My kitchen is the heart of my home. My friends all like to hang out in there instead of in my more spacious living room.
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My kitchen is the heart of my home. My friends all like to hang out in there instead of in my more spacious living room.
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My Neapolitan RootsI was born in Rome, but if you're Italian you might detect Neapolitan roots in my surname. My paternal grandfather came from a little village near Naples. Each time I went to visit him he would hurry to prepare a cup of Neapolitan-style coffee. Forget the moka - he was a proud user of the Neapolitan 'flip' coffee pot A Cup of Coffee, the Brew That is TrueTo be honest, my grandfather's coffee wasn't all that good. More often than not I would find gritty, bitter coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup, but still, I cherish these moments of togetherness. For we Italians, a cup of coffee is more than just a simple brew. We offer guests a cup of coffee as a way of making them feel comfortable. A cup of good, strong coffee lifts the spirits, and after a three-course meal it's the best thing for the digestion. Sharing the JoyNeapolitans are a gregarious people and keen to share every moment of their lives. Their epicurean roots, the joi de vivre that comes from fine food and drink, still shows through their modern lifestyles. The tradition of a 'pending' cup of coffee is a flag-bearer for this philosophy of life. A chat with a barista over a hot, dark brew is a good way to start the morning, so why not also make this possible for someone who, for whatever reason, can't afford to pay for it? With a 'pending' coffee, you pay for two cups of coffee but the barista only makes one. The 'spare' cup you didn't consume is made later for anyone who can't afford a good start to the morning. From Naples with LoveIn troubled times like these, when there's a general diffidence towards foreigners or anyone who might be considered 'different' or 'alien', the Neapolitan tradition of the pending coffee might help create a more inclusive culture. I've been amazed to find how this obscure Neapolitan tradition has spread all over the world. The idea has taken many different forms, but at the heart of all of them is a desire to create cohesiveness and solidarity. To my surprise I've even found the pending coffee tradition being practiced in my own little corner of the North of England, in Lancaster. The Cornish Bakery, famous for selling authentic Cornish pasties here in the North, has joined the pending coffee scheme and has advertised that they have a few pending coffees to share. I'm sure my grandfather would smile if he could see how his beloved tazzina e' cafe, his tiny cup of coffee, is now breaking down the barriers of diffidence and creating a friendly environment in different places around the world.
Next time you have a coffee, pay for an extra one and leave it behind. It's a small gesture that can make a huge change. |
AuthorI love cooking, and when it comes to quality I'm quite fussy. Archives
February 2018
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