As a former – and long-time – resident of the British Isles, I like reading Irish and English newspapers. During the first, 2020 Covid-19 lockdown I forked out for two subscriptions, one for Dublin’s Irish Times and one for London’s Daily Telegraph: both of them remain among my cherished, early morning, first-coffee-of-the-day readings. Just about two weeks ago, the best of news appeared on the Telegraph, especially for all of us kava-lovers out there: science confirms that coffee can make you live longer.

We all know that coffee is a serious matter in Italy. Statistics show that the average Italian family uses some 37 kg (81.5 lbs) of coffee a year and, while we come behind Northern Europe when it comes to consumption, it should be reminded that our espresso is different from the percolated brew usually preferred by our cousins up North.