Given my work as a coffee writer, you might assume I’d be well-versed in navigating Italy’s coffee culture. Yet, Italian coffee culture is taken far more seriously than in America. In the U.S., we’ve become accustomed to rolling through the Starbucks drive-thru, ordering an iced coffee, and not giving too much thought to it.
Yes, coffee is a huge part of starting our day as Americans; however, it’s not as strict a part of our culture that requires “unspoken rules” like “don’t drink a cappuccino after noon.” Just two hours after landing in Naples and desperate for some caffeine to help alleviate some jet lag, I discovered that “iced coffee” does not exist in Italy (and how I made it even more apparent I’m a tourist). Instead, I found a better, creamier, and more delicious version of the Italian version of iced coffee.
Ordering iced coffee in Italy
I first tried the Crema al Caffè when ordering an “iced coffee” from a café near my hotel in Naples. Immediately after ordering an iced coffee, I got some confused looks from the staff. Given the language barrier, I was almost prepared to just order a shot of espresso in an effort to keep things simple. Instead, I found the staff pointing to a drink in a frozen slushie machine behind the counter.
The machine resembled a frozen margarita machine, yet it was filled with some type of frozen coffee drink. When I think of “iced coffee,” I think of coffee over actual pieces of ice. Yet, this “iced coffee” drink was more of a slushie coffee, which at first glance, almost resembled a Wendy’s Frosty. At the time, I first thought this was just a mix-up specific to this coffee shop. The next day, however, I attempted to order an iced coffee again at a different cafe to find I got the same, frosty-like frozen coffee drink.
About Italian iced coffee
Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected, and I’d say that applies to my experience discovering this delicious Italian iced coffee drink. While this drink in no way resembles the iced coffee I ordered, it turned out to be even better. This smooth, chilled, and frothy iced coffee beverage has a creamy and light texture, which truly does remind me of a more drinkable version of a Wendy’s Frosty.
This drink, which is actually known as Crema di Caffè, is made with three simple ingredients: Espresso, sugar, and cream, all of which are churned in the frozen slushie machine. The resulting drink is cool, creamy, and smooth, perfect for a refreshing treat (and caffeine pick-me-up) in the hot summer heat. After the second time ordering this drink, it was pretty easy to see the appeal of ordering one.
For Italians, the concept of regular drip coffee poured over ice (the American concept of iced coffee) just doesn’t make sense. Iced coffee is often too watered down for their espresso-adapted taste buds, and I can’t stay I blame them. On the other hand, the concept of this frozen, frothy “iced coffee” makes much more sense (and has me wondering if the U.S. has the concept of iced coffee all wrong).
