{"id":1040,"date":"2015-06-08T12:42:35","date_gmt":"2015-06-08T16:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.italyperfect.com\/blog\/?p=1040"},"modified":"2021-09-19T08:51:21","modified_gmt":"2021-09-19T12:51:21","slug":"indispensable-italian-coffee-primer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.italyperfect.com\/blog\/indispensable-italian-coffee-primer.html","title":{"rendered":"Indispensable Italian Coffee Primer"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The caffeine landscape in Italy is rich with ritual and tradition. The espresso is as much a staple as pizza and wine. Italy is very traditional in its choice of coffees; popular American and British brands have never really made their mark here. So the Starbucks vocabulary such as\u00a0latte<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0venti, <\/em>while they\u00a0<\/em>are Italian words,\u00a0don\u2019t mean the same thing in an authentic Italian caf\u00e8<\/em>.\u00a0And\u00a0don\u2019t expect to come across your usual choice of Starbucks, Caff\u00e8 Nero, Peet\u2019s or Tim Horton\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\"Cafe_Florian\"<\/a><\/p>\n

First of all let’s get our terms straight: There’s the<\/em>\u00a0caf\u00e8<\/em> and then there’s caff\u00e8.<\/em>\u00a0If you ask an Italian barista for a\u00a0caff\u00e8<\/em>, you will be served an espresso, while a\u00a0caf\u00e8<\/em>\u00a0is the place where you go to drink coffee, however most Italians refer to a\u00a0caf\u00e8<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>as a\u00a0bar<\/em> as in ‘snack bar’. These family owned bars are bustling hot-spots for the pre-work crowd. The baristas are centers of their neighborhood community, they brighten up the morning with a tiny cup of espresso served with a smile; and they keep up-to-date on local gossip!<\/p>\n

If one shot of caffeine is not enough to get you moving, you can always ask for a\u00a0caff\u00e8 doppio<\/em>, which is two espressos served together in a larger cup and guaranteed to wake you up and keep you buzzing!<\/p>\n

\"Cappucino_beautiful\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The ubiquitous cappuccino is one of the most popular coffee styles in the world; it is an espresso infused in a tea-sized cup with hot frothy milk. The name cappuccino, by the way, is derived from the Capuchin Friars, whose habit is brown and white like the beverage with an alternative explanation that the cup with its ring of foam looks like the monk\u2019s tonsure (shaved top of head). If you want equal parts of coffee to milk, ask for a cappuccino chiaro<\/em>\u00a0(light colored cappuccino).<\/p>\n

The locals, by the way, probably won\u2019t be ordering either type after 10am. Italians are very protective of their health, and the thought of having to digest coffee with milk after morning time can send them into spasms of worry. You can get away with sipping a\u00a0caff\u00e8<\/em>\u00a0macchiato<\/em>\u00a0(literally meaning\u00a0stained<\/em>, as you stain it with a drop of milk); akin to a mini\u00a0caff\u00e8 latte<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"Caffe_cornetto\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Italians do not take their coffee to-go in a big paper cup, but drink it rather quickly standing at the bar. The price is higher if you take it to a table or have it served there. That said, we have lately seen a few tourists carrying their big paper cups of coffee on the streets of Italy. Some smart bar owners have figured out how to appeal to the Starbucks-addicted!<\/p>\n

\"Caffe_corretto\"<\/a><\/p>\n

You will find Italian coffee served in all sorts of varieties and all sorts of proportions besides the aforementioned beverages. Here\u00a0are some of the most popular styles of Italian coffee:<\/p>\n