211 322
COFFEE
211
July14
How do you “do” coffee? Are there
any cultural traditions you can tell
us about?
Where do you go to
get your coffee here
and why?
Brazilians like their coffee very sweet. Fill a very small cup halfway
with fine, non-crystallised sugar. Pour extremely concentrated coffee
(about 75 grams of coffee per litre of water) on top and sip. The coffee
will be so thick you can almost eat it with a spoon.
For breakfast, Brazilians pair a cup of sweet coffee with
pão de
queijo
(small, chewy tapioca flour buns with lots of cheese). Both are
available on every street corner; it’s a must-try combination.
“
Un caffe, per favore
” means “One coffee, please.” It’s the only phrase
you need to receive a single espresso, in a properly pre-warmed cup,
with sugar on the side. Coffee equals a single espresso, period. One
shot in the morning, before going to work, one during the coffee break
and the last one after lunch. The actual intake of caffeine is similar to
one or two Americanos; it’s just the concentration in the espresso cup
that makes it feel stronger.
Never order a cappuccino after midday: it’s strictly breakfast stuff
for us.
We have two very different ways of drinking coffee. For breakfast it’s
usually a filter or instant coffee in a large bowl, not too strong, black
or with milk. This what we have with our toast or with croissants, and
dunking is allowed.
During a date or for a café coffee, you order an espresso made
with a proper espresso machine. The French very rarely take milk in
coffee, only for breakfast; and it’s easy to spot the tourists, as they
ask for milk with their coffee and butter with their bread.
Coffee shops in Australia are varied, but you can always rely on good
coffee and a great atmosphere. Drinking coffee is really an all-day
thing, and like in a lot of countries, grabbing a takeaway on the way
to work is almost a tradition. Of course, there’s nothing better than a
weekend big brekkie with a steady flow of coffee to see you through
the morning papers.
I worked for Starbucks in Thailand for four years,
so I can’t help but be attached to the brand.
Big brands like Starbucks can be trusted to
consistently provide high quality coffee and do a
good job of sourcing their beans ethically.
We run five restaurants in town (mangiatutto.
com.sg), so I really don’t have much time to
spend in any other establishment. Each of
our restaurants has a professional machine
imported from Italy, so I make my own coffee
all the time.
Smitten in Robertson Quay and the Tiong Bahru
Bakery serve coffee like back home. Paul in Tanglin
Mall also offers decent coffee and good croissants
and bread. I sometimes have breakfast meetings
at Hediard in Tudor Court shopping arcade, where
they serve good coffee and croissants.
Most of my coffee drinking is done conveniently
at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf or Starbucks;
it’s a fantastic way to re-energise after a
hard session of exercise. I do enjoy a latte
at Beviamo, or the Melbourne-Italian icon
Brunetti. In the city, I don’t mind a good drop
at Sarnies in Telok Ayer Street.