has been passed down from generation to generation. It involves a blend of locally available ingredients and techniques that result in tender and juicy dishes. Meat is a staple in Serbian cuisine and is often served at family gatherings, social events, and religious celebrations. The art of meat preparation is considered a sacred skill in Serbia and is a testament to the country’s rich culinary heritage.

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Lifestyle

Preparing For Death: You Should Definitely Pay Attention to This

Everything that lives must die. But how can you prepare for the inevitable?

What is to be settled?

With every second that passes, the moment of death draws nearer. You suppress it, don’t want to admit it. And yet it is inevitable. Perhaps a visit to the doctor will make you realize the fact that your lifetime is coming to an end. At least now you will realize that life is finite. But can you really prepare for your death?

First of all, it is important to regulate certain things. What happens after death? Is everything settled? Here is a 7-point plan:
Store documents clearly: insurance policies, family book, bank documents and also a list of passwords for online banking, social networks or other online accounts.
Make a will: notary public or handwritten. If handwritten, this should be placed with the documents or officially stored.
Appoint an executor: This means a person who implements the will.
State your funeral preferences: How would you like to be buried?
Declare Pet Inheritance: If you have a pet, who should take care of it after death?
Bequeath objects during your lifetime: It is best to decide who should get what in a discussion group.

The last will

You don’t think about it when you’re young. But when you die, you leave something behind. This often leads to arguments. A will can help with that. It may make sense to write it earlier in life. There are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, it does not necessarily have to be written by a notary, you can write it yourself. But you have to follow certain rules here. And what are the advantages and disadvantages?

The handwritten will
can be written alone. No other person is necessary.
can be written anytime, anywhere. It will not be charged.
can be kept at home or kept at the district court (approx. €75.00).
can be changed, destroyed or revoked at any time.
may be unclear or even invalid because it was written by a layperson.
can be lost, not found or counterfeited.

The notarial will:
Legal advice and legally secure preparation by a notary.
An appointment with the notary is necessary.
The document is officially stored.
A change can be made by a notary. A revocation occurs through withdrawal from official custody.
There are notary fees for the creation and modification.
Official custody ensures that the will is found and not forged.
Married couples can draw up a joint will for inheritance.
Most often, couples with children choose the so-called Berlin will: According to this, the longer surviving inherited everything. Only after his death do the children inherit.
If the testator is very wealthy, the Berlin will can have tax disadvantages.

How do you prepare yourself for death?

But how can you mentally adjust to death? It doesn’t matter if you got a message about the approaching end.

Accept that you will die. It’s useless to quarrel with fate. You may think it’s unfair, especially when you get the news that you may not have much longer to live. You must come to the realization that everyone dies. Ultimately, there is nothing unfair about that.
Use your time. Think about what you really want. Go to places you want to see, meet people you love. Is it really important to work even more overtime just to buy yourself things you don’t need?
Eliminate misunderstandings. Remember, this may be the last time you’ll see someone. Forgive all those who have wronged you. Ask forgiveness from anyone you may have hurt.
enjoy It can always be the last meal, the last coffee, the last whiskey. Experience it consciously.
When you lie down to sleep, know that you may not wake up the next morning. reflect on your day. were you happy with it Close your eyes, breathe consciously. Smell, feel the linens, listen to the sounds of the night. And when you wake up, be happy about it. Don’t think about what awaits you that day. Imagine you are born again. take the moment
The world you wake up in will not last forever. Enjoy her. In everything she has to offer you. If you buy a new book, read it consciously. A new pen? It may be that today is the last time you will use it. Appreciate the people and things around you. Everything is impermanent.
Death comes to us all. We can’t stop it, but we can influence whether it frightens us or is ultimately what it’s supposed to be: the end of a life.

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Cooking Tips

Preparing Aubergines: The Purple Vegetables are so Diverse

Whether braised, grilled or gratinated: You can prepare aubergines in a wide variety of ways.

Preparing eggplants: the basics

You can cook aubergines in a variety of ways, but you cannot eat them raw. Like other nightshade plants, aubergines contain small amounts of the neurotoxin solanine. If you eat large amounts of raw eggplant, you can get gastrointestinal problems, among other things. Since the solanine content decreases as the eggplant ripens, you should only use ripe fruit if possible. They also taste less bitter.

