Italy’s coffee culture

The coffee culture in Italy is as authentic as the country’s heritage, its people and cuisine. The very famous and known worldwide is espresso, an Italian style coffee (caffè), its no different in preparation from other coffee and neither the coffee beans differ from other used in any other variety or used in any other style of coffee.

The difference is that beans used in preparing espresso are generally roasted a little longer time or dark, they are also blend coffee beans from varied origins or regions. This blend and the duration of roasting varies as per different regions in Italy, the espresso is roasted medium to medium dark in the north, whereas in south this gets moving darker, Brazilian coffees are one such variety which is quite prominent through all of Italy.

Espresso is blamed to have higher caffeine content that the coffee but the truth is its opposite. The longer the period of the roasting of the beans the more caffeine gets extracted and thus giving espresso roast beans less caffeine content.

Coffee made at home:-

Domestic espresso makers are available which are simple to use. La Napoletana is a four part stove-top unit with grounds placed inside a filter loosely, the kettle portion is filled with water and once boiling, the unit is inverted to drip through the grounds.

The Moka per il caffè is a three part stove-top unit that is placed on the stove-top with loosely packed grounds in a strainer, the water rises from steam pressure, and is forced through the grounds into the top portion. It is unlike a percolator in that the brewed coffee is not re-circulated.

Caffè macchiato is a topped with a bit of steamed milk or foam.

Ristretto is made with less water, and is stronger; cappuccino is mixed or topped with steamed, mostly frothy, milk. It is generally considered a morning beverage;

Caffelatte is generally equal parts espresso and steamed milk, similar to café au lait, and is typically served in a large cup. Latte macchiato (spotted milk) is a glass of warm milk with a bit of coffee

Note: - Demitasse is usually used for serving purpose in small quantity.