MOTHER’S DAY: Filicori Zecchini Espresso
 Whole espresso beans in high-design packaging. Photo courtesy Filicori Zecchini. |
Once upon a time, most of the espresso served in America was imported from Italy. In the 1970s, when coffee bean stores began to proliferate in the U.S., some people began to buy espresso that was roasted locally—from Don Francisco’s in L.A., Green Mountain Roasters in Vermont, Peet’s Coffee in Oakland, Starbucks in Seattle, White Coffee in New York, and numerous others.
Now, returning to the roots, a venerable Italian espresso roaster, Filicori Zecchini, is bringing its beans from Bologna, Italy, to tempt espresso-loving Americans. The coffee has attracted fine restaurateurs in sophisticated coffee towns from New York to Honolulu. When restaurants pioneer, consumers follow. So until a Filicori Zecchini café opens near you, you can buy the beans on Amazon. There are seven blends in whole beans and pods. Hopefully, they’ll soon be coming to a retailer near you. The company also sells fine teas, cocoa and other products, including the chocolate and mint sauces used in the recipe below. |
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The family business, established in 1919 in Bologna by Aldo Filicori and Luigi Zecchini, is now managed by Giovanni Filicori, Aldo’s son, and Luca Filicori, Aldo’s grandson. Father and son share the founders’ passion for expert roasting and coffee blending, and are proud to combine their artisanal skills with technological innovation. So you don’t have to go to Italy for an authentic espresso experience; that experience has come to you. At a recent tasting at Rosemary’s restaurant in New York City, which features the coffee, we couldn’t stop drinking cup after cup of classic espresso and specialty espresso drinks. As a treat for an espresso-loving friend, family member or colleague, can purchase bags online at Amazon.com, which carries several of the company’s seven blends. |
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The menu at Filicori Zecchini cafés is packed with tempting coffee drinks, all delicious. We particularly were attracted to this “Cialdino After Eight,” a special ice cream cone filled with espresso, chocolate and mint whipped cream. Unfortunately, the cialdini—plural of cialdino, for the type of ice cream cone—is not currently sold on Amazon with the company’s other products. But don’t let that stop you from making this delcious drink in a conventional espresso cup or a small glass: RECIPE: AFTER EIGHT COFFEE Ingredients Per Drink |
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1. POUR chocolate topping into cup or cone. Follow with espresso. 2. TOP with mint whipped cream. 3. GARNISH with chopped chocolate and mint leaves on the top. Serve with a side of After Eight mints or cookies. MINT WHIPPED CREAM RECIPE Ingredients 1. USE a whipped cream dispenser or whip the cream by hand. To beat by hand… 2. CHILL the bowl, beaters and cream thoroughly before beginning. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream, mint extract and sugar in the chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Makes about 2 cups. Learn more at FilicoriZecchini.it and follow the brand on Facebook: and Twitter. Espresso is not a type of bean; it’s a type of dark roast applied to the raw bean, as well as a method of preparation, the coffee beverage produced by an espresso machine.† †Technically, espresso is a beverage made from 7 grams of finely ground dark roast coffee, that produces 1.5 ounces of extracted beverage under 9 bars of brewing pressure at brewing temperatures of around 190°F to 200°F, over a period of 25 to 30 seconds of brew time. |
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