Before preparing your eggplants, you should wash them well and cut off the ends. Many recipes then recommend chopping the aubergines, sprinkling them with salt and letting them soak for 30 minutes. There are two arguments for this:
The salt extracts the bitter substances from the aubergines.
The salt extracts the liquid from the aubergines and ensures that they then absorb less fat.
However, modern breeds hardly contain any bitter substances. For this reason, you don’t necessarily have to let the aubergines soak in the water. However, if you don’t steep the water, you’ll need a little more oil for the eggplants, and they’ll take longer to soften.

If you decide to steep the water, remember to drain the salt from the eggplants, drain the excess water, and pat the eggplants dry afterwards.

Ideas for preparing eggplant

Since aubergines have relatively little taste of their own, you should always season them well. Mediterranean herbs, garlic, ginger or curry go wonderfully with aubergines. Oil, for example olive oil, is an additional flavor carrier.

Here are some ideas on how to prepare eggplant:
You can grill aubergines: cut them into slices, brush them with oil, season them with salt and pepper and grill them on both sides. Alternatively, you can place the aubergine slices on a greased tray and bake in the oven at 180 degrees with the grill function for about 30 minutes (turn them halfway through) until they are soft. Garlic, lemon juice, herbs and a fresh yoghurt sauce go well with it. Or you let the vegetables cool down and put them in – then you get delicious antipasti.
You can also use the grilled or baked aubergines to make an aubergine cream.
Braised together with peppers, tomatoes and zucchini, eggplant makes a delicious ratatouille. You can eat this with potatoes, rice or bread or use it as a filling for a delicious vegetarian lasagna or quiche.
Another classic oven dish is moussaka. In the original, the Greek aubergine casserole is prepared with meat, but it tastes just as good vegetarian or vegan.

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Cooking Tips

Preparing Parsnips: Cleaning and Cooking Tips

Parsnips can be prepared in a variety of ways. With a little know-how, you will discover your very own favorite recipe with the tasty tuber.

Parsnips are a native root vegetable that is in season during fall and winter. Therefore, the best time to buy and prepare parsnips is between September and March.

Not only do parsnips resemble parsley root in terms of their appearance, the two are also difficult to tell apart in terms of taste. They taste tart, but also slightly sweet. If you accidentally got them mixed up, don’t worry – parsley roots can be prepared in a similar way to parsnips.

Parsnips have a number of valuable nutrients: They are rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium and potassium. We’ll show you how to prepare these healthy tubers.

Clean and prepare the parsnips

How to prepare the parsnips:
Peel parsnips – yes or no?: It is not absolutely necessary to peel the parsnips. On the contrary: Since many of the vitamins and flavors are located directly under the skin, it is worth leaving the skin on. However, if you don’t like bitter tastes, you can remove the peel. In contrast to potatoes, however, the skin is not quite as different from the taste of the inside of the vegetable. Important: In order to avoid harmful substances, it is best to buy organic parsnips.
Cleaning parsnips: Parsnips can be easily cleaned with a vegetable brush. Just get rid of the rough bits of dirt. You only need to wash the parsnips if you eat them raw or if they are very earthy.
Just make sure to chop off the coarse head and rooty end before preparing.

Preparing Parsnips: Boiling, Baking or Roasting?

Parsnips can be prepared in a variety of ways: they can be boiled, baked, roasted, fried and pureed. Depending on your preference, they are suitable for a variety of dishes.

If you boil or bake them, they will get a rather soft texture, just like potatoes. If you cut them into thin slices, you can fry them crispy or use them to make chips. Either way, parsnips pair really well with other root vegetables like parsley root, beets, carrots, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Parsnips go just as well with hearty vegetarian or vegan roasts or seitan goulash.

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health

Vitamins Obtained When Preparing Vegetables

Get tips on vitamins when cooking vegetables. Fresh vegetables should be a daily part of our diet. Because it contains many important vitamins and minerals. There are various tricks and methods to ensure that these are retained. We have collected them for you.

