National Espresso Day is celebrated on November 23rd every year. This drink owes its existence to the espresso machine — a machine first patented in 1884 by Angelo Moriondo from Turin, Italy. When this machine was invented, it was listed as a steam machine for the instantaneous way it processed a cup of coffee.

The word espresso in Italian means “quick in time.” Before the advent of the espresso machine, espresso was simply a coffee expressly made for the person ordering it. It was also made with recently roasted and freshly ground beans. The cup was brewed shortly before serving. In the late 1800s, this practice was commonplace in cafés and restaurants.