How's The Coffee?

[chrispb]

At least if it's too strong for some people it can be watered down but for those of us who like to taste the coffee there isn't much we can do about it, unless we add our own instant granules which isn't always convenient.

[solocanadian]

Not too good from Room Service and MDR. I take Starbucks Via. Use 1/2 a pack per cup. Would not even consider coffee from the lido.:(

[RetiredMustang]

Guess we have to disagree with the post about great coffee in Naples (or Italy). We love espresso (which is what most Italians drink as their coffee beverage of choice) and would agree that Italy has the best (it is why we buy Lavazza beans to make our espresso). But when it comes to a cup of coffee, we think the stuff in Italy is not very good. The Italians serve what they call "Café Americano" which is simply watered down espresso. Since most Italian restaurants/cafes do not even have a regular coffee maker, they simply add hot water to 1 or more shots of espresso. Although the brew is certainly very drinkable (and sometimes quite good) we do not consider it a great cup of coffee.

 

My home Espresso maker has a program to make Café Americano and we have experimented with different beans, strength, etc. And what comes out is similar to the Café Americano we get in Italy, which we do not think comes even close to coffee made in French Press.

 

Hank

 

Hank,

 

That was kind of my point -- drink Italian coffee in Italy, and it is superior. The espresso is what Italians think of "coffee". A morning drink, perhaps with a cornetto as breakfast, is cappuccino (never drunk in the afternoon or at dinner.)

 

What you describe as "Caffe Americano" is what they have learned to sell to tourists ... in fact, they call it among themselves "aqua sborco" which means "dirty water" -- that is NOT a compliment :D . BTW, unless the bar in Italy that you are in is used to North American tourists, if you order a "latte" you will get a glass of milk, which is what "latte" means. The closest thing to a Starbucks latte is a caffe macchiato (spotted coffee).

 

What I also meant to say was that, while Starbucks et al are not real Italian coffee, they are much better than the old stove-top percolator of Folgers of my youth; Starbucks, love it or hate it, has caused everyone else to step up their game -- even Denny's has better coffee now. (And I also meant that the hours-old Navy java generally reeks ... but when you are going on watch, you take what you can get; I would have loved a Starbucks latte about then.)

 

I will drink, and enjoy very much, the real Italian coffee when I am in Italy (and amazingly, in Copenhagen), but will also enjoy the "close enough" of most coffee places in the U.S. these days. You may prefer this one to that one, but all are better ... much because Starbucks came along. (Fellow HAL cruisers from Canada -- have you seen an improvement in Tim Hortons over the past few years?)

 

If you let your home machine go through the full cycle, you get what Italians call "caffe luongo" or "long coffee" -- it is not esteemed. (An old trick I learned from a revered, meaning aged, Napolitana: take the very first bit of liquid from the machine, and whip it with sugar that you then portion among the cups before pouring in the thick espresso -- nectar of the gods!

 

Lavazza is a very good brand, but if you want the best, in my not-so-humble opinion, buy Kimbo brand if you can find it. The company is in suburban Naples, and years ago had the ad campaign that keyed on the phrase "If a Neapolitan says it's good coffee, it is." In my book, that is true.

 

Dave

[bshow]

Coffee threads 10x more annoying than smoking threads. ;)

[RetiredMustang]

Coffee threads 10x more annoying than smoking threads. ;)

 

But are you wearing formal clothes, or hogging a chair in the Lido pool area? :D

[cruz chic]

Coffee threads 10x more annoying than smoking threads. ;)

 

Well, you know what the cure is, right :D?

 

Dave, can't comment of whether timmy ho coffee is better because i don't drink it. I like second cup. It tastes the same as it did 10 years ago to me.

[Shellback801]

Coffee threads 10x more annoying than smoking threads. ;)

 

I probably should have dug a little deeper in this forum before I posted the original question. :)

 

Have to agree with the Mustang, though. Coffee (espresso) in Naples ruined me for life.

[cruz chic]

I probably should have dug a little deeper in this forum before I posted the original question. :)

 

Have to agree with the Mustang, though. Coffee (espresso) in Naples ruined me for life.

 

That is one persons opinion. I always skip the threads I'm not interested in. Please feel free to ask questions. As you can see, we will share opinions:D.

[Hlitner]

Coffee threads 10x more annoying than smoking threads. ;)

 

Then why are you reading (and posting) to this thread?

[POA1]

Then why are you reading (and posting) to this thread?

 

Killing time until we start to talk about tipping (19.2 times more annoying than smoking threads. :D )

[donaldsc]

In the dining room - undrinkable. At the coffee bars at a ridiculous extra cost - better but not by much. The best coffee is made one cup at a time w a French press. Their's isn't.

 

DON