Because many vitamins are heat sensitive and water-soluble, they can disappear during cooking or frying. Therefore, you should only cook vegetables for a short time. Or better yet, steam it. This is how many vitamins are preserved. You can find more tips on getting the important vitamins in the following article.

Why are vitamins so important?

Vitamins are complex organic molecules. Except for a few, the human body cannot produce vitamins itself, but it needs them. Because vitamins fulfill vital functions. Accordingly, they are important for a functioning metabolism, the protection of skin and mucous membranes, and a functioning immune system. In addition, they are important for bone health, and mental health and help against spring fatigue.

Get tips on vitamins

Since they are so important to our bodies, we should be careful to preserve them when cooking, freezing, or other processing. But when cooking, it can quickly happen that the vitamin-rich vegetables overcook, so that the valuable ingredients are lost. The following tips will help you to prevent this. In our further article, you will also find out which vitamins are in which foods.

1) Raw vegetables are rich in vitamins

Instead of cooking vegetables as a side dish, you can make a salad to go with the meal using fresh ingredients. In this way, the valuable ingredients are not lost. But as already mentioned, some vegetables are better digestible when cooked. And since many vitamins can only be properly absorbed by the body in combination with fat, the salad dressing should definitely contain oil. Find out which vitamins are important for women.

2) Vitamins preserved when cooking

You should only cook vegetables for a short time with a little water (al dente) and not keep them warm for long, otherwise the valuable ingredients will be lost quickly. Since many vitamins are water-soluble, you should prepare vegetables in the steamer. Because the steam cooks it gently and the vitamins do not disappear in the cooking water. If you don’t want to buy a steamer, you can buy special steamer inserts for the saucepan online.

3) Freeze vitamin-rich vegetables correctly

Vitamins can be preserved by freezing vegetables. So you can freeze it yourself or use frozen vegetables and feed yourself rich in vitamins. It is important to freeze the vegetables as soon as possible. To freeze the food properly, you should cut it up into small pieces, blanch it briefly and then shock it in ice water. Then it goes into the freezer. Also, note our instructions for freezing meat.

4) Observe correct storage

Proper storage is crucial to prevent vitamin loss in fruit and vegetables. But the faster you eat the fruit and vegetables, the more vitamins you take in. Proper storage is not easy, as different varieties require different storage locations. For some, it should be cool and dark. While others cannot tolerate the cold and lose valuable ingredients as a result. Therefore, find out beforehand how best to store your vegetables.

5) Dry vegetables and protect vitamins

Dried fruits and vegetables have a longer shelf life. In addition, it can be very nutritious, as important minerals and trace elements are preserved during drying. However, vitamins can also be lost, which is why vitamin-preserving freeze-drying can be advisable. Also, note our other tips on drying food.

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Cooking Tips

Vitamins Obtained When Preparing Vegetables

Get tips on vitamins when cooking vegetables. Fresh vegetables should be a daily part of our diet. Because it contains many important vitamins and minerals. There are various tricks and methods to ensure that these are retained. We have collected them for you.

Because many vitamins are heat sensitive and water-soluble, they can disappear during cooking or frying. Therefore, you should only cook vegetables for a short time. Or better yet, steam it. This is how many vitamins are preserved. You can find more tips on getting the important vitamins in the following article.

Why are vitamins so important?

Vitamins are complex organic molecules. Except for a few, the human body cannot produce vitamins itself, but it needs them. Because vitamins fulfill vital functions. Accordingly, they are important for a functioning metabolism, the protection of skin and mucous membranes, and a functioning immune system. In addition, they are important for bone health, and mental health and help against spring fatigue.

Get tips on vitamins

Since they are so important to our bodies, we should be careful to preserve them when cooking, freezing, or other processing. But when cooking, it can quickly happen that the vitamin-rich vegetables overcook, so that the valuable ingredients are lost. The following tips will help you to prevent this. In our further article, you will also find out which vitamins are in which foods.

1) Raw vegetables are rich in vitamins

Instead of cooking vegetables as a side dish, you can make a salad to go with the meal using fresh ingredients. In this way, the valuable ingredients are not lost. But as already mentioned, some vegetables are better digestible when cooked. And since many vitamins can only be properly absorbed by the body in combination with fat, the salad dressing should definitely contain oil. Find out which vitamins are important for women.

