Se siete stati almeno una volta in Salento avete certamente scoperto che in questa splendida terra il caffè può essere servito in un modo davvero singolare: il Salento coffee. Si tratta di una bevanda estiva composta da tre semplici ingredienti: caffè, ghiaccio e latte di mandorla.
- The origins of Salento coffee
- How to prepare Salento coffee
- 1. The first thing to do is prepare a glass, like the one in the photo, with plenty of ice cubes taken directly from the freezer.
- 2. Add almond syrup as needed, just enough so that the coffee is not too sweet or little sugared.
- 3. Immediately after, prepare an espresso coffee, the classic bar coffee. Pour the hot coffee into the glass containing the ice and almond syrup.
- 4. Serve the resulting drink with a straw.
- Tip for a good Salento-style coffee
- Where to taste Salento-style coffee
The origins of Salento coffee
The origins of Salento coffee are Spanish. It is the “Café del Tiempo” in Valencia that first served coffee with ice and lemon added. But already in the 1600s, during the Spanish domination in the Salento region, this drink took hold in this area. At the beginning and until a couple of centuries ago, Salento coffee was served in the same way as the Spanish one, that is with a slice of lemon or fresh mint.
The variant, with the addition of almond milk instead of lemon but especially sugar, made this drink gain that originality that marks its fame.
How to prepare Salento coffee
1. The first thing to do is prepare a glass, like the one in the photo, with plenty of ice cubes taken directly from the freezer.
2. Add almond syrup as needed, just enough so that the coffee is not too sweet or little sugared.
3. Immediately after, prepare an espresso coffee, the classic bar coffee. Pour the hot coffee into the glass containing the ice and almond syrup.
4. Serve the resulting drink with a straw.
Tip for a good Salento-style coffee
- Almond milk must be artisanal. Almond syrup is also fine as long as it is produced in southern Italy with local products.
- The ice must still be solid; do not use watery ice as it could dilute the coffee too much.
Where to taste Salento-style coffee
The Salento-style coffee is easily enjoyed in all bars, pastry shops, even non-traditional ones, in Salento. Excellent with Caffè Quarto, a roastery from Lecce that, although widespread throughout the Peninsula and even in some foreign countries, finds its greatest diffusion right “at home”.
We suggest tasting “Salento-style coffee” with the “pasticciotto“. It is a kind of shortcrust pastry filled with custard cream, invented in 1745, according to tradition, by the pastry shop of the Ascalone family of Galatina, during the festivities of Saint Paul who is the healer of those possessed by the tarantula.
