Summer Coffee Solutions

The joke about Italians is that they have a million ways to drink coffee, and each person has his or her custom beverage; I can certainly attest to the truth behind the mockery.

But what to do when it gets hot? And hot it has surely been these last two months.

While hot coffee is absolutely still available, the variety of cold coffees is extraordinary.

You have:
Cold "normale" (we would call it espresso) served in the usual little cup
Cold "cappuccino" made with cold (unfrothed) milk and cold coffee.

Espresso with a small scoop of gelato
(usually what we would call vanilla ice cream,
without the vanilla flavoring) and whipped cream

Coffee granita...
frozen diluted unsweetened coffee
served with whipped cream
to which you can add sugar as desired

"Cappuccino freddo" (you have to be specific, 

because that expression is also used for #2 above), 

a confection with coffee, frothed milk, and dunno what else.

"Nocciola," a version of cold cappuccino 

made with hazelnut gelato and coffee

"Crema," essentially a grown-up milkshake
made with cream, milk, coffee,
and sugar and then frozen

If that's not enough to suit your fancy, you can go straight to the coffee gelato.

With love and caffeine,

Alexandra