I haven’t had any cappuccinos the past week—just plain espresso (ok, with milk and sugar, but the milk isn’t frothed). This household only uses a caffettiera (see photo)—we don’t drink American drip coffee. I don’t even drink that in America! It’s a common misconception that espresso has more caffeine than regular coffee; in fact, a shot of espresso usually has less than a cup of drip-brewed coffee. Plus, it tastes so much better.

Tomorrow’s the beginning of a new week, so I’ll probably get a cappuccino. I can never find one in the U.S. as delicious as they are here. Why are they so good? It’s a combination of better beans (and better roasting techniques), higher-quality espresso machines, different milk and water, and let’s face it, highly skilled baristas. They take their jobs very seriously and we should all be thankful for that. But, the main reason coffee tastes so good here? Because you’re drinking it in Italy.