Espresso was invented by a brilliant Milanese inventor by the name of Luigi Bezzera, who coupled his passion for steam with a love of coffee. As brewing coffee every morning was taking too much of his time, in 1884 he decided to create a different method using steam opposed to boiling water. His brilliant yet simple idea of making coffee with steam pressure revolutionized the concept of making coffee with a pot of boiling water. Thanks to this gentleman, the first espresso machine was created !
By 1905, Desidero Pavoni purchased Bezzera’s parent and produced the first commercial espresso machine. He called it The term “espresso” became part of the Italian dictionary. After the first world war, almost all bars in Italy had an espresso machine. The barman who was supposed to operate the high end tech machine stared to be called “barista“.
What makes a good Italian coffee?
According to Italians, a perfect coffee has to follow the “4 M” rule
- Miscela (blend): defines the flavour and aroma
- Macinadosatore (dose grinder): coffee bean grinder that measures that exact dose – 7g/shot
- Macchina (espresso machine): ensures the water temperature, flow and volume during brewing
- Mano (hand): a skilled barista knows how to fine tune all the above 3 Ms to create the perfect coffee
Where, what, when, and how to order coffee in Italy
The first time I ordered a shot of coffee (espresso) at one of those large coffee chains the barista asked me: Its for here or to go? She got be joking, I thought….. Anyway, I answered for here! A few minutes later I got my warm “doppio 100ml espresso” in a 300ml paper cup… From that moment on I started to be very careful on where, what, when, and how to order coffee in North America.
Italians are very particular about their coffee. They find excellent coffee pretty much everywhere, particularly at bars. Coffee shops like the large and famous North American and British ones simply don’t exist in Italy. No couches, no people working on notebooks while slowly sipping a large cup of lukewarm “latte“, no special recipe or requests to the barista. Italians usually have their coffees standing at the counter in about 6-7 minutes. Trust me, Italians will judge you on how you order your coffee… If you see tables at the bar is because you are in a touristic area, and rest assured you will be charged more to take a seat.
Cappuccino and caffè latte are served from early in the morning until 11am ONLY. Cappuccino ais usually taken with a pastry (called cornetto or brioche) and it constitutes a traditional Italian breakfast. If you order a cappuccino after meal, they will not refuse to serve you, but that is not usual in Italy. An espresso, on the other hand, can be ordered all through the day and night, particularly at mid-morning, after lunch and dinner.
Although it is not immediately obvious, in some busy Italian bars you pay first at the cash register (cassa). Ask for the coffee that you want and hand over your money in exchange for a receipt. Don’t lose this. Take it to the barista and he/she will know exactly what and how to serve you. When your coffee arrives, drink it and make room for the next person if the counter is busy.
In Italy there are more than 50 ways to order a coffee. I listed below the nine most common on ones:
Caffè Espresso / Caffè Doppio / Caffè Ristretto
If you go to a bar in Italy and ask for coffee you will get an espresso. A good espresso is made with approximately 7g (0.24 oz) of freshly ground coffee that is brewed for 25 seconds. The result is 25ml of espresso, served at a temperature of 65C (150F) in a pre-heated small 60ml china cup. In case you feel like a single 25ml shot is not enough, order a Caffe Doppio (double coffee) and you will get 50 ml. If 25 ml is way too much, try a “ristretto“. It is a “short” espresso made with 15-20ml of water (less quantity of water, more aroma, less caffeine)
Caffè Lungo
A lungo is made with 7g of ground coffee but, instead of 25 seconds of extraction, the barista lets the machine run for 50 seconds (twice as much the amount of water). It not as dark but tastes more bitter than an espresso. Because it requires more water you will end up getting more caffeine.
Caffè Corretto
When a shot of liquor (usually grappa or sambuca) is added in the cup, the coffee is called “corretto” (corrected).
Macchiato
It is an espresso with a small amount of foamed milk on top. In Italian, “macchiato” means “stained” or “spotted”
Americano
It is a double espresso with 100ml of hot water added to it after the extraction. It is a much thinner brew. The water dilutes the espresso giving the volume of a drip, but with a light espresso taste.
Cappuccino
Espresso with foam and steamed milk (and many Italians also like powdered chocolate on top). The milk has to be “frothed” (using the steam wand that is part of any espresso machine) into a “microfoam” that is about twice the volume of the original milk. It is served in a pre-heated 150ml china cup.
Caffè Latte (Different from a Latte)
Espresso mixed with steamed milk. Differently from cappuccino, the milk is merely “steamed” (heated). It is served in a pre-heated 150ml china cup.
Latte Macchiato
It is a tall glass of steamed milk served with a shot of ristretto
Marocchino
From the Italian word, Morrocan (Moroccan) comes an espresso mixed with either hot chocolate or cocoa powder, topped with foam.
Coffee at home
The moka pot is a stove-top coffee maker that brews coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. It was invented by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933 and quickly became one of the staples of Italian culture.