2) Vitamins preserved when cooking

You should only cook vegetables for a short time with a little water (al dente) and not keep them warm for long, otherwise, the valuable ingredients will be lost quickly. Since many vitamins are water-soluble, you should prepare vegetables in the steamer. Because the steam cooks it gently and the vitamins do not disappear in the cooking water. If you don’t want to buy a steamer, you can buy special steamer inserts for the saucepan online.

3) Freeze vitamin-rich vegetables properly

Freezing vegetables allows vitamins to be preserved. So you can freeze it yourself or use frozen vegetables and feed yourself rich in vitamins. It is important to freeze the vegetables as soon as possible. To freeze the food properly, you should cut it up into small pieces, blanch it briefly and then shock it in ice water. Then it goes into the freezer. Also, note our instructions for freezing meat.

4) Observe correct storage

Proper storage is crucial to prevent vitamin loss in fruit and vegetables. But the faster you eat the fruit and vegetables, the more vitamins you take in. Proper storage is not easy, as different varieties require different storage locations. For some, it should be cool and dark. While others cannot tolerate the cold and lose valuable ingredients as a result. Therefore, find out beforehand how best to store your vegetables.

5) Dry vegetables and protect vitamins

Dried fruits and vegetables have a longer shelf life. In addition, it can be very nutritious, as important minerals and trace elements are preserved during drying. However, vitamins can also be lost, which is why vitamin-preserving freeze-drying can be advisable. Also, note our other tips on drying food.

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Food

Preparing Green Tea: This is How it Does Not Become Bitter

Preparing green tea takes a lot of learning: you have to pay attention to a few things when it comes to the infusion and the temperature so that the green tea doesn’t become bitter and the desired effect occurs.

Green tea is said to have many positive effects on the metabolism, fat burning and the immune system. Since it contains caffeine, it also wakes you up and is better tolerated than coffee.

If you want to prepare green tea in the traditional Japanese way, there are a lot of things to consider: the type of tea, the brewing time, the water quality, the temperature and the amount of tea. The teapot can also affect the taste.

Preparing green tea: that’s what matters

The water temperature and brewing time are particularly important when preparing green tea. If it brews too long, it becomes bitter. If it is too short, it hardly tastes good. If the water is too hot, good ingredients such as antioxidants or tanning agents are dissolved. If the water is too cold, these substances are not bound in the water and your tea has no effect.

For a good green tea you have to pay attention to the following:

Use low lime water
Brewing time: Depends on the type of tea, but no longer than three minutes
Water temperature: depending on the type of tea between 60 and 90 degrees Celsius
Amount of tea: 1 -2 teaspoons loose tea or 1 tea bag (approx. 10 g)
Amount of water: depending on the type of tea, one cup to one pot
In most cases, the packaging states how much tea needs to be brewed, for how long and at what degrees.

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Cooking Tips

Cooking and Preparing Brussels Sprouts: The Best Tips

Brussels sprouts are a healthy and delicious winter vegetable. We will show you the best way to cook Brussels sprouts and what vitamins they contain.

We recommend that you buy vegetables such as Brussels sprouts that are seasonal and organic.

Before you start cooking Brussels sprouts, you should remove any dirt from them.

Cooking and roasting Brussels sprouts: basic recipe

If you want to cook the Brussels sprouts, put them in a saucepan of boiling salted water. The winter vegetables are cooked quickly and only need about 12 to 16 minutes.
The little florets don’t take long to fry, either. Depending on whether you left it whole, halved, or quartered, it will take 5 to 7 minutes with the lid on to cook.

Store Brussels sprouts properly

Brussels sprouts are a true winter vegetable, ideally harvested after the first frost. It is best to buy it freshly harvested from regional cultivation so that transport and storage times are as short as possible. Brussels sprouts don’t keep for long.

You should also consider this if you want to store purchased Brussels sprouts. It will keep in the fridge for about four days. You shouldn’t keep it next to apples or tomatoes, though. These secrete a substance that accelerates ripening.

