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I'm Italian and have been having breakfast with caffellatte (milk and coffee) for all of my life, but am probably lactose intolerant on some degree. I just can

I'm Italian and have been having breakfast with caffellatte (milk and coffee) for all of my life, but am probably lactose intolerant on some degree. I just can't get the day started without the smell of breakfast. It all depends on what time you wake up, I wake up very late when I'm not working and have breakfast even if it's 2pm. No way I'm skipping it, if I'm out of latte, I go to a bar and have a cappuccino (milk for cappuccino is more creamy, so it taste better and make the popular foam, it's also a bit harder to digest but there's also less of it in a cappuccino than in a caffellatte) No shame in it, bars are there to serve not to judge. Contrary to what people believe you can ask for a cappuccino whenever you want in Italy, the only exception is meals, no cappuccino during lunch/dinner, no cappuccino immediately before or after it. Usually Italians don't have a cappuccino after a certain hour because bars run out of brioche (we call them cornetti) and a cappuccino without cornetto it's almost not worth it. And because if you have it to close to lunch or dinner, grandma is not gonna be happy that you are not eating your 30th fettina panata. But it's 2020 in Italy too and there are a lot of options for lactose intolerant, one is skimmed milk, another is lactose free milk They are both very populyar and every bar serve them. ---- @moderators ok this is getting a bit ridiculous. Few minutes in and the usual downvote arrives. Am I being targeted? There are downvotes I deserved or that are understandable, but lately they are coming as soon as I comment. On any topic, even the less popular (like this one) I'm not believing anymore it's coincidence.

jimbokun 6y ago
I don't know why you are being downvoted, this is the most on topic comment I've read so far.
dahdum 6y ago
No reason to be downvoted that I can see. I checked your comment history and see a fair amount of on-topic constructive comments that were also downvoted (some you probably deserved).
riffnote 6y ago
I enjoyed reading your comment. As someone who has never been to Italy, I found it informative.
switch007 6y ago
> I just can't get the day started without the smell of breakfast. > a cappuccino without cornetto it's almost not worth it. > you can ask for a cappuccino whenever you want in Italy, the only exception is... > grandma is not gonna be happy that you are not eating your 30th fettina panata This is all so beautifully Italian I love it! <3
- znpy 6y ago
  It's also 100% true. > a cappuccino without cornetto it's almost not worth it. This in particular, it's 200% true.
dont__panic 6y ago
I've worked as a barista in the US and I've never heard of using different milk for cappuccinos vs. lattes -- instead, I've always just imbued more air into my cappuccino froth than when I make latte froth. Is it especially common for Italian coffee shops to use different milk for each, or am I just misunderstanding your comment? On the (admittedly off topic) note of you getting downvotes: I suspect some of it probably has to do with your English writing skills, unfortunately. I would suggest giving a service like Grammarly a shot to try to make your writing a little more professional, because a lot of folks will dismiss comments outright that look poorly written without even considering the underlying thoughts being expressed. It definitely sucks when you're trying to communicate in a language other than your primary language.
- romanoderoma 6y ago
  It used to be very common, but not anymore (I guess one of the reasons is that it also costs a bit more and many - like me - are discovering to be mildly or moderately lactose intolerant). In some places they care more than others, but you can make a perfect cappuccino with simple whole milk. My problem with English is twofold, I'm not the best at it and I find writing from the smartphone painful, even in Italian. I'll give a shot to grammarly, thanks!
  - Lio 6y ago
    Nothing wrong with your English mate and nothing with a little Italian “flavour” in anything you’ve written, IMHO as an Englishman. English is such a mixed up language but you can mangle it up in loads of different ways and it’ll still come out fine.
- nwsm 6y ago
  I worked as a "barista" at Panera and I also just steamed the cappuccino longer. Needless to say Panera is not the highest quality coffee you can find.
- salamimonger 6y ago
  There was nothing wrong with his English. It was easily comprehensible and was some first-hand or ground level knowledge from an Italian person. I completely disagree with the idea that HN is so petty that they would dismiss an informative and useful post over "unprofessional" writing. What professionalism are HN users expecting from the comments on an article about Italians and coffee?
x87678r 6y ago
Yeah its rude to downvote without a comment explaining why.
conductr 6y ago
Just came to say thanks for providing my American family with a great after dinner drink :) It's pretty much the only time we get a cappuccino. Usually at nicer than average restaurants. Not limited to Italian food.
nwsm 6y ago
Appreciate the Italian insight; sorry about the downvotes. > Contrary to what people believe you can ask for a cappuccino whenever you want in Italy, the only exception is meals, no cappuccino during lunch/dinner, no cappuccino immediately before or after it. I thought this was funny. "You can order it whenever, except when you can't."
ivanhoe 6y ago
Hey, just because you're Italian how do you dare to explain why Italians do this or that... If it's of any comfort, I find your post informative, thanks. And who cares of carma points anyway...
gruturo 6y ago
As a fellow Italian (also from Roma), I fully support all your points. I often have a cappuccino in the evening in lieu of dinner, and wouldn’t bat an eye at people having it at any time of the day, except, as you write, immediately before/after (or during!) a meal. I wonder what they have in place of taste buds when they do that. I met a wonderful, wonderful lady from Poland who is the joy of my heart, but she once had a cappuccino right after herrings and it was so shocking it’s giving me flashbacks.
ardit33 6y ago
Yeah, no clue why you were downvoted.... I am Albanian, and we drink coffee all the time, even in the evening. We just don't have any rules on can't have coffee after a meal. The main reason some places would stop serving coffee after 7pm is because they switch into 'bars', and they'd rather sell alcoholic drinks.
balfirevic 6y ago
> there are a lot of options for lactose intolerant, one is skimmed milk How would skimmed milk help with lactose intolerance?
aaron695 6y ago
> @moderators ok this is getting a bit ridiculous. Few minutes in and the usual downvote arrives. Theory - HN has changed their algorithm (I think they always are) and bots are interacting with it causing this. I'd guess HN pushes you down if your last comment was downvoted. And the bots who need to seem normal assume you've been downvoted so also downvote.

