What is the best Italian coffee? Features of Italian roasting

The Italians call the invigorating drink not just coffee, but rather attach it to their culture. This country and coffee are absolutely identical things. As much as the natives here absorb Italian coffee, they do not drink in any country in the world. At the same time, it is fried in several technologies, several types are distinguished, which we will discuss in this article.

Bean roasting methods

In order for coffee to have a new flavor every time, it is necessary to carefully roast its beans. Coffee in Italy has four preparation options:

At the same time, the grains that are needed for Italian coffee have a darker color than in other cases. This type of drink is highly respected in southern Italy, but in the CIS countries it was not so well received, however, there were still lovers of this degree of roasting. hallmark Southern Italian roasting even has the fact of a certain burntness - this is normal. Yes, and coffee, after all the impact on it, acquires a slightly bitter taste, which real gourmets can appreciate.

Varieties of Italian caffe

Italians drink so many varieties of coffee that "normal" nations can't even dream of it. They drink a cup in the morning to wake up, after a portion at breakfast, then comes the turn of snacks or instead of them, and after that, after eating, enjoy their favorite drink, what can we say about dessert?

The list of popular drinks includes:

• Caffe espresso (espresso), which also received its second name - normale.

It is brewed in a tiny cup and not even completely filled, but only half. Such Italian coffee is drunk everywhere in Italy, and in the CIS it is quite popular, but it is in the latter countries that it does not always look like the original.

• Caffe ristretto (ristretto) is an abbreviated form of espresso.

This is still the same caffe espresso, but designed for one “bite”, since there are only 20 grams of coffee, so it is only enough for one sip. According to the Italians, this type of caffe is more intense and has fragrant taste unlike classic espresso.

• Caffe lungo - the same caffe espresso, but with big amount water.

As you can see, long (lungo) coffee is another kind of espresso, but now it is simply added more water to stretch the pleasure. In this case, the drink turns out to be less saturated, but it receives more caffeine due to the longer brewing process than espresso.

• Caffe corretto is a small "bonus" to the usual flavor.

If someone is tired of the classic aroma of coffee beans for a while, then craftsmen in Italy will offer you Caffe corretto. There, a little more liquor or grappa is added to the usual espresso.

• Caffe macchiato - the same espresso, but with a small portion milk.

In fact, it is done a little differently, but it just gets dirty with a small drop during cooking! milk.

• Caffe schiumato - here they already stain with a drop of whipped milk.
• Cappuccino is a good old cappuccino.

This is a caffe that contains a large amount of milk foam, and in some cases it is quite successfully sprinkled with grated chocolate or cocoa powder, which results in good patterns that please the eye. Baristas go crazy over milk - making all sorts of drawings on coffee in the form of curls and hearts, the so-called latte - art. Italians usually drink this type of coffee for breakfast, where, in addition to cappuccino, there is also orange juice and a croissant.

This is a large kettle of water and weakly brewed coffee. According to local Italians, this is just l'acqua sporca, which means "dirty water".

• Caffe d'orzo is a barley version of coffee.

Its advantage is that it is not a traditional caffe, but it does not contain caffeine.

Italian coffee and milk: what for what

Coffee, which is diluted with milk in Italy, is called Caffellatte, but it has become so popular in all parts of the world. Here the technology of preparation of the drink is important. Hot milk is simply poured into espresso in proportions one to one. But on top it covers the finished product with a small layer of already foamed milk.
Cappuccino is similar to latte, especially since the Italians themselves call it coffee with milk, but in Italian. When preparing it, three parts of hot steamed milk are poured into one part of caffe. When coffee is added to the foam, creating intricate patterns, then it means that it has come to latte art. Cappuccino is served with a spoon, as they first enjoy the foam, and then it's their turn to drink coffee.
Italians are not limited to the usual Caffellatte, so they also came up with Latte macchiato. It's just the opposite, when milk is poured into espresso. As for the terminology, it is basically a cocktail of milk foam, milk and coffee. Here, one part of coffee goes to three parts of milk. At the same time, a glass is chosen with high walls, where foamed milk is placed first, and then the turn of espresso comes, going into a cocktail in a thin stream. The layers should not mix.

