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Pocket Coffee

bleudauvergne
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bleudauvergne

bleudauvergne

Posted
Posted

I just had the most amazing thing, given to me by an Italian co-worker. It's only sold in winter time in Italy, but it's apparently in all of the grocery stores. It's called "Pocket Coffee". Is there anyone else in all of eGullet who has sampled this amazing phenomenon? :smile:

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Mayhaw Man

Mayhaw Man

Posted
Posted
It's called "Pocket Coffee".

What is this amazing new product? Please describe.

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

jackal10

jackal10

Posted
Posted

There are various self-heating coffee cans. Two stocked locally are

Nescafe (developed at the University of Southhampton) and one called Powerdhot which also has sugar and guaranja. Surprisingly palatable, even if a bit expensive, and rather heavy to carry if hiking or camping.

The heating principle seems to be the reaction between water and an anhydrous salt, rather than anything pyrotechnic. Even though the can is quite well insulated, the coffee only gets warm rather than actually hot.

menton1

menton1

Posted
Posted
In Italy, it is a small chocolate, the size of the little "mon cherie" candies. Inside is a burst of the most amazing coffee flavor. It's really impossible to describe. It must be eaten to be believed.

Sounds fabulous. But why only in the winter? Would it easily melt on the shelves in the warm weather? I know they do that in the US with "Mallomars" cookies-- by May, they are gone from the shelves until October!

BrianYarvin

BrianYarvin

Posted
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They do melt in the summer and are quite delicate. I never thought about their seasonality, but I did notice their absence when I was there last summer - my first summer trip in fifteen years.

In Italy, where A/C can't be assumed, one has to be careful about these things.

I have seen them in the New York area every now and then since 1985 - the year I discovered them.

Brian Yarvin

My Webpage

Craig Camp

Craig Camp

Posted
Posted

Pocket Coffee is simply chocolate with a shot of espresso inside - like the rum in a rum ball. It is a favorite pick-me-up for drivers.

Pocket Coffee does not disappear in the summer - they move it to the coolers so it does not melt.

Do not leave them in your car during the daytime - it's a mess.

Craig Camp

balex

balex

Posted
Posted

They have really ridiculous advertisements in Italy. Given that in Italy you are in general never more than about 100 yards from a great cup of coffee, they have to put the characters in ridiculous situations where they can't have reach a bar. So in the mountains, on a giant construction site etc. All done with hand gestures in a really cheesy way.

the product is good too.

curlywurlyfi

curlywurlyfi

Posted
Posted
I just had the most amazing thing, given to me by an Italian co-worker. It's only sold in winter time in Italy, but it's apparently in all of the grocery stores. It's called "Pocket Coffee". Is there anyone else in all of eGullet who has sampled this amazing phenomenon? :smile:

me! me me me me me! aren't they wonderful? Brought a packet home from Le Marche at New Year, currently sitting in my kitchen cupboard waiting for the appropriate moment (so if you need identifying photos, I can provide). They are absolutely delicious. Imagine a small rectangular chocolate case with a shot of thick sweet espresso inside. Should carry a health warning though. My friend Liz discovered (by accident, ahem) that if you eat one whilst drinking a strong home-sized gin + tonic, you get the most insane head rush. Cue hysterical giggling as all of us tried it and wobbled round the kitchen.

Fi

Fi Kirkpatrick

tofu fi fie pho fum

"Your avatar shoes look like Marge Simpson's hair." - therese

Rachel Perlow

Rachel Perlow

Posted
Posted

If you aren't supposed to leave them in hot cars and they move them into coolers during the summer, then don't you think that keeping in your pocket would be an even worse idea? :raz:

Sentiamo

Sentiamo

Posted
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Wonderful things Pocket Coffee chockies, I too always bring a few packets home with me. They also have a kinda ' crunch', unusual but soooooo nice. :raz:

I see you live at Lecco Deidre. I was in the Valtellina for many years, and hope everyone is coping better with the roundabout and galleria than they were last time I visited!! :biggrin:

DeirdreStraughan

DeirdreStraughan

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There are roundabouts all over Lecco now, I had to deal with them a lot while doing driving lessons. Most people are coping well enough. The galleria is a boon - it used to be that weekend traffic would get all snarled up in downtown Lecco, nowadays it's very quiet. A new branch of the highway should take even more up-valley traffic out of town.

best regards,

Deirdré Straughan

http://www.straughan.com

Craig Camp

Craig Camp

Posted
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Pocket Coffee is actually a personality test. Are you:

Type A: I bite right away to get the coffee hit.

Type B: I slowly let the chocolate dissolve in my mouth until the coffee is finally slowly released.

...fess up, which type are you?

Craig Camp

curlywurlyfi

curlywurlyfi

Posted
Posted
Pocket Coffee is actually a personality test. Are you:

Type A: I bite right away to get the coffee hit.

Type B: I slowly let the chocolate dissolve in my mouth until the coffee is finally slowly released.

Type C: hold Pocket Coffee vertically (small flat end uppermost), bite off small flat end, tilt head back to drink the coffee, eat chocolate.

Not to be recommended whilst driving.

Fi Kirkpatrick

tofu fi fie pho fum

"Your avatar shoes look like Marge Simpson's hair." - therese

divina

divina

Posted
Posted

Here they do stop production of many chocolates during the summer as they melt.

So we all wait for the first delivery after the heat.. also Baci...

Pocket coffee has a chocolate outside, the a crunchy sugar crystal inside.. with a liquid expresso filling... I pop them! in the mouth!!!

better than drolling the coffee all over you!

Divina's Dining Guide for Florence and Chianti

Try Being Italian once a Day!

I LOVE TO BLOG...

egblog November 2006

OVER THE TUSCAN STOVE BLOG

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Pongi

Pongi

Posted
Posted
They have really ridiculous advertisements in Italy.  Given that in Italy you are in general never more than about 100 yards from a great cup of coffee, they have to put the characters in ridiculous situations where they can't have reach a bar.  So in the mountains, on a giant construction site etc.  All done with hand gestures in a really cheesy way.

the product is good too.

Suppose you're thinking about the Taxi Driver, most of all.... :raz:

but it seems to me that those advertisements are more self-ironic than ridiculous.

As for the girls on the mountain, they're members of the italian national ski team and are singing an old hit, "Ricominciamo" by Adriano Pappalardo. If you knew Mr. Pappalardo, you'd easily understand WHY I say that this advertisement is self-ironic :wink:

As for Pocket Coffees, in Italy they're a myth! We have had them, I believe, at least for 40 years...and we still love them :smile:

Pongi

Bill Klapp

Bill Klapp

Posted
Posted

You all are speaking of the candies of my people! The Ferrero candy (and Nutella!) empire is based in Alba. But beware, first-timers: two Pocket Coffees will get you high (the espresso shot inside appears to have a caffeine concertration well in excess of a normal shot of joe), and four Mon Cheries will get you drunk! For my money, Pocket Coffee may be the finest mass-produced chocolate product on earth...

Bill Klapp

bklapp@egullet.com

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