Sicily travels and coffee. - Page 2

#11: Post by **Charlene** » August 7th, 2017, 3:13 pm

redbone wrote:Off to Sicily mid this month for the first time.
Outside of dark roasted coffee anything else coffee related I should look for ?

I'm excited about the regional gastronomy including those that match well with coffee.
Ancestral home of cannoli and gelato.

Congratulations and early Bon Voyage, Robert!

Sicily was were I first tasted espresso and real authentic honest to goodness Italian food which was vastly superior to any I have had before or since in North America.

This was in Catania. Mount Etna towers over the city; drove up to the top of it. The city of Taormina is not to be missed. I drove a rental car while there and what a hoot it is to drive in Italy.

Wish I could give you leads on coffee beans but that was 21 years ago.

August 7th, 2017, 5:00 pm

Thanks Charlene, Taormina is definetly on the list.
One could spend years tasting the regional cuisine differences within Sicily alone.
Variances in dishes vary town to town.

#13: Post by **Charlene** » August 8th, 2017, 12:25 pm

redbone wrote:Thanks Charlene, Taormina is definitely on the list.
One could spend years tasting the regional cuisine differences within Sicily alone.
Variances in dishes vary town to town.

I drove around Taormina doing some freelance exploring and came upon a small all white stone Christian church with stone steps wallowed out from centuries of footsteps. The date on the corner stone was 365, as memory serves. wow.

I know nothing of it's name or history, sadly.

August 8th, 2017, 1:12 pm

Maybe that was the address.

Kidding aside, now I know why others laugh when we're trying to preserve "old" 100 year old home here, but you have to start somewhere.

August 8th, 2017, 2:00 pm

You are such a tease!

The age of antiquities of Europe are mind boggling. When we moved to a coastal town in New England, we needed time to house shop so temporarily rented a house that happened to be on the historic building list.

Date on the plaque fastened next to the front door showed it's construction date as 1635 and was originally the two story home of a sea captain. That's about as old as it gets relative to European pioneer construct still standing in North America.

August 20th, 2017, 1:45 pm

Four days in.
So far I can say the espresso is dark but t not as dark as I once recall. Hard to say if bitter due to the fact that I'm typically eating something sweet prior.

A "normale" size is a restretto, so when I asked for a lungo my mother's cousin asked if I wanted a "brodino" di caffè". I have to ask for a doppio as the restretto volume barely coats my tongue.

The Americano coffee is about the size of a triple espresso. My wife is getting use to it by adding more water to the cup served.
Ciao for now.

August 21st, 2017, 3:08 pm

Day 5.
Nice experience in Siracusa off the beaten path.
Noticed quaint little caffe during walk whereby locals were dropping in for a quick espresso, so decided to stop in.
Young lady barista of maybe 17 worked a unknown HX machine like she grew making espresso all her life.
Did a group flush and pulled the best shot I've had here yet.
Wife not keen on the Americano but liked there small homemade cookies they had. She does not like the coffee options and prefers my home coffee instead.
Here is a ancient Greek theatre in Siracusa

My 16 year old son in pic. Tall boy.

#18: Post by **mathof** » August 22nd, 2017, 4:44 am

When I was in Siracusa for a few days, a couple of years ago, I liked the espresso at a coffee bar on the island of Ortigia. Running along the north side of the Duomo - converted from an ancient Greek temple - there is a street called Piazza Minerva, and towards the east end of that there is the Antico Caffè Minerva. This was my favourite place to hang out: for the ambience and the coffee. As I recall, the food was good too. Their espresso beans are roasted locally.

Matt

August 24th, 2017, 2:33 pm

Entered this store. Well known Moka pot manufacturer. Many other products including other kitchen wares.

#20: Post by **dominico** » August 24th, 2017, 6:11 pm

I was just in the one in Genova, my daughter picked out a watermelon tin and a green 2 cup moka pot, but at the last minute traded the moka pot for a kitchen timer that looks like an ice cream.

I hope you are doing well down there, up here in the north with all the "polentoni" I found a specialty coffee shop with great baristas called the "Tazze Pazze" which I shall write about in another thread, and I drove by both the Faema and La Cimbali factories the other day. Just my luck the entire month I'm up here Maltoni's vintage lever machine museum is closed for remodelling... Oh well, gives me something to look forward to for next time.