Italian Coffee

Smoggy

Hi,

I was in Italy for the last few days and was drinking lavazza in most shops, so brought a bag home. Was there any other Italian brands I should have brought back with me ?

Thanks

antoniosicily

illy and segafredo are two other good brands (I don't like lavazza though); when I was younger there was another brand called Kimbo, I don't know if it's still there.

probably I'm forgetting other brands :-)

IsThatSo?

Smoggy wrote: »

Hi,

I was in Italy for the last few days and was drinking lavazza in most shops, so brought a bag home. Was there any other Italian brands I should have brought back with me ?

Thanks

You can get Lavazza easily enough here, I have seen it in all the big grocery stores.

Hope you had a nice time in Italy. Rumour has it that she said YES

Congrats

il gatto

Any of the big shops like Tesco do Lavazza and Illy. In my local Tesco, they have Lavazza Robusto (red), the nomal one (black) and Oro (gold, obviously). I like the Oro, but any of them are good. Haven't tried Illy for ages, but always preferred Lavazza.

SoupyNorman

Illy is my favourite, the only thing I miss about working on the quays is the Illy Man!

Mucco

There are a lot of regional coffees in Italy. Some are hit and miss, but it's always worth trying.
In Naples, they have Kimbo and Passalacqua - both good, we get Passalacqua all the time.
In Puglia, caffe Quarta is v. good - but I haven't found it elsewhere.

Supping a Passalacqua at the moment - mmmmmmmmm

Effigy

I buy Lavazza Oro e rosso, can anyone tell me where to buy it for less than a fiver??? I should buy it when I go to Italy, but fear they will explode in my luggage!!

Slaphead07

if you like your pre-ground brick of coffee then seek out Alfredo coffee. It's a little dearer than the others but a whole lot nicer. Not easy to find though.

meditraitor

We used stock up on Illy and vernagno when we go to italy... both very fine coffee and can be sourced here (illy more so).....No problem bringing them home in the luggage either.
I use a mocka

In Italy if you find a half decent coffee shop they will grind their own and once you find one you like just stock up,, keep it in the freezer to keep the freshness longer.

Slaphead07

meditraitor wrote: »

.... keep it in the freezer to keep the freshness longer.

controversial.

meditraitor

Slaphead07 wrote: »

controversial.

the mother in law told me to do it she is italian so I dont argue..........

Gran Hermano

meditraitor wrote: »

the mother in law told me to do it she is italian so I dont argue..........

Time to re-examine the link between moka pots and alzheimers...

Effigy

my parents are Italian and they've ben drinking espresso for years..no need to keep it in the freezer..mamma keeps it in an AIR TIGHT container in the packaging or plastic bag - not tied up, just folded over.

CJhaughey

I can buy 12 bricks of Lavassa Rosso here in Ireland for 41 euro.
I think thats a good price.
BTW its a local cash and carry.

meditraitor

Effigy wrote: »

my parents are Italian and they've ben drinking espresso for years..no need to keep it in the freezer..mamma keeps it in an AIR TIGHT container in the packaging or plastic bag - not tied up, just folded over.

We dont keep the vergnano in the freezer, usually just fill up an old illy tin. but the freshly ground stuff we buy in Milan,,,, I questioned this last night after the guys on the thread pointed it out but she told me to ignore those eejits and do as Im told

stimpson

I've been reading the Professional Baristas Handbook and the author doesn't dismiss freezing for long term storage. He said he found a batch in his mothers freezer that had been frozen 6 years earlier and defrosted them just to see. He said the resulting coffee was surprisingly good. Certainly not as good as fresh, but not bad all the same. He does draw the line at keeping coffee in the fridge due to condensation issues among other things.

Mr Magnolia

That was frozen whole bean though stimpson, not pre-ground.

stimpson

Indeed it was. I'd say that freezing a brick would have similar effects (a compacted brick having less surface area than a loose bag). However, it would still be a brick of pre ground when defrosted.

I'll try freezing some pre ground and report back here in 6 years

In fairness, even fresh pre-ground is a big no no for me.