Ok. Now, I MUST reply to this, because, as an Italian, I simply know about food more than anybody else in the known universe, and particularly I know about coffee and wine.

First of all, your statement about wine making is preposterous. Italian wine is just the Best in the World. French wine, admittedly a competitor, is the "second" best in the world. Maybe. Including Champagne, which is clearly second to Spumante. California wine is of course a fine wine, but not even nearly close to Italian one. And I'll leave our "cousins" French debate about how close it gets to French wine.

Havin clarified the obvious, let's move to Coffee.

Through centuries "real coffee" - which is the Italian, obviously - has been made with this:

or, admittedly, with its "napoletana" version, only used in Naples until mid of last century.

As opposed to the above "caffettiera", you may get a coffee machine ("macchina del caffè") at home, but that is not going to be a "real coffee" at all unless the machine is a really, really good one, capable of good pressure and proper water temperature, somewhat comparable to that of a bar ("Bar" is where you get coffee, as everybody knows. Nothing to do with alcohol, which is indeed also served, there, but as a secondarily important product). Of course, Italian (meanin "in Italy", and Italy only) bars have the best coffee machines, and at home, if you want to get close to that level of quality, you may want to get some good Illy like this one, or other more expensive models. All the rest is just toys for those who "don't know about coffee".

Also, I understand that you call it "espresso machine", as that is a common habit "abroad". "Abroad", in the coffee making universe, means everywhere outside Italy. Please be aware, however, that "espresso" is just normal coffee when taken at a bar round the corner rather than at home. To get what you call an "espresso" in Italy, homeland of coffee, you would just ask for a coffee. Although still served out of courtesy to tourists, all other types are irrelevant and considered "minor", if not ridiculous, as they are "not the real coffee".

Finally, Bruno, should you decide to visit Italy, I would strongly recommend you refrain from such adventurous and incautous comments about coffee and wine in particular, and food in general, if you care to go back to Canada safe and sound. Being Canadian (=from "abroad") you can only know less than anybody else living here. By definition.

And don't even try to argue. You are just wrong as everybody can clearly see. But you may apologize.




P.S.: I don't drink wine much, and know nothing about it. I'm an unusual italian in that. And, in fact I also know little about soccer.:)