Thursday, June 26, 2008

un caffe, per favore

I am sure you all are aware that coffee is a large part of Italian culture. I bet they have just as many kinds of coffee drinks as pasta! I often go out for coffee with colleagues and realized just how ignorant I was to this part of their culture - such as having cappucino is a faux pas after lunch or dinner. So i did a bit of research and here are the new terms i learned:

  • caffè (espresso)—a small cup of very strong coffee, i.e., espresso
  • caffè Americano—American-style coffee, but stronger; weaker than espresso and served in a large cup
  • caffè corretto—coffee "corrected" with a shot of grappa, cognac, or other spirit
  • caffè doppio—double espresso
  • caffè freddo—iced coffee
  • caffè Hag—decaffeinated coffee
  • caffè latte—hot milk mixed with coffee and served in a glass for breakfast
  • caffè macchiato—espresso "stained" with a drop of steamed milk: small version of a cappuccino
  • caffè marocchino—espresso with a dash of hot milk and cacao powder
  • caffè stretto—espresso with less water; rocket fuel!
  • cappuccino—espresso infused with steamed milk and drunk in the morning, but never after lunch or dinner
  • granita di caffè con panna—frozen, iced beverage (similar to a slush, but ice shavings make it authentic) and topped with whipped cream
  • caffe con crema-hot espresso with a dolop of your choice of gelato in the middle
With this vocab, you all can order like a local! I think i will have to buy an Italian stove top coffee pot or Moka Pot as they are called as well- they know how to do coffee here = )

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