Coffee & Community Pt. 2
The history of coffee in Italy is rooted in affordability - even today a quick dose of espresso will cost you little more than one euro at the average bar. The popularity of the drink as an affordable ritual has predictably enshrined its place in the hearts, minds, and routines of millions of Italians, thus making the thought of going without it near sacrilegious. Not for the inevitable caffeine withdrawal it would bring, but rather for the connection to humanity one would lose in its absence. A coffee is - for many - an affordable excuse to mix, mingle, and step away, however briefly, from the challenges of the day. Coffee in Italy is an escape from stress and a return to community; a sacred ritual rightfully due to all.
Still, even this simple indulgence may be financially out of reach for those facing a tempestuous chapter. Whether we find ourselves a victim of circumstance or our own actions, no one is immune to the pitfalls life inevitably brings us all. In these moments, when we find ourselves grasping our bootstraps and preparing for the uphill climb, we cannot help but scan the road ahead searching for moments of relief along the way.
Enter : the city of Naples. No stranger to strife and struggle, it is a city born in the shadow of two volcanoes and perhaps by that fact alone has earned itself the unshakeable reputation of being a city of grit and perseverance. Where some tourists may bestow upon it a less favorable depiction, the truth of the matter is that Napoletano culture pulls from deep channels of love and loyalty.
That is not to say that passing tourists are welcomed by the average citizen with open arms - rest assured this city keeps its tender heart well guarded and reserved for kin and community above all else. However, even a brief outside view of life here can impose upon the most unobservant tourist that this scrappy southern city knows a thing or two about hard knocks and comebacks, making it the natural birthplace of the caffè sospeso - suspended coffee.
The origins of the suspended coffee is murky at best, but believed to have been most popular around the time of World War II - a point marred by struggle and unrest for much of Italy. In the midst of upheaval, it is believed that citizens of Naples began paying for two coffees while only taking one, therefore leaving a suspended coffee for a future stranger in need. The tradition underscores the shared understanding that a coffee is much more than a coffee, it is a lifeline back to community and shared comfort.
A suspended coffee is a hand up not a hand out, a saved space at the bar that gives grace to those who have found themselves in need of a small kindness. Should you find yourself in Naples soon, consider contributing to the practice by ordering a caffè sospeso along with your order and leaving the sospeso receipt with the barista. Tread lightly on the generous nature of this tradition though, as its intent is to bring back into the folds of the community the neighbor in need and shortchanged tourists need not inquire.
So this summer, while you witness the bitter sting of fellow travelers persevering through their evening Aperol in the name of the bandwagon, rest easy in your chair and opt for a sweeter alternative. Your tastebuds will thank you and your counterparts may very well be inspired to venture beyond the iconic order and sample la dolce vita with a Hugo in hand!
