Coffee Crawl

Napoleon Bonaparte is often credited with the quote, “An Army marches on its stomach.” The same might be said when I travel. Wherever I visit I like to taste and see what the local population enjoys. Nothing beats, “going native.”. But there are always two items that I intentionally march towards when I travel; chocolate and coffee. 

 

This October, Sarah and I spent parts of five days in Naples, Italy. While this southern Italian city is best known for its pizza (see my post on Naples’ pizza here) I also wanted to explore its coffee scene. We visited a number of coffee shops and restaurants and were rewarded with some amazing cups of Joe and Espresso.

 

Our apartment was located on the top floor of a 17th century residence. We found the property on Airbnb and loved it from our first steps inside. Floor to ceiling windows looked over a courtyard below with towering arches. The entryway off the street was through a fifty foot archway with frescoes adorning the rooftop. Every time we left or returned we felt like we were walking back into the Renaissance. 

 

Our first stop was the Mexico Cafe. We sat outside at tables that faced  the Dante Piazza. Neither Mexico or Dante are Neapolitan but this cafe is a cultural experience. The baristas wear brightly colored uniforms and are all smiles. I asked for the house special the ‘harem con panna’ and a cappuccino for Sarah. My drink was served in a glass with a dollop of cream atop. I acquired the mustache that comes from drinking this amazing beverage. Underneath the cream was a dense shot of espresso.

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The next day we had dinner at a lovely restaurant called Tandem. The meal was savory and rich and needed no excuse to order a coffee afterwards. Their speciality was the traditional Neapolitan ‘cuccuma’. This is a small tin coffee pot that is brought to the table and inverted so hot water can flow through a filter. A ‘cuppetiello’ – a small cone of twisted paper was inserted into the spout to preserve the coffee's aroma. When it was ready to serve the cone was removed and voila fresh coffee was poured into my cup. Robust, hot and the perfect way to finish a hardy meal.

 

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One morning I walked down a few blocks from our apartment. My goal was the ‘It’s Coffee’ shop. Walking inside I quickly realized this was a very popular spot and none of the more than 10 tables were vacant. I was fortunate to find a seat at the adjoining bar and caught the attention of the wait staff. I ordered a French Press and chocolate croissant. Whir went the grinder to prepare my beans and soon the glass vessel was placed in front of me for the requisite five minute steep. 

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While I waited a young couple grabbed the recently vacated seats next to me. When I saw the guy had Hebrew script on his cell phone I introduced myself. I had only recently learned of the Massacre of Oct. 7 and wanted to express my sympathy. They were both in their early 30’s and were part of a security team in Barcelona. They were on a short leave in Naples while their future was uncertain. They had both served in the IDF and were wondering if they would be called up.

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Almost every eating establishment and restaurant owns a muscular four handle espresso machine. Fewer are the stand-alone coffee shops like Diaz. Its bright white interior was matched by the joy of its baristas. I ordered ‘un caffè per favore’ and stood alongside the gleaming counter. As is tradition I was first served a tumbler of sparkling water. This is to prepare the palate to better enjoy the espresso served in a white ceramic tazzina. 

 

Diaz is a mircroroaster that is able to oversee the delicate transition of the green bean as it is roasted, cooled, ground, and finally pressured into a shot glass ready for consumption. It is a unique pleasure to taste the incredible sweetness that results when coffee is carefully roasted. Diaz has the touch and we were able to experience their mastery with every sip. 

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These four shops give an insight into the rich coffee culture in Naples. There are hundreds more places where you can order a cup and savor the atmosphere of the city and the aroma of coffee. There is a regular army of baristas spread throughout the city advancing the cause of caffein with flair and flavor! 

October, 2023

 

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