Coffee

[Beirut]

Doubtlessly, coffee is one of the great classic drinks of humanity. Up there with whisky and chocolate milk.

Anyway, every morning on the way to work me and my partner grab a cup. Sometimes it's from the depaneur (corner store) which always tates like **** but at least come in a nice cup, or, if we're working in the fancy tourist town to the nearby, we go to the fancy coffee store and have a first class double expresso - double allonge. $3 a cup, but what a great morning buzz.

Today, at the fancy place, I asked for our usual double expressos but asked them to put them in giant cups and add normal (but still excellent) coffee on top of the expresso to fill the cup. $8.66 for two cups of coffee.

But it was gooood.

If we're in the tourist town, we usually get two double expressos at least during the day and sometimes a third normal coffee. That's about $8.00 each a day. I'm curious as the the desires and budgets of my fellow Frontroom coffee drinkers and their outlook on the precious black brew.

By the by - two cream, no sugar.

(This is not a coffee vs. tea debate. Both are wonderful in their own light.)

[Dâriûsh]

I’m worthless unless I get my morning coffee. It is a Godsend.

[Papewaio]

We have 2 espresso machines at work, I'm sipping my double latte with 3 sugars (my cup holds two standard coffees)

Normally I go through 2 or 3 double cups per day.

Usually a good coffee such as a capocino or latte go for about $2.80 up to $4.00 for an expensive large one. Milk I suppose is relatively cheap in Australia and we have a large amount of Italian, Greek and Turkish immigrants which has helped lift the coffee drinking standards.

[Kekvit Irae]

I dislike coffee. I rarely get anything from Joe Muggs (the coffee shop in Books-A-Million) unless it's a chai latte. Tastes like pumpkin pie, much better than coffee

[Ice]

I drink coffee with a bit of cream. I'm pretty flexible about the types, just as long as it's not instant nor extremely cheap.

[professorspatula]

Ever since Starbucks opened in a small town nearby, I've been drinking coffee more and more. I even drink it at home now, often instead of my beloved cup of tea. There's something reassuring about a nice cup of coffee, but it's probably the caffeine in my double shot expresso latte that gives me that impression. Still, you can't savour the delight of dunking a nice Rich Tea Biscuit in a cup of coffee, it just doesn't taste right, and for that, tea still rules!

Hurrah for tea. Be gone with all you lower-class coffee drinking plebians!

Actually, aside from the awful coffee-breath affliction that comes from drinking too much coffee, there's nothing wrong with those who drink coffee, as I'm obviously amongst their number. I do, however, detest those snobby middle-class student looking, scarf wearing even in summer-time, ipod and left-wing paper carrying, waft around with an air of superioty about them types who frequent coffee shops everywhere you go. My foot has a tendancy to want to stick out as if to trip them up whilst they're carrying their 'posh coffee' with their nose pointing upwards in that aggrivating manner of theirs.

Crivvens what a rant that turned out to be.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

It tastes bad, it's expensive, and I don't see the point.

[Beirut]

We have 2 espresso machines at work, I'm sipping my double latte with 3 sugars (my cup holds two standard coffees)

Three sugars? Bleah! If my coffee even looks at a grain of sugar, I find it completely undrinkable.

Doesn't it just taste like syrup with three sugars? Mind you, you must get quite a jolt from a cup. I can see the value in that. "Bzzzzzzzz!"

[LeftEyeNine]

Beirut will feel better as this topic will eventually evolve into a coffee-o-philiacs stand.

But before, I have to indicate, as well, that I get no idea of what coffee is all about. It only gives me the worst stink that a mouth and stomach can hold. Maybe I should try some other variations but, for now, coffee is out of bounds for me.

(no no..no I won't do that..No Beirut has already s..said that this is no coffee vs. tea topic..oh I..c..can't..*Whooob!*...oh...it's gone..I'm fine..)

TEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!! ~

(damn..)

[Beirut]

Tea is wonderful. It's the first thing I ingest every single day.

I was merely focussing on coffee here. I was certainly not disrespecting a fine cup of Earl Grey.

(Besides, my dearest AdrianII would be mortified to see a negative comment about tea arise from my keyboard.)

[Papewaio]

Tea is good too, particulary as there is a component in it that dampens the shakes that coffee can give.

I drink green tea and flavoured ones. Also Pearl (Bubble) Tea's are fun to have.

I have a sweet tooth, milk (calcium) and coffee (caffiene) both raise the metabolism... so the sugar provides the raw energy to match the gear shift.

Used to have Starbucks... on the whole lesser quality and more expensive... however their triple shot mint mochas are like a chocolate mint on steroids so they are a thing of beauty.

[Byzantine Prince]

I don't like coffee. I only like frapuccino when it's well made.

[GoreBag]

I can only eat it in ice cream form. I was, however, at one point, addicted to root beer.

[GeneralHankerchief]

After seeing what it's done to the people around me, I'm a coffee temperance man. I pride myself on being able to wake up without any outside (read: caffiene) help.

That being said, I'll probably crack sooner or later...

[Reverend Joe]

I can wake up without coffee, but that doesn't mean I don't drink it.

Black, by the way. No sugar, no cream, no crap.

Tea is absolutely nasty. I have no idea why you Britons got so hooked on the stuff; it tastes like poison to me.

[Samurai Waki]

I generally drink one or two cups per morning at the Turkish Cafe' a couple of blocks down. Total cost .99 cents per cup and the best cup of coffee I've ever had. Even better than the stuff I had in Italy.

Generally One cream, none or sometimes 1 Sugar.

[Kanamori]

It only gives me the worst stink that a mouth and stomach can hold.

