Espresso is Italy's version of coffee. The process for making espresso is relatively fast and can be duplicated at home with an espresso machine. The principle behind this type of beverage is to take hot water under high pressure and have it go through the coffee grinds in a short period of time. The end result is a cup of strong and bitter espresso.

The history of espresso is not known for sure. There is however various legends about its origins. The most common of these legends has to do with goats located in Ethiopia. Around the 13th century a shepherd noticed that his goats were feasting on berries from a shrub in the region. He also noticed that after his goats ate these berries they became excited and sleepless. The people of the land decided to use these berries to help them stay up at night. These shrubs were found all along the peninsula and were brought to Italy when traders from Venice and Genoa visited the regions that contained these magical berries. Today Italy consumes well over 1 billion pounds of coffee a year and they have turned these berries into one of the most popular beverages in the world.

If you are in Italy and you plan on having a cup of coffee you may want to remember these three important tips when ordering your coffee:

1. First and Foremost you should refrain from ordering a cappuccino after any meal except breakfast. This is generally considered a morning drink.
2. Do not drink coffee during a meal. Coffee is something that should be enjoyed after the meal is complete.
3. A Caffé contains only 2 ounces of espresso.

Not too long ago you would have ordered a coffee in a restaurant or bar and you would have been given the option of regular of decaffeinated. Today it is not that simple. There are a variety of drinks to choose from each containing slightly different ingredients. What exactly is the difference between each drink? Here is a guide to the types of beverages available and what they contain. This is not a complete list of drinks available. As you may know new variations are always on the horizon.

• Caffé or Espresso
  Simply put this is a cup of espresso
• Cappuccino
  A shot of espresso with steamed milk
• Caffé macchiato
  Espresso with a drop of steamed milk
• Espresso con panna
  Espresso with whipped cream
• Caffé corretto
  Espresso with cognac, grappa, or a type of liqueur
• Caffé latte
  Espresso with hot milk
• Caffé freddo
  This is simply iced coffee
• Doppio
  A double shot of espresso

Anthony Parente/www.italiansrus.com

Anthony Parente

 Shipping and Delivery Times /  Returns  / Order Info  /  Shopping Cart  /  Contact Us  /  About us  /  Security  &  Private Policy   /  Argento Communion Favors  /   Baby Shower-Birthday Favors  / Capodimonte  /  Cappuccino and Tea Favors   /  Clearance Favors   /  Crystal Favors  /  D'lusso Home Collection  /   Italian Espresso Sets  /  Italian Espresso Cup Favors  /  Italian  Box Bag Favors  /  Italian Ribbon Confetti   /  Italian Porcelain Favors   /   New Italian Wedding Favors  /  Grappa and Wine Collection  /   Ivory Rosalie Collection  /  Religious Communion Favors  /  Silver-Stainless Steel Italian Favors    /  Italian Pasta Platters  /   Personalized Wrapping and Ribbon  /  Regina Ceramic Collection  /   Spoon Rests and Oil Bottles  /  Sweets and Desserts Favors  /  Casa Elite Wedding Collection  /   Wedding and Party Invitations  /  Wedding Blog  /   Testimonials  /  Links  /  Link to us     

     We accept all major credit cards
Shop with Confidence. Secured with  
All personal information you submit is encrypted and 100% secure, Guaranteed!

                                 

Internet Payments

   

 Throw a Traditional Italian Wedding 

 Despite what you might think, you don't have to be a sun-kissed couple fresh from the shores of Sicily in order to have an Italian wedding. A couple of Italian descent are more than welcome to weave Italian traditions into their wedding -- whether or not they've ever set foot in Italy.

Many of us find that the most satisfying weddings combine nostalgic old traditions with contemporary ways of doing things. And old religious observances, historic dances, and traditional Italian foods are sure to give your wedding a warm Italian heart.

