Italian coffee and its rich tradition from roasting to indulgence is synonymous for the Mediterranean way of life and our association of a perfect vacation. Italians are world famous for their coffee bars – that form an integral part of their daily routines – as well as their espresso, cappuccino coffee preparations people enjoy in every corner of the globe. The association of a shot of espresso with the light breeze of the Adriatic Sea, the historic town centres and breathtaking cars, makes us daydreaming in an instant.

Austrian coffee culture, or Viennese coffee culture to be more exact – renowned across Europe and beyond – draws its attention predominantly to the coffee house or bar, the venue where coffee is enjoyed. The coffee itself, while delightful and having experienced a boost in quality and attention over the past decade, plays a secondary role. The atmosphere of the place, its architecture, the sounds of baristas’ labour, the smell of freshly baked cake and fellow guests reading books and catching up on newspapers, make the coffee culture’s appeal which is appreciated by locals and visitors alike.

History brought those two differing coffee cultures, the Italian and the Austrian, together and shaped their existence well into the present. North-eastern Italy was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918 and Trieste, a coffee “stronghold” until today, used to be the Empire’s Adriatic port city from where Vienna received it’s coffee shipments.

The reason why we’d like to share this brief introduction and history lesson is our recent discovery of “KANZI Kaffee“, made by a family of coffee artisans in Austria who have taken up this rich history of the two coffee cultures and started a business to uphold these rich traditions.

Their boutique roastery is situated a stone’s throw away from Vienna and has dedicated their skilled operation to the “Triestine” method of roasting carefully selected beans.

kanzicollage

Roasting the “Triestine” way or “Trieste Style” means – as we have learned – not too dark, not too light, yet sweet, velvety and elegant – and that’s how we love Italian coffee! This is how the old master roasters from Trieste would go about it. This method delivers a wonderful balance that is intense enough for a delightful cappuccino or caffè latte but at the same time, the roasted beans provide the necessary elegance that makes a perfect espresso. No question that for a really good “Trieste Style” coffee, very high-quality green coffee is required to create a harmonious taste profile and do justice to Italian traditions.

We have managed to taste two of their blends which were rather different in character.

Riviera, which is a  wonderfully balanced blend of 100% Arabica coffees, creates an elegant aroma that is reminiscent of milk chocolate and orange blossom. It exudes the delicate lightness of carefree summer days on the Italian Riviera. Picture yourself in the Portofino or the Cinque Terre region and a light summer breeze along sea shores – “dolce far niente” in a cup 😉

Aurelia, a rather robust Italian-style blend of top-quality Arabica and Robusta beans. This espresso is like an Italian road trip – strong, earthy, full body – with aromas of chocolate, hazelnut and almond. It reflects the southern Italian mentality. It’s the taste of your first “caffè” across the border at the lovely coffee bar at a Tuscan town’s piazza or simply at the gas station enjoying mediterranean freedom on wheels. Yes, we are ready to go!

To sum it up, we are glad and delighted that the developing appreciation of high-quality coffee among the wider population allows for start-ups like KANZI to develop their niche and brighten our days with context and indulgence!

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