Amalfi Coast
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Cilento National Park
Lake Como
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Lake Maggiore
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CalabriaCoffee, Italian Style
With more than 250,000 coffee bars within the peninsula, it's obvious that Italians are passionate about coffee. Walk down any street in any town and you're bound to hear the familiar hiss of steam from an espresso machine. We consume 38 million espressos per day! Now that's a lot of coffee! An espresso shot is the basis for building all our other coffee drinks.
There are rituals surrounding our caffé consumption, too. The morning cup normally contains milk; after lunch we turn to just caffé (espresso). Why? Milk after a meal would be a "heavy" ending, but we want the jolt of caffeine to keep us going after the pasta. Plain espresso is also said to aid the digestion.
Before you balk at a seemingly-strong, condensed espresso, though, you should know that a cup of drip-brewed coffee contains more caffeine than espresso.
Sugar is almost universally added to coffee in Italy, but not in the form of flavored syrups. Sugar dispensers rest atop every bar, and packets of it, along with sugar substitutes, are always available.
Regardless how you prefer your coffee, you're bound to find the right cup to satisfy your caffeine cravings. Here is a quick run-down on the most popular brews.
- Caffé: espresso brewed into a small cup. It should have a crema on top, a light layer of golden froth.
- Caffé Macchiato: espresso "marked" with a dollop of steamed milk froth.
- Caffé Latte (or Latte Macchiato): a shot of espresso in a larger cup that is then filled with steamed milk, the Italian equivalent of a café au lait. A latte macchiato is often served as a cup of hot milk with a shot of espresso on the side for you to add into the milk. By the way, ordering just a "latte" will garner you a cup of milk, no coffee added.
- Cappuccino: a shot of espresso with steamed milk, topped with creamy milk froth.
- Marrochino: espresso dusted with cocoa, topped with frothed milk, then sprinkled with more cocoa on top. It is also sometimes crowned with whipped cream. The name varies region by region, sometimes it is also known as a marocco, moretto or mocaccino.
- Caffé Corretto: espresso that is fortified with a "corrective" agent - liquor. Frequently used corretti include grappa, anisette, brandy, or rum.
- Caffé Americano: espresso is brewed into a larger cup and then filled with hot water, resulting in a weaker beverage that tastes more like a drip-brewed cup of joe.
- Caffé Freddo: iced coffee, served into a tumbler. Can be delicious, but you have to find the right bar, the one that makes it slushy, and with the right amount of sugar. Otherwise all you get is cold coffee.
- Caffé alla Nocciola: Hazelnut coffee... a rising trend... give it a try!
Campania is the leading region in apricot cultivation.
The villages scattered all around the Cilento coast maintain a very ancient fishing technique, but non so closely tied to it than the pretty town of Pisciotta.
A pre-dinner drink for relaxing, socializing and enjoying a glass of vino with a few nibbles – sounds like happy hour!
Burrata is a creamy fresh cheese that is a specialty of the Puglia region.
Cacioricotta is a soft cheese typical of the Cilento National Park.
A specialty of Cetara on the Amalfi Coast is a centuries' old tradition of fish preservation, and the results are delicious.
Since 2000, Castiglione del Lago has homed a Slow Food presidium in order to promote and conserve the Fagiolina del Trasimeno.
With more than 250,000 coffee bars within the peninsula, it's obvious that Italians are passionate about coffee.
A pre-dinner drink for relaxing, socializing and enjoying a glass of vino with a few nibbles – sounds like happy hour!
Pecorino Bagnolese is a cheese made with raw sheep milk coming from bagnolese ewes.
Prosciutto di Norcia is a cured prosciutto crudo, produced in the mountains of eastern Umbria.
The Ragusano DOP is one of the oldest cheese traditions on the island of Sicily, and one of the most flavorful, too.
Sicily has a reputation for its sweets, and many are created with the island's almonds, a tradition for centuries.
BYOB - And Fill It Up A unique store found in many Italian towns is the cantina for vino sfuso.
There is a refreshing font where wine flows freely for anyone who wants it.
Saint Joseph's Day is March 19, which is also Father's Day in Italy.
If you have searched the web looking for activities to do while vacationing on the Amalfi Coast, there is no doubt that you have already read about Mamma Agata and her incredible cooking school in Ravello.
We know that dining is one of the highlights of any trip to Italy.
Forget bacon and eggs.
Since Italy is a peninsula surrounded by three seas, it is no surprise that seafood makes its appearance on plates all over the country.
The dog days of summer…the old expression rings true throughout Italy when the heat hits.
Italy is known for its fabulous cuisine, and pizza is probably the item most beloved world-wide.
Have you ever wondered how to get milk from a herd of buffalo?
Once you have peeled your eyes away from the stupendous scenery of the Amalfi Coast, one of the first things you’re bound to notice is the large lemons hanging from the trees.
The stereotyped image of the Roman 'osteria' is so captivating to condition for centuries the whole regional wine production.
The hills that surround the city of Salerno and stretch from the Amalfi Coast to the Cilento National Park give an extra-virgin olive oil with an intense colour and a unique fruity taste.
Agerola is known as "Città del Pane" - city of bread – nationwide popular brand that recognizes some Italian towns where this product assumes a special value due to the peculiar characteristics.
At Summer in Italy we do care about our guests, and this is why, in order to help you making your food shopping in Italy just perfect, we would like to share a few tips about high-quality local products.
In ancient times, the shepherds in Agerola dressed a big mantle to take shelter from cool and dampness, and reached Naples to sell their products.
Its unique and special characteristics, very much appreciated even abroad, gives the name to "Fico Bianco del Cilento": once dried, the sweet peel gets light yellow coloured rather than chestnut brown if oven-cooked.
The 90% of artichoke's production in Campania is concentrated within the province of Salerno, specially into the Plain of Sele.
San Marzano is one of the most acclaimed variety of tomato, grown in the area between Salerno and Naples known as Agro Nocerino-Sarnese.
The hazelnut of Giffoni IGT, known as "Nocciola di Giffoni" belongs to one of the most precious Italian varieties: Tonda di Giffoni.
Caciocavallo Silano is a semi-hard cheese, made with vaccine milk, seasoned 15 days minimum.