Coffee

The history of coffee in Italy begins in a precise date and place: in 1570 in Venice, when the Paduan Prospero Alpino brought some sacks from the Far East.

At first the drink was sold in pharmacies, but the high cost of the product made it an attraction especially for the wealthier classes. But this didn't stop the success of coffee: in a short time the "coffee shops" increased, so much so that in 1763 there were 218 in Venice.

It is at this moment that coffee begins to become the drink that most of all recalls that sense of conviviality and family that are among the founding values of Italianness. Coffee begins to be an opportunity for friends and lovers to meet, who met in the various shops to share the unique taste of this drink.

Today, "having a coffee" in Italy is an opportunity to chat, be in company, experience small moments of serenity.

This is how coffee arrived in all regions of Italy, capturing its unique flavor. Whether it is sweet or bitter, coffee is the product that is never lacking in Italian homes. A tradition that passes from generation to generation, accompanying the most important moments of a family.

Italian coffee is constantly in fashion and represents one of the best ambassadors of Italian food in the world.

Today all over the world espresso continues to conquer markets and palates. And the espresso machines invented in Italy speak the universal language of the Italian-style roasted and Italian-style “squeezed” bean. But coffee also and above all means Moka coffee maker, indeed, the “machine” as it is still affectionately called in Italian kitchens. Even if the pods and capsules of the so-called espresso machines are advancing, the mochais still the most facvourite machine in Italy and all the chains of the large-scale distribution declare that the sale of ground coffe blend for moka is largely in the majority, with a 73-87 percent of italian consumer ( according to the regions) which rewards the "machine". For this reason the Moka coffe machine is now a worldwide symbol of the real “good” home coffee.

The moka is a brilliant Italian invention of the 1930s and owes its name to the town of Mokha, in Yemen, famous for the goodness of its beans.

The Moka coffe machine is a product of Italian industrial design famous all over the world and present in the permanent collection of the Triennale Design Museum in Milan and the MoMA in New York.

Moka ws inventend by Mr. Bialetti had the idea of the coffee maker when he saw his wife washing clothes using an old instrument to mix hot water and soap togheter: when the temperature reached 100 degrees, the hot water went up in a pipe and returned to the "pot" along with the soap. In this way Bialetti had studied the functioning of this old washing machine and had produced the first Moka coffee maker by hand, forever changing the way of preparing coffee.

Therefore today, as then, the Bialetti Moka has an octagonal shape and is the classic domestic coffee maker, consisting of a base where the water boils, a filter where the ground coffee is put and an upper part that contains the coffee already prepared and ready. to drink.

Nowadays, this coffee maker is a piece of Italian culture that many italians carry it in their suitcases as an essential element in their travels. Its use is now a custom that has gone beyond Italian borders.

For many Italians it is a real morning ritual, perhaps to be repeated even during the day. Preparing coffee with the mocha is an art in which many people try their hand every day, who do not give up the characteristic hum and the wonderful aroma that spreads in the air.

It seems easy to prepare a good Italian coffee with the Moka machine: basically, you just need to use only two ingredients, water and ground coffee. Yet it is not quite so: how many times have you happened to drink crap moka coffe?

Let's find out, then, how to make the perfect espresso with this loved Italian coffee maker step by step:

1. The kettle must be filled with cold water up to the valve.

2. Then the filter must be filled with the ground coffee blend, forming a small hill if we want an intense coffee.

3. Now you can screw the collector and put the mocha on the stove, over low heat.

4. As soon as the coffee comes out and we hear the typical gurgling, the flame must be extinguished.

5. Wait to pour the drink: first, mix with the spoon directly into the mocha.

The secrets for a perfect Italian espresso

To make a great italian coffe it is necessary to follow a series of fundamental precautions to enjoy a perfect espresso:

1. Use a well-run coffee maker. With brand new mocha, good coffee never comes.

2. Watch out for filter and gasket: they must be changed as soon as they wear out.

3. Do not pass the valve in the kettle when you pour the water, otherwise a long coffee will come out.

4. Use cold water and not too calcareous.

5. Never press the ground coffe powder because it makes extraction more difficult.

6. Put the Moka on low heat in order to slowly extract all the aromas of the mixture.

7. Mixing the coffee when it is still in the machine allows you to mix the denser part with the lighter one, released at two different times.

How to recognize a well-made coffee

Did we make a good Italian coffee ? Here's how to recognize the signs that can reveal it before placing our lips on the cup.

The perfume, first of all. If a good aroma spreads in the air, there is a good chance of savoring a delicious espresso. The eye also wants its part: observe the color, starting from when the machine is still on the fire. The coffee that comes out first must be very dark, then the color becomes more nutty. When you pour it into a cup, if the liquid is transparent, it means that you have plenty of water.

We almost forgot the true infallible secret: using a good coffee. It seems trivial, but it is not at all: only with high quality Italian coffe blends we can prepare a state-of-the-art espresso coffee, there are no tricks that hold.

Buy the best Ground Coffee for italian Espresso on Pinocchio's Pantry:

Caffè Lavazza is the icon of Italian coffee in the world. Among the many variants available, we offer you a very particular blend, the result of a skilful mix between Arabica and Robusta: Caffè Lavazza Crema and Gusto Ricco. A coffee with a dense and liqueur flavor, which releases aromas of caramel and cocoa and stands out for its intense and decisive taste. Truly the best to delight your guests, and spread that irresistible smell of freshly brewed Italian coffee at home or in your shop. For all Pinocchio's Pantry customers an extraordinary one is available in the classic 250g Lavazza coffee format.

If Italy is the home of espresso coffee, then Naples is undoubtedly its capital. This is why on Pinocchio's Pantry you can find Kimbo Fresh Ground coffee. The intense aroma, combined with the enveloping taste and full-bodied flavor, make this coffee truly unique: absolutely worth trying, to bring the scent and quality of real Neapolitan coffee to your home or shop. A curiosity: the more the coffee is "freshly ground", that is, recently, the sharper and more intense its flavor. You can find different Kimbo coffee formats available in our shop at a truly exceptional price.