That’s why Brussels sprouts are so healthy

Brussels sprouts are healthy because the small winter vegetable is a real vitamin and nutrient bomb:

It is high in fiber and contains more plant-based protein than many other types of cabbage.
Brussels sprouts contain more vitamin C than almost any other vegetable. It offers good protection against flu-like infections in the cold season. However, the vitamin C content is reduced by cooking. Therefore, you should cook it as gently as possible.
There is also a lot of potassium in Brussels sprouts. This can prevent high blood pressure.
It also contains iron.
In addition, regular consumption protects white blood cells from cell damage.
There is sulforaphane in Brussels sprouts. The antioxidant is said to prevent tumors and have an anti-inflammatory effect, for example in arthritis.

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Cooking Tips

Planning and Preparing Christmas Dinner

A traditional Christmas dinner is part of Christmas for many families. This is where the family comes together and celebrates. In order for the celebration to be a success, you should prepare the Christmas dinner well. You can plan traditional dishes as well as use modern dishes. Get inspired by our Christmas dinner ideas.

What is the Christmas feast all about?

The tradition of the classic Christmas roast originally goes back to Lent. For a long time, roast goose and the like were only served on December 25, because that day marked the end of Lent. For a long time, feasts were served with a decoration of twelve apples. Because these apples symbolized the apostles and pursued the task of driving out evil spirits. The spices for roasting were also carefully selected. For example, the original meal of roast pork should be refined with three times three spices. This constellation should remind us of the trinity, which, in interaction with apples, should usher in a new year without sickness and hunger. However, the roasts were only served to rich people. Poorer families would eat sausages at Christmas time.

Ideas for a successful Christmas dinner

Christmas dinner is traditional and sacred in many families. Because on these evenings the family gets together. And that’s particularly nice because you usually have little contact with most family members throughout the year in hectic everyday life. Therefore, the Christmas days should be celebrated without stress in a cozy get-together. To ensure that everything goes well, you should plan and prepare the Christmas dinner well, if it is taking place at your place. Because a good Christmas meal lifts the spirits and calms the mind. With the following planning tips, the traditional Christmas dinner can come:

Plan the traditional Christmas dinner correctly

When you’re the one who has relatives visiting for Christmas. Then you should give some thought to the planning and implementation of the perfect dinner in advance. Because that way you can be sure that the preparation of the traditional Christmas dinner will be stress-free for you too. So you should ask yourself the following questions:

  • How many people are coming?
  • Are guests aware of any food intolerances?
  • Which food preferences should be considered (vegetarian, vegan, without pork)?
  • Is there enough crockery and cutlery?
  • Is there enough seating?
  • How should it be decorated?
  • What can be prepared well and early?
  • Preparing tips for Christmas dinner

If you don’t want to spend Christmas in the kitchen with enthusiasm, plan the Christmas menu so that a lot is prepared in the days before Christmas. Yeast dough can be frozen well, bread dough too, and even vegetables can be cleaned, cut, and frozen. It can also help if you choose cooking methods that don’t tie you to the stove. Even bratwurst can be prepared well in the oven. Another advantage of cooking in the oven is that the kitchen stays clean. In addition, it is a nice and stress-free solution for everyone if everyone contributes something homemade to eat. Then one makes the salad, the other the dessert and the hosts take care of the roast.

The traditional dishes at Christmas

At Christmas time there are many different specialties around the world that are otherwise rarely served. It’s mostly the same traditional dishes for Christmas throughout Germany, even if each region brings its own touch. Most German food on Christmas Eve is traditionally something more modest, while the days that follow are a feast.

Modern Christmas dinner

Since there are many different forms of nutrition these days, it is not easy to make everyone happy. Still, it’s not impossible. If there are vegetarians or vegans among your guests, you can fall back on numerous vegan minced meat alternatives here. There are also plenty of vegetarian dishes that the whole family will enjoy. However, so that all the work doesn’t get stuck on you, here’s a reminder of the idea that everyone can contribute something to the food. So everyone conjures up the dish that he can do best. Then everyone will like it.

Leftover menus for the following days

There is usually a lot of leftover food at Christmas. So the hard work was worth it twice over: you had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones and you still have plenty to eat for the next few days. So you can relax and reduce the stress of the past few days.

