Weight Loss, Italian-Style!

Have you tried illy issimo, the little canned coffees that allow you to enjoy a quality Italian coffee wherever you go?

If not, you can find them at Whole Foods, numerous Target locations, gourmet grocery stores, and even Duane Reade if you happen to be in Manhattan. 

The company asked if I would try three of their canned coffees and give my thoughts on them.

I kid you not — I opened a can of “caffe” — their espresso-style coffee drink – took a sip and almost fell off my chair, because I immediately felt transported back to Florence in the summer of 2003, when I lived there.

I drink lattes nearly every day where I live in California, but there’s a difference between American coffee and the real Italian thing. Illy issimo uses 100 percent Arabica coffee, as opposed to Robusta, which gives it a richer, stronger flavor, with a lower caffeine content.

Now, these canned coffees are meant to be drunk chilled. I drank my “caffe” room temperature, which is probably why it reminded me of how my coffee tasted when I used to sit for hours at Ugo’s Florentine cafe trying to read the newspaper in Italian. I actually like it room temperature!

The “caffe”comes in small, 6.8 fluid ounce cans with only 50 calories — and that’s for the one that includes sugar. They also make a sugarless version.

I also tried the cappuccino, which was smooth and sweet. Actually, it was deliziozo! It’s something I would use on a special occasion, because I try to avoid sugar whenever possible, and this 8.45 fluid ounce can has 18 grams of it.

Granted, coffee does taste better with sugar. But I wonder if illy issimo made a cappuccino without it, if there might be enough people like me who would drink it? (Perhaps they are trying to stick as close to the Italian experience as possible, and probably most Italians would put a little sugar in their cappuccino.)

The latte macchiato was also smooth, strong flavored and very sweet. Again, deliziozo! I gave some to my parents, thinking they would love it, but they thought it was a little too sweet.

All of the coffees get a thumbs up from me, but if you’re watching your weight, I’d go for the espresso for the greatest Italian experience with the least amount of calories.

By the way, like most things Italian, illy issimo coffees are made from natural ingredients. They’re great to take in an ice chest for summer picnics.

Do you know that when I lived in Japan, they had vending machines all over the city filled with these kinds of small cans of coffee and tea? It was always such a pleasure to find them wherever I went.

Too bad we don’t have that concept here. Maybe someone could come up with it. Maybe illy issimo?

Oh, and those clever Japanese — the cans of coffee in the vending machines were chilled in summer and hot in winter.

I assume illy issimo coffees could be heated in the can for your winter enjoyment, although I’m not exactly sure the best way to do that.  

For now, enjoy them cold!

If you want to follow illy issimo on facebook and twitter, go to the following:

http://www.facebook.com/illyissimousa

http://twitter.com/illyissimo

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