Continuing in the Fine Tradition of the Old Country
 
During our travels throughout Europe – most recently Germany, the Czech
Republic, Hungary, and Austria – we resolved to follow the coffee customs of the
locals.
Interestingly, most of the coffees we consumed were dark espresso brews, which
proved to be very typical of these areas.
Surprisingly – and pleasantly so I might add – the majority of these European
coffees lacked the charcoal aroma and bitter after-taste so familiar in the
States.
That's why I highly recommend the
Espresso Italiano from Coffee Wholesale USA. Rich and
smooth, not bitter or burnt-tasting – just like the "Old Country".
|
Sit Back, Relax and Enjoy – It's a Social Event
 Drinking coffee in Europe is a social event.
Europeans find it hard to understand what possible enjoyment can be obtained
from such a "watery brew" of coffee that is served in a paper or styrofoam cup,
hastily consumed while driving to work.
During our travels, we were fortunate to have shared many tables in many cafes,
in many coffee houses, with many strangers who beckoned us to their tables when
empty ones weren't available.
It was our first night in Munich, in a quaint cafe, where we
encountered our first cup of espresso coffee. At the table, the waitress grated
chocolate into the cup and then covered it with a dollop of whipped cream. Yum!
The next day in a small town just outside Munich, after a scrumptious meal, I
asked the waiter for the coffee that most patrons ordered. Yes, I was served yet
another very dark espresso that was brewed with a trace of chicory.
On to Prague where numerous coffee houses serve a wondrous variety
of java. I'm not sure if it was the "Italia Cafe's" Ricotta Pie, or the
delightful cafe latte they served up (an espresso topped with a volume of
steamed milk and a layer of "froth"). But I sure do remember that coffee house.
For late night snacks we frequented the Globe Bookstore and coffee house located
near the Prague Museum of Modern Art. We loved the truly delightful espresso
based drinks and calorie loaded pastries. What a combo.
 Budapest
is another coffee oriented city with numerous cafes and coffee houses. We
especially liked the many cafes offering a vast assortment of complimentary
after-dinner liqueurs. A cup of hot espresso sipped with a jigger of Amaretto
after a three course meal – that included a large dish of Hungarian goulash –
made for easier sleeping after a full day of sightseeing.
One evening we went to a Turkish cafe that featured belly dancers. Our first
time to enjoy a fine cup of java while watching hefty jewels of the orient
wiggling around. The Turkish java was brewed individually for each table in a
brass pot known as an "Ibrik". The thick, sweet, frothy brew was an especially
fragrant drink served with a plateful of sweet and crunchy pistachio: Turkish
Halvah.
In Vienna, where numerous coffee houses dot the countryside, we
visited the Sacher cafe near the State Opera house. The waiter served us a
delicious dense chocolate sponge cake along with their very own Viennese blend
of dark espresso coffee. I scribbled some notes on a napkin:
Schwarze is a black coffee, Kapuziner is the local name for the
familiar cappuccino – a rather dark brew with a small amount of milk. Add more
milk and you have a Schale Braun, add a large amount of milk and you have a
Schale Licht.
We were in Naples during the feast of Saint Anthony
the Abbot, which is celebrated in January by lighting huge bonfires of discarded
household articles and the selling of lesser parts of pig cooked in a tomato
sauce.
For breakfast, I frequented a small family-owned tratorria near our hotel where
I enjoyed a wonderful sweet bread with my morning espresso.
Talking with the proprietor – and getting the
family recipe for the sweet bread – the room began to fill with the strong
aroma of fresh roasting coffee.
Upon inquiry, the proprietor mentioned that his son was roasting coffee beans
and he invited me to the rear of his shop. A big red and brass Probat coffee
roaster was churning away as his son roasted two grades of coffee they were to
sell at the market on the weekend.
The 100% arabica beans were the lighter of his darkest roasts. Yet the roast he
used gave the bean a very dark color and a shiny, oily surface. This particular
brew was both full-bodied and rich, assertive, and extremely flavorful.
Interestingly, it was identical to the Cafe Bordeaux French Roast
that I obtain from Coffee Wholesale USA.
|
Always Premium Quality – Never Less
John DeBartolo
New York's
Coffee Meister
|
Fortunately, here at home we can also enjoy an excellent espresso in the
finest traditions of the "Old Country" – buying direct from
Coffee Wholesale USA.
Although a CD playing Strauss Waltzes along with Entenmann's coffee cake
will not duplicate a European outdoor cafe, a cup of freshly brewed
Espresso Italiano will suffice.
Espresso Italiano is
an exquisite looking and fully delightful coffee. It possesses that rich
aroma and smooth taste so similar to the fine coffees we had during our
travels throughout Europe.
It is certainly superior and has a much more intense flavor than the
espresso you're likely to find at the "gourmet section" of your local
supermarket. Clearly it's the higher quality beans used and their unique
blend (they wouldn't reveal to me the precise blend).
And very importantly, Espresso Italiano does not have that bitter or
burnt taste that you too often find in the espressos of the more popular
gourmet coffee bars. Or, for that matter, your local gourmet coffee shop now
converted from the old gasoline station.
|
If you like great espresso, or just a slightly darker roasted coffee, let me
suggest you try a pound or so of Espresso Italiano. It is perfect for
espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, and a wonderful change of pace when you
desire a darker roasted cup of coffee. Who knows, it may quickly become one
of your favorites.
Like my pop used to say – if you don't start with quality beans, a quality
cup of coffee will not come out of the pot. Hmmm, that reminds me . . .
What I need now is another cup of coffee!
Cheerio,
John
|
join e-mail
