Whether consumed ristretto, short or long, coffee in Italy has a long and glorious tradition, built also through local specialties such as the bicerin, a historic typical Piedmontese drink not to be confused with the liqueur of the same name.

It is precisely the delicious drink made with coffee, chocolate, and milk cream that has become one of the symbols of Turin: let's get to know it better through its fascinating history and learn how to prepare one to enjoy it in the comfort of your own home.

History of the bicerin

"Bicerin" is a Piedmontese dialect term meaning "small glass" and refers to a small glass container without a handle, resting on the classic ceramic saucer. The drink, in fact, takes its name from the goblet in which it is traditionally served.

The drink is the heir to the 18th-century bavareisa, whose ingredients were coffee, chocolate, milk, and syrup, strictly served separately and then mixed by the customer. Beginning in the 19th century, three variations of bicerin became popular: pur fiur (a cappuccino-like preparation consisting of milk and coffee), pur e barba (chocolate and coffee) and 'n poc 'd tut (meaning "a little bit of everything"), the most successful version with all the ingredients, which has come down to the present day.

Bicerin, symbol of Turin

The bicerin was first prepared in Turin's historic coffee shop "Caffè Al Bicerin," which decided to inextricably link its name to the drink, given its great popularity.

The spread of the drink was initially facilitated by the location of the café where it was invented, opposite the entrance to the Consolata Shrine. The bicerin, in fact, was a nutritious support for the faithful on Sundays after Mass and during Lenten fasting periods.

Soon, other cafeterias in Turin also began preparing and serving the new blend, helping it become one of the city's symbols. Since 2001, the Italian government has listed bicerin as a traditional food product.

Distinguished admirers

To amplify the success and spread of the historic Piedmontese drink have contributed illustrious figures, well-known admirers of the delicious specialty such as Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, Giacomo Puccini, Pablo Picasso.

For Alexandre Dumas father, the bicerin was one of the unmissable beauties of Turin. Erminio Macario was a real fan of the drink, which he often consumed in the company of other actors, including Carlo Campanini.

Ernest Hemingway reserved a place for the drink in his personal list of one hundred things in the world to be saved at all costs. Umberto Eco devotes a richly detailed space in his historical novel "The Prague Cemetery" to the Piedmontese specialty of Caffè Al Bicerin.

Bicerin: recipe

According to tradition, the secret to enjoying real bicerin is not to mix the ingredients, so that different flavors and temperatures come together directly on the palate. Let's find out how to prepare the bicerin so we can enjoy the historic Turin specialty at home as well.

Ingredients

• 200 ml of espresso. For the preparation of this drink, we recommend a preciously aromatic blend such as Arabica 100% for Mocha, recently awarded in the most important international coffee competition.
• 200 g dark chocolate.
• 50 ml fresh cream.
• 30 ml fresh whole milk.
• 2 tbsp. sugar.

Preparation

Prepare the coffee with the mocha and, in the meantime, melt the dark chocolate in a saucepan with the milk.

Pour the sugar into the saucepan and stir until the cream is smooth.

Put the cream in the small glass and add the coffee.

Whip the fresh cream with a little sugar and complete the bicerin, ready to be enjoyed piping hot.