Italy: Pocket Espresso

One of the fun memories from our trip to Italy fourteen years ago was that of the Pocket Espresso. At just about every restaurant rest stop along the autostrada we found these wonderful "pick-me-ups." Shaped like a little ketchup pack from a fast food place, the packet contains a shot of espresso. Poke in the tiny attached straw and suck in a shot of tasty and refreshing espresso. We anxiously looked forward to enjoying them again during our recent trip.

We were a couple days in to the trip when we saw some by the checkout during a stop. The current versions, now called Pocket Coffee, are rich in chocolate flavoring. I don't recall the chocolate addition previously. They are different but still good. 

We mentioned to our guide the apparent rarity of the treats. She told us they are now a "seasonal" item, with summer and winter editions. The summer version was currently being dropped from stock in preparation for the arrival of the winter one. While the summer version is espresso with chocolate added, the winter edition is a chocolate candy with espresso inside. The winter edition is even sold on Amazon now.

We enjoyed the Pocket Espresso frequently, especially on long bus rides. The few were brought home and were welcome during those initial recovery days after the trip.

As good as the instant treats are, it's hard to beat an actual, freshly made Italian espresso. Especially when paired with a delicious pastry.

Cheers!