It's the caffeine that's probably causing the upset stomach.


I got hooked on cappuccinos in Amsterdam -- no way -- and I still like to get them here, but it can be hard to find any places that make them decently.

If I drink for energy in the morning it's usually Earl Gray. It's easily the best tea when done well, and one of the very worst when done poorly.

[Xiahou]

Black, by the way. No sugar, no cream, no crap.

Seconded. If you have to add sugar/cream to make coffee drinkable- it's crap and not worth drinking in the first place.

For my part, I roast, grind, and brew my own coffee and seldom buy it from stores- although Wegman's can brew a decent cup imo. I don't own a drip coffee-maker anymore, but have a french press, an ibrik, an espresso maker, and a little 1-cup brewer.

The best part about roasting your own beans is the amazing variety of exotic coffees that you can get- not to mention roasting them as dark (or light) as you want them. Check out this selection of green coffee...

[Kanamori]

Seconded. If you have to add sugar/cream to make coffee drinkable- it's crap and not worth drinking in the first place.

The best cappuccinos are made w/ good beans.

The inclusion of the milk, frothed and steamed, with choclate powder on top has a taste that far exceeds that of the best coffee by itself.



Thinking about the American tradition with cappuccinos, I think that I've summed up the problem:
"Would you like anything else with that?"
"Yes, may I have choclate powder on top?" (you have to ask here, usually.)
"...What, you mean, like, choclate syrup on the side?"

No good beans, no powder. Gah!

[Xiahou]

The inclusion of the milk, frothed and steamed, with choclate powder on top has a taste that far exceeds that of the best coffee by itself.

Well, coffee drinks that can't be made without milk would be an obvious exception to my comments above. I like a good cafe mocha from time to time- but I wouldnt say it 'far exceeds' a really good shot of espresso either.

[Kanamori]

meh

[Keba]

Regular coffe drinker here ... usually with friends, rarely alone.

Anyways, normally a machiatto ... a big cup goes here at about 1$ (a small one goes at about .75$, of course, the prices are like that if you know where to go) ... and that's the good stuff. The fact that Italy is just on the other side of the coast has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Although, according to the Americans I've talked with, the stuff popular here is strong enough to melt through a table. Just the way I like it.

[Red Peasant]

Putting milk into an espresso would send an Italian (a real one, not an ersatz American-Italian) into fits, and they would know immediately that they were dealing with a North-American.

[Andres]

I don't drink coffee very often, but there's nothing that beats the pure joy and enlightenment of a cup of coffee, with milk and sugar, on a sunny sunday morning, sitting at the breakfast table with you lovely girlfriend, both still wearing you pyjama.

Ah, life's beautiful!

[Beirut]

I don't drink coffee very often, but there's nothing that beats the pure joy and enlightenment of a cup of coffee, with milk and sugar, on a sunny sunday morning, sitting at the breakfast table with you lovely girlfriend, both still wearing you pyjama.

Ah, life's beautiful!

Ahh, now there's a man with a fine grasp of life.

[LeftEyeNine]

I don't drink coffee very often, but there's nothing that beats the pure joy and enlightenment of a cup of coffee, with milk and sugar, on a sunny sunday morning, sitting at the breakfast table with you lovely girlfriend, both still wearing you pyjama.

Ah, life's beautiful!

Seconding Beirut's approval, now that's a man who conquered the world with all its wealth. May you be together for long

Good Lord, show me a day.

[macsen rufus]

Do I like coffee? Yup, there's traces of blood in my caffeine-system!

Probably due for a heart attack by now, but get through cups and cups in the day. Milk (never cream), no sugar - gave that up 20 years ago and now find sweetened coffee totally undrinkable. Instant coffee at work (can't spend too much time away from the desk, you know....) but the perc goes on as soon as I get home of an evening.

Tea really doesn't do it for me (looks around to check he has genuine British genes....) except the occasional green tea when I'm in a worrying about health phase

Capuccino is the cream of coffees, best experienced in a gentle Tuscan evening at a pavement cafe whilst all the local beauties are promenading. But it'd have to be a damn fine view to justify $3 a cup.

I'm terribly grumpy in the mornings, so have to have at least two cups of coffee before my first conversation of the day So much so that at one place of work, early morning visitors to my office made me coffee to bring in with them. Now some may accuse me of abusing the gullibility of my co-workers, but it worked

[Andres]

Ahh, now there's a man with a fine grasp of life.

Seconding Beirut's approval, now that's a man who conquered the world with all its wealth. May you be together for long

Thank you guys .

Best part of it : I'm going to marry that lovely girl next week, on saturday. I hope for a long life with plenty of sunny sundays, hopefully blessed with some nice children in the nearest future possible.

If there's one thing I'm willing to learn my yet to be born children, then it is to enjoy those simple but o so beautiful things as a cup of coffee on a sunny sunday morning in good company.

[LeftEyeNine]

Thank you guys .

Best part of it : I'm going to marry that lovely girl next week, on saturday. I hope for a long life with plenty of sunny sundays, hopefully blessed with some nice children in the nearest future possible.

If there's one thing I'm willing to learn my yet to be born children, then it is to enjoy those simple but o so beautiful things as a cup of coffee on a sunny sunday morning in good company.

Wow that was great news to hear, Andres. If it wasn't coffee, we wouldn't be hearing that, right?

So that in addition to my previous wishes, may you have healthy kids that are as much to found a football club.

Life can only be handled when you can enjoy a cup of coffee to its fullest.

[Kanamori]

Putting milk into an espresso would send an Italian (a real one, not an ersatz American-Italian) into fits, and they would know immediately that they were dealing with a North-American.

They can have their fit, and I'll have it the way I want.