EXPRESSO OR ESPRESSO?
Which is correct?
I suppose it doesn't really matter, but I always say "Espresso"
There is a website which I find very useful in these situations:
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
This comments on "Espresso" as follows:
I’ve read several explanations of the origin of this word: the coffee is made expressly for you upon your order, or the steam is expressed through the grounds, or (as most people suppose—and certainly wrongly) the coffee is made at express speed. One thing is certain: the word is “espresso,” not “expresso.”
While you’re at an espresso stand, you might muse on the fact that both “biscotti” and “panini” are plural forms, but you’re likely to baffle the barista if you ask in correct Italian for a biscotto or a panino.
Now if you take a close look at the illustration at the top of this page you will notice a third version of the spelling - "Espesso"
The following explains what it is:
If you're a real coffee fanatic, a new kind of Italian espresso may appeal to you. You eat it with a spoon.
Lavazza Cafes and world-famous chef, Ferran Adria, have created Espesso, an espresso which you don't drink but which you savor with a spoon.
Espesso, a clever play on "spesso," the Italian adjective meaning "thick," is a mousse-like creation that embodies the flavor and aroma of Lavazza's renowned espresso, yet it is solid and, therefore, eatable!
23/01/08 @ 11:16