Let’s say that you’re in the middle of the work day and you’re starting to feel a little low on energy. What’s the first thing that you’re going to think about doing to try to alleviate these feelings? Your answer is most likely going to be making yourself a fresh pot of coffee! Coffee has become a beloved household staple across the world, and every country has their own unique take on the ground-based beverage. Italy is no different here, and if you’ve looked on our menu before, you’ll already know what we’re talking about: caffe nocciola! We tell you everything you need to know about caffe nocciola below!
What Is Caffe Nocciola?
Caffe nocciola is a fancy name for a remarkably simple concept. In English, Caffe alla Nocciola roughly translates to “hazelnut coffee”, which is exactly what caffe nocciola is. Italy is one of the few countries in the world where hazelnuts are produced in commercial quantities, which helped it to become a massive staple around the Naples and Campania regions. Italians are big in the espresso industry, and they were looking for an ingredient that would add a bit of mild sweetness to the flavor. Hazelnut ended up winning out in the end!
How Is Caffe Nocciola Made?
How is regular coffee normally made? Usually, coffee grounds are grinded up and used to make the signature blend. When it comes to making caffe nocciola, the process is very similar! Instead of being ground into a particle-like form, however, the hazelnuts are grounded up into a paste. Whipped cream gets added to turn the paste into a mousse, and then you refrigerate it. The coffee itself is prepared as it normally would be, and then the paste is added afterwards. The result is a sweeter and creamier coffee that has gained worldwide popularity!
Why Espresso?
One thing that we didn’t mention about the process of preparing caffe nocciola is that the coffee used is most likely going to be espresso. Sure, you can substitute other types of coffee for your drink, but espresso is the traditional choice in these Italian regions. This is largely due to the widespread popularity of espresso in Italy! After all, Italy was the birthplace of the espresso machine, so it makes sense as to why it’s the caffeinated beverage of choice here.
Caffe Nocciola at Mare Oyster Bar
If you need a quick pick me up to go along with your helpings of seafood, caffe nocciola is available at Mare Oyster Bar! We specialize in a variety of seafoods and Italian cuisines that bring the best of both worlds to Boston’s North End. For some of the most famous Italian staples and seafood cocktails out there, click here to make a reservation with us!