00:01Espresso. Italians can't live without it.
00:04Why do they prefer drinking it in a bar?
00:09It's a beautiful, important moment.
00:11A little ritual. It's energizing.
00:16Today we'll show you what goes into a good café and why
00:19the bars serving them are indispensable. We're joined by two veterans
00:23of the trade. Hi, I'm Carla.
00:27And I'm Luigi. Welcome to our coffee bar.
00:32Pigafetta.
00:35At Vicenza's Pigafetta in northern Italy, Carla and Luigi
00:39serve up a range of specialities.
00:43For example, macchiato, with a splash of milk.
00:47Or cappuccino with a little more. Macchiatone,
00:51a mix of the two. And then there's
00:55the Americano, served with hot water.
00:58But there's a clear favorite.
01:03The most popular coffee is Italian Espresso.
01:06It's the best, hands down.
01:10The best and the cheapest
01:12at just 1 euro 50.
01:13Italian Espresso is a carefully balanced blend of Arabica
01:17and Robusta beans.
01:19Two of the world's most important varieties.
01:28Arabica is sweeter and milder.
01:30Robusta is stronger.
01:31More chocolatey.
01:34In the 16th century, Venetian merchants
01:36brought the precious beans from the east.
01:39Their arrival marked the beginning
01:41of the cafe bar.
01:43Once a stomping ground for Italy's elite,
01:46they later evolved into places for all social classes.
01:50In the 1950s, the Italian industry was booming.
01:54The bars became especially popular as a quick pit stop before work.
02:02Today, coffee bars play a central role in what we like to call
02:06the Italian way of life.
02:11I always come to the bar because it's also a meeting place.
02:15A chance to connect, even with people you don't really know.
02:20It helps get me through the day.
02:22I work nearby.
02:24And honestly, without coffee, I'm dead.
02:29Traditionally, a morning coffee is paired with something sweet.
02:32A croissant or a small pastry like pastina di riso,
02:36a rice pudding tart.
02:38The old rules on how and when to enjoy your coffee are long gone.
02:46The Germans started drinking cappuccino in the afternoon.
02:49Now it's ordered all day.
02:51And we Italians now do the same, too.
02:55Coffee is an elixir that can be enjoyed all the time.
03:03Anytime, but not anywhere.
03:05Guests are particular about their choice of coffee bars here.
03:11It can't just be any bar.
03:13It's where I take my break, to relax.
03:15So it's familiar, a bit more intimate.
03:20I come here every morning to Gigi and Carla.
03:24It's a tradition.
03:31Our clientele spans generations now.
03:34First the parents came, then the children.
03:37Now the grandchildren are coming, too.
03:41Carla and Luigi have run their bar for 50 years with just one employee.
03:45Open seven days a week, 7.30am to 6pm.
03:54While coffee is king, tea, hot chocolate and experimental creations crop up, too.
04:01People don't just go to coffee bars for espresso anymore.
04:08So, here's the cocoa and tea.
04:11The pistachio coffee is fantastic.
04:16Heavenly.
04:17Heavenly.
04:18So, what's your favourite drink at the coffee bar?
04:21So, what's your favourite drink at the coffee bar?
04:21Do your favourite drink at the coffee bar?
04:23Bye-bye.
04:24The end of the work is hot.
04:24I don't know how many Brewerements are able to grab the coffee.
04:25I don't know how many people usually understand.
04:27You
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