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Coffee: moka or espresso?

Coffee is consumed in large quantities all over the world, but it is a known fact that Italians are particularly fond of this drink, so much so that they have made its preparation an art.

Coffee beans arrived in Italy, more precisely in Venice, from the East around 1570. Initially, very few could afford to buy them, but soon the first "coffee shops" were born and it became a custom for lovers to gift each other chocolates and coffee as a token of affection.

Not everyone, however, immediately approved of this new product. Some members of the Church asked for the "drink of the devil" to be banished, but after having tasted a cup, even the Pope could only give coffee his blessing.

Since then coffee lovers have multiplied exponentially and it has become a drink that Italians could never give up.


 

But what is the best way to prepare and enjoy coffee? Opinions differ here. On the one hand, there are those who say that the only real coffee is the espresso prepared at the bar, on the other, there are loyal lovers of homemade coffee prepared with moka (coffee maker).

The main differences between espresso and moka coffee are that the former has a more intense flavor and presents a light foam or cream, while the latter has a more delicate and homey flavor.

The Moka is a true icon of Made in Italy, invented by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933. It became a mass consumer item in the 1950s, and today all Italians own one.

Anyone who thinks that espresso, with its rich and full-bodied flavor, contains more caffeine and is therefore to be preferred, will have to think again, because this primacy belongs to coffee made with moka. In fact, the amount of caffeine in each cup depends on how long the boiling water remains in contact with the ground coffee. Since the process of making coffee with the mocha is slower, the amount of caffeine released is greater.

Perhaps also for this reason, more than 70% of Italians still prefer moka coffee to espresso. After all, the ritual of making coffee is as important as it is consuming the drink itself. If you ask Italians what is the smell they prefer, they will most likely answer that nothing makes them feel at home like the perfume that the coffee maker releases in the morning.

If it’s true that everyone can make their own coffee at home, it is also true that not everyone can make a good coffee using the moka. It seems easy enough, but if you’re not careful, you'll end up drinking a coffee that is too watered down or with a burnt aftertaste.

 




How to make coffee with moka:

- Fill the base with cold water up to the level of the valve and insert the filter.

- Fill the filter of ground coffee for moka completely, and without pressing the powder, level it with a knife.

- Put the moka over low heat, when the coffee starts to rise, lower it to the minimum.

- Remove the moka from the heat as soon as the coffee has risen to prevent it from burning.

- Pour into the cup and enjoy a perfect Italian coffee!

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