As always, welcome back!
We are going to be doing something a little bit different on Coffee Geek today. While exploring the local coffee houses in San Marcos will still be a primary topic of discussion on this website, I will be alternating those posts with articles that discuss the history, influence, and culture of coffee throughout the world.
In this post specifically, we are travelling to origin of espresso, the beginning of the European coffee trade, the self-proclaimed coffee capital of the world, and a beautiful country with numerous coffee rules and rituals.
Today, we are going to Italy.
Before we really dive into the passionate world of coffee in Italy, it is only fitting to give the Italians their historical credit. After all, Italians even gave us the coffee dictionary – macchiato, cappuccino, latte, etc. If it were not for the Italians, modern coffee as we know it would not exist.
A short history of Italian coffee
Coffee’s presence in Italy is a lengthy one – Venice was one of the very first European ports to import and trade coffee with the east in the 16th century. However, at this time coffee was still an expensive luxury item, and it did not become mainstream or infamous in the country until the early 20th century. In 1901, an Italian man by the name of Luigi Bezzera invented something that would change Italy, and the rest of the world, forever: the espresso machine.
The Espresso Bar
Shortly after his invention, Bezzera took the concept of an American drinking bar and adapted it into something that he called an espresso bar. An espresso bar is essentially what we know as a regular bar in America – people order their drinks standing and the bar and socialize with the staff and other patrons.
The espresso bar remains the mold for most coffee outposts in Italy today, and what we think of as coffee shops in America are not the norm in Italy. Italians like their coffee fast, strong, and enjoy it standing up at the bar; you certainly will not see anyone sitting down with their laptop drinking a Frappuccino. Nevertheless, if you really must drink your coffee sitting down, most pasticcerias and espresso bars today typically have some limited seating indoors, as well as few tables outside.
The sacred coffee rituals of Italy
Now that we possess some context about Italian coffee consumption and an abbreviated history of its culture, it is time to explore the complicated and sacred rituals Italians pair with their daily coffee. Italians may be some of the most easygoing and welcoming people in world, but there are two things they do not mess around with: their food, and their coffee.
For instance, in the states if you’re craving a caffeine fix, you can walk into any coffee shop, at any time, and order whatever coffee beverage you want. In Italy, however, this is far from the case. If you are travelling to Italy any time soon, you are going to want to brush up on these Italian coffee commandments to avoid the tourist label, and possibly even a refusal of service.
The Italian Coffee Commandments
No cappuccinos after 11 a.m. – ever. The first coffee ritual of the day starts as soon as the sun rises. Every morning, Italians start their day with a trip to their local pasticceria to grab a cappuccino and a flaky pastry. However, this milky espresso drink is only acceptable to order before 11 a.m., and they are never ordered at any meal other than breakfast.
A typical Italian breakfast
While the rule itself may seem arbitrary, the reasoning behind it is actually quite practical: Italians are very conscientious of their digestion in regard to their eating habits, and drinking milk before or after a heavier afternoon meal would be very upsetting to the stomach.
Don’t ever order a latte in Italy. In America, we know lattes as a classic go-to coffee drink made with steamed milk and espresso. However, if you were to ask for a latte in an espresso bar, the barman would probably smirk at you, whisper in Italian to his coworker, and then proceed to bring you a full glass of milk. You see, in Italian, latte is a direct translation for milk. So, if you order a latte in Italy, that is exactly what you are going to get.
Caffè, not coffee. Similar to the issue of ordering a latte, you might not get what you are expecting if you order a cup of coffee in Italy. If you ask for a “coffee”, or the direct translation – un caffè, the barman will bring you a single shot of espresso. Since this type of coffee is the typical way coffee is consumed in Italy, they rarely use the term espresso, and opt instead to just call it un caffè.
Italians don’t drink large cups of weaker coffee, so if you want to live like a local, you better get used to very strong, very small doses of caffeine. However, if you find yourself in Italy and just can’t seem to let go of your extra-large coffee habit, American World War II soldiers stationed in Italy created a drink specifically for you – the americano. The americano was invented by the soldiers to mimic typical American drip coffee and is made by mixing espresso with hot water to create a slightly more diluted drink.
Digestivos – espresso for every meal of the day. While this one is more of a cultural ritual than it is a hard rule, it is such an integral part of Italian coffee culture that it is worth knowing. As I mentioned earlier, Italians are very conscientious of their digestion, so it only makes sense that they have an entire course dedicated to the internal health. A digestivo is simply any drink consumed after a meal to improve digestion.
Digestivos can include bitter liqueurs such as grappa, sweeter liqueurs like limoncello, and, of course, espresso. Most Italian restaurants will bring you a shot of espresso after your meal without you even having to order one as it is such a customary part of meal time.
Final thoughts on rich Italian coffee culture
The Italians have not only perfected the art of espresso, but the art of enjoying and consuming your food with a purpose. The morning trip the pasticceria is not just about breakfast just like the digestivo is not just about an extra shot of espresso. Every time they drink their coffee it is a social and cultural experience. Its history, way of life, cultural traditions, and purpose all make Italy the perfect example of how this one drink has impacted our world.
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