Food
Having spread their fine food across the globe, it’s common knowledge that a trip to Italy is a gourmet delight. There are regional specialties across the country, and if you’ve got a soft spot for fresh pasta, pizza and good wine you won’t leave unsatisfied.
Drink
Italians also take their coffee very seriously. Here’s what to drink and when to drink it.
Espresso
What you’ll get if you just ask for ‘caffe’ — a shot of strong black coffee served in a small cup. Double the caffeine jitters with a doppio espresso.
Ristretto
A smaller, thicker, and even more tooth-strippingly intense version of the espresso — not for the faint-hearted.
Corretto
Basic espresso ‘corrected’ with a dash of alcohol, usually grappa. It is drunk after dinner or even in the morning to start the day with
a kick.
Cappuccino
Frothy, milky coffee that’s strictly a morning drink — no Italian would dream of ordering one after midday. The name comes from the Italian order of Capuchin monks, whose hooded robes’ shape and colour resemble the drink’s foam cap — this is spooned on to the coffee to retain heat.
Macchiato
An espresso with a dash or ‘mark’ of steamed milk or conversely, in the case of latte macchiato, a glass of hot milk with a dash of coffee. If you can’t face a coffee with no milk after dinner, caffe macchiato is an acceptable alternative to espresso or corretto.
Americano
Espresso topped up with hot water. It’s closer to the ‘black coffee’ Brits and Americans are used to.
Latte
A shot or two of espresso poured into a cup filled with steamed milk, the final quarter topped with foamed milk. Latte literally means milk, so specify ‘caffe latte’ to be on the safe side.