Trademark Lavazza: the centuries-old tradition of Italian coffee

The brand of Italian has been living in the minds of the locals since about 1895. She took in all the best in Italian drink. When you want to try real caffe from Italy, it is better to turn to this brand. Release form Lavazza is suitable for different types coffee machines, as well as for cooking at home.

The range of this trademark impressive: grains, ground, capsule type and coffee pods. In Italy, somewhere around three out of four Italians will always choose Lavazza over other coffee brands. The popularity of this brand was not accidental, because to create a product they use only the best varieties grains.

Lavazza coffee blends include:

The blend includes varieties of grains from the plantations of South and Central America, Indonesia and Brazil.

The difference between this drink is considered to be a creamy structure and a persistent taste, what can we say about the aroma - it is magical.

If you choose Decaffienato or Rombouts Decaffienated, then this decaffeinated coffee is both tasty and healthy.

Try drinks from Lavazza and other Italian brands, and you are sure to find something for yourself.

Italians are true coffee lovers. Their love is so strong that it may seem that they discovered it in the past, but it is not. However, it was they who invented the unique coffee culture in the world, which we will talk about today.

Coffee brought to Venice from Western Asia in the 16th century caused a real sensation.

Coffee houses in Venice sprang up instantly and gained more and more popularity. Coffee, which until then was drunk only as a medicine, received a cult status, turning it into a luxury item of the Venetian nobility. However, with the advent of coffee plantations in European colonies in South America and Asia, the availability of the drink increased, the price decreased, which led to the spread of coffee among the poorer segments of the population.

The glory of a wonderful new drink and more than two hundred coffee houses along the Venetian canals quickly spread to neighboring Verona, Milan and Turin. New elegant coffee houses were built and some of them survived until today.

So, for example, the very first coffee shop in Turin was opened in 1763. Its name is Caffè Al Bicerin and it is located on Piazza della Consolata. They still offer their visitors a historical drink called ‘Bicerin’, the recipe of which is kept in the strictest confidence. This cafe was visited by Puccini, Cavour and other celebrities. There are only 8 tables and there is almost always a huge line of people wishing to enjoy the historical place and a drink.

So the culture of drinking coffee swept the entire peninsula and won the hearts of Italians.

Nowadays, one of the icons of this culture, showing the importance of coffee, is the Italian Moka. The famous aluminum coffee maker was first produced and released by Bialetti in 1933 and now either she or her twin sisters live in every Italian house. They use it to make espresso or caffè, as the Italians call it (we told how to cook it).

Modern trends could not but affect the culture of coffee in Italy. Most bars now have coffee machines that run boiling water over a serving of dry coffee beans to produce a small amount of creamy, caffeinated drink.

Howard Schultz, the owner of the world famous Starbucks, once said that he was inspired by Milanese coffee to open this chain of coffee shops. In fact, an Italian bar and an American cafe are two opposite poles. Drinking an espresso on the run is a lifestyle in Italy. None of the Italians sit down at a table with a book over a huge mug of caramel latte. And if you ask for just a latte in Italy, then you may be misunderstood and brought just a mug of warm milk. Because in Italian "latte" is translated as "milk".

So what are the unwritten rules? Italian culture coffee?

Almost none of the Italians orders a cappuccino after 11 am. According to them, milk drinks are considered quite heavy and only suitable for breakfast.

In almost all bars in Italy, coffee is first paid for at the box office, and then you can make an order to the bartender. To ask for a cup of espresso, you need to say ‘ un coffeeè , per favore’ . In Italy, the word espresso is not used. Then show the paid check. Coffee is often served with a glass of water. If you want not just espresso, but espresso with a small amount milk, then ask ‘ coffeeè macchiato’ (cafe macchiato).

If the espresso seems too small for you, then ask for a double shot ‘ coffeeè doppio’, but this amount of coffee may not be enough (instead of one drop, there will be two), in which case order ‘ coffeeè lungo', which already looks like an americano and is essentially espresso, diluted hot water. If you want something stronger, then order ‘ coffeeè corretto’, served with a dash of liquor (often Italian grappa).

Traveling in Italy different regions Italy can taste something special. So, in Trentino you can order ‘ cappuccino viennese', you will be served delicious foamed coffee with chocolate and cinnamon.

