Words: Maria Kochetkova
Photography: Keiron Mayora
Trieste is surely the city of science, but it’s also a coffee drinkers paradise. Home to Illy, anyone who loves coffee will fit right in here. At its core, Trieste is a city of coffee addicts and barstool philosophers who tend to work just the right amount. By culture, they are Italian; by disposition, they are molded by the natural environs. “Drinking a good cup of coffee in the morning is the way of life here,” says Gianni Pistrini, the founder of Coffee Museum in Trieste.
Have you always liked coffee?
You know, I never used to drink coffee when I was younger. But I always had a special knack for deciphering smells. When during university I was looking for a job I sort of stumbled into coffee taster position at an important local company and I was instantly hired. And the rest is history, really.
How do you know if the coffee you’re drinking is good?
I think it goes for coffee, food, wine… If you like what you are eating or drinking and you would instantly like to have another one, it means it’s good.
Is there such thing as a perfect espresso?
Technically, to prepare a perfect espresso you have to comply with “4 M” rules. In short, these are the initials of Miscela, Macinadosatore, Macchina espresso, Mano (translated as ‘Blend’, ‘Grinder-dozer’, ‘Espresso machine’, ‘Hand or skill of the bartender’). These are the four golden rules that seem simple, but in fact are anything but.
You’re a professional journalist, writer and coffee popularizer.
Yes, I was lucky enough to find my passion and follow it from early on. I truly believe that if you like what you do, good things will come to you. Like the Coffee Museum that I opened here in Trieste.
When was the Museum opened?
I created the Coffee Museum in Trieste which in a sense is a culmination of many of my passions and the life I dedicated to coffee. The Museum is located in various locations, among which via Lazzaretto Vecchio, inside the Trieste Caffè shop. The objects on display come mostly from private donations: cups that belonged to the historical Trieste coffees, grinders, objects for the quality and merchandise verification of coffee and many other beans. The coffee museum has for years been in partnership with other institutions in various European countries, including the Peugeot Museum, which was originally a coffee grinder factory. Every two years the museum collaborates in the realization of the Triestespresso Expo and the Trieste Coffee Festival which takes place every year.
You can learn more about museum here https://www.amdc.it
