Lavazza Italian Coffee Lavazza Qualita Rossa, Italian Coffee Beans Expresso, 2.2 pound
Lavazza Italian Coffee Lavazza Qualita Rossa, Italian Coffee Beans Expresso, 2.2 pound
If you drink espresso and have spent more than a few weeks in Italy, you
may have noticed that the "caffe`" experience is amazingly consistent
across *all* bars, from the humblest hole near the parking lot for ferry
Fusina-Alberoni, to the five-star hotel in Venice. "Un caffe`" is how
you order the ridiculously tiny shot of ridiculously concentrated
espresso for a price between 1 and 1.10 euros (that is, if you stand;
the seated price can be much higher). True espresso lovers drink it
with no sugar and enjoy the aftertaste for the next 30 minutes or
longer.
So given that an entire country appears to have no
trouble making good espresso, you'd expect that the same experience
could be easily replicated here in the USA, right? Well, not so easily.
American tastes appear to differ, and favor 100% arabica blends with a
much darker roast. Brewing such beans in the same way as in Italy
(with the same machines, indeed) results in a much more acidic and
burned taste, which I cannot stand, and which explains why essentially
no Americans drink their espresso plain but add large amounts of milk
instead.
Lavazza Qualita` Rossa is one way of bringing the
experience very close to that of Italian bars. There may be others.
Espresso made with these beans is smoother and fruitier than any local
high-end brand (I have tried many), and has a great aftertaste. Notice
(back of package) that this is a 60% Robusta / 40% Arabica blend. Most
coffee sold here is 100% Arabica, and so is Illy, a competing Italian
brand, which I don't like as much. Arabica is supposed to have a more
complex flavor, but I find that blends such as this one are smoother and
more pleasant. And I can't even say I grew up with that, because I
started drinking coffee in my late 30s, after living in the US for many
years.
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Lavazza Italian Coffee Lavazza Qualita Rossa, Italian Coffee Beans Expresso, 2.2 pound
