In Rome, every morning started with my ritual of “cornetto and cappuccino”. On my way to work, I would stop by my neighborhood café’: “Bar Romoli”, for this classic Italian breakfast.
If I close my eyes, I can smell the scrumptious pastries fresh out of the oven. I can also hear the chatter of the other patrons, the orders called out loudly, and the clinking sound of ceramic cups, hurriedly filled by the barista and placed on the counter. Here, everyone stands side by side, drinking their cappuccino or gulping down their espresso (in Italy simply known as caffe’) and yes, Italians drink it quickly, just two or three sips. But that still leaves them enough time for a brief chat with the person standing next to them.
I would claim my spot at the corner of the long marble counter, and then take my time dunking my cream-filled croissant into my cappuccino. I truly savored that first bite, before quickly devouring the rest and drinking up the cappuccino to its last, caffeinated and sugary drop… now I was ready to face the day!
As you may already know, food is a very serious matter to Italians, part of our cultural identity. In Italy, there are some understated rules related to eating well. For example: you would never think of adding Parmigiano cheese to a seafood pasta dish, the two just don’t mix. And the same holds true for cappuccino.
After a typical three-course meal, beginning with an antipasto, perhaps followed by a tasty risotto ai frutti di mare (seafood risotto) and a tiramisu or other dessert, your best bet may be to order a caffe’, or a glass of limoncello- the perfect palate cleanser after a rich meal, and it also helps with digestion.
Although a frothy cappuccino, is best enjoyed before noon, you can still have one after lunch or dinner if you wish – but don’t be surprised if you should notice a disapproving expression on the waiter’s face.