A Cup of Coffee between Tradition and New Cross-Cultural Experimentations

Welcoming someone with a cup of coffee is a symbolic act of closeness and sharing so unique that it has become one of the identifying elements of the Mediterranean culture. Coffee is a raw material able to tell a constantly evolving world: a symbol of colonialism and neocolonialism, but also of Fair Trade. Despite the passage of time, coffee rituals are still common all over the world and, in particular, in the Mediterranean Basin, where the coffee culture plays a key role in terms of identity and production, both artisanal and industrial. The numerous methods of coffee preparation are strongly connected with the geographical, cultural, and social context to which they refer. The available materials and the craftsmanship, combined with environmental characteristics, aesthetic peculiarities, and other elements of material culture, have led to very different systems for preparation and consumption, rituals, and products. This paper aims to analyse the adaptation processes, the traditional methods of coffee preparation and the objects and accessories connected to them. The final intention is to reflect on how the design of these products is constantly evolving, through new cross-cultural explorations that often arise from the meeting between cultures or the combination of craftsmanship and industry.