麻豆约拍

The espresso perfectly expresses how coffee is a way of life in Italy. Perfected by forcing a small amount of water under pressure through finely ground coffee, it's savoured rapidly, and is an excuse to be sociable for a few minutes, a few times a day. And it was this Italian essence experienced on a trip to Milan in the 1980's which inspired Starbucks' chief executive Howard Schultz to bring espresso drinks to the USA. But now the company says it will open its first Italian store in the same city next year. So just how welcoming will Italians be to the mega coffee chain, known for its frothy lattes and syrup laden creations? Cristina Caroli runs a coffee bar in the Italian city of Bologna, and represents the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe. She gave Susannah Streeter her view.

(Picture: Espresso cup. Picture credit: Getty Images.)