Caffè d'orzo facts for kids
Caffè d'orzo (say "kaf-FEH DOR-zoh") is a warm drink from Italy. It means "coffee of barley" in Italian. People often just call it orzo or barley coffee.
This drink is special because it does not have caffeine. It is made from ground barley grains that have been roasted. In Italian, "orzo" is the word for barley.
You can make orzo like an espresso drink. It works well in regular espresso machines and coffeemakers. In Italy, you can even find it in coffee vending machines.
Long ago, orzo was mostly seen as a coffee substitute for children. But now, more and more adults in Italy and other places are choosing it. They pick orzo because it is healthy and does not have caffeine.
How Orzo is Made
In Italian cafes, caffè d'orzo is made using traditional Italian espresso machines. These are the same machines used for regular coffee.
At home, Italian families often use a special pot called an orziera. This pot is like a moka pot, but it is made just for brewing barley. It helps make a tasty cup of orzo right in your kitchen.
Orzo Through History
During World War II and the years after, caffè d'orzo became very popular in Europe. Regular coffee was hard to find and expensive back then. So, people used barley and chicory as substitutes.
In some European countries, like Spain, people still remember barley as a cheaper coffee option. Because of this, Spain now has only a few barley roasters. But in Italy, there are many companies making caffè d'orzo, and it is still a very popular drink.
Outside of Italy, more people are slowly starting to enjoy caffè d'orzo as a healthy drink. This is especially true in Germany.
Orzo Around the World
In Latin America, you might find a drink called café de cebada in Spanish or Cevada in Portuguese. "Cebada" also means barley. This drink is often more like a roasted barley tea than a coffee-like drink.
You can also find instant roasted barley drinks. These are sold under different names, like Caro (in Europe and New Zealand) and Pero (in Switzerland and the US). Many of these instant drinks are made from a mix of different grains, not just barley.
Recently, real Italian ground roasted barley has started to be sold in other countries. You can now find it in the US and the UK.
See also
In Spanish: Café de cebada para niños