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Cooking Tips

Preparing Espresso With The Portafilter: Here’s How

In our guide you will find helpful tips for preparing your espresso with the portafilter machine. We show you how it works.

What is a portafilter machine?

The portafilter machine was developed in Italy to simplify the preparation of an espresso. No wonder it is often referred to as an espresso machine. The first portafilter machine came onto the market as early as the beginning of the 19th century. The aim of such a machine was to better extract the aromatic substances from the coffee beans. When preparing an espresso manually, the contact time between water and coffee powder was too long, so the coffee often tasted bitter. The right pressure with which the water is pressed through the coffee powder is decisive for a short contact time. In the beginning, portafilter machines worked with a lever. Then semi-automatic machines followed, and there are now modern devices with many parameters that can be set individually.

How a portafilter machine works

The portafilter machine is named after the removable portafilter. This is the holder for the sieve. The sieve is filled with freshly ground coffee powder and fixed in the machine. For perfect coffee enjoyment, water is pressed through the coffee powder in the sieve at high pressure. In addition to the portafilter, the machine consists of the following elements:
Electric pump for optimal pressure
Heating element and boiler to achieve the right brewing temperature
Steam lance for frothing the milk
water tank
brew group

This is how the perfect espresso succeeds

Use our eight-step guide for an espresso from the portafilter machine. This shows you all the important basics:

Preheat the espresso cup and machine
To ensure that the espresso does not cool down too quickly and that the drink is not exposed to severe temperature changes that negatively affect the coffee aroma, you should fill the cup with hot water in advance and set it aside. Most portafilter machines have an integrated hot water dispenser for this purpose. The portafilter machine itself must also be warm. Therefore, turn on the machine at least 25 minutes before preparation and let it warm up.
Clean portafilter machine
As with any coffee maker, you should first remove old coffee grounds from the portafilter and then carefully wipe off oils, fats and other residues. These can then no longer influence the taste of the espresso. Make sure the portafilter is dry before filling.
grind the coffee finely
A coffee grinder with a disc grinder grinds the beans extremely evenly and thus delivers a perfect grinding result. Be sure to grind the coffee beans finely. Beans that are ground too coarsely can quickly taste bitter. In addition, finely ground beans have more surface area and therefore require less contact time to release the aromas.
Dose the coffee powder correctly
The portafilter should ideally be filled to the base for dosing. The dose is crucial – the powder should therefore only be slightly heaped. In most cases, a portafilter contains around 7 – 9 grams of coffee powder for 25 ml of espresso.
Smooth the surface
As soon as you have filled the portafilter to the brim, you can gently tap the espresso powder and smooth it out with your index finger. With an optimal surface you do the preparatory work for the subsequent tamping.
Tamp espresso powder
When it comes to the tamper, one usually speaks of the so-called “coffee tamper”. This is used to compress the powder and compact it enough to withstand the incoming water pressure, allowing the flavors to unfold slowly. For an optimal result, a pressure of 10 – 15 kilograms is recommended.
Pre-rinse group head
Like almost all parts of the portafilter machine, the brewing head must be cleaned before use. To do this, you can simply run hot water through the group head. This is called making an empty reference. Any coffee residues from the last extraction are loosened and the water that is too hot is drained.
Clamp in the portafilter
Now all the precautions for a perfect espresso have been taken. Finally, clamp the portafilter into the machine and press the lever to brew. After about eight seconds, the first espresso flows into the preheated cup. For 25 ml of espresso, wait around 25 seconds before you pull the lever up again. Stir in the crema before drinking so that the aromas can unfold in the espresso.

Espresso without portafilter

In order for the perfect espresso to be successful even for beginners, the right equipment must of course be used. In the home, the user usually does not have professional catering equipment. Even a small portafilter machine is not cheap. Part of the investment is in accessories such as the espresso grinder. This does a crucial part of the work and helps you to find the perfect degree of grinding. If you want something a little less artisanal, but still just as tasteful, then rely on a fully automatic coffee machine. At the push of a button, this not only brews espresso, but also all coffee specialties with espresso, such as cappuccino or latte macchiato. Good to know: The espresso maker cannot make an espresso at all because there is not enough pressure. Nevertheless, the coffee can be espresso-like.

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