When Was Coffee Introduced to Europe, and Why Standing?

Coffee reached Europe through Venice starting in 1580, when beans from Africa and the Middle East arrived by ship and were first tasted by the upper classes. Clergy initially called it the devil's drink because of its Muslim origins, until Pope Clement VIII accepted it and reframed it as a Christian beverage. Europe's first coffee house opened in Rome in 1645, and coffee spread quickly through Italy from there.

Italian coffee culture then took its own path. When did coffee become popular in europe? In Italy the answer runs through equipment: after the Industrial Revolution, Angelo Moriondo patented an early espresso machine in 1884, and speed shaped how the drink was consumed. That heritage explains why Italians drink dark-roasted espresso standing at the bar and why iced Americano, common elsewhere, is largely absent from Italian cafes.

Why do Italians habitually drink coffee standing up? Why is iced Americano nowhere to be found in Italy? This article begins with the history of how coffee was introduced to Italy, traces the birth of espresso and the evolution of coffee machines, and analyzes Italians' devotion to dark-roasted espresso as well as the reasons behind their culture of efficient, quick drinking. At the same time, the article also addresses the reality of foreign tourists ordering iced Americano in Italy, and retains relevant content about the Front Street brand, making it suitable for enthusiasts who want a deeper understanding of Italian coffee culture.

When you scroll through social media, have you also come across claims like this: "Is ordering an iced Americano in Italy actually illegal?"

Obviously, no such law exists. What this statement is really trying to say is probably this: coffee is everywhere in Italy, so why is iced Americano, which can be found all over China, almost nowhere to be seen in Italy, where even iced coffee is hard to come by? It's the same coffee—why is it treated as a daily "life-sustaining water" in many countries, yet becomes the most despised way of drinking it in Italy?

The Early Threads of Italian Coffee Culture

Italians have a very long history of drinking coffee. Starting in 1580, coffee beans native to Africa and the Middle East were shipped into Italy through the port of Venice, and at first only the upper classes had the chance to taste them. Because coffee came from the Middle East and Turkey, it was regarded as a "Muslim drink," so many Christian Italians called it "the devil's drink."

By the early 17th century, Pope Clement VIII became enamored with this black beverage and held a baptism for coffee, officially accepting it as something Christians could drink and bestowing on it the name "the drink of God." Later, in 1645, Europe's first coffee house appeared in Rome, and this was also Italy's earliest shop dedicated to selling coffee. From then on, coffee spread rapidly throughout Italy.

Italians' contribution to coffee is reflected not only in taste, but even more in equipment development

In the early days, people used old-fashioned Turkish pots to brew coffee and then filtered it. After the Industrial Revolution arrived, it seemed everything began to pursue speed, and Italians were no exception. In 1884, Angelo Moriondo successfully applied in Turin, Italy, for a patent for a steam-powered coffee-making machine. But this device relied entirely on steam, its temperature was hard to control, and it often made coffee so burnt and bitter that it was hard to swallow, so it was later repeatedly improved by many people.

(Angelo Moriondo's Espresso Machine)

In the early 19th century, Milanese manufacturer Luigi Bezzara improved this patent and introduced the prototype of the world's first steam-pressure coffee machine. It had a detachable handle and a separable assembly head, and could use high pressure to extract coffee in a short time.

As new machines continued to appear and be put into use, more and more Italians fell in love with this quickly extracted coffee. The word "espresso" was also first included in an Italian dictionary around 1920, defined as: concentrated coffee made by means of a pressurized machine or filter.

For people at the time tasting this "fast coffee" for the first time, the flavor was not ideal; but once they knew it was a method obtained quickly through steam pressure, Italians instead seemed to have their enthusiasm ignited, constantly thinking about how to upgrade and modify steam-powered coffee machines to make the coffee taste better.

For example, Milanese engineer Achille Gaggia managed in 1938 to add a lever to the coffee machine, which could sharply raise the water pressure from 1.5 bar to 9 bar. This not only brought a layer of dark brown "crema" to the surface of the coffee, but also made the volume of the solution quantifiable, making coffee quality more consistent.

In this way, thanks to people's refinement and promotion of these machines, coffee-making methods underwent earth-shaking changes, and high speed and convenience also became the new standard of service in every coffee shop. That small cup of espresso gradually evolved into the foundational core of the modern coffee system.

About Italians' Strong Taste

When espresso reached its final form, coffee culture followed suit. Compared with many other countries, Italian coffee shops focus on an atmosphere of high efficiency and fast pace, and this happens to fit perfectly with the small cup size of espresso, making it convenient for people passing by to enjoy quickly, chat a few words with acquaintances, and then leave. Using a brief moment of leisure to go to a coffee shop and order an espresso can be said to be one of Italians' most deeply rooted habits.

When they walk into a coffee shop, they will directly tell the barista to bring a single espresso, the vast majority dominated by the bitterness of dark roasting, and generally Robusta is added to make the crema richer. Some people add a little yellow sugar and stir before tasting, then drink it in one go, which is very satisfying. An espresso in Italy usually costs only 1 euro, about 7 yuan, making it a very affordable drink.

You should know that in the eyes of most Italians, only espresso is "real" coffee. Compared with those light-roasted specialty coffees that emphasize a single origin, they are more accustomed to a flavor that is rich, full-bodied, heavy, and even bitter. It is said that in Italians' belief, coffee is "aid digestion" and has nothing to do with staying awake, so after every meal, if there is no cup of espresso, they feel as if something is missing.

It is not hard to see that what makes Italians so fanatical about espresso is their loyalty to their own cultural roots. As Front Street mentioned above, Italy invented the espresso machine, which not only made the preparation of coffee drinks faster, but also permanently changed the global coffee industry. Therefore, for the Italian people, espresso is an important part of national identity, and it also makes Italy appear distinctive in the world.

So if you order an iced Americano in an Italian coffee shop, will you get beaten up?

Although most traditional Italians still stick to their drinking habits, as the Italian coffee system has become popular around the world, the ways of drinking coffee in many countries and regions have also developed their own styles. Out of respect for others' drinking habits, when foreigners want an iced Americano, some local Italian baristas will also try their best to satisfy the needs of foreign tourists.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that there are still many "stubborn ones" who only serve espresso. When you ask them for an iced Americano, chances are you will get a "side-eye," and then they will bring you a combination like this. (Front Street just kidding, any resemblance is purely coincidental.)

(espresso + ice cubes + water)

Finally, returning to our title, Front Street also remembers a prank video that once circulated on the internet: when Italians ordered espresso, someone secretly filled it with water, then served it to them and filmed their reactions:

"Here is your coffee."

"No~ is this a piece of 💩?"

"Get lost! Beep~~"

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.