Two months ago, I became the proud owner of a Delonghi Nespresso “U” Coffee Machine. So in a typical fashion of the owner of a brand new coffee machine, I have been trialling different capsules (varying in different strength and decaf ones) in search of finding The One.
When it comes to coffee capsules, I often found myself drawn to the highest strength, counting Ristretto as my favourite. Having said that, I also enjoy exploring other different varieties, getting to know what different notes (based on the descriptions online) taste like.
Since my first batch of capsules were all from the existing line, I was looking forward to trying the limited edition capsules called Trieste and Napoli, naming after the two cities in Italy, Trieste and Naples, in homage to Italy’s diverse coffee culture. Between the two new capsules, I really, really like the Napoli capsules. And I’m afraid to say, it’s more than Ristretto.
To describe the Napoli, it is “bold and assertive thanks to its syrupy body. This blend of Arabicas from South America, Africa and Asia with a hint of Robusta releases fine smoky notes. Its aromatic woodiness is lightly scented with nuances of dry black tea leaf.” (extract from the Nespresso website). As for a layman’s description, the feedback I got from a friend was that it reminded him of the espresso he had when he was in Rome.
The intensity of Napoli is 11 (the strongest one at the moment) and just to give you an idea, Ristretto has the intensity rating of 10. Oh yeah, you can totally see that I’m serial strong coffee drinker ha! Not far behind, Trieste has the intensity rating of 9. (Don’t I sound like a sportscaster? *wink*)
In contrast to the bold and smoky elements of the Napoli capsules, Trieste, on the other hand, has “a delicate blend of Arabica beans from South America and East Africa and offers a round texture, with fragrant chocolate and fresh hazelnut notes with a refreshingly fruity touch” (extract from the Nespresso website).
Besides having them as caffé latte, I also love to serve as cold drinks. Besides making ice coffee, you can try adding sparking mineral water or if you want a even fancier version, why not try the mocktail below! (Shaken not stirred ha!)
Nespresso Napoli Bitter Cocktail
(Original recipe is from here)
What you’ll need:-
- Ice cubes
- 1 x 100ml (3 oz) Sanbitter*
- 10ml vanilla syrup
- 2 capsules Nespresso Napoli
- Equipment: cocktail shaker
*Sanbitter: An Italian soda that is drank before meal (aperitif). As the name suggests, it is a bitter but non-alcoholic. To describe the taste, it is bitter (although not medicinal bitter) with sweet note at the end.
Recipe above is kindly provided by Nespresso.
Method:-
Fill glass with ice cubes and Sanbitters. Add all other ingredients in the shaker, including two espresso shots (80ml) of Nespresso Napoli and shake to combine. Pour over Sanbitters and ice cubes in glass.
For more information about the new limited edition capsules, please visit here.
Please note this is not a sponsored post. The ingredients for the drink above were provided to me for editorial consideration. The Delonghi Nespresso “U” Coffee Machine and all opinions are my own. 😉
Hi
I could substitute it for other brands of coffee surely, and perhaps even dare I say it – good quality instant coffee. I can’t escape the feeling that this is a clever nespresso snippet of advertorial.
Oh that looks so good that I crave it right away. Gorgeous images!