Affogato al Cafe

July 27, 2011

What is it about Italian desserts and Italian accents that make the world swoon? I don’t have the answers to such mystical secrets. Yet I can tell you, once you taste Affogato al Cafe, you will most certainly feel a buckle in your knees, and pull out your best faux Italian “Nonna” accent while muttering aff-o-gaaaato, gel-aaaa-to, es-preeeeess-o… Merda Santa! (Holy Crud!)

Such a simple treat to cause a dramatic response; that is the Italian way.

You may have heard the old story about Julia Child snubbing Italian food because she didn’t believe it was real cooking. Well, no disrespect to Julia but, the simplicity of most Italian dishes is what draws me to them. Italian food, as a whole, is about celebrating the ingredients, not the chef. In theory, a tomato-based dish should uphold the integrity of the tomato, straight off the vine. Not muck it up with dozens of other flavors. Italians honor their food by preparing simple meals.

Affogato al Cafe, meaning “drowned in coffee”, is a sweet little treat that packs a punch! It’s an “adult” ice cream float, of sorts. The two crucial ingredient are vanilla gelato and espresso. All other variations with espresso beans, chocolate, or amaretto are considered Strav-a-gan-te! (extravagant!)

Here I did get a tad “stravagante” with the Affogato–couldn’t help myself. I combined the gelato and espresso with a nip of Kahlua (mocha liquor) and dark chocolate shavings. Shameful. *wink*

Such a simple yet “stravagante” treat can: save a dinner party, spur on a love connection, mend a broken heart, keep you up at night to finish a project… get you in trouble. Be careful with this one. Affogato al Cafe is POWERFUL.

Crystal Goblets from Villeroy and Boch.