Coffee time

Yes...time again to write some coffee blogs....we all know I have already written about coffee in various blogs...and yes, I have written two blogs about coffee in Italy already...BUT one was more in the North of Italy, Jesolo, Venice etc...and the other one was in the Tuscany....but now it is time to do one from around us...around our new home.

Now...just to refresh your memory...I have rated the Montisi one (Montisi, just to refresh your memory is 2.5km from our home)....I said not so great, although the coffee was strong, there was too little foam, the foam was too thin, there were no chocolate sprinkles and no cookie (then again...in Italy...I have not yet received a cookie or a chocolate anywhere...something to think about)...

Montisi

Maybe you also remember...Polizia in Montepulciano (Montepulciano is about 15km from us)...there, the coffee was strong, the foam thick but there could have been more foam...but I must admit, I am a sucker for illy coffee....

Polizia Montepulciano

More recently....you might remember....Dolcezze di Nanni...strong coffee...again, Illy coffee...thick foam, lots of foam..a great coffee...and I could add my own chocolate sprinkle....

Dolcezze di Nanni in Buonconvento

I can also add another pic because guess what....I did go back and I did try that famous Amaretti biscuit...and oh my word...it was to die for....so marzipani...I tried the classic flavour but they also have lemon, orange and chocolate...I will definitely try the others...yummie...and here is the pic..

                        Dolcezze di Nanni in Buonconvento: Cappuccino and classical Amaretti

Another place which I have not mentioned is a small little coffee place in Montepulciano. Its by the Piazza delle Erbe...just called Cafeteria Piazza delle Erbe. Nice coffee, strong, lots of foam, thickish foam (not as thick as it could be)....but a very good cappuccino...no, no chocolate sprinkles BUT, we felt like eating something savoury so I asked whether they do panini (sandwiches) and she replies 'yes", so I asked for proscuitto cotto e formaggio (cooked ham and cheese), no problemo...and man...the ham was so damn good, they made the sandwich right in front of us, freshly sliced ham, extremely thin, and very generous amounts...it was simply delicious...would I go back...most definitely...let me share some pics...

Cappuccino at Piazza delle Erbe

Panini con proscuitto cotto e formaggio

Next up...well...Pienza...and I still do not have pics...so I am not even going to write about it...I am just going to shut up about it...and I will write about it when I have pics...so for now I am sorry, Pienza is about 15km from our house also.

Now, Sinalunga....this is the town we do our main shopping at...so yes, we are there often, grocery shopping, pet food shopping, some very nice coffee places...so yes...we go there often, but sadly we have not tried that many coffee places because there is some very convenient ones and they serve great coffee, so we have not quite seen the urge to venture too far. Also, here in Italy, a lot of the beautiful coffee places are in fact Pasticcerias and they serve NO savoury things at all...so you need to go there in a mood for sweet....one such Pasticceria is in the old town square in Sinalunga...it is called Le Fonti...look how beautiful the entrance sign looks....

Entrance sign

Mutti and I have been there once...and guess what...I would definitely go back...the cappuccino was ok...the foam too thin, there was lots of it (just too thin), the coffee not too strong, but it was acceptable...but what made the difference...check this out...

Pastry selection

So of course Mutti and I wanted something, we took two things, both of us chose one...and shared them both....a pistaccio eclaire and some nutty tart with a nutty pastry filling....and wow...both were absoloutely divine...hence I would go back there just for the pastry selection...just so yummie...I wish the cappuccino was a bit better...and the atmosphere a bit cosier, cause it is quite cool....seems like people just walk in there for a take-away...but pastries...delicious....let me share a pic of the cappuccino and the pastries we chose...

Cappuccino and pastries at Le Fonti

Of course there must also be a local spot...in fact there are two...one is a Pasticceria in the new part of Sinalunga called Marucci....in fact my birthday cake last year was from there and it was amazing...had some marzipan which of course I LOVE.....anyway...they use Illy coffee, again a firm favourite and thus the coffee is strong, the foam is thick, there is a lot of foam and I can add my chocolate sprinkles (cacao)...and.....because we go there often we even every now and again get a free biscuit...like today...when I took the pic...in fact I was in such a coffee mood today that I ended up having two cappuccini and Mutti had a cappuccino and a machhiato....let me share the pics with you...

Round one: 2 Cappuccini

Round two: 1 cappuccino, 1 macchiato and 1 biscuit

Our other local...its convenient because it is right next to the large supermarket, Coop, and also the little coffee shop has some amazing savoury as well as sweet treats (while the Pasticceria only has sweet treats, as I mentioned earlier). So if we are a little hungry the coffee shop by Coop is a better solution for us...and yes..we have tried numerous things...from the Penne Ragu, to the caprese, to various panini, to torta della Nonna to the torta di mela etc etc...and so far, we have not been disappointed....the coffee...it is a brand called RIVER...and yes, it is strong, the foam is thick, there is lots of foam and again...I can add my own chocolate sprinkles, and these are actually sweet chocolate sprinkles NOT pure cacao...what I must say is that most of the other places it is dark cacao...this is one of the only ones where it is sweet...which i LOVE...so time to share a pic...

Cappuccino at the Coop Centre

So....this concludes my blog about Cappuccino....as you can see I LOVE them...if I can have one out once a day...I am a VERY happy person..in fact I do crave it...like I crave my nuts and chocolate and cheese on a daily basis....so from me good night.....chat soooooon.