The Creator of the First Italian Espresso Is of Hungarian Origin

While many people claim that there is nothing like Italian espresso, they may not even know that the first real Italian espresso was actually made by a Hungarian. Ferenc Illy, born in Timisoara (Temesvár, today in Romania), is to thank for the vacuum packaging of roasted coffee beans to keep their aroma fresh, but he also invented the steam coffee machine, writes Kultura.hu.

Ferenc Illy (later known as Francesco Illy) was born in Timisoara in 1892. His father was János Illy, a carpenter, and his mother was German-born Aloisia Rössler. After finishing school in his hometown, he moved to Vienna. In 1913 he was conscripted into the army of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. He fought in World War I, taking part in the battles of Isonzo and Krasnik. He was awarded the Silver Cross of Merit, the Iron Cross of Merit and the Bronze Medal of Valor for his heroic actions. The war ended for him in Trieste. After the peace treaty, he began studying economics, then went to Vienna and Timisoara, but eventually returned to Trieste and he and his wife Vittoria settled here in 1920, after the port city had been newly annexed to  Italy.

He continued his studies in Italy, and in the meantime found employment with Hausbrandt, a company that distributed coffee and cocoa products and roasted coffee. Trieste was then a coffee stronghold: as early as the 1800s there were 66 coffee companies in the city.

Illy, working in the coffee trade, was confronted with the customer demand for freshness.

He realized that if he packed freshly roasted beans in airtight containers and kept them under high pressure with nitrogen rather than oxygen, the beans would retain their aroma. The vacuum packaging he invented has since been used worldwide.

In 1933 he founded Illycafè, a company that still exists today, and in 1935 he came up with a new invention: the world’s first automatic hot steam espresso machine, which he named Illetta.

This made coffee at high pressure, below boiling point, resulting in a perfect, thick, frothy, flavorful drink that lingers in the mouth for a long time.

His children were soon ‘infected’ with a passion for coffee. Ernesto’s son, a chemical engineer, studied the coffee-making process scientifically. He founded the Università del Caffè in Trieste, which today also runs a barista training course in Budapest.

Today, Andrea Illy, Ferenc’s granddaughter, runs the company, which continues to sell only high quality Arabica coffee. They also insist on the first small cup designed for Illycafè.

Ferenc Illy had three loves, according to the family story: Trieste, coffee and his Italian wife. He clung to his Hungarian roots throughout his life, teaching Vittoria how to prepare traditional Hungarian dishes. He died in 1956. In 2013, his hometown of Timisoara awarded him the posthumous title of honorary citizen.

Via kultura.hu; Featured image: Pexels