Having Coffee, The Italian Way

Just as coffee goes back all the way to Ethiopia, as it came from there, all the coffee variants that we know today lead back to Italy; cappuccino, latte, mocha, espresso, macchiato etc. Well, apart from crediting those names, Italy has something distinct with coffee which is not anywhere to be found in the world.

Coffee in Italy is also served at places we know as ‘bars’. For the rest of the world, these bars are the places where liquor is served and consumed but, well in Italy, it is not the case. Although a ‘bar’ means exactly the same as it means in the rest of the world, in context, that you get a drink right up after you place an order. Yes, these bars serve you the coffee just a few moments later you order them.

Another amazing thing is—you just have to chug your coffee standing and you are done. The coffee is not served piping hot as you would find in other parts of the world. It would be just at the right temperature to gulp down in one shot. That is because the Italians don’t believe in takeaway coffees and drinking coffee is more ceremonial. They believe that it is a break from the day to relax and talk to the people around you. Yeah, most of you must be thinking if that was exactly like chugging a Tequila shot! Yes, it is, but it is an Espresso shot. Well, Italians don’t prefer to drink cappuccinos or any other milk-based coffee after a meal in the afternoon, the reason; they believe it disturbs the digestion.

So, in case you don’t want to have that regular cappuccino or you are just an espresso lover just as the Italians, what you call for? You call it- un caffe, that is a single-shot of espresso. If you want a double shot, it goes- un caffe doppio. Well, you got to look for the words; the difference between cafe and caffe can only be spotted when written.