double trouble
It's happened twice within a week, which in my rule book at least, calls for a rant.
Coffee. I like it - in fact, I live by it. When the coffee is good, it can truly be one of life's great pleasures. When the coffee is bad, it can be quite an ordeal (for me at least). Canberra does have some very good coffee spots, and I am pleased to say that one of their best is only a stone's throw away from my building here at ANU. Today, however, I left this establishment rather grumpily after a slight miss understanding about what I ordered.
I asked for a "strong flat white". I usually say "double shot flat white", but for some reason opted for the shorter description this time. What I got back was the most gigantic bucket'o'milk coffee I have ever received. I looked at it and said, "oh sorry, is this mine. I ordered a strong flat white?". The coffee maker (who is a new guy) replied, "yep, that's as big as they come."
Not wanting to make a scene over the meaning of strong, I took my litre of milk, and walked out. A similar event happened last weekend at a cafe', when I did actually ask for a "double shot flat white", and got back a mug. For some reason these people think that bigger means stronger - it doesn't! I want a double-shot because I like the taste of strong coffee. Adding more milk along with the extra shot just cancels the extra shot out. It's not bloody rocket science.
The ratio of milk to coffee is very important. In my view, the standard Australian "small" cup size is perfect for good coffee, and is probably the result of Italian coffee makers who knew what they were doing. The larger cup sizes that are flooding the coffee market are the result of stupid American coffee outlets, who subscribe to the doctrine that "bigger is always better". Well people - it's not.
From now on I'll be ordering "a double shot of espresso coffee in a small cup ,with cow's milk please".
posted by macca at 9:27 AM
6 Comments:
Well - it's finally on the blog! I can indeed confirm, having shared many a coffee with this connoisseur, that this issue has been causing him no small amount of distress for some time now.
Barristers everywhere take heed, for I hate to think of the ramifications... I've seen what can happen when this man does not get his proper dose of caffeine.
;-)
Terry - can you back me up?
aff
4/28/2006 03:38:00 PM
Indeed dear Aff, and it is a sight to be feared by all. I often say, if ever I am faced with a choice to walk through a door bearing the sign: "Beware the hounds - enter at own risk" or one bearing the sign: "Beware the caffeineless C" I'll take my chances with the hounds any day...
Though I must commend you C on not bringing the house down when this coffee was served. The fact you regained composure rather than "chomping" is quite remarkable.
5/02/2006 08:11:00 AM
Yes Aff, I too am surprised it took me this long to blog about coffee - especially seeing as I am usually drinking the stuff when I'm blogging (and when I'm not).
Good T, I am afraid recent events have made me re-visit some of those dark,caffeine deprived tantrums - like always though, I save these for those who know me all too well
5/02/2006 02:17:00 PM
for the interest of people other than Terry and myself
chomping (v) - the act of saying something obscenely innapropriate in response to an event, act or conversation, and then regretting it. Derived from the phrase "to to put ones foot in ones mouth", "to chomp" refers to the extension of this analogy, where one then bights hard on ones own foot.
5/02/2006 02:27:00 PM
derek - the new guy at the cafe' nearby seems to have dissapeared (and no, I am not involved in any sort of underworld coffee activity).
.. so the coffee is back on track - am sipping a delightful double shot flatty as we speak.
5/03/2006 09:25:00 AM
There's a place near my house (Woden area) that sells oversized rubbish they refer to as a "flat white". I thought I'd be smart and order a flat white with "only a bit of milk please...". "Oh" says the "barista", "You mean like the Macchiato I make?". "Sure" I said, thinking "Oh Crap..." I received a flat white with marginally less milk than a standard flat white. O..M..G..
3/26/2007 01:27:00 PM
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