How to love coffee like an Italian
Coffee in Italy is not just another gastronomic pleasure. It’s a national ritual. Whether it’s the father putting a moka on the stove in the morning, or dipping a fresh brioche into your cappuccino at the bar, coffee in Italy is one of the few activities that unites every Italian from every region of the peninsula. It’s a way to welcome a stranger into your home. It’s a way to finish a perfect meal among friends. It’s a way to mark the beginning of a perfect morning.
For me, Italian coffee represents everything I love about Italy itself. It’s small. It’s simple. Unassuming, yet intense. Passionate. It’s something you drink deliberately, delicately, neatly, and yet somehow recklessly at the same time. It’s a personal moment, a private enjoyment, yet simultaneously communal. I love watching morning commuters line up at the bar, meticulously dole out the perfect amount of sugar into their tiny cups, then stir with two fingers closed around the small silver handle of the small silver spoon, followed by a quick tap before laying it on the saucer. Then, unannounced, the delicate ritual gives way to complete abandon. They suddenly knock their heads back in a sharp gesture, swig down the coffee, all in one single gulp. A nod to the barista, a nod to their companions, and onwards.
1. How to order
If it’s a small bar with few clients, you just order directly with the barista and pay after you drink. Simple.
If it’s a larger bar or the morning rush, you order and pay at the cash register first. The cashier will then hand you a receipt, which you take with you and put down on the counter. When it’s your turn for a coffee, the barista at the counter will read the order on your receipt, yell it out to the other barista at the coffee machine so he can start making it, then tear or scratch the receipt to keep track of what’s already been made and what still needs to get started.
This system of clients covering the bar in tiny pieces of paper and a barista yelling the orders written on the tiny papers to another barista as she rips the tiny pieces of papers truly makes the best of 21st-century technology and never leads to a total shitshow…
Yeah. Right.
As you might expect, the use-your-receipt-to-place-your-own-order-at-the-bar is absurdly disorganized, inefficient, and needlessly challenging for all parties involved. But somehow, despite all reason and logic, it works. I never truly grasped the meaning of organized chaos before getting a cappuccino on a Saturday morning…it looks like a Slayer mosh pit but somehow everything manages to come out timely and shockingly accurately. And the end product is so ridiculously delicious that the total pandemonium melts into the background and you feel completely at peace with the world — which basically sums up living in Italy in general.
2. How to drink it
If it’s an espresso, enjoy it standing at the bar.
Drinking at the bar costs less than table service, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about sipping your coffee on your feet and then continuing about your day. Taking a coffee is arguably the only activity in Italy that’s socially acceptable to do in a hurry. After all, the drink is called espresso, or “express.”
You will usually get a small glass of sparkling water with your coffee. The purported purpose of this tiny shot glass of water is to take a sip before enjoying the espresso, in order to clean your palette and better enjoy the complex flavor profile. But if you’re not an expert coffee connoisseur, you can also drink the tiny shot of water after your espresso and no one will take offense.
3. What to drink
If you want the classic Italian espresso, order a caffé normale. No one orders an espresso in Italy, because a caffè is an espresso by default. So just order a caffè.
However, a caffè normale is only one of endless options for how to drink a little pick-me-up. While there isn’t a big printed menu hanging behind the bar like in the States, every Italian knows the options by heart. Ordering coffee in Italy is just one big trendy “secret menu.”
Here’s a few classic ways you can take your morning cup:
HOT
Caffè normale — The standard espresso and what people typically order. I rarely order anything else.
Caffé lungo — A longer espresso. Still in the adorable tiny cups and still espresso, just a bit taller than usual.
Caffé ristretto -Exactly the opposite of a caffè lungo. Even smaller and more concentrated than a normal espresso, I never order this. I mean, c’mon, a normal espresso it already teeny-tiny…why would I want to pay a euro for two drops of coffee? I guess I’m still to American (or cheap) to appreciate a coffee smaller than an espresso…
Caffé americano — An espresso diluted with hot water. Sometimes the water is served separately from the espresso for you to add yourself, which I like because I can dilute the coffee to my liking. Even with all the water added, however, it’s still going to be half the size of a small coffee in the USA. But isn’t that what we love about Italy? Coming from a country whose motto is “bigger is better,” there is something ineffably satisfying about a place that appreciates things small and satisfying.
Caffé latte — Espresso with hot milk. At some coffee bars, this is also a do-it-yourself situation: you will receive a tray containing an espresso, a small carafe of milk, and an empty glass. Combine your milk and espresso together to your liking.
