Italian culture in bitter coffee

Coffee is an indispensable part of Italian culture. It is no longer a common drink but has become an art, a belief, a ritual for the people of this Mediterranean country.

The first coffee shop in Europe opened in the 17th century in Venice. Immediately after that, hundreds of similar coffee shops appeared along the romantic, deep blue canals.

The people of the land of the leaning tower drink coffee almost from morning to night, each time of the day is filled with a different coffee aroma. Let’s explore the most subtle features of Italian coffee culture.

1. You should only drink cappuccino, caffè latte, caffè macchiato (coffee in a large cup, with lots of milk) and any type of coffee with milk in the morning, and never sip coffee after a main meal. Italians believe that hot milk will make you full. Many Americans who come to Rome to break this rule by deliberately ordering a cappuccino after lunch, only to receive a smile and an apology from the blue-eyed waiters.

2. When you come to the “boot-shaped country”, you should not ask for anything in your coffee. Asking for a mint leaf in your frappuccino or a dash of cocoa powder in your espresso is almost like a small insult to the Italian barista.

3. Italians do not appreciate drinking a doppio espresso (double the amount of coffee compared to a normal cup of coffee). Remember that they drink a lot of coffee throughout the day, in several doses, not in one go.

4. Italians rarely use the word espresso, so if you want an espresso, just say: “I’ll have a coffee.” Espresso is usually served in a small, thick ceramic cup.

5. If you choose to drink coffee standing up, you will save 3-4 times the amount you would pay for a cup of coffee, especially a Cappuccino

6. When drinking coffee at home, Italians like to use a Moka coffee maker. This Moka has been associated with their coffee culture since the 17th century.