Affogato

[ms.yt]

I was at a ice cream shop in Hot Springs last week, and I was excited to see that they had an affogato on the menu, so I ordered one. I was expecting a shot of espresso poured over a scoop of ice cream. What I got was a scoop of ice cream with ground espresso beans dumped on top. Did this shop just not know what an affogato is supposed to be or is this an acceptable form?

 

[amberpi]

I'm not much of a dessert person so I don't pay much attention, but what you're describing sounds delicious! I'm going to be on the lookout in the future!

 

[pryncess527]

Wiki would lead one to believe that the use of grounds is a US variation, perhaps made popular by Jamie Oliver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affogato

 

[wilkeliza]

They either didn't know what a true affagato is or they have chose to present a "deconstructed" version where they didn't actually brew the espresso.

 

[bcla]

I worked for a guy who was from Italy and we had a manual espresso machine. That thing was great although after a while it leaked like crazy (I replaced the gasket) and the pump eventually failed (I couldn't fix that). It made an espresso shot that was way better than the super auto that replaced it. I loved learning how to tamp, although we used already ground coffee.

Once I just dumped a shot right into some ice cream. I had no idea it had a name, but that's where I learned "adffogato". Around here, Blue Bottle will do it with Humpry Slocombe ice cream. I guess Humpry Slocombe says they do it with Blue Bottle coffee.

 

[wilkeliza]

I worked for a guy who was from Italy and we had a manual espresso machine. That thing was great although after a while it leaked like crazy (I replaced the gasket) and the pump eventually failed (I couldn't fix that). It made an espresso shot that was way better than the super auto that replaced it. I loved learning how to tamp, although we used already ground coffee.

Once I just dumped a shot right into some ice cream. I had no idea it had a name, but that's where I learned "adffogato". Around here, Blue Bottle will do it with Humpry Slocombe ice cream. I guess Humpry Slocombe says they do it with Blue Bottle coffee.

I'll admit I'm lazy now and use a nespresso machine most days but you are right a properly tapped manual machine is so much better. I use to have a semi-automatic where you tapped the espresso but still pressed a button and the pump make the correct pressure for the number of "bars" it created. People were shocked that I could get pretty good espresso on a $40 semi-automatic. They just didn't know the big part is buying good coffee, a proper ground, and a proper tapped puck. I made so much side money on my CP selling fresh drinks to people who couldn't stop at Starbucks haha.

 

[Uncranky Donald]

lolololol!!! I'm so sorry to laugh, but I just picture you looking down at your ice cream, then back up at the server, then back down at the ice cream with a really
sad face!What a bummer, the melty goodness of a hot shot over cold gelato or ice cream is soooo good, but clearly you did not get a "drowned" ice cream treat...wah wah.

 

[porschegrl]

I was at a ice cream shop in Hot Springs last week, and I was excited to see that they had an affogato on the menu, so I ordered one. I was expecting a shot of espresso poured over a scoop of ice cream. What I got was a scoop of ice cream with ground espresso beans dumped on top. Did this shop just not know what an affogato is supposed to be or is this an acceptable form?

Are you saying there was no liquid at all? Just the ice cream and ground espresso beans? I think that shop just did not know what an affogato is supposed to be.

Even allowing for add-ins and other "artistic interpretation" (like Giada's chianti affogato, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chianti-affogato), it seems to me that some sort of liquid is an essential component.

Sorry for the disappointing surprise!

 

[bcla]

I'll admit I'm lazy now and use a nespresso machine most days but you are right a properly tapped manual machine is so much better. I use to have a semi-automatic where you tapped the espresso but still pressed a button and the pump make the correct pressure for the number of "bars" it created. People were shocked that I could get pretty good espresso on a $40 semi-automatic. They just didn't know the big part is buying good coffee, a proper ground, and a proper tapped puck. I made so much side money on my CP selling fresh drinks to people who couldn't stop at Starbucks haha.

The problem with that kind of machine is that it's not going to last if people are making 20 shots a day in an office kitchen. They're home machines that might last long enough with just two or three a day. The super autos are actually less stressful on the pump. However, part of it was that we were trying to get a better tasting shot by tamping a bit harder, and that increased the backpressure on the pump. I remember when it was shot I took it apart, we actually had enough tools in our electronics lab to do it. I think the pump diaphragm was leaking as was one of the pipes. It was like towing a boat with an econobox as it was just working it to its demise.

 

[ms.yt]

Are you saying there was no liquid at all? Just the ice cream and ground espresso beans? I think that shop just did not know what an affogato is supposed to be.

Even allowing for add-ins and other "artistic interpretation" (like Giada's chianti affogato, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chianti-affogato), it seems to me that some sort of liquid is an essential component.

Sorry for the disappointing surprise!

Yeah, there was no liquid at all. I know I had a weird look on my face when she handed it to me. It was good, but not at all what I was expecting.

 

[ozliz]

Yeah, there was no liquid at all. I know I had a weird look on my face when she handed it to me. It was good, but not at all what I was expecting.

I'm in Australia. If you go into any cafe here and order an affogato you'll get a small scoop of vanilla ice cream with an espresso shot - usually in separate glasses if you're sitting down rather than taking away. But then all our cafes have espresso machine as they'd go out of business without one.