Caffè Italiano

Italian coffee. Ahh, ci piace molto! (Ahh, we like it very much!) Rarely has there been a morning here where we did not have coffee. For Italians, it is a primary part of breakfast (la prima collazione). Most Italian breakfasts are pretty light and consist of coffee and a croissant/biscotti (cookies)/cereal/toast with jam.

Also, we love the cappuchinos here, and we have often gone out to get a cappuchino and a croissant (usually chocolate filled - yum!). A caffè,  the strong, small cups of coffee that we Americans call "espresso" are the typical main drink in a cafe, and the prices are generally set around .80 to .90 euro ($1 - $1.20). A cappuchino costs a bit more, usually around 1.20 euros ($1.60). Add on a 1euro croissant, and you have a great sugar-loaded breakfast. :D

 una caffettiera

While we stayed in Trulli il Castagno, it was a great treat to have our own caffettiera (a particularly Italian coffee maker - see the pic to the right). We have our own in the states. Italian coffee is very strong, and even Italians here will add a spoonful or two of sugar to their caffe. For us, we like to make it in the caffettiera and add sugar and milk to our cups (a much more American way of drinking it).

We also learned a fantastic method of making coffee using the caffettiera, which we were taught by our couchsurfing host, Dario, in Napoli. He used caffè con nocciole (coffee with hazelnut - the Italians love hazelnut in almost every sweet). The result is a sweet, creamy coffee - with no milk added. I call this the "Dario Coffee Recipe."

1. Begin brewing coffee in a 3-cup caffettiera (water is in the bottom part, coffee in a strainer in the middle - the water evaporates up through the coffee and re-condenses in the top compartment.)
2. Put about half of 1/4 cup of sugar in a container (I'd use a 2-cup pyrex measuring cup at home). Wait for the first "drop" of coffee to form in the top compartment. Pour this drop (about 1 or 2 spoonfuls of coffee) into the sugar, and mix vigorously with a spoon. Leave the caffettiera on the stove to finish brewing.
3. Continue mixing the sugar - at first it will be a thick paste, and then it develops into a creamy brown syrup. 
4. When the caffettiera has finished brewing (you can always tell because it starts to make noise - this indicates that the water has finished evaporating, and the top compartment is already almost full) - pour the coffee in with the sugar syrup and mix well.
5. Drink and enjoy! You should have a wonderful sweet coffee which tastes like you added a sweet creamer to it. :)