PRESENZA - Rediscovering the joy of eating

‘O ccafè
‘O ccafè

‘A tazza ‘e cafe
‘A tazza ‘e cafe

‘A caffettiera di mia commare
‘A caffettiera di mia commare

A Very Special Coffee Photo: Mauro Peressini, CMC CD2004-0445 D2004-6163

A Very Special Coffee

Until the 1970s, espresso was very hard to find outside of Little Italies. It has become so popular in our cities mainly because of Italian Canadians, for whom this heady brew is a daily ritual.

Italian espresso differs from both American coffee and French express. Whether it is prepared on the stove in a napoletana or moka coffee maker, or brewed in a domestic or commercial espresso machine, it gets its unique flavour mainly from the special blends, which contain up to seven kinds of coffee, and the roasting process. The beans are roasted longer than those destined for other countries, to intensify the aroma and eliminate some of the caffeine.

And then there is that je ne sais quoi that makes espresso consumed in an Italian café taste better than that found elsewhere. Why? Who knows?

Two-spout espresso maker
Photo: Steven Darby, CMC CD2004-0245 D2004-6023 Electric espresso maker
Photo: Steven Darby, CMC CD2004-0245 D2004-6022 Espresso maker with alcohol burner
Photo: Steven Darby, CMC CD2004-0245 D2004-6021
(1) Two-spout espresso maker
Italy
1960s
Used in Canada
Metal, plastic
Lent by Laura Tenerelli
(2) Electric espresso maker
Made by Vesuviana
Italy
c. 1950
Used in Canada
Metal, plastic
Lent by Vincenzo Catania

Vincenzo Catania often says that what he misses most in Canada, apart from the members of his family who are in Italy, is espresso. All his friends know that he loves espresso, so they give him coffee makers as presents whenever they can. The one on display here is part of his collection.
(3) espresso maker with alcohol burner
Made by Fratelli Santin
Tuscany region, Italy
c. 1900
Metal
Lent by Antonio Clemente
La Napoletana - Neapolitan coffee maker
Photo: Steven Darby, CMC CD2004-0245 D2004-6019 La Moka - espresso maker
Photo: Steven Darby, CMC CD2004-0245 D2004-6020 Two-spout espresso maker
Photo: Steven Darby, CMC CD2004-0245 D2004-6024
(4) La Napoletana - Neapolitan coffee maker
Italy
c. 1945
Used in Canada
Metal, plastic
Lent by Carmelina Corsi Cusano
(5) La Moka - espresso maker
Made by Mondial Express Café
Italy
c. 1940
Used in Canada
Metal, plastic
Lent by Carmelina Corsi Cusano

Brought from Italy by the Cusano family, this one-piece Moka differs from contemporary designs, which have two sections that can be separated. In this model, the coffee compartment can be accessed from the top.
(6) Two-spout espresso maker
Italy
1950s
Metal, plastic
Lent by Carlo Cristallini