In Marka, be sure to try ‘ coffeeè anisette’ – Anise flavored espresso.

In Naples, enjoy coffee flavored with hazelnuts, and in Sicily, ‘caffè d’u parrinu’ flavored with cloves, cinnamon and cocoa powder.

There is another lovely tradition in Naples that is now almost dead, the so-called ‘ coffeeè sospeso’ or “delayed” coffee. So, the visitor pays for 2 coffees, drinks one, and the second is given to one of the strangers.

Italy is a country of true coffee lovers, which is why a record number of world coffee brands. How does the national drink of Italy differ from others, which brands offer the best and why do they offer real espresso here?

History of Italian coffee

Coffee does not grow in Italy, there are no favorable conditions for this shrub, but the process of conquering Europe with an invigorating drink began precisely from this country, or rather, from its independent republic - Venice. Italian - this product was one of the goods that the wealthy Venetians traded, buying it from the Turks and reselling it to Europeans. But this happened much later.

The first coffee beans were brought to Milan from Africa as a material for study in 1500, and the mass purchase of coffee began 125 years later, the supplier was Yemen. In Venice, coffee houses began to appear for the first time from European regions, the number of which in several decades reached 2 hundred. Here one could not only taste delicious and flavored drink, but also to chat, as at a social event. Coffeehouses were a favorite gathering place for intellectual youth, the elite, famous artists and politicians.

Florian is the oldest and famous coffee house Venice

The Italians are the developers of several roasting technologies, the strongest of which is called dark or Italian. They are able to organically blend varieties of coffee beans, carefully select raw materials, surprisingly feel the most subtle facets of taste and aroma, which is why they are considered the best in the field of beverage production and preparation.

Types of Italian coffee

When talking about Italian coffee, everyone will imagine a tiny portion of strong and aromatic espresso and will not be mistaken. This drink is at the top of the list. national drinks. But there is no limit to perfection. In this country, there is a double and triple espresso, which are respectively called Doppio and Trippio espresso.

This is part of the most famous Italian species coffee drinks

• Macchiato is a classic strong espresso with a small amount of warm frothed milk.
• Espresso Romano - Roman coffee lemon zest.
• Ristretto is the strongest of all types, its volume is only 25 ml.
• Frappuccino is a drink that is served chilled, the list of ingredients includes milk, whipped cream and caramel syrup.
• Cappuccino - espresso with milk and milk foam.
• Bicherin - delicious drink from coffee, cream and chocolate.
• Moreta Fanez - coffee with a mixture alcoholic beverages: rum, anise liqueur and brandy. Warms up great.
• Glace - a drink with creamy ice cream.

Italian coffee sometimes it strikes with a combination of ingredients, but it cannot be tasteless and unflavored. This country even has special rules ordering this drink.

So, morning is the best time for espresso, latte and macchiato. Moreover, if you ask to add a little liquor, syrup or other ingredients to the cup, the barista will immediately understand that he has a guest from another country in front of him.

The most famous brands

In Italy, a large number of enterprises involved in roasting and packaging coffee are concentrated. The most famous brands of Italian coffee are Lavazza, Kimbo, Trombetta, Illy.

Illy is a brand operating in the premium segment of the market. Offers the best blends of high quality Arabica from around the world. The brand is well known in Europe, but in Russia it is just beginning to gain popularity. The brand's products always have a deep and rich aroma, medium caffeine content and a unique aftertaste. Illy offers ground, grain and portioned coffee. It is the brand's technologists who are credited with developing the first coffee machine.

Lavazza is the largest and most popular Italian brand, well established in Europe. Works with different varieties of coffee beans from all over the world - from Brazil and Colombia to Vietnam and Indonesia. This brand offers a variety of coffee blends of different roasts. The range of the brand includes ground and coffee beans, as well as the product in capsules and pods.

If you ask 4 Italians what kind of coffee they prefer, then 3 out of 4 will point to Lavazza as the best and real. The photo above shows the range of the brand, available in all European countries.

