How to Order an Italian Coffee in Italy

There are so many different types of Italian coffee, and by now we know them all, right? Latte, mocha, Frappuccino

You wont find a single drink by those names here in Italy. Ordering coffee in an Italian bar is quite a different story, and I often give my guests a little primer on coffee in Italy. Torani syrups to personalize your coffee experience and nonfat whipped cream dont exist in Il Bel Paese. Instead, there are a series of coffee variations you can count on finding in almost any bar in Italy. Italy doesnt have Starbucks and in my opinion, it doesnt need it. The next time you say Venti remember youre ordering 20oz. of a coffee drink. And thats only the medium. The fact is that there is relative consistency in the quality as well as the coffee drink names across Italy. You wont have to worry about mixing your ice blends with your Frappucinos as you go from bar to bar and town to town. Maybe you wont be able to learn how to make the perfect espresso , but at least youll know how to order it!

POPULAR ITALIAN COFFEE DRINKS Caff - In Italy the word caff naturally implies an espresso. There is no need to specify espresso when ordering. It will be served in a porcelain demitasse cup tazzina with its own saucer and little stirring spoon. Pronunciation tip: Cahf-FEH

Caff Macchiato In Italian, macchiare means to stain and this espresso in a demitasse cup is stained with some hot milk, probably frothed, though no attention is placed on serving foam. This is not a mini-cappuccino.

Caff Macchiato Freddo An espresso served in a demitasse cup with cold or lukewarm milk on the side. It looks like a normal caff next to a carafe of milk. It is! Many bars provide a communal container of milk on the bar, so often someone can just order a caff and add the milk themselves. Its best to order the caff macchiato freddo and let the barman direct you. If you absolutely want to add the ilk yourself, you can make sure to specify, il latte a parte

Cappuccino Probably the most well-known and loved coffee drink, it has a long history. Espresso and steamed, frothy milk added so that there is a clean layer of milk foam in a larger cup, a tazza.

Marocchino In some areas of Italy, also called an Espressino or Mocacchino, this is my drink of choice and was what ultimately led me to be addicted to coffee 9 short months ago. It is a shot of espresso served in a glass demitasse (for aesthetic reasons), with a sprinkling of cacao (added either before or after the milk, sometimes both!) and milk foam spooned on top.

Latte Macchiato Milk stained with coffee, and served hot in a glass cup as shown or in a tall glass, larger than a cappuccino.

Caff Corretto An espresso in a demitasse cup, with a shot of liquor of your choice. Popular liquors are grappa, Sambuca (anise-flavored liqueur), cognac, rum, or my personal favorite, Baileys Irish Cream. You can also ask for a Marocchino Corretto and they should oblige you.

POPULAR VARIATIONS ON CAFF ESPRESSO These drinks are further variations on the coffee itself. Most of these drinks can have milk added to them but the important thing about ordering these drinks is specifying how it is brewed doubled, water added, chilled, reduced!

o Caff Doppio Two shots of espresso, served in a larger cup (tazza). o Caff Americano A shot of espresso with hot water added and served in the larger tazza. o Caff Lungo A setting on most espresso machines, more water is being run through the filter, resulting in a longer coffee. The consistency and strength is not the same as an espresso. o Caff Stretto or Ristretto Made with less water than a normal espresso, this caffe is more concentrated and strong and served in a demitasse. o Caff dOrzo Espresso made from barley is a popular alternative to traditional espresso. It can be ordered as a single, doppio (double) or macchiato like a normal caff. You can see this macchiato has some bubbles because the caff dorzo is not as thick as a regular caff.

o Caff Freddo Espresso is left to raffreddare or get cool, or is sometimes refrigerated and served cold or lukewarm. o Caffe HAG Not only is this the most popular brand of decaffeinated coffee in Italy, it can also be a way to indicate a decaffeinated coffee when ordering. It can be ordered as a single, double or macchiato like a normal caff. (Pron: Ahg the H is silent).

SPECIAL COFFEE DRINKS Not all bars will have these specialties available (and some not year-round) but if you find a bar that does them right, youve found a favorite for life! o Granita di Caff Granita, an icy coffee treat was recently covered by Shelley at At Home in Rome at the famous Tazza dOro in Rome. This can

be found in some gelaterias or bars that have granita, but it is not a common flavor. o Caff Completo This may be available at a few select bars (ask if you dont mind striking out every once and a while!) but Shelleys Caff Completo at Cafff Camerinohad fresh whipped cream on top with a sprinkling of cacao. o Caff Shakerato I recently posted about Caff Shakerato, my favorite summer coffee drink. Coffee shaken with ice and sugar (if requested). Its great on its own, or try it with Baileys Irish Cream for an even better experience! o Bicerin A Torinese specialty hot chocolate, espresso and frothy milk served in a glass. I just posted about this here when I went to Torino and had a Bicerin at Baratti & Milano. o Caffe con Panna Espresso with fresh-whipped cream. Some bars will have this as a specialty but not all bars will have whipping cream on hand.

SWEETENING YOUR COFFEE There are a few standard additions to your coffee if you dont want to drink it amaro fig: black, lit: bitter : o Zucchero: Plain white, refined sugar. Some people collect the bags as almost every bar will have their logo and/or specially-designed bag. o Zucchero di Canna: Unrefined, cane sugar that is darker and has larger grains. My preference. Most bars will have this as an option, but not all. I usually have to stir a bit longer than the white sugar to make sure its dissolved entirely. o Dietor: A popular sweetener made with saccharin (similar to Sweet n Low). [site] o Miele : Honey, an alternate and natural sweetener, is not available everywhere, but it is usually in packet form or in a little carafe on the bar top. o Cacao: Though most of the bars will use unsweetened cacao (cocoa powder), it gives a different taste to your coffee. Cacao can be added to almost any drink, and many bartenders will ask if you want cacao on top of your cappuccino as its often added. Some will leave a little shaker on the counter for self-service.

NON-COFFEE DRINKS o Latte Milk. If you ask for a latte, you will get a large glass of (most-likely) hot milk. o Cioccolato Caldo Hot chocolate. This beverage deserves its own post and it will have it around winter. o Te - Tea. They will usually provide you with a carafe of hot water or with the tea already brewing in the carafe when they deliver it. Note: Most bar owners do not look favorably upon ordering hot water and making tea with your own bags. o Camomilla Chamomile tea