Bicerin

Bicerin

Type	Chocolate beverage
Country of origin	Italy
Ingredients	Espresso, drinking chocolate, whole milk

Bicerin (pronounced [bitʃeˈriŋ] in Piedmontese) is a traditional hot drink native to Turin, Italy, made of espresso, drinking chocolate and whole milk served layered in a small rounded glass. In the USA heavy cream may be used instead of milk.

In 2001 bicerin was recognized as a "traditional Piedmontese product" in the official bulletin of the Piedmont region.

Origin

Caffè al Bicerin, a historic coffeehouse of Turin which traditionally serves bicerin

The word bicerin is Piedmontese for "small glass" and is a clear dialect version of Italian bicchierino (diminutive of bicchiere, "glass").

The beverage has been known since the 18th century and was also praised by Alexandre Dumas in 1852. It is believed to be based on the 17th century drink Bavareisa: the key distinction is that in a bicerin the three components are carefully layered in the glass rather than being mixed together.

Caffè al Bicerin, a historic coffeehouse of Turin, has been serving the drink in Turin's piazza della Consolata since the 18th century, right across from the Santuario della Consolata, and some authorities believe that the drink was invented there. Others believe that it originated around 1704 in Caffè Fiorio, which still stands on what is now via Po.

See also

• Espressino and marocchino, similar drinks
• List of chocolate beverages
• Coffee portal
• Drink portal

References

• Bicerin at Cioccolatò (English)
• Bicerin at prodottitipici.it (Italian)

External links

• Bicerin in the New York Times
• Bicerin USA
• Caffè al Bicerin