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hile coffee has been known in the Muslim East since remote times, it was first introduced in the West in the seventeenth century, when Prospero Alpino, a botanist and physician, brought back to Venice some sacks of coffee that he had acquired during a trip in the East.
The first Venetian coffee house opened in 1640, and shortly thereafter the word "café" became synonymous, in all of Italy, with both the beverage and the place where it was served.
In 1763, there were as many as 218 coffee houses in Venice. Coffee, considered to be a token of love and friendship, had become extremely popular. Venetian lovers would send trays full of chocolates and coffee to their beloved ones as proof of their love and affection.
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| But in Italy as elsewhere, coffee hasn't had an entirely easy life. In the beginning, its popularity alarmed the Catholic Church. Some of its more fanatical members claimed that it was
the "beverage of Satan" and urged Pope Clement VIII to ban its consumption by the believers. The Pope, however, decided to taste a cup of coffee himself and soon came to the conclusion that there was no harm in drinking it. Needless to say, the pontiff's approval opened the doors to future successes.
In the eighteenth century, coffee became known as the "beverage of the intellectuals." Men of culture, in fact, were not only convinced that coffee was a refreshing beverage, but they also argued that it could cure almost any illness.
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Italian Espresso and Cappuccino
Making Coffee With a "Moka"
Making Coffee With an Espresso Maker
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