jimbokun 6y ago

I don't know why you are being downvoted, this is the most on topic comment I've read so far.

dahdum 6y ago

No reason to be downvoted that I can see. I checked your comment history and see a fair amount of on-topic constructive comments that were also downvoted (some you probably deserved).

riffnote 6y ago

I enjoyed reading your comment. As someone who has never been to Italy, I found it informative.

switch007 6y ago

> I just can't get the day started without the smell of breakfast. > a cappuccino without cornetto it's almost not worth it. > you can ask for a cappuccino whenever you want in Italy, the only exception is... > grandma is not gonna be happy that you are not eating your 30th fettina panata This is all so beautifully Italian I love it! <3

znpy 6y ago
It's also 100% true. > a cappuccino without cornetto it's almost not worth it. This in particular, it's 200% true.

dont__panic 6y ago

I've worked as a barista in the US and I've never heard of using different milk for cappuccinos vs. lattes -- instead, I've always just imbued more air into my cappuccino froth than when I make latte froth. Is it especially common for Italian coffee shops to use different milk for each, or am I just misunderstanding your comment? On the (admittedly off topic) note of you getting downvotes: I suspect some of it probably has to do with your English writing skills, unfortunately. I would suggest giving a service like Grammarly a shot to try to make your writing a little more professional, because a lot of folks will dismiss comments outright that look poorly written without even considering the underlying thoughts being expressed. It definitely sucks when you're trying to communicate in a language other than your primary language.

romanoderoma 6y ago
It used to be very common, but not anymore (I guess one of the reasons is that it also costs a bit more and many - like me - are discovering to be mildly or moderately lactose intolerant). In some places they care more than others, but you can make a perfect cappuccino with simple whole milk. My problem with English is twofold, I'm not the best at it and I find writing from the smartphone painful, even in Italian. I'll give a shot to grammarly, thanks!
- Lio 6y ago
  Nothing wrong with your English mate and nothing with a little Italian “flavour” in anything you’ve written, IMHO as an Englishman. English is such a mixed up language but you can mangle it up in loads of different ways and it’ll still come out fine.
nwsm 6y ago
I worked as a "barista" at Panera and I also just steamed the cappuccino longer. Needless to say Panera is not the highest quality coffee you can find.
salamimonger 6y ago
There was nothing wrong with his English. It was easily comprehensible and was some first-hand or ground level knowledge from an Italian person. I completely disagree with the idea that HN is so petty that they would dismiss an informative and useful post over "unprofessional" writing. What professionalism are HN users expecting from the comments on an article about Italians and coffee?

x87678r 6y ago

Yeah its rude to downvote without a comment explaining why.

conductr 6y ago

Just came to say thanks for providing my American family with a great after dinner drink :) It's pretty much the only time we get a cappuccino. Usually at nicer than average restaurants. Not limited to Italian food.

nwsm 6y ago

Appreciate the Italian insight; sorry about the downvotes. > Contrary to what people believe you can ask for a cappuccino whenever you want in Italy, the only exception is meals, no cappuccino during lunch/dinner, no cappuccino immediately before or after it. I thought this was funny. "You can order it whenever, except when you can't."

ivanhoe 6y ago

Hey, just because you're Italian how do you dare to explain why Italians do this or that... If it's of any comfort, I find your post informative, thanks. And who cares of carma points anyway...

gruturo 6y ago

As a fellow Italian (also from Roma), I fully support all your points. I often have a cappuccino in the evening in lieu of dinner, and wouldn’t bat an eye at people having it at any time of the day, except, as you write, immediately before/after (or during!) a meal. I wonder what they have in place of taste buds when they do that. I met a wonderful, wonderful lady from Poland who is the joy of my heart, but she once had a cappuccino right after herrings and it was so shocking it’s giving me flashbacks.

ardit33 6y ago

Yeah, no clue why you were downvoted.... I am Albanian, and we drink coffee all the time, even in the evening. We just don't have any rules on can't have coffee after a meal. The main reason some places would stop serving coffee after 7pm is because they switch into 'bars', and they'd rather sell alcoholic drinks.

balfirevic 6y ago

> there are a lot of options for lactose intolerant, one is skimmed milk How would skimmed milk help with lactose intolerance?

aaron695 6y ago

> @moderators ok this is getting a bit ridiculous. Few minutes in and the usual downvote arrives. Theory - HN has changed their algorithm (I think they always are) and bots are interacting with it causing this. I'd guess HN pushes you down if your last comment was downvoted. And the bots who need to seem normal assume you've been downvoted so also downvote.