As everyone knows, Roman Catholicism is Italy's primary religion. So a traditional Italian wedding typically means a traditional Catholic wedding as well, including a full mass with the ceremony. However, it's still true that not every Italian is Catholic. Although it may be a bit unusual, if you and your partner aren't Catholic, you can still incorporate the Italian traditions in your reception. One of the most charming is the dove release, symbolizing the love and affection of each newlywed for the other, although this tradition is not very old.

 No Italian wedding is complete without a few traditional dances, such as the Tarantella. Although the Tarantella's origin is somewhat murky, most of the stories about it involve a spider bite, and tell of a dance either meant to counteract the venom, or one that simply mimics the uncontrolled motions of the sufferer. At any rate, these days the Tarantella is performed at wedding parties to wish the couple a fine future together. Participants form a circle and dance in a clockwise direction, until the music speeds up and the dancers must change direction. The tempo changes several times, each time forcing the dancers to change direction and dance even faster. The Tarantella continues until it becomes impossible to keep up, and the dance falls apart.

What's the most distinguishing aspect of an Italian wedding? The food, of course. The Italians invented the evocative word abbondanza, which somehow means something more than mere "abundance," and no Italian wedding would be complete without an overwhelming feast of many courses. Traditionally, the wedding reception begins with an antipasto course of cheeses, olives, mushrooms, and pickled sweet peppers. This course is followed by subsequent courses starring pastas, meats, salads, soups, and desserts, each one punctuated by freely flowing wine.

It's interesting to note that some of the foods at an Italian wedding have symbolic overtones. For example, the giving of sugar-coated almonds to guests symbolizes that marriage is both bitter and sweet. The number of almonds given is associated with traditional meanings: for example, three almonds speak to fertility, while five almonds wish for wealth.

Another authentic Italian wedding tradition is the breaking of a glass at the reception's end, somewhat like a similar tradition within the Jewish faith. However, the deeper symbolism underlying these traditions is very different. Within Judaism, the broken glass symbolizes human frailty and the hardship the couple's ancestors endured as a result of their faith. But in Italian weddings, the broken glass points toward the future. The number of shards is said to predict the number of happy years the couple will have together. 
It's deeply satisfying for couples of Italian descent to weave these traditional elements into their modern-day wedding. Even if only your distant relatives still reside on Italian soil and you've never been to Italy, it's still absolutely fine to follow these traditions. And that's not to say you have to be Italian, either -- all that's required is that you appreciate the richness of Italian culture and are willing to try something new.
More Italian Wedding Articles

My Italian Wedding Favors is your number one source for Crystal favors  , Italian Ribbon Confetti and Capodimonte favors.
We are family owned and operted and  have been offering Italian Wedding and Party favors, at factory prices  for the past 15 years.  We guarantee that we will absolutely not be undersold. If you have any questions about our wedding favors please feel free to call us toll free anytime at 1(866) 99-FAVOR.
We  will personally be happy to help you and answer any questions you might have. We look forward to providing you with fabulous wedding favors and an added personal touch!

 You can email us with any Italian wedding favor questions at: info@MyItalianWeddingFavors.com and we will personally email you back right away with answers to your questions.

Please note:
Most items on our site are handmade and handpainted.  Due to the nature of this quality,  My Italian Wedding Favors cannot be responsible for variations in color, size, shape, weight etc. Our customers can be assured that we make every effort possible to control the quality of our products.

We are an Exclusive distributor of Casa Elite and Lorren Home Trends. If you see Italian wedding favors or Italian Baby shower favors that you like on another site but cannot find them by searching our site, please call us. We can almost definitely get them for you at a lower price. 

CALL US TOLL FREE AT  1(866) 99-FAVOR.

Thank you for shopping for your Italian wedding favors and baby shower favors at My Italian wedding favors.com 

                                                
 Copyright © 2008   My Italian Wedding Favors LLC ., All Rights Reserved.
Wedding Favors to USA and Canada