The qualitative definition of espresso includes a thicker consistency than drip coffee, a higher amount of dissolved solids than drip coffee per relative volume, and a serving size that is usually measured in shots. Espresso is chemically complex and volatile, with many of its chemical components degrading from oxidation or loss of temperature. Properly brewed espresso has three major parts: the heart, body and, the most distinguishing factor, the presence of crema, which is a reddish-brown foam which floats on the surface of the espresso. It is composed of vegetable oils, proteins and sugars. Crema has elements of both emulsion and foam colloid.

When buying your chocolate covered expresso beans from an online wholesaler, you should take a few precautions to ensure you won't be ripped off. First, always know what youre buying. Watch out for fine print and adjectives that might suggest that what youll get in the mail wont exactly be what they offered online.

The second step is to take care how you buy. Before making a purchase at a web site, find out what type of payments the site accepts and how they ship their products. Record every purchase you make online, too. That means printing hard copies of all transaction information, including the shipping information and any e- mails that the web site sends you. Keep the name of the web site, the official online description of the beans you bought (how many pounds, for instance), and the exact date, time, and price of your purchase. These will be very handy if the web site shortchanges you. If you are absolutely paranoid about data theft, you could always purchase your beans over the phone.