Personally, I love this. I love that I can create the exact milk-to-coffee ratio I prefer, without the milk or the espresso overpowering. But mostly I love it for that childlike joy of playing barista (when you actually have no clue what you’re doing).
(NOTE: In Italian, “latte” is the word for milk. So if you order just a “ latte,” and not a “caffè latte,” you will receive a glass of plain milk.)
Cappuccino — Italians only drink caffè latte and cappuccini at breakfast. If you really want to do as the Romans do (or as the Napoletani, or Fiorentini, or Milanesi), definitely do not order a cappuccino after 11 am.
Macchiato — An espresso with a dollop of milk foam on top. If you want a bit of milk and coffee together after dinner, go for the macchiato, as — unlike it’s big brother, the cappuccino — a tiny macchiato is perfectly acceptable after a meal.
Caffè orzo — Quick history lesson: In 1935, Mussolini wanted to invade Ethiopia, but the League of Nations (the precursor to the UN) basically said “Sorry, Italy, we don’t do the colonialism thing anymore, that was sooo 19th century. I mean, we all still have colonies, but, you know, we’re not actively taking new ones, so we still have the moral high ground. Or the small moral stepstool.”
But Mussolini invades Ethiopia anyway because he’s a fascist, and that’s what fascists do. (Also, Mussolini figured that the 20th century would just be one endless list of human rights atrocities, so no one would even remember this one … and, unfortunately, he was pretty much on the mark.)
So Mussolini invades Ethiopia and the League goes, “Duce, we told you the colonialism party is over. Now we’re gonna sanction you.” And in classic Mussolini fashion, he just spins it like that was what he wanted all along. “Sanctions are going to make us stronger! We don’t need the rest of the world! Italy has everything we need, right here on Italian soil! Italy is autarkic!”
But I guess Mussolini forgot one important staple that doesn’t grow in a semi-Mediterranean climate no matter how hard you try. Coffee beans.
Being the master of spinning stories, however, Mussolini sells this too. He somehow convinces Italians that a shitty black tea made out of toasted orzo is totally the same thing ... in fact, even better than real coffee! Because orzo, while tasting like cow dung, grows on Italian soil.
But here’s the really crazy thing: because this toasted orzo mud is healthier for some people — being less acidic and caffeine-free — some Italians just kept drinking it, even after Mussolini was hanged and the trains stopped running on time.
Point is, if you happen to be sensitive to caffeine, go ahead and order a caffè orzo. It tastes just like fascism.
Caffè ginseng — Another non-coffee alternative, this ginseng root extraction is also super healthy for you. As for the taste, if you ever wished that you could drink Chinese medicine, this is your perfect cup of non-Joe to start you morning. But, hey, at least it doesn’t taste like fascism.
Caffé corretto — This my favorite drink to kick off Monday morning. Literally translating to a “correct coffee,” a caffè corretto is an espresso topped off with the alcohol of your choice.
In the north, coffee is often corrected with grappa. In the south, with anise or sambuca. In Turin, with a creamy chocolate-hazelnut liquor called bicherin. In Calabria, with brandy and licorice root.
Just be warned: it is definitely an old-man drink. A bartender once told me I was the first person he’s met under seventy years old to order a caffè corretto in the morning.
That being said, the younger generation is obviously not correct. So if you want to be right, start the morning with strong liquor.
COLD
Caffé estivo — An espresso with cold milk foam. Think of it as a summer cappuccino. It’s refreshing and delicious, like sipping a summer cloud. Unfortunately, however, this one is not for the lactose intolerant, as the cold foam only works with full-fat cow milk.
Shakerato — My favorite summer drink. It’s usually shaken in a martini shaker and then served in a martini glass, sometimes with a dusting of cocoa powder or cinnamon on top. You can have it “amaro” (without sugar) or “zuccherato” (with sugar). The shaking creates a lovely foam on top without adding any milk. It’s cool and refreshing and feels kind of like drinking a cocktail in the morning. In fact, if you really wanna go pro, order “uno shakerato corretto.” If that doesn’t earn you instant respect, nothing will.
Caffé con ghiaccio — Simply an espresso with ice. This one is sometimes a bit of a DIY project: the barista will serve you a hot espresso with a glass of ice on the side.
If you want to add sugar, make sure to mix it in the hot espresso first and then pour it over the ice. Otherwise the sugar won’t dissolve.
Crema al caffè — Kind of like a coffee milkshake, this rich, creamy cup of diabetes is perfect for a hot beach day or a liquid dessert.
Originally published at https://www.elisezell.com on August 25, 2019.
