Thursday 28 June 2012

Vanilla Sky
and Affogato al Caffè


Looking up
Late afternoon sky,
Vienna at its Midsummer best -
it is 5 PM and you need a quick pick-me-up?
Everybody knows Tiramisù -
literally meaning pull-me-up -
the Italian coffee flavoured dessert,
but there is an even quicker way
to restore your energy level:

Affogato al Caffè
is the answer!
All you need is a shot of hot espresso
and a scoop of vanilla ice cream

My first encounter with Affogato al Caffé
happened at the venerable Antico Caffè Greco in Rome.
Caffè Viennese, as it is called there,
arrives at your table in a tall caffé latte glass,
filled with two scoops of vanilla ice cream,
one on top of the other,
then "drowned"
in a double shot of hot espresso.

It is served with a long-handled spoon
to better reach every last bit
of that slowly melting iced dream.
Buon appetito!

Link:
A peek inside -> Antico Caffé Greco in Rome
(filmed in 1983 during an interview with the late Italian cartoonist and painter Andrea Pazienza)

Images and Text © by Merisi

32 comments:

  1. That frothy wonderful goodness, looks so good right now, yum~

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  2. I need to get some good vanilla ice cream and make one as I don't think I can get one of these in Warsaw. Sounds delicious.

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    Replies
    1. Let me know how you liked it, please! ;-)

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  3. Now if I only loved coffee this would be delightful!

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    Replies
    1. Try it with only a tiny amount of coffee - you may like it! ;-)

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  4. I've never had Affogato al Caffé so I didn't know ICE CREAM was involved..
    I have not lived clearly.
    I think of Vienna as Spoon City...
    they really know how to throw a spoon around aesthically.

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    Replies
    1. Carol,
      you definitely have not lived in Italy! ;-)
      Vienna, the Spoon City, love the sound of it (Vienna where the spoons are alive).

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  5. I'd put that spoon to good use.

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  6. The white shag rug made me laugh too...I think they specialise in rock star/festival tents hence the fluffy rugs!!

    Thanks for the comment, you made me smile too :)

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    Replies
    1. *smile*
      Yes, I think so too, plus, shooting furniture in unusual surroundings certainly makes one look closer! ;-)

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  7. I'm with Charles. I could put that spoon to very good use.
    Sam

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    Replies
    1. We are all in the same boot here, er, fighting for that same spoon! ;-)

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  8. Yum -- I've long been a fan of ice cream in coffee -- hot or iced.

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    Replies
    1. Interestingly, when you order iced coffee here in Austria, you get just that: cold coffee poured over vanilla ice cream and then - we are in Austria - topped with whipped cream. I don't like it at all! Pouring hot espresso over the cold ice cream creates a whole different taste experience, a match made in heaven. ;-)

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  9. This sounds absolutely delicious...

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    Replies
    1. And it is, indeed, Lisa!
      Dommayer's excellent vanilla ice cream really gilds the lily! ;-)

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  10. Very cool composition on top and lovely shots of the coffee cup.

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  11. Mmm. WOw. Now why did I never think of that? It's going to be my favourite summer dessert from now on. Your first photo is so beautiful it's almost unreal.

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    Replies
    1. Sometimes the simply things done right are simply the best! ;-)

      I shot that first photo with my shopping bags in hand. Was simply too extraordinary to be missed. ;-)

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  12. I'll take one of those please.Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  13. Beautiful blue sky with puffy see-through clouds! I'm up for an Affogato al Caffé right now--looks and sounds delicious!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you!
      How was your affogato?

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  14. Gorgeous! Visiting late from Sky Watch Friday.

    Please come take a peek at my Sky Shots, have a great weekend!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, and I'll be right over! :-)

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  15. The sky pic is set off so nicely against the quality craftsmanship. That creme colored paint is a perfect segue to the Caffè Viennese. I happen to have ice cream in the freezer right now, and I have a sudden urge to make coffee.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Craver! When I looked up that evening, the building's color immediately reminded me of vanilla ice slowly melting in the hot espresso coffee. ;-)
      Hope your affogato turned out well,
      Merisi

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  16. Anonymous08 July, 2012

    Beautiful sky! I'll have to try this affogato al caffe.

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