coffee

Italian coffee is not just a beverage; it’s a symbol of tradition, craftsmanship, and a way of life that has captivated people worldwide. Known for its rich flavor, attention to detail, and cultural significance, Italian coffee offers a unique experience that goes far beyond simply satisfying a caffeine craving. For restaurants and retail chains in Southeast Asia, introducing the art of Italian coffee can offer customers a taste of this cherished tradition, blending simplicity with sophistication. In Italy, coffee is an integral part of daily life. Whether it's a quick shot of espresso at the bar, a leisurely cappuccino in…

According to the last researches, which are involved the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Johns Hopkins University and the Berkeley University of California, drinking coffee every day could cut the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. (more…)

Italian espresso coffee is considered a cultural phenomenon which accounts a portion of 80 billion dollar spent annually. Nearly 120 million 60 kg bags of coffee are produced every year, making coffee the second most important global commodity after oil. (more…)

Sustainable development is becoming more and more important in any kind of business and, in this perspective, the impact of the food sector is strategic. Each year, in the world, 17% of all food produced is wasted. Food is thrown away because it’s either partially consumed or stored inappropriately; sometimes, simply because it’s not nice-looking enough to be shown on the shelves of a grocery store.In addition, there is an array of inedible parts - like the seeds and peel of some fruit and vegetables - that typically end up straight in landfills, where they eventually contribute, together with the…

When it comes to food, packaging plays a fundamental role in keeping it fresh, preserving its quality to reduce food-borne diseases as well as extending its shelf-life to minimize loss and waste. Although a plastic-free attitude is a linear approach to the green question, a circular one may be more efficient. If we take into consideration the negative impact that producing food which remains uneaten or distributing inedible food has on our environment and economy, food loss and food waste call for new packaging solutions. One of the latest trends entails converting agri-food residues into innovative bio-packaging. In this perspective,…

Last November and December the market registered yet another rise – the third in the past six months – in agricultural prices. It was a +5.1% month-on-month, stronger than October’s 2.5% increase which was largely due to higher prices for many commodities and especially, among the others for wheat and coffee, as ongoing weather concerns in major-producing areas ( such Brazil, Canada and Eastern Europe) continued to hinder the supply scenario amid rising demand. On a larger scale, last September the FAO Food Price Index reported a staggering +23.1% of global food prices compared with December 2020 (for 2021 as…

Probably created to counterbalance the effects of the high summer temperatures, Italian frozen desserts are rather enjoyable in any season and are now so popular all over the world that it is worth shedding a light on their own distinctive characteristics. Gelato is undoubtedly the most famous one. According to the Istituto del Gelato Italiano , the association established in 1991 to protect the quality of this Italian excellence, gelato as we know it today was invented in Florence in the 15th century by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti. Prepared with natural ingredients such as milk, cream, eggs and sugar, it…

The famous “dessert stomach” was probably invented in Italy because, never mind the three savory courses that form a standard Italian meal, many are the traditional sweet foods that we indulge in at the end of a friendly session around the table. Starting from the most famous of all Italian desserts, Tiramisù , it is interesting to know that, back in the 19th century, this powerful, coffee-flavored sponge cake used to be allegedly served as a “tonic” to the customers of a local brothel in Treviso. If this were true, it would not come to a surprise then that its other…

One of the pleasures of the Italian food culture is that each meal is treated as a serious matter, following unwritten rules that are meant to add extra joy to the enjoyment of food itself. Slow is the word, especially at dinner time during weekends when the clock does not seem to tick as fast as during work days. If a proper meal is divided into three courses (starter, pasta, main course), its final part is another ritual in itself: first dessert, then espresso coffee and finally a digestive liquor. Simply put, digestivo is an alcoholic drink served at the…

  With a turnover of more than 16 billion euros, crisis is an unknown word to the leadership of Italian handmade gelato. A supply chain that includes the producers of raw ingredients and semi-finished goods, machine manufacturers, and finally the finished product prepared and served by the master ice-cream makers, with Made in Italy on top of the world at all such stages. An estimated 100,000 ice cream parlours exist worldwide, and the business continues to grow by 5% every year. Italy is the undisputed home of handmade gelato and the world’s greatest consumer. It boasts 19,000 production and sales…

  As in the past, recipes were one of the most searched-for subjects by Italians on search engines in 2019. Google has published the league table of the most popular and two traditional Italian desserts are jostling for first place on the list of Top Ten. Surprisingly, Neapolitan pastiera, a traditional Easter dessert from Naples, is at number one. It’s a shortcrust pastry pie filled with a mixture of ricotta, candied fruit, sugar, egg and wheat grain boiled in milk. Another dessert comes second, one of the most well-loved sweets in Italy and abroad: the legendary tiramisù. The recipe people…

  169 years have gone by since Charles Henry Harrod opened a little drugstore in London where he sold tea, coffee, and biscuits. Since then, the small Knightsbridge grocery store has become a 90,000-m2 (107,600-ft2) luxury temple hiring 5,000 employees, where visitors may find, as the slogan boasted: anything “from a pin to an elephant”. Charles Henry Harrod has left us, but the current owners – Qatar Holding – have decided to honour his memory through a radical revolution of the section dedicated to food and drinks: “The taste revolution”. Basically a return to the old days, with the goal…