Aldo Coffee Company

Bicerin? Lo Abbiamo!

We were over at Caruso's yesterday for some slices and Frank Sr. asked us if we made a drink with chocolate, espresso and cream that wasn't a mocha espresso.

"Bicerin?", we asked.

"Yeah, that's it."  Turns out Frank had recently seen it mentioned on a foodie show.

With the Winter Olympics starting in 10 days, the word "bicerin" (Bee-chair-een) should become much more familiar to American coffee and chocolate lovers.  It's all but the official drink of Torino, which will be hosting this year's Games.  The bicerin is so connected to Torino that there's even a cafe named for it, the historic Al Bicerin.

Whenever the Olympics rolls around, the network coverage includes some vignettes of local life (and who can forget Pierre Salinger getting tanked on slivovitz with the locals during the Sarajevo games?).  We're betting that every NBC reporter will be heading to Al Bicerin at least once for a taste.

Bicerin has been on our menu board since we put the new ones up before Christmas.  A few people who've been to the Piedmont region of Italy have been pleasantly surprised to find it offered in Pittsburgh and have enjoyed ordering one here.

The bicerin is especially terrific as an evening drink with some cannoli or cookies, and as we've learned by making them, bicerin is absolutely awesome for breakfast. 

Granted, unlike the Al Bicerin, we're using Omanahene chocolate, not Giandujotti that's been simmering for four hours.  But in our opinion, the only thing that could possibly make the experience more pleasurable would be drinking it in Torino.

Teas & Cocoas

"Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." - Henry James

It's been said that the world is made of two types of people:  coffee drinkers and tea drinkers.  Except for those who like cocoa.  All three are welcome at Aldo Coffee Co.

OUR TEAS

We feature a eclectic selection of leaf teas from Intelligentsia Tea Traders.  We have greens and whites and blacks, oolongs and herbals.  We have Chai, too.

Here are just a few you'll of the leaf teas you'll find at Aldo Coffee Co.:

Organic Jasmine Green Tea
Fresh jasmine blossoms are layered with fine green tea creating a cup that is smooth, sweet, and floral. The intoxicating fragrance is reminiscent of a night blooming garden.

Organic Sencha
This green tea is steamed and dried in the traditional Japanese sencha style which preserves the deep green color and fresh character of the leaf. Mild, but still bright and savory with a fresh grassy finish, our Organic Sencha has the crisp complexity of early spring.

Organic Blend 333
This longstanding caffeine-free Intelligentsia blend combines the brightness of peppermint, the pleasant, buttery flavors of Egyptian chamomile, and the tart character of rosehips to produce a lively and smooth cup that some say has remarkable healing powers.

Organic Chamomile
Flowers, buds, and pollen of this naturally caffeine-free Egyptian herb blend to offer a warm, buttery flavor, and apple-like aroma. Chamomile’s soothing caffeine-free quality makes it an all time favorite.

Organic Peppermint
Stimulating and refreshing, our peppermint is grown in the cool climes of Washington State. The fresh, ethereal, menthol flavor provides a great afternoon pick-me-up and is wonderful over ice. When combined with milk and honey, it is a soothing companion on the coldest of days.

Organic Earl Grey
Our Organic Earl Grey, a Chinese black tea flavored with oil of bergamot, from an Italian citrus fruit, is invigorating, bold, and crisp with an intense, floral aroma. A perfect afternoon tea.

Organic English Breakfast
Invigorating, deep, and robust, our Organic English Breakfast offers a rich, sweet body and malty flavor that masterfully stands up to milk, sugar, or honey. This is a blend that would make our chums on the other side of the big pond proud.

Organic White Peony
Also known as Bai Mu Dan. Smooth and refreshing with a chestnut aroma, light body, and mild fresh flavor, our White Peony is a classic white tea prized for its low astringency and extraordinarily low caffeine content.  This authentic, extremely limited production White Peony’s purity and lightness will both calm and dazzle you.

Organic Wild Rose Mint
Sweet, soft rose petals mingle with cool, crisp peppermint to create a balanced, vibrant, and soothing cup. Low in caffeine with a delicate body, our Organic Wild Rose Mint is superb hot and delicious cold.

1st Flush Darjeeling
Many consider Darjeeling, a partially fermented green tea from India, to be the champagne of teas. Ours is no exception.  A result of the first spring picking, this tea offers citrus and floral flavor notes. This shimmering and complex tea is worthy of a taste before short supply makes it impossible to enjoy.

CHAI

Chai is spicy, aromatic creamy tea, a bit on the sweet side.  Sort of a tea latte.  We have "regular" Chai and vanilla Chai.

COCOAS AND STEAMERS

We use a European-style (fair trade and environmentally-friendly) chocolate to provide the richness of our Hot Cocoa.  Or, try our exclusive Cocoa Aldo, featuring cinnamon and spices - a Latin flavor that will become your favorite.

If cocoa's not your thing, try a Steamer - hot milk and foam with a shot of one of our flavor syrups.  We recommend Hazelnut or Caramel, but the choice is yours.