GOD SAVE THE CAPPUCCINO!!
I've read a few articles recently about a movement set up it Italy to protect the cappucino. Anyone who has been to Italy knows how a cappuccino is served, small and strong. Very different to here and in the Uk where you get a big bowl of white soup in some places - the only way to describe it. In Italy cappuccino is only drank in the morning with something sweet like a croissant or biscuits and just espresso is drank after every meal. We have an Italian coffee machine at home and have our cappuccino every morning for breakfast and some Chocolate Kimberley's, gotta have something Irish. The Italian family are appalled when they see Irish people ordering a cappuccino after dinner, but then again when they come here it doesn't take much to surprise them: pineapple on pizza, chicken in pasta, pesto on sandwiches. Italians are very set in their ways in relation to food and their coffees, as anyone who watched Jamie's Italy could see!! It's great though because they are just so passionate and every conversation is centred around food whether it's about what they ate for lunch or about what they're going to eat for dinner.
Anyway the National Institute for Italian Espresso have introduced an official cert outlining the way a true Italian cappuccino should be made. They say the "perfect cappuccino" should only be drunk before 11am should only measure 150ml. This is made up of a 25ml shot of espresso topped up with 125ml of steamed milk. Get Measuring!!!
We do find it difficult to get good coffee in Ireland especially espresso. We've had so many bad espressos, even in the best of restaurants that we've actually given up and stopped ordering them. The dearest espresso I've ever seen was in the Aghadoe Heights in Killarney- €6, we couldn't believe it but the funny thing was the latte was the same price??? Didn't make sense, suprisingly we didn't have it.
The best place for Italian coffee has to be the Italian Quarter in Dublin on Ormonde Quay. There is a little coffee dock there that does really good cappuccino and espresso. If you're in Dublin and like Italian food and wine, this area is great. It has an Italian restaurant, Enotecca(wine bar) and coffee dock. It's great in the summer, it feels like you're in Italy as it's full of Italians sitting outside shouting, eating and smoking right in the heart of Dublin.
The problem here is that we don't really have a choice when it comes to coffee as there are very few Italian coffee shops. It's quite difficult to get Italian coffee right, Bru's dad Alfredo has to come in to La Cucina about once a month just to check the grinder, the machine etc and of course it's never right and you know what it never will be!!
Sign me up.......
Just gotta get that froth perfected :-D :-D :-D
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Do check the spelling on cappuccino, though! :) (Comment this)
Complimenti per il blog.............. BELLISSIMO!
Buon appetito a tutti. (Comment this)