30 Escape
The ultimate coffee club It’s easy to understand why the Romans are well and truly wired, writes Jean-Paul Pelosi
R
OMANS enjoy people-watching. They eye off each other’s designer shoes, ogle gelato piled into somebody else’s cup, admire the cut of a colleague’s Armani suit, and are perpetually distracted by the sway of beautiful women. They are always moving, too. Twentysomethings zip around corners on scooters, shoppers orbit swish boutiques, cops direct traffic like a symphony, socialites hop in and out of chic bars, and perhaps most importantly, baristas churn out coffee as if it is an emergency. Romans, like most Italians, adore coffee. It soon became clear to me when visiting the former centre of the world, that this is the reason locals are compelled to both move and watch – often simultaneously. They are well and truly wired. So I began to wonder, as many travellers have suggested, if coffee in Rome is better? Being a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur and the son of a Neapolitan, you might empathise how having never enjoyed a coffee in Italy was affecting my credibility. And let’s face it, anything self-proclaimed – and some things Neapolitan – really need all the credibility they can get. So I decided to do what any selfrespecting coffee drinker would do in such a quandary: I purchased some questionable designer loafers and hit the cobblestoned alleys of the world’s most caffeine-friendly city. It’s less than hour before the potent aroma from Rome’s Cafe Accademia wafts into my second floor hotel room. Jet lag has already set in and a sultry Italian TV newsreader who looks like Cindy Crawford threatens to delay my mission. But driven by a sense of duty and a desire to, well, wake up, Accademia seems a logical place to start my coffee expedition. A guide book instructs me that locals usually order coffee by the shot and call it a ‘‘caffe’’, or espresso. It’s especially important to order a caffe if drinking in the afternoon, should you wish to avoid the dismissive glare of the barista. The truth is, too many tourists reveal themselves by ordering an afternoon ‘‘latte’’ otherwise known as milk in Italy. The espresso in Rome – and across Italy – is never issued hot. The idea is that coffee should be devoured in haste, or in rapid succession, as the case may be. The taste is generally strong but also sweet, which is astounding considering many Romans don’t even add sugar. I’m told by my hotel manager, Georgia – who like most locals is biased about her city – that the stunning balance of flavour in a Roman espresso is due to the unique
essentials Getting there: Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Air France and British Airways are among the carriers flying Brisbane to Rome. Staying there: A good starting point is Rome’s official tourism website en.turismoroma.it. This website is also useful for planning activities. Seeing there: The Vatican, Spanish Steps, Colosseo, espresso, museums, stylish types.
DRINK UP: In the world’s most caffeinefriendly city, coffee should be devoured in haste; Castroni Cafe; Outdoor cafe in Piazza Navona.
attributes of the water. Much of Rome’s water, after all, travels down from hills, via volcanic grounds, over marshlands and through ancient aqueducts. The journey itself is noteworthy. A miniature cup arrives urgently; contents caramel brown with a bronze tinge. The brilliant aroma floats into my nostrils and my eyes close in warm delight. I throw back the shot and my heart starts sprinting. Okay. This is good coffee. Damn good. But still, for this study to be accurate, I need a point of reference. And so, after completing a Vatican tour akin to the type
of personal space violation you can only experience at a Pearl Jam concert, I seek even better, faster, hyper-caffeinated coffee. Castroni is a busy deli close to the Holy City that offers a near perfect espresso. I’m not one for swanky recitals common among sommeliers – see earthy undertones with hints of blueberry – so let’s just say this coffee bucks with flavour. I’m genuinely moved. Right. Just one more stop. Antico Caffe Greco, near the Spanish steps, was established in 1760 and has served coffee to some of history’s most-famed
writers, such as Keats, Byron and Hans Christian Andersen. The cappuccino is perfectly mild, particularly after two espressos, but overall you’re really paying for the experience here. Coffee in Italy is certainly impressive, and not surprisingly, addictive. So much so, that at every opportunity, I burst into a cafe, order at the counter like the local powerbrokers and glamour pusses, slam one or two down, and charge back out on to the street. How else can one keep up with all the moving about and watching?
THE COURIER-MAIL PROUDLY PRESENTS
QUEENSLAND MUSIC AWARDS CELEBRATING QUEENSLAND’S MOST TALENTED SONGWRITERS AND MUSICIANS Join us at The Old Museum on the 16th August as we reveal the winners of the 2011 Queensland Music Awards. Special Performances on the night by Elixir featuring Katie Noonan, Emma Louise, The Medics, Busby Marou, DZ Deathrays and more to be announced. Hosted by 612 ABC Brisbane’s Richard Fidler and triple j’s Sarah Howells. Visit www.queenslandmusicawards.com.au for more info.
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Katie Noonan – People’s Choice Awards Finalist
30 The Courier-Mail July 16-17, 2011
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