Coffee

When I moved to Vancouver from Calgary in early 2006, there were 2 things that were a shock to my system:

1. The amount it rained in Vancouver

People were telling me that I moved to Vancouver at the worst possible time because it was almost record rainfall for Vancouver . There were 40 straight days of non stop rain. Which means 40 straight days of dark, grey, cold, depressing days.  Although Calgary has temperatures that drop to -35 degrees Celsius at times, at least it’s sunny and bright outside and Calgary is one of the more sunnier cities in Canada . To this day, I would rather take a sunny cold day, then a rainy warm day. On the bright side, all the moisture and humidity in Vancouver did wonders for my skin and I've never seen it look so dewy before!

2. The amount of Starbucks in Vancouver

I noticed there was a Starbucks on every corner of the street when I first moved here. Ok fine, not every corner but it certainly felt like every corner.  I remember I walking by a Starbucks downtown and contemplating if I should get a coffee but I kept walking. Then I changed my mind a minute later so then I was going to walk back to that Starbucks, but wait, I was now standing in front of another Starbucks so there was no need to walk back.

Although I am a big fan of my Starbucks drink (grande, extra hot, half sweet, hazelnut, soy latte), I am a bigger fan of the smaller specialty coffee shops in Vancouver.   My favorites include:

-          Matchstick Coffee in Mount Pleasant

-          Revolver Coffee in Gastown

-          Abruzzo Cappuccino Bar on Commercial Drive

The 'Pour-Over Coffee' at Revolver Coffee 

Their coffee is so crisp and clean in flavor, and you can tell the quality of the coffee beans they use are excellent. I especially love the cappuccinos they serve at Abruzzo Cappuccino Bar, an Italian coffee shop.  I know Italy is known for their coffee and coffee culture, so I was excited to experience the coffee on my visit there. 

Italian coffee is wonderful. It tastes so smooth and it seems slightly stronger and rich in flavor. Every time I see pictures like the one below, it puts a smile on my face and makes me wanting more. The espresso, the warm milk, the foam, the taste, the aroma, the cute spoons and cups, and I could go on.

There are so many different coffee beverages in Italy that you can order. The ones that I tried while in Italy were:

o       Caffe – a shot of espresso

o       Caffe Ristretto – a more concentrated form of the regular caffe

o       Cappuccino – espresso with hot milk and foam (my drink of choice)

o       Caffe Macchiato – an espresso with just a splash of milk or ‘stained’ with milk

o       Caffe Americano – espresso with hot water added

o       Caffe Latte – hot milk mixed with coffee and served in a glass

o       Caffe Con Panna – espresso with sweet whipped cream

The size of the beverages are much smaller than in North America. You would never see a grande or vente size drink at a coffee bar. Also, the coffee machines are unreal. What I mean is that the machines look so sophisticated, so fancy, so beautiful, so shiny, so powerful and so big.

Look at this beautiful espresso machine! I wonder if it will fit on my kitchen counter...

What makes coffee in Italy so good is that they seem to have the right formula for the perfect cup of coffee. The perfect roast, the grind of the beans, right temperate of the milk steam, right ratio and quantity of coffee grounds, and of course, a sense of pride for their coffee. I was also told that the milk they use in Italy also contributes to the delicious taste of the drink. Similar to how the water in New York is one of the factors that makes a New York pizza taste so good and distinct.

One of my favorite places where I enjoyed my morning cappuccino was at Sant Eustachio II Caffe which is just steps away from the Pantheon in Rome. I had read about this place beforehand and I noticed that it was packed with people when I walked in. The coffee here is incredible and I highly recommend this place. The way they make their crema, the frothy cream which tops their espresso, is unique and a well kept secret that they will not reveal.

Outside of Sant Eustachi II Caffe - you must come here if you are in Rome!

Of course I had to have a canoli with my coffee... I was in Italy after all.

And to think that when I first started drinking coffee, this is what I would drink along with 2 heaping spoonfuls of sugar and Coffee Mate.