You may already have guessed: the cup for espresso coffee has been invented by an Italian guy…but how much do you know about him? We are going to tell you more!
An Italian inventor brought us the coffee cup!
In English you say “espresso cup”, but the way we call it in Italian is “tazzina”. Do you want to know why? Because its inventor’s last name was Tazzini! Funny, right?
His full name was Luigi Tazzini, and his story is so funny and intriguing as well! Read on!
That Tazzini guy that invented the espresso cup
Between the 19th and 20th century, Tazzini was studying at the “Accademia di Brera”, the Academy of Fine Arts in Milan. His main field was paintings, and he was considered to be really gifted.
So, Tazzini invented so many more cups than you would think, and here’s the list:
- one cup for coffee
- another cup for latte (or, as we say in Italy, caffellatte)
- a cup for drinking wine
- and a cup for eating pasta and beans
There is reason to think that the idea for a “tazzina” for the espresso came to him as a way to solve some everyday life issues. In fact, before that time, you would use a cup with no handle. No handles can be inconvenient both because it’s not practical and because the cup might be too hot!
Espresso cup: time to make it available for everyone
Later on, Tazzini was nominated the artistic director of “Società Ceraminca Richard-Ginori”, a company based in Tuscany. He was also an estimator and connoisseur of the Art Nouveau. Thanks to his notoriety he was able to push the production of his new and stylish little cup.
The cup began to be distributed and, especially in Milan, this new and useful object was greatly appreciated. Here’s when the great Tazzini’s success began!
Well you know, this is the story as it has been told to us since many generations. To us, it’s just as obvious as the fact that we need a great Caffè Aiello to start the morning right. This story leaves in our mouth the same great aftertaste: elegant, strong and intriguing.
We told you about it just the same way our parents and grandparents told it to us. Now, in your next trip to Italy, you will give an all new meaning to the word “tazzina” everytime you’ll hear it. Be mindful: every region has its own specific spelling for the word. When you are in Milan you might hear “tazzin”, and when in Naples it might be “tazzulella”.
We hope you did enjoy this story. If you have a taste for ancient tradition and stories, read our article about how to perfectly grind your coffee beans at home: a great way to connect with the past of our great coffee tradition.
