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I finally did it - I ordered a coffee and they asked me what kind and I said "I don't know, just give me a double espresso with some milk in it. I really don't know the names of any of them any more."
That's a bit of a lie. I used to order cappuccinos, but decided the froth just kept it too hot too long. So then I started ordering flat whites because they were described as like a cappuccino but with less milk and no froth. But then one place serves it a decent strength and the next just serves what looks like off-white milk.
The "double espresso with milk" I ordered tasted like it had come out of a Cona filter jug that had been standing on the hot-plate too long. I guess I've got to watch the guy operate the machine in future.
I give up.
Andrew
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I guess there's such a high staff turnover in these coffee places that no-one gets adequate training. It's about time those coffee machines were all 100% automatic - they already cost as much as a car anyway! But then you have to trust the company to buy in good Arabica and not cheat with Robusta. Mexican coffee used to be very good, but I don't know if there's any kind of trade embargo between Mexico and the USA nowadays.
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Gordon Shumway said
I guess there's such a high staff turnover in these coffee places that no-one gets adequate training. It's about time those coffee machines were all 100% automatic - they already cost as much as a car anyway! But then you have to trust the company to buy in good Arabica and not cheat with Robusta. Mexican coffee used to be very good, but I don't know if there's any kind of trade embargo between Mexico and the USA nowadays.
It depends. Some places still have high standards. My favorite local roaster (Temple Coffee with five locations all in the Sacramento area) puts baristas through a month-long training course before they're allowed to make anything for customers, and pays well above industry standard so is able to retain people much longer. It also requires all outside coffee shops that use its beans to send their baristas over for the same training course.
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There is a reason for a coffee discussion in this thread, which Americans (or young people) might not appreciate: - after the war what is now called cappuccino was called espresso in Britain - that's what "espresso bars" sold in the 50s and 60s! And my parents less than 20 years ago went in a café and asked for an espresso and had no idea why they were given a very short strong black coffee! So in my case, I am giving up wanting to know what an Americano is or a latté or a frappuccino, and I suspect that is a sign of old age, although I like to think it's because the world has gone mad and I am sane.
Starbucks are now selling what they call "blonde" coffee, which, as far as I can make out, is just a light roast, which is an added complication. Some prefer light roasts (I hate them), some prefer dark. Although once you get into pulverised Greek coffee, it tastes better with a lighter roast.
Oh for the simplicity of Italy, where you just ask for coffee and they give you an espresso and a glass of water, in places where they still have the old standards. Having said that, the last time I was in Italy, the currency was the lira!
Andrew
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Gordon Shumway said
There is a reason for a coffee discussion in this thread, which Americans (or young people) might not appreciate: - after the war what is now called cappuccino was called espresso in Britain - that's what "espresso bars" sold in the 50s and 60s! And my parents less than 20 years ago went in a café and asked for an espresso and had no idea why they were given a very short strong black coffee! So in my case, I am giving up wanting to know what an Americano is or a latté or a frappuccino, and I suspect that is a sign of old age, although I like to think it's because the world has gone mad and I am sane.Starbucks are now selling what they call "blonde" coffee, which, as far as I can make out, is just a light roast, which is an added complication. Some prefer light roasts (I hate them), some prefer dark. Although once you get into pulverised Greek coffee, it tastes better with a lighter roast.
Oh for the simplicity of Italy, where you just ask for coffee and they give you an espresso and a glass of water, in places where they still have the old standards. Having said that, the last time I was in Italy, the currency was the lira!
You'd probably hate my area's coffee, then, even though Sacramento roasters dominate Coffee Review magazine's "top 30 coffees in the US" list most years. People talk about several high-end roasters in Norway making super-light roasts trendy... the trend didn't start in Norway, it started in Sacramento and went to Norway from here. The coffee culture is similar: both here and in Norway, the favorite coffee drink is a plain drip coffee made with a light roast, which people mostly take black.
I will note: a lot of people do light roasts badly, including Starbucks. A bad light roast will have a yeasty flavor that comes from the center of the bean being underdone.
But at least you'll find espresso done right here: pulled properly and served with a small glass of sparkling water. (I haven't been to Italy, but I'm told that whether the glass of water is sparkling or still varies by region.)
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