L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano I f you visited Italy in person, you are pro- bably familiar with the fact your caffè al bar is often accompa- n i e d b y a c u r i o u s s h o t glass of water. In Piemon- t e a n d L i g u r i a , b a s i c a l l y every café will give it to you, while it's not as common in Rome or Milan. But if you are in Naples, the true capi- tal of coffee culture in the country, that tiny glass of water with your tazzina of coffee is a must, a clear sign it isn't a choice at all, but a real necessity of Italian cof- fee etiquette. The tradition of serving a glass of water with a cup of brew has a pretty serious history behind: in fact, it had become customary in t i m e s w h e n a l m o s t e v e r y café would toast and grind its own beans and produce its very own blend. To make sure customers didn't have the taste of their coffee spoi- led by something they had e a t e n e a r l i e r , w a t e r w a s given to cleanse the palate. A s i t i s o f t e n t h e c a s e , history thus answers the cru- cial question of whether that water should be had before o r a f t e r c o f f e e ( a n d t h e answer is rigorously before). B u t i f y o u l o o k a r o u n d while enjoying a caffè, you m a y n o t i c e m a n y p e o p l e having that shot of water after their kava: why? Well, science tells us water is the greatest tastebuds cleanser available in nature, so it's not only perfect to enjoy more the taste of your deli- cious espresso — as noted just above — but also a sure method to erase and forget its taste, in case you didn't q u i t e e n j o y i t . T r u t h i s , however, that many people drink their water after the coffee more as a habit than anything else, so it may not necessarily mean they didn't appreciate the barista's skil- ls. A recent study conducted b y t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T r i e s t e a l s o f o u n d o u t another reason people drink w a t e r a f t e r t h e i r c o f f e e : apparently, if your coffee is made with unripe beans, it will make your mouth dry almost immediately, hence the necessity to chug that water down: so, if you get thirsty after kava, then the quality of the blend may be poor. Now that we finally know why we're given water with our coffee, it's time for extra q u e s t i o n s . F o r i n s t a n c e , should we go for still or sparkling water and is it b e t t e r c h i l l e d o r a t r o o m t e m p e r a t u r e ? W h i l e i t remains largely a matter of personal taste, it seems that still water is probably a bet- ter choice: if it's true that, with all its bubbles, spark- ling water does clean taste- b u d s b e t t e r , i t a l s o h a s a m i l d a n e s t h e t i c e f f e c t o n them, which is not ideal if you want to enjoy your cof- fee to the full. Still water is more delicate on our ton- gues and, at least scientifi- cally, is the best choice. Last but not least: tempe- rature. Well, in this case, e v e n r e s e a r c h e r s s a y i t ' s really a personal matter: iced or lukewarm, from the fridge or from the counter, it won't make any difference to the taste and quality of your coffee. And so, we finally revea- led the secret behind those ubiquitous, tiny glasses of w a t e r d o t t i n g o u r c a f é s ' counters everyday. One last thing, before I forget: they are always free, so avoid all places where they charge you for them! A h ! F i n a l l y t h e F a l l i s h e r e ! A f t e r m o n t h s o f unbearable heat, the soft, fresh and fragrant air of the most colorful sea- son of the year feels like a liberation. Our word of the day is quintessentially tied to the Fall, even if it evokes events that, in truth, take place all year round. Sagra (sah-grah) is the feminine of the early Italian adjective sagro — today we p r e f e r s a y i n g " s a c r o " — w h i c h m e a n s " h o l y . " W e Italians, and the many visi- tors we (usually) have throu- ghout the year, love sagre (that's the plural, and it's pronounced sah-grai) for m a n y a r e a s o n : t h e y ' r e cheap, they're cheerful and they are always dedicated to food. When you go to a sagra, nobody cares whether you wear Gucci or not, nor are they interested in the job you have and how much you make a year. No, at a sagra, we're all the same and we magically beco- me all friends, united by a common love for good food and, often, wine. In the old times, as the ori- gin of the word hints at quite clearly, sagre were associated with religion: they were orga- nized to celebrate a town or village's patron saint, or a special moment in the litur- gic calendar. The presence of good, tra- ditional food was at once a way to honor said saints or, if the sagra took place around harvest time, to enjoy with the rest of the community the results of a long year of work in the fields. A sagra, indeed, remains a rural celebration and maybe that's why you really feel like letting your hair down when you go to one, because there's no need to put on a mask, when you work in the fields: nature — the most beautiful and gentle of companions — unlike society, doesn't really care about the way you look, move or speak, nor needs she to know your family tree. Your good as anyone else, provided you respect her. Ah, the good, old, beloved sagra. The place where you eat as much as you can, and everything is delicious. The place where you chat with strangers and it feels nor- mal. The place where you can be yourself, at last. Q u e s t o w e e k e n d c ' è l a Sagra del Fungo in paese. T h e r e ' s t h e M u s h r o o m Fair this weekend in town Vuoi andare alla Sagra del Raccolto quest'anno? Fancy going to the Harvest Fair this year? Siamo stati alla Sagra del Tortellino ieri sera: che man- giata! Last night, we went to the Tortellino Fair: what a feast! LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE … because the Fall is the best time for food festivals The secret behind that glass of water with your coffee

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