Kimbo (Kimbo) - a brand that operates at an average price of the market segment, sells its products in 60 countries around the world. Offers blends from different varieties of Arabica and Robusta. Kimbo coffee can be bought in beans and ground. A distinctive feature of the production technology at the factories of the brand is roasting with hot air, thanks to which the maximum aroma is preserved in the grains and an invariable constancy of taste is achieved.

Bean coffee is not grown in Italy, but it is there that the leading European producers are located, who, buying raw materials from abroad, make coffee capsules for coffee machines, as well as coffee beans or instant and ground versions.

Varieties of Italian coffee

Italian producers work with natural coffee - and robusta of the highest quality. Grains for grinding are selected by specially trained people who minimize the risk of spoiled, rotten and overripe berries getting into the batch. As a result, only whole coffee gets into the roaster, which withstands well high temperature. After roasting (medium, low and strong), the coffee beans reveal their taste features and emit a very strong aroma.

Popular Italian brands:

• Di Maestri;
• Lavazza;
• Squesito;
• Illy;
• LaCapsula etc.

Italians appreciate good coffee and strictly evaluate its quality. Caffè espresso in Italy is made rich, dense and with a lush golden brown crema. To get just such a drink, Arabica is mixed with a small proportion of Robusta (about 10-15% of the mixture). For the preparation of ristretto, a coffee mixture with a higher proportion of robusta (up to 45%) is used.

Coffee in Italy is quite strong. If a cappuccino is made, it always comes out with a fluffy coffee-white foam. In addition to the classic espresso, doppio and triplo (double and triple espresso) are prepared in Italy. Coffee is served by Italian baristas in small cups with a thick bottom ranging from 25-35 ml.

The coffee list of Italian coffee drinks is very large. In addition to the world-famous espresso and cappuccino, people in Naples like to brew Caffè alla nocciola with cream and nut butter, and in Rome Caffè corretto with alcohol and Caffè shakerato with ice. In this sunny country, you will definitely find coffee to your liking. In any cafe you will be offered a masterpiece according to an individual recipe. Coffee shop owners sometimes even put up signs in their windows describing the type of coffee, roast level, and grind level so that any drink lover understands what he is ordering.

Features of Italian coffee

For a grain coffee machine, it is best to purchase beans in vacuum packed. They can be ground in a coffee grinder, as well as in a special mill. Freshly roasted coffee has the most the best taste so worldwide buying prepackaged in vacuum bags grains are considered very profitable business. To check the quality of the grains, pour them into the palm of your hand and carefully examine them. good coffee these are always even, slightly oblong grains without burnt, rotten and other defective berries.

Ingredients of coffee beans:

1. Alkaloid caffeine (0.65-2.7%).
2. Fats (12%).
3. Proteins (13%).
4. Sugar (8%).
5. Coffee tannic acid (up to 4-5%).
6. Phenolic compounds.
7. organic acids.
8. Vitamins PP, pyridine, etc.

Quality Italian coffee has a lot taste nuances. It can be the taste of chocolate, fruit, wine berry and hazelnuts. Popular and flavored series with different flavors of coffee.

The reputation of the coffee manufacturer also speaks volumes. It is better to order Arabica coffee from trusted companies that are responsible for the quality of raw materials and environmentally friendly processing of beans without the use of chemical dyes and flavor enhancers. There are many coffee roasting companies in Italy. For example, the brand Lavazza, Squesito, Illy and others are popular. You can find out about the features of each variety on the official websites of manufacturers or from official dealers.

Features of Italian coffee beans in comparison with other types of coffee:

Sale of natural coffee from Italy

Real Italian coffee beans can be bought in our online store, where they sell different varieties coffee, and accessories for them (, shakers, etc.). If you do not know where to buy grain?, the easiest way is to ask for help from the official store and purchase products with a quality guarantee.

The site presents not only coffee from Italian, but also from Swiss, German and Russian producers. An order can be placed for 400-500 grams, 1-5 kg. The Di Maestri brand packaging, as well as capsules with natural coffee blends from well-known Italian companies, are in the greatest demand among buyers.

For home use, you can order any kind of whole coffee from Italy. The site has photos, descriptions and consumer reviews to help you make a choice. When you order Italian coffee, you do right choice, because many coffee lovers associate Italy with this particular drink.

