Espresso coffee is not only the most consumed drink in Italy. It is an indispensable daily ritual, linked to the culture, traditions, and habits of Italians. This real institution has now become part of the national identity, globally recognized, and appreciated.
If you already own one of these Moka pots above, you are indeed a lucky person. Make a good coffee is a real culinary art with its complexities and rewards. Let’s begin with the definitions you should remember in this column.
Macchinetta Moka (Coffee pot image above)
Partenopei (From Ancient Greek Παρθενόπη (Parthenópē), name of a Greek settlement (9th c. B.C.E.) which later became Neāpolis (“Naples”, literally “new city”), in the 6th century. The name is from the siren Parthenope whose body was said to have been washed ashore nearby.
Three Cs (Comme cazz’ coce), damn it’s hot! Refers to the temperature of the coffe and the (tazzina), cup.
Moka (Moka is a village in Mauritius located in the Moka District). I have no idea how the name ended up in Naples, but they have been using it for centuries.
Tazzina (The tiny cup for drinking Moka). Thick rim gives a fuller sensation.
Alfonso Bialetti invented the Moka Macchinetta in 1933.
Modern espresso machines use a pressure force varying from 8 to bars. When compared with a typical Mocha pot, that would be equivalent to about ten times the strength. Moka can brew strong espresso as close as you can get it to the machine version but technically cannot be defined as authentic espresso.
In the last 20 years, coffee machines for pods and capsules have become more widespread globally. However, there are still many like myself, who always prepare coffee with the classic Moka. Several Moka pots are available in the market in terms of size depending on the number of guests. The single-cup unit is the smallest. You should invest in a single, six, and twelve (tazzina) cups roster.
The Moka machine was invented in Naples and represented the culture and lifestyle of the Neapolitans. But not just for the Partenopei as they are known, Moka moved through the world with the immigrants who reached shores worldwide. There is a shiny Moka Macchinetta in every Neapolitan household. Naples’ city carries the torch as the leaders in espresso consumption and bars per square miles in Europe.
Neapolitans drink coffee for breakfast, right after lunch, and occasionally after dinner. The cultural aggregation and social interchange provide additional coffee breaks throughout the day. It is common for someone to consume five espressos per day. Visiting Naples is not just about architecture and breathtaking landscape, but the cuisine and cultural behaviors. Besides pizza, spaghetti, sfogliatelle, baba, pizza fritta, and roccoco, but the uniqueness of its coffee. The Neapolitan knows how to make the mythical tazzulella ‘e cafè. In the city of Vesuvius and the sun, the coffee has rules and strict regulations.
In Naples, coffee should be sipped in a porcelain cup with an underplate to make the moment of consumption stimulating and unique. Also, the famous 3 Cs should apply. Patrons bring the scorching espresso cup to them, followed by the vernacular exclamation “Comm’ cazz’ coce” (damn, it’s hot)!
The cup’s temperature must be similar to the content, ensuring an equal heat level that prevents the thermal shock that can alter the final taste.
In Naples, coffee is art, ritual, passion, myth. In the kitchen, you first learn how to make coffee and then everything else. But if what you prepare is not the best because it is too pungent, too watery, or with a burnt aftertaste, you might as well change your career. In fairness, I must add that the French are also experts in coffee making, and lately, a debate has arisen on French Press versus Mocha. But emulating Naples may be out of reach for our over the Alps cousins, even if in Paris the number of cafes and coffee houses is impressively visible on every street corner.
If you just bought a new Mocha, follow these simple steps.
1) With a pristine Moka macchinetta (machine), you will never be able to prepare a good coffee. The mocha has to absorb the blend’s aroma, so you’ll need to use it several times before it can pull off a decent coffee.
2) Just like a brand-new cast-iron pan, the Moka Macchinetta needs to be seasoned. Make coffee six times as average by loading it with coffee grounds, bringing it to boil, and discarding it.
3) You should never wash your mocha with soap, vinegar, or lemon. The aroma would remain imprisoned in the machine and impart those flavors to the coffee, making it undrinkable.
4) To clean the machine: lukewarm water and a soft-bristled brush are sufficient to remove any coffee and limescale deposits.
5) The first secret to great coffee is not to be in a hurry. The mixture releases all its flavor only if the boiling water rises slowly from the boiler. Therefore, the burner must be on medium-low, without ever raising it.
6) If your machine sprays coffee from the sides and splatters all over the stove, blame it on the worn gasket. To solve the problem, change it.
7) The water in the boiler must never go beyond the valve but stop in its middle. Under no circumstances should it flow out of the filter.
8) The goodness of Neapolitan coffee has always been linked to the excellence of its water. The latest data are more than comforting: the water that comes from the taps in our homes is excellent, so you don’t have to use bottled water. Purified water will give better taste.
9) The mocha filter must be filled with coffee grrounds using a teaspoon, without pressing too hard but also without economizing. The mixture must exceed the funnel’s edge by at least half a finger (and no more).
10) Coffee grounds absorb the flavors of its surrounding. Avoid keeping the grounds in the proximity of onions, garlic, or fish, but store it in a glass or steel airtight container, away from heat sources and bright light. Buy small quantities for the best quality. Coffee loses strength with time and environmental conditions. More importantly, treat yourself to the best and purchase expensive grounds from a reputable brand. In the coffee business, there is a lot of mixing going on.
Enjoy “na tazzulella e Caffe” to your health, and I’ll make one for myself as well. Ciao.
