Added: 10/31/2005 |
Italian Cafes- Heaven on the EarthDo believe that even a regular atheist at the bottom of his heart dreams about Heaven. And it`s really not a big problem to find yourself there, cause it`s closer then you can imagine- in Italy! What does that mean? - of course classical Italian cafes!
One is terribly mistaken, when thinks that Italian cuisine is restricted to some kinds of pizza, spaghetti and pasta. We can tell you with all the responsibility- Italian cuisine will lose it`s colour without coffee. Though Italy imports it, it is the most popular drink of the country since 1592, when Italian doctor Proper d`Alpino described this divine product. And 20 years later a Procopio founded the first cafe in Europe, though it was located in France.
Where there is coffee, there is cafe. The country is covered with classic cafes: small and big, modern and old-fashioned, expensive and democratic - they are the oasis of carefree life. Italians scoop energy from there chattering and relaxing while sipping strong coffee. Classical Italian cafes usually offer dozens of meals, including pizza, risotto, spaghetti, fish, wine, etc. But coffee is the hit, especially espresso- the most beloved sort of it. In Italian cafes coffee is served in small cups, called "tazzina" and contains only 30 gr. You can also order "lungo" - weaker portion, with more water than coffee in it. As for Italians themselves, they prefer only tazzinas and its varieties like "carico", "ristretto" or "basso".
Looking through the menu in italian cafes one must know, that if not specified, caffe there is always espresso Espresso - in italian "fast, urgent" (for example, piatto espresso -a portion of meal, cooked at client`s presence) is really very fast in cooking. In 1901 Luigi Betstsera invented a steam coffee maker (macchina a vapore), which changed the whole process of coffee-making in Italian cafes. Under a big pressure hot water passes through closely milled coffee powder, turning into strong drink with a dark-beige dense foam.
If you are not satisfied with espresso, it will be changed for a caffe correto - with brandy, rum or different tinctures. In Italian cafes very popular is caffe freddo - with ice, and granita al caffe . The latter is frozen coffee with slush, usually served in glasses.
Of course, it`s better to see with your own eyes and experience atmosphere of stiffened time by yourself.
We advise you to visit ANTICO CAFe GRECO, the most classical cafe, first of all. It was founded in 1760, and despite the greatest coffee crisis of 1806 year, it offered only the best espresso. Among regular visitors were Goethe, Gogol, Stendal, Wagner, Fellinni, Sofi Loren and aristocracy of all rates, including Russian tzar Pavel The First! Photos on the walls will show you many other prominent poets and artists, honored Antico cafe Greco having a cup of tea. BABINGTON'S TEA ROOM, existing from 1893 without changing its colonial interior, offers customers a huge variety of tea from all the parts of the world- from Japan, China, India, Ceylon, Sri-Lanka, including exotic sweets. If you prefer more aristocratic places, CAFe ASNT'EUSTACHIO is quite the thing. Roman interior, carried out in the old-fashioned manner, arranges the feeling on calm and thoughtful tone. You can have dinner there as well.
Visiting these cafes, be aware of the fact, that to have a cup of coffee at the bar is four times cheaper, than at the table. But we are sure, you will forget all the problems and even previous pleasures as soon as your feet cross the threshold of a classic Italian cafe -heaven on the earth, indeed!
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