mathof wrote: in Naples for the barista to ask: "zuccherato? ("sugared"), and to put it in the cup themselves if you answer affirmatively.

Hmm, I wonder if this is south of Rome thing. When I visited central Italy, sugar is in a separate container on the bar counter or table. No bartender ever asked if the customer want sugar in their espresso (or cappuccino). It was always the customers who take the action of putting sugar or not. By the way, I did see many locals putting sugar in their espresso and cappuccino.

Milligan wrote:No sugar here... On occasion I may add my home made caramel syrup (which is sugar...) when I want a dessert drink.

Although, as I wrote earlier in this thread, I don't add sugar, at least not granulated sugar, to my coffee that I brew, on rare occasions I like to add sweetness to the cup and on those occasions I prefer a bit of maple syrup. Maybe that's due to my being born and raised in a state bordering Canada...

I also have found it necessary, unfortunately, to add a bit of granulated sugar to coffee I've been served in restaurants...or Starbucks, when I used to frequent them

Capuchin Monk wrote:Hmm, I wonder if this is south of Rome thing. When I visited central Italy, sugar is in a separate container on the bar counter or table. No bartender ever asked if the customer want sugar in their espresso (or cappuccino). It was always the customers who take the action of putting sugar or not. By the way, I did see many locals putting sugar in their espresso and cappuccino.

It's a Neapolitan thing, one of the weird things they do: they serve a coffee too hot, or too roasted (the Neapolitan roast is more pronounced than the average Italian), or sweet. Basically, they want to ruin your experience . So, when in Naples, ask "no sugar", and prudently wait before bringing the demitasse to your lips.

Here in Rome no barista would ask such a question, there usually is a choice of sweeteners (normal sugar, cane sugar, often some artificial sweeteners) on the counter. You can ask for a ristretto or a lungo, or maybe for a caffè al vetro (in a glass demitasse), but if you ask for sugar the obvious answer would be "it's on the counter".

Espressofilo wrote:It's a Neapolitan thing, one of the weird things they do: they serve a coffee too hot, or too roasted (the Neapolitan roast is more pronounced than the average Italian), or sweet. Basically, they want to ruin your experience .

I wonder if that's a way for them to send out a message, "If you don't like it, go some place else."

They actually think you like it and you will come back. What's better than a burning hot over-roasted sugared coffee to begin your day?

Truth be told, if you add sugar that will lower the temperature, so people who make this burning experience are people who don't add sugar (and yes, they come from Rome). I suppose the Neapolitan share of people adding either sugar or milk is very high, and this probably creates this habit of serving a boiling hot coffee. Adding sugar or milk is, in turn, probably a consequence of the kind of roasting.

Naples is a wonderful city, but beware of your taste buds!

Coffee I prefer black (w/o sugar) but I take sugar with my espresso

I drink mostly medium-dark roasts. I use a very little bit (maybe 1-2g) of sugar in a double shot. 2x that for milk drinks, which are rare for me.

However, when in Spain I pretty much exclusively drink café bombon which for the uninitiated is a glass half-filled with sweetened condensed milk, over which you pour your espresso (usually about a double shot). It's crazy, impossibly sweet. And I can't get enough of it while there though my waistline isn't a fan. Oh and in the summer, have it over ice - it's an amazing treat. Every now and again I get a squeeze bottle of Lechera - exactly what they use in Spain - but at home it's just not as fun.

Yes, always, a tsp. of Sugar in the Raw that I have ground (in my old blade grinder) so it is finer than granulated sugar--almost like powdered sugar. It dissolves almost instantly.