Coffee wasn't always such a big deal, you know. At one point, it was just something that truckers drank and diners served endless pots of in many places. But beverages grow, they change, and somehow there's been a boom where you need to know a little more about coffee than whether or not you want a small, medium, or large cup at McDonalds.
A lot of people who think they know a lot about coffee actually don't, really, because they assume that in cultures where coffee is consumed more, people know more about it. The fact of the matter is that just because a country drinks coffee every day, it doesn't mean that the people sitting in the cafes know any more or any less about it than your average Starbucks customer. It's just a part of the culture, and a huge part of socializing.
The real difference between a love for coffee and a strong like for it is knowing a little bit more about how it's made and where it comes from. For example, espresso is not a different type of coffee bean. Rather, it's a special kind of coffee beverage where the hot water is forced through well-packed, finely-ground coffee. The machine that makes espresso is where the beverage gets its name, and is actually only from 1901, when a man in Milan filed the very first patent. Unlike coffee, espresso has a foam, even without milk, and a thicker consistency. A truly good espresso, you see, will hold sugar you pour in for a couple of seconds before it breaks through the foam.
Anyone with a real love for coffee also knows that you don't have to start with espresso but rather, can enjoy some regular coffee with plenty of room for milk and sugar. If you simply must start right out with espresso, be aware: the good kind is much thicker than regular coffee, comes in a small cup, and should have a foamy upper layer that can hold a packet or spoonful of sugar, easy.
Learning to order coffee is one of the most important skills you can have as a socializing grown-up, and if you're going to be traveling the world and going out with people, there's no better time to learn than right now. If everyone else is ordering drinks with actual names, and not asking for "a shot" of something, then you need to not order a single or even double espresso. It will be much smaller than their drinks, and you will feel awkward. If bitter things aren't really your taste, then go for anything with mocha or leche, as you'll get chocolate and milk to cut the taste of the coffee.
But part of a love for coffee is appreciating all of the fun and fancy versions of drinks that have been developed, and trying them all out. Depending on where you are in the world, or the style of coffee you're sampling, a number of different things are used for flavor. Whether it's enjoying the taste of chocolate in a mocha or drizzling some sweet caramel-like sauce down in Argentina right into the coffee, it doesn't have to be a bitter-tasting drink experience.
Want to make sure you don't make any mistakes when you're out drinking coffee in public? Just order a simple beverage, and pay attention to what everyone else is getting. If they get elaborate foamy drinks that take a while to drink, and you're stuck holding a shot of espresso that's not designed to be sipped, then you're going to throw the balance off. Order a big drink when other people are ordering big drinks, and a small drink when people are ordering small drinks, and if in doubt, just add as much sugar as you want.
But the real reason for learning to drink coffee, even before developing a love for coffee, is to be able to socialize to your utmost potential in countries around the world where it's an important part of being communal. So remember what words mean milk and what words mean espresso, and get out there and start tasting!
When Damian Papworth hosts a major party he pulls out the 12 cup coffee maker. For typical mornings though one cup coffee makers are fine
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