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Everyone knows that it is best to buy coffee in beans to grind in a coffee grinder and immediately brew your favorite drink in a Turk. This method allows you to preserve its taste and aroma, which coffee loses very quickly after grinding. But despite the benefits of coffee beans, not everyone can afford to make it. Firstly, it will take a few precious morning minutes, and secondly, you will need a coffee grinder. What to do in this case? Should I buy instant? Not necessary: worthy alternative it will be ground coffee. Which one is better and how to choose it? More on that below.

So, when choosing your favorite drink in the supermarket, you should pay attention to:

• Sort.

Most manufacturers supply coffee of two varieties - Arabica and Robusta. The highest quality and tasty coffee obtained from 100% Arabica. But Robusta also has its advantages: due to the large amount of caffeine in its composition, the drink turns out to be especially strong, invigorating and bitter. Exotic lovers will love coffee with berry or chocolate flavors.

• Roasting.

It affects the aroma, taste and strength of the drink. Roasting can be medium, strong or weak - and for different brands of coffee of the same roast, it can vary greatly in palatability. It should be noted that strong roasting makes the grains more bitter, so supporters mild taste you need to choose weak or medium.

• Additives.

Now on store shelves you can find coffee with extracts of coconut, cognac, orange, nuts, amaretto ... As a rule, all these additives are unnatural, and therefore it is better for lovers of experiments to buy and add spices to the drink on their own. Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom will be added to habitual taste coffee is a wonderful highlight.

• Freshness.

For ground coffee the date of manufacture is very important - as already mentioned, it quickly loses its taste. Therefore, the fresher the drink, the better. Perfect option- purchase it at specialized store where the coffee beans are ground in front of the customer.

• Packaging.

You should choose ground coffee in solid packaging - it will preserve the precious taste and aroma better than soft. But if, nevertheless, the choice is made in favor of the latter, you need to check if it has a special valve. By pressing it, you can smell the coffee. And such a valve serves as proof that the powder was packed immediately after grinding.

• Manufacturer.

Certainly, famous brand, deserving numerous positive reviews- there is no guarantee that the coffee will be to your taste. But, at least, such a drink will be of high quality and without impurities. To understand which manufacturer should be trusted, the rating of ground coffee in Russia by brands, compiled on the basis of customer opinions, will help.

The best ground coffee: rating and prices

1 place

Jardin takes an honorable first place in the list. This coffee is produced in Switzerland, as well as in Russia - by the Orimi Trade company from St. Petersburg. Raw materials for Jardin are supplied from Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala. The assortment of the brand includes many varieties and varieties of coffee from excellent blends of 100% Arabica, you can also find monosorts.

All of them differ in taste and strength, for which the manufacturer has a five-point scale. Jardin is popular with consumers due to its good quality-price ratio: a soft 250-gram package will cost 250-300 rubles.

2nd place

The second place in the ranking is deservedly occupied by Camardo, originally from sunny Italy. The brand was founded decades ago and remains a family business to this day. Camardo ground coffee uses the best blends of Robusta and Arabica, the ratio of which can vary from 90%/10% to 50%/50%. The line also includes 100% Arabica. highest quality, and a drink completely devoid of caffeine.

Raw materials are supplied from ecologically clean territories of Africa, Brazil, South America and Guatemala. Camardo is mainly purchased by restaurants, hotels and offices of large companies, so it will not be easy to find it in supermarkets, but in specialized coffee shops or the Internet - it is quite possible. This is a rather expensive coffee, but it's worth it: the price of a 250-gram package fluctuates around 500-600 rubles.

3rd place

The bronze medalist of the most-most rating is another “Italian” called Mauro. Produced in the best traditions of classic Italian coffee. The main specialization of the manufacturer is espresso, most of the blends in the line are intended for lovers of this drink. But the brand is not limited to espresso: the assortment includes varieties with different ratios of Arabica and Robusta - for every taste. The strength of Mauro is medium, the roast is medium and weak. The brand belongs to the premium segment, which is the reason for the rather high price: 300-400 rubles for a 250-gram jar or package.

