Cold, light, sweet, and caffeinated, caffè shakerato is the warm-weather drink we so desperately need.
We’re not going to rehash the dated bit about Starbucks drink sizes (“what’s up with ‘grande’ meaning medium??”), but we would like to draw attention to the undeniable influence of Italian espresso culture on the way we drink coffee now. We have the Italians to thank for cappuccino, macchiato, and caffé latte, which have revitalized us on more afternoons than we can count, including this one. (But don’t even think about drinking a cappuccino in the afternoon in Italy; they’ll laugh you out of town.)
So what we can’t figure out is this: If you can order a cappuccino at mostly every cafe in the year 2018, how come the same isn’t true for caffè shakerato, an equally divine Italian espresso beverage? We demand answers, especially now that the weather is warmer and we’re beginning to gravitate towards chilled caffeination. We wish the beverage were more readily available in this country, and we’re not sure why it isn’t—though some hipper cafés will make it for you off-menu, and the very hippest have it on-menu.
But first, a primer on the shakerato. The drink is super simple, and certainly far less complicated than its flashier American second uncle, the frappuccino. It’s just espresso, sugar, and ice, shaken vigorously until frothy and light. The beverage is so texturally creamy that upon your first sip, you may suspect a drop of milk, but there’s none—at least not traditionally. Shakeratos are often served inside martini glasses, or glasses with wide openings that showcase the rich foam that piles on top. If you’re feeling extra, you can ask for a dollop of panna, or whipped cream. We’re usually feeling extra.
Francis Cretarola, of the fabulous Abruzzese restaurant Le Virtù in Philadelphia, suspects that its lack of popularity in America has to do with training. “A lot of people haven’t invested the requisite time and training into making it correctly,” he says. “It will slow down service, and for some places that’s a major issue.”
But he plans to add it to his menu soon. “We are teaming with La Colombe next month, moving over exclusively to their product, and when we do, we are going to make a big push on all things café related,” he says. “Including the shakerato, both as a pure café drink but also an alcoholic variant. Because the shakerato, as good and revelatory as it is, it’s also subtle, light, and—as traditionally made in Napoli and elsewhere—small.”
“In Europe, it’s as common as a macchiato is in America,” says Perkins. “I do think they will become more popular in the states because of the cold brew/nitro coffee trend.”
font: http://www.foodandwine.com/news/caffe-shakerato-italian-espresso-drink
Fingers crossed.
