30 The Courier-Mail July 16-17, 2011 couriermail.com.au FRST

30 Escape

The ultimate coffee clubIt’s easy to understand why theRomans are well and truly wired,writes Jean-Paul Pelosi

essentialsGetting there: Emirates,Cathay Pacific, Qantas,Air France and BritishAirways are among thecarriers flying Brisbane to Rome.

Staying there: A good startingpoint is Rome’s official tourismwebsite en.turismoroma.it. Thiswebsite is also useful for planningactivities.

Seeing there: The Vatican,Spanish Steps, Colosseo,espresso, museums, stylish types.

DRINK UP: Inthe world’smost caffeine-friendly city,coffee shouldbe devouredin haste;Castroni Cafe;Outdoor cafein PiazzaNavona.

ROMANS enjoy people-watching.They eye off each other’s de-signer shoes, ogle gelato piledinto somebody else’s cup, admirethe cut of a colleague’s Armani

suit, and are perpetually distracted by thesway of beautiful women.

They are always moving, too. Twenty-somethings zip around corners on scooters,shoppers orbit swish boutiques, cops directtraffic like a symphony, socialites hop in andout of chic bars, and perhaps most import-antly, baristas churn out coffee as if it is anemergency.

Romans, like most Italians, adore coffee.It soon became clear to me when visiting

the former centre of the world, that this isthe reason locals are compelled to bothmove and watch – often simultaneously.They are well and truly wired.

So I began to wonder, as many travellershave suggested, if coffee in Rome is better?

Being a self-proclaimed coffee con-noisseur and the son of a Neapolitan, youmight empathise how having never enjoyeda coffee in Italy was affecting my credibility.And let’s face it, anything self-proclaimed –and some things Neapolitan – really needall the credibility they can get.

So I decided to do what any self-respecting coffee drinker would do in sucha quandary: I purchased some questionabledesigner loafers and hit the cobblestonedalleys of the world’s most caffeine-friendlycity.

It’s less than hour before the potentaroma from Rome’s Cafe Accademia waftsinto my second floor hotel room. Jet lag hasalready set in and a sultry Italian TVnewsreader who looks like Cindy Crawfordthreatens to delay my mission. But drivenby a sense of duty and a desire to, well, wakeup, Accademia seems a logical place to startmy coffee expedition.

A guide book instructs me that localsusually order coffee by the shot and call it a‘‘caffe’’, or espresso. It’s especially importantto order a caffe if drinking in the afternoon,should you wish to avoid the dismissiveglare of the barista.

The truth is, too many tourists revealthemselves by ordering an afternoon ‘‘latte’’otherwise known as milk in Italy.

The espresso in Rome – and across Italy –is never issued hot.

The idea is that coffee should bedevoured in haste, or in rapid succession, asthe case may be.

The taste is generally strong but alsosweet, which is astounding consideringmany Romans don’t even add sugar.

I’m told by my hotel manager, Georgia –who like most locals is biased about her city– that the stunning balance of flavour in aRoman espresso is due to the unique

attributes of the water. Much of Rome’swater, after all, travels down from hills, viavolcanic grounds, over marshlands andthrough ancient aqueducts. The journeyitself is noteworthy.

A miniature cup arrives urgently; con-tents caramel brown with a bronze tinge.The brilliant aroma floats into my nostrilsand my eyes close in warm delight. I throwback the shot and my heart starts sprinting.Okay. This is good coffee. Damn good.

But still, for this study to be accurate, Ineed a point of reference. And so, aftercompleting a Vatican tour akin to the type

of personal space violation you can onlyexperience at a Pearl Jam concert, I seekeven better, faster, hyper-caffeinated coffee.

Castroni is a busy deli close to the HolyCity that offers a near perfect espresso.

I’m not one for swanky recitals commonamong sommeliers – see earthy undertoneswith hints of blueberry – so let’s just say thiscoffee bucks with flavour. I’m genuinelymoved.

Right. Just one more stop.Antico Caffe Greco, near the Spanish

steps, was established in 1760 and has servedcoffee to some of history’s most-famed

writers, such as Keats, Byron and HansChristian Andersen. The cappuccino isperfectly mild, particularly after twoespressos, but overall you’re really payingfor the experience here.

Coffee in Italy is certainly impressive, andnot surprisingly, addictive.

So much so, that at every opportunity, Iburst into a cafe, order at the counter likethe local powerbrokers and glamour pusses,slam one or two down, and charge back outon to the street.

How else can one keep up with all themoving about and watching?

Katie Noonan – People’s Choice Awards Finalist

QUEENSLAND MUSIC AWARDSCELEBRATING QUEENSLAND’S MOST TALENTED SONGWRITERS AND MUSICIANSJoin us at The Old Museum on the 16th August as we reveal the winners of the 2011 Queensland Music Awards.

Special Performances on the night by Elixir featuring Katie Noonan, Emma Louise, The Medics, Busby Marou, DZ Deathrays and more to be announced.

Hosted by 612 ABC Brisbane’s Richard Fidler and triple j’s Sarah Howells.

Visit www.queenslandmusicawards.com.au for more info.

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