When it comes to coffee, we all have our favourite type and our own personal rituals, but did you know that there are certain unwritten rules in Italy of when is best to drink your coffee?

Morning

In the UK, we think nothing of drinking cappuccino’s and lattes all day, and yet in Italy they would never dream of drinking a milky coffee such as a cappuccino past lunchtime! It is very much seen as a breakfast drink, but still contains a good shot of espresso to awaken the senses!

Any time!

Espresso is the perfect coffee to enjoy at any time, as it’s a small yet intense shot of black coffee, meaning that you can enjoy all the flavour and aroma without filling up on vast quantities of coffee. It is also a common misconception that espresso has a larger amount of caffeine that all other types of coffee when in fact filter coffee contains the most caffeine. This is due to the fact that filter coffee machines brew the coffee very slowly, and the coffee grounds release a much higher amount of caffeine into the water. Espresso is literally made in seconds, and although it may taste intense, the caffeine does not have time to be released fully into the hot water that is forced through the grounds at 15 bar pressure.

Entertaining

The great thing about coffee is its versatility. With just coffee and milk and a great machine, you can create a wealth of drinks at home including espresso, Americano, Macchiato, Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato, Caffé Latte, and impress your guests in the process! If you really love entertaining, why not invest in a Bean to Cup machine such as PrimaDonna, which enables you to make perfect Espresso, Lungo, Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato, and Caffé Latte at the touch of just one button, leaving you with more time to spend with your guests!