L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano T here is nothing better than shar- ing a drink with friends, and in t h e q u a i n t A l p i n e n o r t h e r n r e g i o n o f V a l l e d ' A o s t a , t h e y know how to do it in great style and with a nod to tra- dition. If you have ever been in this corner of the country, where the Alps forged the landscape and the character of people, then you may be familiar with its wood-carv- ing tradition and with the beauty of the objects its tal- ented craftsmen can make. Among them, we also find a peculiar drinking vessel sim- ilar to a bowl with a small l i d a n d s e v e r a l s p o u t s around its rim, beautifully a n d i n t r i c a t e l y c a r v e d : t h e c o p p a d e l l ' a m i - cizia. The coppa is used, as you may have guessed from its shape and name, to drink i n a g r o u p , e a c h f r i e n d enjoying a sip from a spout. Often, we make the mis- take to call it grolla unaware that, in fact, the grolla and the coppa are two different things: they are different in shape – grolla is more like a chalice than a bowl - and also when it comes to what w e c a n d r i n k i n i t : while coppa is made for a special type of coffee – more a b o u t i t b e l o w ! – the grolla is exclusively used for mulled wine. The coppa dell'amicizia has French origins, which shouldn't surprise consider- ing the close cultural and l i n g u i s t i c b o n d o f V a l l e d'Aosta with France. Indeed, on the other side of the Alps, p e o p l e e n j o y a c o u p e d e l ' a m i t i é w h e r e f r i e n d s drink à la ronde, in a round, each sipping from a bowl with several spouts. There are, both in the French and Valdostana traditions, some important rules to follow: first of all, you must pass the coppa counterclockwise, and it mustn't be placed to rest on the table while using it, lest you and your mates are hit with misfortunes of all sorts. Coppe dell'amicizia are rigorously made in wood, but you can choose whether to have it made in walnut or maple and, of course, you can also pick the size: the more friends you have, the l a r g e r – a n d w i t h m o r e spouts– your coppa should be! Our coppa dell'amicizia is used to drink either mulled w i n e o r , m o r e o f t e n a n d m o r e t r a d i t i o n a l l y , t h e caffè alla valdostana, a Turkish-style coffee flavored with a variety of spices and g r a p p a , t h e r i g h t m i x t o warm you up and keep you going in those long Alpine winter nights! As it happens very often with traditional recipes, there isn't an exact list of ingredients, but rather indications on how to pre- p a r e t h e r i g h t c o f f e e f o r your coppa. Some things, h o w e v e r , a r e a l w a y s p r e - sent: grappa, sugar and cit- rus rinds. Then, if you like y o u r c o f f e e m o r e f l a v o r - s o m e , y o u c a n a l s o a d d juniper, cinnamon or cloves. D o n ' t t h i n k o f m a k i n g y o u r c a f f è a l l a valdostana with espresso, though! Turkish-style coffee is made in a small saucepan, where you add the ground coffee to water and bring it to a boil, letting it simmer slowly for a short time: it is a very mellow brew, but that goes perfectly with spices because it lets their aroma shine through. The next step is key: wet each spout with some grappa and add sugar on them. N o w , y o u c a n p o u r t h e c o f f e e i n s i d e t h e c o p p a , where your grappa, sugar, and flavorings are; if you are a f t e r a s t i f f e r d r i n k , a d d more grappa. Then finally b r i n g t h e c o p p a t o y o u r stove, and let the drink sim- mer ever so gently, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the sugar you added to each spout start to caramelize, your caffè is ready and the sharing can begin. M i n d … n o t e v e r y o n e a g r e e s o n p u t t i n g t h e coppa on the stove, as some prefer preparing the coffee entirely in a saucepan and a d d i n g i t t o i t o n c e i t ' s ready. While coffee alla val- dostana is what our coppa is u s e d f o r m o r e o f t e n , w e shouldn't forget that mulled wine is another traditional tipple you can enjoy in it. T h e v e s s e l i n i t s e l f , t h e c o p p a , i s c r a f t e d b y hand with local woods, so using it is not as straightfor- w a r d a s i t m a y b e w i t h a c e r a m i c o r m e t a l b o w l . Wood is a living material that can change texture and shape in time if not cared for adequately and, crucial- l y , i t c a n a l s o a f f e c t f l a - vors. Coppa dell'amicizia e x p e r t s s a y t h a t a n e w c o p p a s h o u l d b e r u b b e d with margarine both inside a n d o u t s i d e , t h e n p l a c e d i n t o a n e m p t y p a n a n d warmed into a water bath. Once the margarine is fully m e l t e d , y o u c a n r i n s e the coppa with water or with a Turkish-style coffee, and let it dry. Through this procedure, your new coppa becomes water resistant, and remem- ber! You should never wash it with water again! If you want it to release its wood's aroma to many a coffee alla v a l d o s t a n a t o c o m e , y o u s h o u l d o n l y c l e a n i t w i t h g r a p p a o r w i t h c o f f e e grounds, then use a damp cloth to pat it clean. There is still one thing to know about coppe dell'ami- c i z i a : w h e r e w e c a n f i n d t h e m . I f y o u a r e l u c k y enough to visit Valle d'Aosta in January, then look no fur- t h e r t h a n t h e F i e r a d e l Legno di Sant'Orso di Don- nas, a fair dedicated to the r e g i o n ' s c a r p e n t e r s a n d wood artists, who will be h a p p y t o s h o w y o u t h e i r b e a u t i f u l p i e c e s . C o p p e dell'amicizia are also avail- able online, but make sure you get them Made in Italy! FRANCESCA BEZZONE A traditional coppa dell'amicizia (Photo: Simo82/Dreamstime) Friendship and camaraderie, made in the Alpi: the legendary "coppa dell'amicizia" HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS PEOPLE

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