Coffee Culture

“Ever drunk your espresso sitting down - or ordered a cappuccino in the afternoon? If you’ve done either of these in Italy, then you’re almost certainly not a native”.

Italian culture is connected with coffee as strongly as it is connected with fashion. 

Your walk along fashion boutiques in any of the Italian cities will be accompanied by strong and so amazingly appealing smell of brewing coffee. Beside this deep connection stands the exclusive Italian culture of coffee, which as well as Italian fashion has its unique features. 

Probably never in the world you can be judged so easily of your nationality by the way you make your order at the bar as in Italy, where the coffee cult is extremely unique. For example, for Italians drinking cappuccino in the middle of the day or after a meal is a moveton. Classic cappuccino in pair with a croissant is strictly a breakfast ritual. After 11 a.m. coffee will never be ordered with milk. During lunch break the typical Italian coffee order will be espresso or macchiato, which will be taken at the bar counter. So-called "Counter Culture" is invention of Italians and their special coffee ritual, which will never be substituted by American "to-go" and Western long-lasting lunch talks with a cup of caffe latte. 

Italian coffee culture is so authentic, that even coffee's “terms and conditions” are different here from the rest of the world. Simple “caffè” here is espresso, which sometimes causes a surprise among Russian and American coffee lovers who expect to receive a big mug of Jo after order. Latte here is not an extra milky coffee so popular among many nationalities, it is simply milk, which most of time will be served cold. At the same time ordering seemingly usual Caffe Americano will immediately make you look like a tourist.

Italy remains authentic and loyal to its traditions in all the aspects, including its coffee cult. Neither globalization nor strong influence of traditions of other countries will never change it. 

Kseniya.