“Un caffè, per favore.”
The obvious translation of this sentence is, “A coffee, please,” but if you’re expecting a Starbucks-size jug o’ Joe, you’ll be surprised in Italy. The standard coffee here is the espresso, made with hot steam (no drips!) and a very fine grind. Oh, and you’ll get about three quarters of a shot glass full of liquid, so take small sips – or do as the Italians do and throw it back in one gulp. This facts and more were the basis of last night’s Coffee Safari, one of the Umbra Institute’s series of food workshops. Students learned not only about coffee’s botany and history but also about the biochemistry of roasting. The best part, though, was the coffee. After learning the differences, students tried caffè macchiato, un marocchino, even the meringato. The next workshop in the food series is the Olive Harvest – see Zach or Mauro for details.