4th place

Listed best brands invigorating drink not without a Russian manufacturer: Live Coffee confidently takes 4th place. And there is a reason: high-quality raw materials from 100% Arabica, innovative technologies roasting, patented by the manufacturer, environmentally friendly paper packaging from recycled materials.

The range of the brand includes classic coffee for preparation of espresso, coffee with additives, and also monosort from different countries: Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Kenya. Live Coffee is positioned as fresh product(hence the name), because the grains are processed and packaged in Russia and almost immediately sent to the shelves. Every paper bag with coffee is supplied with the date of packaging and roasting. The cost of 200 g of Live Coffee is 250-550 rubles, depending on the type of ground beans. Plantation coffee and monosorta will cost the most.

5th place

Next up is again an Italian coffee brand called Lavazza. The history of the company began over a hundred years ago. From a small grocery store, Lavazza has grown into a large international company. Now it is the best-selling coffee brand in its homeland. The Lavazza assortment includes more than 15 types of ground grains with different percentages of robusta and arabica coffee in the composition.

All varieties differ in taste, aroma, strength and degree of roasting. One of them, Pieranoma, is ideal for making latte or cappuccino due to its light acidity and low caffeine level. Another, Espresso, will appeal to fans of the drink of the same name. Well, Qualita Pro is a real classic of Italian coffee with a pronounced pleasant aroma and honey flavor. The buyer will pay for 250 g of Lavazza from 250 to 500 rubles: it depends on the packaging, variety and percentage of Arabica in the composition.

6th place

The ground coffee rating cannot do without the Finnish brand Paulig. This brand is more than 140 years old, 25 of which it finds grateful buyers on Russian market. Paulig coffee has a fairly high strength, light roast and strong aroma. It is produced from 100% Central American, Kenyan and Ethiopian arabica coffee. The Paulig range offers both classics and coffees with vanilla, chocolate or cardamom. You can buy a package weighing 250 g for 300-400 rubles.

7th place

Another Italian brand Illy - coffee is not cheap. But its quality corresponds to the price: the manufacturer is very scrupulous about this. No other coffee company in the global market pays so much attention to scientific research to improve the product.

Raw materials are supplied from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Brazil - where the company has laboratories where breeders work. Coffee beans go through four stages of control: immediately after collection, upon arrival in Italy, before roasting and packaging. Illy coffee has a delicate deep taste and a small percentage of caffeine in the composition. It is made from ten elite varieties arabica coffee, the price of a traditional 250-gram package is 850-1200 rubles.

8th place

The next producer of ground coffee, again from Italy, is Kimbo, which keeps the tradition of its hometown of Naples. The Kimbo line includes the classic deep-roasted Espresso Napolitano, the more refined Espresso Antica Tradizione, decaffeinated

Decaf, which is not inferior in taste to full-fledged coffee, as well as the original Aroma Intenso, which has a caramel-chocolate aftertaste and subtle spicy aroma. All varieties are produced from blends of Arabica and Robusta in various proportions. The cost of Kimbo coffee in a vacuum or tin packaging averages 500 rubles for 250 g.

9th place

Another domestic producer of ground coffee was awarded a place in the ranking of the best. The Madeo brand is known for unique technologies roasting coffee beans. Because of them ready drink gets thin exquisite fragrance. Raw materials for coffee production - 100% Arabica - are purchased by the company from certified plantations in Mexico, India, Vietnam, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. The taste of Madeo coffee is bright with a slight acidity, the strength is medium, the drink perfectly invigorates. The price for packing is 400-500 rubles.

10th place

The rating is completed by the French brand Malongo, which produces both ground and grain coffee. The manufacturer offers Arabica monosorts from different countries: Ephiopian Moka with a bitter aftertaste and strong aroma; Pure Kenyan Coffee with a berry aftertaste, Haitian Blue from Haiti with unique caramel-lemon hints, fruity Pure Colombian Coffee - and this is far from full range. It is worth highlighting the original packaging of the brand: coffee is supplied in vacuum metal cans weighing 250 g. The price of such a jar is from 500 to 2500 rubles.

Here comes the end of the rating the best manufacturers, which is designed to help in deciding which ground coffee is the most delicious. Of course, this question is purely individual, but few people will doubt the quality of the products of the above brands.