Americano
It is the 4th July today so naturally we’ve dragged out the fireworks, stocked up on food and coffee in preparation of sitting down later on and enjoy Independence Day, arguably the best film of the mid-1990s.
But across the pond they’ll be celebrating their own alien-free Independence Day.
In the years since our American friends went their own way they have accomplished quite a bit, especially when it comes to coffee.
Perhaps – in our eyes at least – their biggest success story is the rise of the Americano.
Legend has it that the very popular drink was created in Italy and the tale lets us believe that serving American soldiers were desperate for homely cup of coffee, unaccustomed to drinking the shorter drinks such as espressos and the like that are both popular and prominent in continental Europe.
And so, to combat their problem, they began to ask for an espresso and hot water, which colloquially became known as an Americano.
Since its creation, the drink has become incredibly popular both at home and in coffee shops around the world.
There’s something unpretentious about it that’s to be admired, it’s remarkably easy to create and it’s open to customisation: if you want a stronger version, simply add less water; if want it to be more diluted than normal just put more hot water into your cup.
It is wonderfully simple whilst also being wonderfully versatile – and for that we salute it.
However it is imperative that the additional water is not pulled through the coffee! If so, the drink is a lungo – a stretched espresso which is bitterer than its shorter cousin – and not an Americano. The devil, as they say, is in the detail.
An alternative to the Americano is the Long Black. The Long Black is comprised of the same ingredients, but is made in reverse. The espresso is added to the hot water and not vice versa.
So here’s to our American friends!