The secret of a Neapolitan coffee maker

Coffee, especially for Italians, is a ritual, and preparing it, is a real art!

In addition to the more commonly known method, the Moka, we also have the iconic Neapolitan coffee maker.

The Neapolitan, cuccumella in the local dialect, is a coffee maker that, unlike the Moka, does not use the pressure generated by the steam to push the water through the coffee, but exclusively the force of gravity.

Invented in France in 1819 by the Parisian Morize, this coffee maker gained popularity across Italy as a tool used for the preparation of coffee at home, becoming one of the symbols of Neapolitan culture and tradition.

The term cuccumella, used in Naples, is a diminutive of cuccuma, a copper or terracotta vase, deriving from Latin.

• Hollow tank: Smooth and equipped with a space to put the ground coffee in.

• Perforated tank: Equipped with a handle and a tiny hole to avoid air chambers and to understand when the water is boiling. Once filled with water, the hollow tank is placed inside it.

• Coffee filter: Contains the ground coffee. This filter must be screwed onto the tanks.

• Coffee maker: Equipped with a handle and spout from which the coffee comes out of, for serving. Once the coffee is ready, it is collected inside.

• Lid: To be placed on the coffee maker once it has been unscrewed from the rest of the bowl.

Arcane and as elaborate as an alchemist’s formula, preparing coffee in a Neapolitan coffee maker requires great attention to detail: here is everything you need to know for savouring ‘na tazzulella’ and a perfect coffee!