Espresso Romano Recipe

Before you start

Espresso Romano is simply espresso served with a strip of lemon peel, either twisted over the cup, rubbed on the rim, or set on the saucer. The citrus oils add a bright aroma that lifts the first sip and can make a dark roast taste less bitter. It is not lemon juice in coffee; juice turns the shot sour, while the oils from the peel add fragrance without acid.

The name suggests Rome, but the habit's origins are unclear. It is found more often in American cafés and Italian-American restaurants than in Italian bars, where asking for one can draw a puzzled look. Several stories circulate, from wartime shortages to cleaning cups with lemon, and none is well documented. Treat it as a pleasant serving style rather than an Italian tradition.

Ingredients

• 30 to 60 ml (1 to 2 oz) freshly pulled espresso — single or double shot
• 1 strip (about 5 cm) fresh lemon peel — unwaxed if possible; pith removed
• 1 tsp sugar — optional, served on the side

Method

1. Warm the espresso cup with hot water, then empty and dry it. A cold cup steals heat from such a small drink.
2. Wash and dry the lemon. Use a vegetable peeler to cut a strip about 5 cm long, taking only the yellow zest. White pith tastes bitter; scrape it off with a paring knife if needed.
3. Rub the outside of the peel around the rim of the cup, colored side against the porcelain, to leave a thin film of oil.
4. Pull the espresso directly into the cup.
5. Hold the peel colored side down a few centimeters over the cup and pinch it sharply to spray its oils across the crema. You should see a faint mist and smell lemon immediately.
6. Rest the peel on the saucer or drop it into the cup. Offer sugar on the side and drink while hot.

Tips for success

• Do not squeeze lemon juice into the espresso. The acid makes it taste sharp and thin; only the aromatic oils from the skin belong here.
• Medium-dark and dark roasts benefit most from the lemon. A bright light roast already has citrus acidity and can taste too sour with peel added.
• Wax coatings on lemons hold on to the oils. Scrub a waxed lemon in warm water or buy unwaxed fruit.

Substitutions

Lemon peel

Orange peel gives a sweeter, rounder aroma that pairs well with chocolatey espresso. Grapefruit peel is sharper and slightly bitter.

Espresso

Strong moka pot coffee works and is how many people in Italian-American homes would have made it. The peel works just as well.

Variations

Iced espresso Romano

Pour a double espresso over ice in a small glass, express the peel over it and drop it in.

Espresso Romano tonic

Pour espresso over tonic and ice and garnish with an expressed lemon peel.

Troubleshooting

It tastes sour

Juice or pith got into the cup, or the coffee is a bright light roast. Use only the zest and a darker roast.

No lemon aroma

The peel was too thin, dry or waxed. Cut a fresh, thick strip from a clean lemon and pinch it hard right over the cup.

Storage

Serve immediately; espresso loses its crema and aroma within a minute or two. Cut lemon peel just before serving, as it dries out quickly. Keep whole lemons refrigerated for up to a few weeks.

Safety notes

A double espresso contains a concentrated dose of caffeine. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults; sensitivity varies.