Italian Coffee Culture Is An Experience In Torino!

The Italian coffee culture is an important part of daily life and experiencing the same love of coffee at home can bring your dreams back to the peninsula.

Italian Coffee Culture - Coffee And A Map — Coffee And A Map

Turin (Torino) Italy, a city in Piedmont, was known as the Detroit of Italy due to being the home to FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo car manufacturers. When I was young, I had a limited exposure to Italian cities beyond Rome, Venice and Florence, and as a result, my knowledge of Torino was framed by two things:

The Shroud of Turin (Sindone di Torino), is a burial shroud that people believe was the linen cloth that Jesus was buried in after his crucifixion. It is on display in the Cathedral in Turin which you can visit, see the shroud and add your voice to the debate about its authenticity. For me, having learned this in the 70’s on T.V., during the very weird time of That’s Incredible, Ripley’s Believe it or Not and a stream of shows about UFOs, I put this memory in the same part of my brain as other dubious discoveries.
The Gran Torino, in addition to being a movie with a cranky Clint Eastwood, it was a very cool car from the 70’s built by Ford.

More recently, I’ve learned much more about Torino that interests me, so we are now planning to include Torino in one of our next weekend trips. Being the home of Juventus F.C. could be fun for us because of some past experiences. A few years back our son bought a team jersey on a trip to Rome and was consistently verbally abused by a surprisingly large number of people who truly disliked the team. With that kind of passion, both for and against, it seems like a great opportunity to learn more about the history and passion for soccer (calcio) here in Italy.

I would love to see a collection of old Cinquecento model FIAT cars, mostly because of their beauty, but also to hopefully replace my memories of the original version of The Italian Job with Michael Caine. Unfortunately, the 2003 remake also used Mini Coopers, so that won’t do it for me. Other movies that included references to Turin include American Gigolo and The Bourne Ultimatum, in case you were looking for something new to watch.

Lavazza Of Turin

Coffee In Italy - Morning — Delicious Coffee In The Morning

The most important reason for wanting to visit Turin is because of the creation of one Luigi Lavazza and the grocery store he opened in 1895. I have enjoyed Lavazza coffee for a long time and I’ve written about coffee previously, more than once, so I feel like it is my duty to make this coffee-based pilgrimage. If you need another reason and would like to learn more about Torino, please take a look at the Office of Tourism and imagine enjoying an espresso there!

Italian Coffee Culture Background

This quick history was paraphrased from their website:

Luigi Lavazza S.p.A. was formed in 1927 and headquartered in Corso Giulio Cesare 65. Luigi Lavazza, his wife Emilia and children Maria, Mario and Giuseppe were all present. They set up the Luigi Lavazza company with an initial capital of 1,500,000 lire (around $1,000). Lavazza then began conquering the Turin province with its delicious coffee.

The first Lavazza logo dates back to 1946 and it was created by the Aerostudio Borghi in Milan. Beppe Lavazza knew painters and designers in the artistic community of Turin and in 1949 he commissioned them to design the first collection of Lavazza figurines. This gave rise to an archive consisting of 283 series of six figurines.

In the Corso Novara headquarters, Lavazza built its great roasting plant. The innovative and more efficient vertical processing system made it possible to handle over 40,000 kg of coffee a day: this was an absolute innovation for Italy.

Recently, Lavazza has been growing their reach well beyond Italy and it is one of the few Italian coffees available at local stores across the US. Not all the delicious roasting styles are available everywhere, but the name is becoming very well known in the US and abroad.

Varieties Of Lavazza Of Torino

Coffee In Italy - Lavazza on the Beach — Coffee At The Beach

Espresso Barista Intenso: This is an intense Lavazza coffee. It’s a 9 out of 10 for intensity and is made of a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans from South East Asia, Africa, South and Central America. Like most others, it is processed in Italy.
Crema e Gusto Classico: This coffee is an 8 out of 10 in intensity. It is creamy and full-bodied with a distinctive character: the perfect combination of intense aroma and full-bodied taste. It is a mix of Arabica and Robusta beans with a fragrant flavor and a pleasant chocolatey finish. The ideal for those who want to enjoy an intense taste experience any time of the day.
Espresso Perfetto: This coffee has a medium roast, with an intensity rating of 7 out of 10. It is 100% Arabica beans from Latin America and processed in Italy. It is considered full-bodied with chocolate notes, but that description might be a bit too analytical. It’s a great coffee with a slightly softer roast than the Intenso mentioned above.
Qualità Oro: Lavazza describes this medium roast coffee as: A selection of the finest 100% Arabica beans, mainly from Latin America, with an unmistakable flavor and hints of malt and honey. Fruity and aromatic, this blend is perfect for the true coffee connoisseur, for those who love to savor a premium blend daily.
Qualità Rossa: This is a milder coffee with a medium roast intensity of 5 out of 10. It is a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans with a subtle taste of chocolate. The beans mainly come from South America and Africa.

Learn Italian Coffee Culture At School

The Lavazza Training Center, a.k.a.: Coffee School, covers all the important aspects of coffee culture, from its origins to tasting and professional methods of preparation, thanks to the specific knowledge offered by Lavazza’s team of experts. The coffee school offers courses for professionals on coffee preparation methods, from the most traditional to the most innovative. It is open to schools, universities and cultural associations with groups of up to 25 students over 16 years of age able to participate. The visit is free and lasts about two and a half hours.

What Is Coffee Culture In Italy?

Coffee is an important part of Italian culture and is something that can help you dream about a future trip to Italy or recall fond memories of a previous trip. If you decide to take a trip to Torino, finding a bar that serves Lavazza would make the trip that much better.

While you’re enjoying some delicious Lavazza, I hope you’ll take a minute or two and enjoy a charming short video while considering trying this delicious coffee.