Many years ago, in the Neapolitan society, you could order a Caffè sospeso, literally a “coffee in suspense”.
Curiously, rich customers used to drink a coffee but often payed for two of them. What happened was that when a homeless or less fortunate walked into a café he could enjoy a coffee as a courtesy of the first customer. Today the custom of Caffè sospeso is well-known but not used as in the past. Luciano de Crescenzo, an Italian writer, has written a book titled “Il caffè sospeso” as a symbol of wisdom philosophy of life.
Thanks Tania! If you like italian coffe and if you miss our last Infographic, please take a look http://www.charmingitaly.com/types-of-italian-coffee/ ;)
Aha! I remember watching some show with Mario Batalli who mentioned this. I forgot about it until I went on a press trip to Naples and asked the experts there, who had never heard of it. Glad to know about Caffè sospeso!
[...] your meal. If you order coffee, it is served to you being poured directly from the mocha (stove top coffee pot). You will really feel like being at the home of an Italian relative when you eat here. So sit [...]
[...] have already talked about the nice Neapolitan habit of the “Coffee in Suspense”. In Naples it is said that a good coffee needs to respect the rule of the 3 “C”: it has to be [...]
What are the most popular Italian desserts?A tasty trip through Italian culinary traditions to discover 5 delicious traditional sweets produced in the peninsulaAs you maybe know (and as I read full article >>
The pizza is enough reason for many people to visit Naples Credits: Flickr But the southern Italian region of Campania has much more to offer the hungry traveler. As Campania’s largest city, read full article >>
Escape to Campania’s beautiful Amalfi Coast in film! From Positano to Amalfi to Ravello, the jewels of the Amalfi Coast have been a popular setting for movies from great film classics to read full article >>
Thanks for your comment! I like your definition...Slices of Italy is full of tidbits :)
[...] you remember our post about Coffee in suspense? It’s an “original” way of ordering [...]
Thanks Tania! If you like italian coffe and if you miss our last Infographic, please take a look http://www.charmingitaly.com/types-of-italian-coffee/ ;)
Aha! I remember watching some show with Mario Batalli who mentioned this. I forgot about it until I went on a press trip to Naples and asked the experts there, who had never heard of it. Glad to know about Caffè sospeso!
[...] your meal. If you order coffee, it is served to you being poured directly from the mocha (stove top coffee pot). You will really feel like being at the home of an Italian relative when you eat here. So sit [...]
What an interesting fact. These kind of tidbits always fascinate me.
Thanks James! It is a great curiosity, isn't it? I'll check new interesting customs made in Italy ;)
[...] have already talked about the nice Neapolitan habit of the “Coffee in Suspense”. In Naples it is said that a good coffee needs to respect the rule of the 3 “C”: it has to be [...]
What a nice history of coffee..Thank you for sharing with us.