Cultura del Caffè

Italians are known for having high standards for their coffee and exact specifications for how it should be made. Things like grinding texture, volume of grounds, and extraction methods should be consistent and uniform across service times and baristas. It is important for everyone on the Bar Pisellino team to learn about Italian coffee culture, both to be able to impart this knowledge to guests and to respond appropriately to guests who come expecting impeccable Italian coffee. Please familiarize yourself with the coffee menu, presentation, and lexicon posts. Here are a few other points of Italian coffee culture: 

In Italy, a cappuccino is viewed almost as a meal in and of itself, typically enjoyed before 11am. Because milk is considered an interference to digestion, most Italians would not drink a cappuccino or latte macchiato before or during a meal. Many enjoy espresso after eating to aid digestion.

The American habit of drinking coffee on the go or nursing a large coffee over the course of several hours runs in contrast to Italian custom. In Italy coffee is typically served in small quantities and consumed quickly, at standing bars on the way to work or between activities. It’s typical to drink several espressos spaced throughout the day, rather than consuming large quantities of caffeine early in the day. A conventional Italian coffee habit might look like this: cappuccino in the morning, espresso after lunch, caffè corretto (espresso with a splash of amaro or grappa) after dinner.