Whats a FLAT WHITE in Italian ?

Recently with the antipodean wave of coffee, the term 'flat white' was coined in Australia in the early 2000s, but what about in Europe ?

Tourists the world over, getting familiar with the term Flat White , which is similar to a cappuccino but has a little more espresso per espresso/milk ratio, would then ask for this when in Italy, getting puzzled looks from Italian baristas.

One day, in the outskirts of Milan, in the beautiful town of Bergamo, a few Aussie tourists were visiting there one day (in early 2000's). When trying to order a coffee and a sandwich, using their Italian dictionaries asked for ' Un piatto bianco per favore'. In Italian this means a white plate... or a saucer. So the Barista thought that the tourists wanted to eat their own food in the Café, by asking for just a plate.

Amusingly, after a while, the Barista cottoned on to what they meant. He then proceded to say that in Italy if they keep asking in cafes for a 'Piatto Bianco' that they'd always be given a white plate... not a coffee!

Seeing that they were in the town of Bergamo, as the tourists were there to see a Serie A football game of Atalanta v AC Milan, the Barista said that they should call it a 'Bergamasca' , meaning a coffee from Bergamo. Little did the barista know, that his terminaoogy for the well known Aussie 'Flat White' would then enter legend, so now there are 2 famous things to come out of Bergamo.... the football team Atalanta... and the 'Caffè alla Bergamasca' flat white.

So whenever you are in Italy, remember that if you want a FLAT WHITE to ask a Barista for a Caffè alla Bergamasca or simply a 'Bergamasca'

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#flatwhite #bergamasca #tramoni #caffetramoni #tramonicoffee

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