Italian coffee

Hear! Hear!.

Thanks for the correct term, tadhg.

#9 - not in my experience. Most espresso in the UK remains pretty grim, though better than in Ireland. The situation is better in independent cafes, but in the chains it's bad. The average espresso in an Italian bar varies from fine to excellent.

You need to try out coffee angel, 3fe, Murphy's, the Art of Coffee, Nick's to name but a few in Dublin. Even the crap that Insomnia serves up is superior to the norm in Italy.

Insomnia better than the norm in Italy? Either you've been really unlucky in Italy, or it's a matter of taste that we differ on. I think Insomnia is not good at all.

I have to agree wholeheartedly with Fear Rua on this one.

Insomnia is rubbish, but at least their coffee has a roast date and hasn't been burnt. Try finding a roast date on coffee beans in Italy.

The Italians use cheap beans which have to be over-roasted to provide any flavour. They drink burnt, stale coffee, hence the copious amount of sugar the average Italian adds to his caffè. The number one coffee in Italy is Lavazza. There isn't a hope in hell of that passing my lips.

The best countries in Europe for coffee are the Nordics and the UK & Ireland. I buy my beans from Nick's or Hasbean. If I was stuck and had to use Italian coffee, I'd use Moak or Illy. To be honest, I'd even opt for Bewley's over those two.

We have some excellent roasteries in Ireland. There are even better ones in England. You aren't going to get a good coffee in Costa or Starbucks, no more than you could expect a good burger in McDonald's.

I'll add that I'm somewhat of an Italophile, travel there regularly and speak the language. They drink a lot of coffee, but quantity does not equal quality. I have tried to find good coffee there, but it has been a huge disappointment. I now take my own and my V60.

A cap. has, roughly, the same amount of coffee as a single ex. - but, and this is the crux, it's different coffee.

I must be the only person in the world who prefeers the French method of brewing coffee .... in the plunger!!!
I find that the espresso machine makes many of the stronser coffee beans impossibly bitter and acidic... it certainly destroys my favourite Hanoi Mocha blend .

I will admit though when forced to have a cafe or reataurant coffee ... even in a FRENCH restaurant .... I am partial to an affogato or a macchiato

I am obviously in need of some coffee now... to improve my concentration...and maybe my spilling