Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico Ground: the moka pot staple

Crema e Gusto Classico is the ground coffee for people who want Italian weight without owning a grinder. Its grind, its Robusta and its pack format all point the same way: a heavy, dependable cup with no hobby attached.

The case for Robusta

Robusta has a poor name in speciality coffee, largely earned by low-grade instant. In an Italian espresso blend it has a particular job to do. Crema e Gusto Classico combines Arabica and Robusta with the Robusta well represented, and that share is where the thick, persistent crema and the heavy, mouth-coating body come from. The exact proportions are printed on the current pack.

It explains the flavour too. The aroma is dark chocolate and toasted grain over a faint dark-sugar note, the roast leans dark without tipping into burnt, and the bitterness is firm and intentional. If you take sugar, this is the kind of coffee that carries it, and it keeps its character through milk where a delicate Arabica would fade away.

Brewing it: moka first, cafetiere with care

Lavazza grinds its ground blends with the moka pot and the espresso basket in mind, not a coarse cafetiere. In a stovetop pot it is at home, giving the dense, dark cup the blend was designed around. In a home espresso machine it gives a heavy, crema-topped shot straight from the pack, with nothing to dial in.

A cafetiere works if you respect the finer grind. Steep for three minutes rather than four, because fine coffee extracts faster and turns harsh if left, and accept a heavier, silt-prone cup compared with a coarse grind. Pour gently and leave the last of it in the jug rather than chasing the dregs into your cup.

Why the 500g pack keeps better than it looks

According to published listings, this size comes as a pair of 250g vacuum bricks, not a single block, and that is useful, because ground coffee stales fast once air reaches it, and the vacuum protects the fragile aromas formed in the final minutes of the roast. With two bricks, the second stays sealed while you work through the first. Formats can change, so check the pack you receive.

Once a brick is open, fold it down tightly or tip it into an airtight tin; the gap between the day of opening and three weeks later is easy to smell. Among the Lavazza we stock, the same Classico blend also comes as whole beans in a one kilogram bag for anyone with a grinder, and the family has a Dolce version in a 250g ground pack.

The packs we stock

• Lavazza Crema E Gusto Classico Ground Roasted Coffee, 500g (barcode 8000070038875)

What to eat with it

• Lotus Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits, 250g: Caramelised biscuit and a sugared, milky cup of Classico are a natural match.
• McVitie's Digestives Dark Chocolate Biscuits, 433g: Dark chocolate stands up to the firm bitterness of a moka pot cup.
• Border Classic Biscuit Sharing Pack, 400g: A sharing pack for the weekend pot, when several cups are poured at once.

Elsewhere in the Lavazza range

• Lavazza A Modo Mio Dek, Decaf Eco Caps, 16 Capsules 120g
• Lavazza A Modo Mio Lungo Dolce Coffee, 16 Capsules
• Lavazza A Modo Mio Passionale Coffee, 16 Capsules
• Lavazza A Modo Mio Qualita Rossa Coffee, 16 Capsules 120g
• Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico Coffee Beans, 1kg
• Lavazza Crema e Gusto Dolce Ground Coffee, 250g

The full range is on the Lavazza brand page.

FAQ

Can I use Crema e Gusto Classico ground in a cafetiere? Yes, but steep it for about three minutes rather than four, as the grind is finer than a press usually takes and the cup will be heavier.

Is the 500g pack one bag or two? Published listings show it as two 250g vacuum bricks, so the second stays sealed while the first is in use. Check the pack you receive.

Does it contain Robusta? Yes. It is an Arabica and Robusta blend with a good share of Robusta, which builds the crema and body; the exact split is on the current pack.

How quickly does an opened brick go stale? Ground coffee starts to fade within days of meeting air, which is why the sealed second brick matters. Keep the open one folded tight or in an airtight tin.

Is it a bitter coffee? It is firm and deliberately bitter rather than delicate, which is exactly why it takes milk and sugar so well.

Curator's note: For a Sunday moka pot this is the one we would reach for: no grinder, nothing to adjust, and a cup heavy enough to take a spoon of sugar and a splash of hot milk. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico Ground: the moka pot staple

More from the tea wiki

• Tea vs Coffee: Taste, Caffeine and Switching
• Caffeine in Tea
• Tea vs Coffee
• Tea for Coffee Drinkers: Where to Start
• Chai vs Coffee

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