my "caffettiera napoletana"日上三竿，從廚房裡飄來了咖啡香，碗公大的咖啡杯裝著滿滿的卡布奇諾，配上剛出爐的可頌麵包與餅乾，看著家裡的寶貝貓在窗台上曬太陽打滾，我的一天，就在咖啡香和奶香中開始。家中最受我所青睞的咖啡壺，並不是一般台灣人所熟知的濃縮咖啡機或摩卡壺，而是一種在我搬到義大利以後，無意間在廚房用品店裡看到的拿波里式咖啡壺。這種咖啡壺說穿了就是滴漏式咖啡，不過除了外觀和煮水方式不同以外，它所泡出來的咖啡，也比一般的滴漏式咖啡壺（機）來地濃些。濃縮咖啡無法滿足我的咖啡因需求，而平淡如水的美式咖啡又讓人覺得少了股香氛，早上起床又懶得開瓦斯爐用摩卡壺，取巧如我，也省下拿波里式咖啡壺煮水的方式，直接把電壺裡剛煮開的熱水到進去，一邊等著咖啡一滴一滴地濾入壺中，一邊聞著四處瀰漫的咖啡香，腦子也跟著手上的雜誌慢慢醒來。
Late morning, coffee smell from the kitchen, a big mug of cappuccino with some brioche or cookies, cats stretching under the sun on the windowsill, my day begins with the smell of coffee and milk. The coffee maker I’m using at home is not the moka or espresso machine that most Taiwanese are familiar with. It is a kind of coffee maker that I got to know after I moved to Italy. A “caffettiera napoletana” (Napoli style coffee maker) that I discovered in a tiny shop for kitchen utensils. To put it simple, it makes filter coffee, though the look and the preparation is slightly different. Besides, it makes stronger coffee than normal filter cups or machine. The quantity of espresso can not satisfy my “need” for caffeine, the “water-like” American coffee lacks some nice smell, and I am too lazy to turn on the fire to use moka in the morning. The Napoletana is the easiest way in the morning. Fill up the filter and then pour in boiling water from the kettle, I can read my magazines when I wait for my coffee, my brain starts to wake up along with the coffee smell that gradually fills up the whole kitchen.
義大利的咖啡，是早餐，是短暫的休息，也是餐後消化的好幫手。上班期間的小憩，逛街時的歇息，可以是休息室或吧裡一杯杯的濃縮咖啡。走進人來人往的咖啡店裡，向服務生點杯咖啡，站在吧台旁，看著服務生以幾近音樂性的手法，敲掉已經煮過的咖啡渣、放入新鮮磨好的咖啡粉、裝入咖啡機，不到兩分鐘，香濃的咖啡就在眼前。義大利人在吧裡喝咖啡，往往是五分鐘的事情，倘若問他們為什麼，則免不了惹來一陣訕笑，「喝這麼一杯小小的咖啡要多少時間？」是的，喝一杯濃縮咖啡要不了多少時間，價格也的確平價到令來自台灣的我感到訝異（一杯普通的濃縮咖啡大約是0.8歐元，卡普奇諾則在1.2歐元之譜），咖啡果然是義大利的國民飲料。
Coffee in Italy can be breakfast, short break in the day, and helper for digestion after meal. A break from work or some rest during shopping can be espresso in the resting area or in the bar. It is always busy in the bar. One walks in the bar, orders the coffee, stands beside and waits. It is almost “musical” the way the bartender prepares the coffee. Within minutes, a nice espresso is ready. The culture of drinking coffee in Italy is different than that in Taiwan. Drinking a cup of espresso is something within minutes, and it’s not something or some place that you can spend the whole afternoon. It doesn’t take much time for a cup of coffee, and the price is “amazingly” cheap for those who do not live in Italy. An espresso is about 0.8 euro while a cappuccino is about 1.2 euro. No wonder coffee is the “national drink” in Italy.
義大利人喝咖啡的花樣，也是多到令人咋舌。除了濃縮咖啡（espresso）、雙份濃縮咖啡（double espresso）、卡普奇諾（cappuccino）以外，還有著各式各樣的變化，加上一匙奶泡的馬其朵（macchiato）、放上一坨發泡鮮奶油的康保藍（con panna）、近幾年來時興的美式咖啡（americano或lungo）、或是摻入烈酒的克雷多（corretto）等，都是義大利人喝咖啡的名堂。其中，克雷多這種喝法，我還真是到了義鄉以後才首次嘗試。可以加在咖啡裡的烈酒種類繁多，也讓克雷多成了千面女郎，有著各種迷人的風貌，而最受我所喜愛者，非加入餐後酒渣釀白蘭地者莫屬，風味濃烈而直接的酒香配上威尼斯老咖啡店特選烘培、口感溫順的咖啡，在酒足飯飽之際，可謂一大享受。
There are many ways Italians consume coffee. Apart from espresso, double espresso and cappuccino, there are some other variations like “macchiato” with a bit milk foam, “con panna” with whipped cream, “americano” or “lungo” with more water, and “corretto” with a drop of liquor. I only got to know “corretto” after I came to Italy. There are many different kinds of liquor that can be added into espresso, and it creates the charming variations of it. I especially like to have it with a drop of grappa. It’s such an enjoyment to have an espresso that is prepared by my favorite coffee from Venice with a drop of prestigious grappa after meal.
義大利人對咖啡，有著濃到化不開的情感，咖啡，伴隨著義大利人的腳步，也融入我義鄉生活的每一日。
Coffee can not be separated from Italian life. It gradually “melts” into my life in Italy along with Italians.
本文原載於中文雜誌《雅砌ARCH》2004年九月號
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