L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano I n 1 9 8 3 , H o w a r d Schultz was sent by the small coffee com- pany he worked for in Seattle to an inter- national housewares show in M i l a n , I t a l y . H e t r a v e l e d alone and stayed at a hotel off the beaten path. Schultz passed his spare t i m e b y s t r o l l i n g t h r o u g h Milan's neighborhoods, fas- cinated by the coffee bars on a l m o s t e v e r y c o r n e r . H e m a r v e l e d a t t h e b a r i s t a s ' flair as they grounded beans and pulled shots of espresso a n d s t e a m e d m i l k w h i l e chatting with the customers. One day he went with the f l o w a n d o r d e r e d a c a f f é latte. He expected plain cof- fee with milk but observed as the barista brewed espres- so, steamed a frothy pitcher of milk, combined them, and topped it with a dollop of f o a m . T o h i m , i t w a s a refreshing beverage fash- ioned with atouch of the- atrics. Though he was in the cof- f e e b u s i n e s s , S c h u l t z h a d never heard of caffé latte. Enthused and inspired, he returned to Seattle and rec- ommended that his employ- er recreate the Italian cul- ture in the US. The company is Starbucks, and the rest is history. Driven by shrewd strategy and marketing, Starbucks has grown into a household name with thousands of out- lets, millions of customers, and $26.5 billion in annual sales. It's another example of I t a l i a n i n f l u e n c e o n t h e American lifestyle. There's a difference, how- ever, in how the concept and coffee are perceived. In the US, more attention is paid to whether the beans are Arabi- ca or Robusta, grown in high or low altitudes and roasted light or dark. In Italy, the beans are generally blended and the choice is up to the bar's proprietor. Another characteristic of American coffee shops is the h i g h - t e c h e q u i p m e n t . Chrome grinders, gold-plat- ed drip fillers, plunger pots, frothing wands, and thermal carafes are commonplace. Bottles of syrup and tins of c h o c o l a t e a n d c i n n a m o n often line the shelves. While Americans flock to Starbucks, Italians who gulp down an estimated 177 mil- lion cups of coffee daily like to sip and socialize in one of 1 4 9 , 0 0 0 c o f f e e b a r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y . Espresso is a drink that few Italians make at home. They would rather rely on a pro- f e s s i o n a l b a r i s t a w i t h a n experienced hand and reli- able equipment to turn out near-perfect cups. The difference between American and Italian coffee cultures can be debated, but t h e r e ' s l i t t l e c o m p a r i s o n between the companies that produce and distribute the product. In terms of innova- tion, technology and quality, n o t h i n g t h i s s i d e o f t h e Atlantic measures up to Illy C a f f é , a p r i v a t e l y h e l d , third-generation, family- owned entity whose coffee is sold in more than 80 coun- tries. F o u n d e d i n T r i e s t e i n 1 9 3 3 b y n a m e s a k e Francesco Illy (grandson Andrea is chairman today), the company is recognized as the industry's global cof- fee authority. Francesco also i n v e n t e d a b r e a k t h r o u g h e s p r e s s o m a c h i n e t h a t replaced steam with air. In addition, he developed innovations like a pres- surized packing system for p r e s e r v i n g c o f f e e . I l l y ' s a d v e r t i s i n g f e a t u r e s a n e n d o r s e m e n t f r o m r e n o w n e d I t a l i a n t e n o r Andrea Boccelli. In 1991, Illy Caffé deter- m i n e d t h a t , t o o f f e r t h e highest quality coffee, it had to redefine its role in the m a r k e t p l a c e . N o t o n l y would it be a buyer of beans, but also an educator and benefactor of growers. "We will pay above the market price, but only for the very b e s t c o f f e e , " A n d r e a I l l y declared. With this commitment to excellence, Illy Caffé imple- mented a series of programs f o r B r a z i l , t h e w o r l d ' s largest coffee bean produc- er. As an incentive, a contest was introduced offering a grand prize of $30,000 to the Brazilian farmer who g r o w s t h e f i n e s t c o f f e e beans. In addition, Illy formed an alliance with the Univer- sity of San Paulo to conduct research and educate grow- ers on irrigation, crop man- agement, ecology and other factors. Plantations are test- ed regularly to verify that no pesticide or other harmful impurities are present. The program proved so success- ful that it was expanded to India, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Colombia. W i t h a n n u a l s a l e s o f $ 4 9 9 . 5 m i l l i o n , t h e I l l y brand is a blend of beans from nine countries. Avail- a b l e i n r e g u l a r o r d e c a f - feinated, medium or dark roast, whole beans, fine or m e d i u m g r i n d , i t i s s o l d r e t a i l a n d w h o l e s a l e f o r around $10 per pound. Cus- tomers include many of the w o r l d ' s m o s t p r o m i n e n t hotels and restaurants. At a low-emission plant in Trieste, the coffee under- goes as many as 114 quality c o n t r o l s b e f o r e a n d a f t e r r o a s t i n g . T h e p r o d u c t i o n has less impact on the envi- ronment due to reductions i n e n e r g y , w a t e r u s e a n d more efficient waste dispos- al. W h e t h e r y o u s i p a n d s a v o r i t a t a t r e n d y S t a r - bucks, quaint bar in Italy, r e s t a u r a n t o r h o m e , a steaming cup of coffee is a bracing break from the daily grind. Especially if it is Illy. Despite its presence as an e s t a b l i s h e d s t a n d - a l o n e drink, coffee can be used in other mixtures. One of the favorites in this category is spiced coffee, a blend of seasonings that endows the coffee with a spirited tone. H e r e ' s a n e a s y - t o - m a k e recipe for it! Spiced Coffee Ingredients (Serve 3 to 4 cups) 2 cups water 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks 2 2-inch strips of orange rind 1/4 teaspoon ground all- spice 3 cups freshly brewed cof- fee. Directions C o m b i n e w a t e r , s u g a r , cinnamon, orange rind and allspice in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boiling point over medium heat. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, then pour it into a pot containing the coffee. CHUCK PECORARO Illy coffee is considered among the very best in the world (Photo: Monticelllo/Dreamstime) Italy's Illy rated top coffee LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS

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