My Experience with European Coffee

Initially, I thought coffee preparation and drinking methods were the same worldwide. However, my first encounter with the differences in coffee culture happened on the plane. On my usual Asian trips, they would serve coffee with cream and sugar packets. On the flight to Europe, they served plain coffee, which surprised me.

Not used to drinking coffee this way, we asked the flight attendants for creamer. They did provide it upon request, but it wasn't the usual powdered creamer. Instead, they gave us small single-use milk containers. I wondered why they didn’t serve it with the coffee in the first place.

At hotels, breakfast was the same: just coffee, nothing else. Some hotels, upon seeing Asian faces, would ask if we wanted milk with our coffee. I found this strange since back home, we typically drink coffee with milk if we don’t like it sweetened. When they specifically asked if we wanted milk, I started to wonder how Europeans typically drank their coffee. Maybe they used cheese instead of milk, given the abundance of cheese at breakfast buffets.

Adding the small milk containers to the coffee made it quite weak. Adding sugar made it too sweet. The coffee, sugar, and milk didn’t seem to complement each other. The coffee didn’t have the rich, deep flavour I was used to, and it was difficult to enjoy it plain.

Some hotels had coffee machines offering various options, including the familiar espresso and cappuccino. I was thrilled to see a selection of cups in different sizes. I chose a large cup and pressed the button for espresso, only to receive a small amount of coffee. I wondered if the machine was malfunctioning or if more would come out, but that was it.

Later, I learned that Europeans start their mornings with a quick shot of espresso. They drink it in one go and start their day. This explained the small cups provided for espresso.

It might seem strange to us Asians that Europeans don’t savour their coffee. But in reality, many travel bloggers and food critics describe Italy as a haven for coffee lovers. Despite rushing to work, they enjoy leisurely coffee breaks with colleagues, often drinking other types of coffee besides espresso.

I also learned that in coffee shops, drinking coffee on the premises costs more than taking it to go. This is quite different from our culture, where takeaway usually costs more than dining in.

I used to think that espresso and cappuccino were like our different types of tea with varying levels of sweetness. But it’s more than that; their preparation methods differ. Espresso isn’t just coffee grounds mixed with hot water. It involves putting coffee grounds in a small container in a heated water pot. The heat creates pressure, turning the coffee grounds into a liquid extract, which is then consumed. Europeans appreciate the effort and craftsmanship behind this process, so adding milk or sugar seems like an affront to the coffee’s natural flavour.

Over time, I struggled with drinking coffee. Adding milk and sugar didn’t make it any better, and my desire for coffee waned. But I had no other choice for a morning beverage besides coffee. Realizing that it wouldn’t taste good with additives, I decided to drink it plain.

Surprisingly, drinking plain coffee felt refreshing, much like drinking hot water. I finally understood that coffee can be enjoyed without milk or sugar.

Please make sure that our environment is not destroyed by our actions.
-May Thoon Khit-