From the Times Higher Education: the espresso is Italy’s gift to the world and the ideal stimulant for the creative mind, says Graham Farmelo.
The combination of a cigarette and an espresso is, I’m told, sublime. But the only enhancements to this elixir I know of are the smell and rustle of newsprint (chef Heston Blumenthal should investigate this pronto – there’s a new dish in there).
This is why no day can be entirely satisfactory for me unless it begins with an espresso consumed with a freshly purchased newspaper. I have been known to walk miles to ensure the continuation of this ritual and avoid the disappointment of hotel coffee, usually served as an accompaniment to liven up the dullest meal of the day. I can think of nothing more dispiriting than being bludgeoned into a waking state by a bowlful of imitation Americano.