Of interest: The 2005 book A History of the World in Six Glasses by Thomas Standage, a survey of world history, as reflected through six of the most popular drinks of all time — beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola — each of which was was “the defining drink during a pivotal historical period.”
You know by now, of course, that I am an unabashed fan of espresso. But it comes with a cost, and the cost is those demitasse cups just look so damn silly. Perfectly functional, but silly. Though I do recall something sillier. I dropped into a coffee shop — and you can tell pretty quickly whether you’re in a coffee shop or a cafe, and I think the main difference is that cafes have demitasse cups; and don’t get me going on the joints that don’t have anything but paper cups — and ordered an espresso. At least this place had an espresso machine. Watched the kid behind the counter fumble around with it for a while until he poured my shot into something akin to a Big Gulp cup. He looked at the machine as if it had malfunctioned, decided it hadn’t, handed me the cup and asked, “Do you want any coffee with that?” By the time whatever espresso didn’t stick to the side of the cup reached my lips, it was lukewarm. But the kid had tried.
The next question, why a demitasse looks silly while an old-fashioned glass filled a sixth of the way up doesn’t look silly at all, well, I suppose that’s a question for another day. Or the final block of dialogue in the strip.
Around here people drink ICED coffee, at least part of the year. And they pay $5 and up for each container. And they seem to buy as many as 3 or 4 per day. That’s more expensive than cigarettes (way more expensive than when I gave them up). Suppose you buy 2 per day for the 250 working days of the year: That’s $2,500. For caffeine!. My son spends about $10/week for plain ol’ coffee which is about 20% of that. And I spend $zero (I do buy tea and caffeinated sodas though, so about $150/year)
I was stationed with NATO in Italy for a couple of years (some while ago now) and when you ordered a cup of coffee in a coffee bar there you would get what we Americans refer to as espresso. At work we had a few US military along with a mix of other counties military and four Italian civilians. The folks from Italy, and the other countries, would make fun of us Americans for drinking colored water instead of real coffee. I never did acquire a taste for Italian coffee, but that’s probably just my deficiency. The only real problem I had with it was the tiny cups… I like to drink from a big cup and take my time. That would be a major disaster with Italian coffee, you just can’t (or shouldn’t) drink that much high octane coffee in one sitting. 8^)
Nachikethass about 5 years ago
Ah, the Universal Warmer, amber and smooth, I presume?
RAGs about 5 years ago
I prefer Guinness with a shot of Irish whiskey in it, a multi purpose Beveridge (warms you up and kills pain)
nosirrom about 5 years ago
I like grandpa’s idea. I’ll take a shot at it.
rshive about 5 years ago
Don’t even know what Espresso is—some kind of coffee I guess.
asrialfeeple about 5 years ago
I don’t see how people can drink coffee.
stellanova87 about 5 years ago
If I want to be warmed up in the evening I’ll have a Peppermint Patty (hot chocolate, peppermint schnapps, and whipped cream).
Richard S Russell Premium Member about 5 years ago
Of interest: The 2005 book A History of the World in Six Glasses by Thomas Standage, a survey of world history, as reflected through six of the most popular drinks of all time — beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola — each of which was was “the defining drink during a pivotal historical period.”
Holilubillkori Premium Member about 5 years ago
I love an occasional evening with Jack… ;^)
Bradley Walker about 5 years ago
Why no third balloon in the last panel?
dadlivonia about 5 years ago
actually, and ounce and a half
sandpiper about 5 years ago
Grandpa has it right: when it’s nippy outside, it’s time for a little nippy inside.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] about 5 years ago
Well the body has to generate extra heat to normalize it in your gut.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] about 5 years ago
Blog PostsFrazz13 hrs ·
You know by now, of course, that I am an unabashed fan of espresso. But it comes with a cost, and the cost is those demitasse cups just look so damn silly. Perfectly functional, but silly. Though I do recall something sillier. I dropped into a coffee shop — and you can tell pretty quickly whether you’re in a coffee shop or a cafe, and I think the main difference is that cafes have demitasse cups; and don’t get me going on the joints that don’t have anything but paper cups — and ordered an espresso. At least this place had an espresso machine. Watched the kid behind the counter fumble around with it for a while until he poured my shot into something akin to a Big Gulp cup. He looked at the machine as if it had malfunctioned, decided it hadn’t, handed me the cup and asked, “Do you want any coffee with that?” By the time whatever espresso didn’t stick to the side of the cup reached my lips, it was lukewarm. But the kid had tried.
The next question, why a demitasse looks silly while an old-fashioned glass filled a sixth of the way up doesn’t look silly at all, well, I suppose that’s a question for another day. Or the final block of dialogue in the strip.
Concretionist about 5 years ago
Around here people drink ICED coffee, at least part of the year. And they pay $5 and up for each container. And they seem to buy as many as 3 or 4 per day. That’s more expensive than cigarettes (way more expensive than when I gave them up). Suppose you buy 2 per day for the 250 working days of the year: That’s $2,500. For caffeine!. My son spends about $10/week for plain ol’ coffee which is about 20% of that. And I spend $zero (I do buy tea and caffeinated sodas though, so about $150/year)
bike2sac about 5 years ago
Rum in eggnog
sml7291 Premium Member about 5 years ago
I was stationed with NATO in Italy for a couple of years (some while ago now) and when you ordered a cup of coffee in a coffee bar there you would get what we Americans refer to as espresso. At work we had a few US military along with a mix of other counties military and four Italian civilians. The folks from Italy, and the other countries, would make fun of us Americans for drinking colored water instead of real coffee. I never did acquire a taste for Italian coffee, but that’s probably just my deficiency. The only real problem I had with it was the tiny cups… I like to drink from a big cup and take my time. That would be a major disaster with Italian coffee, you just can’t (or shouldn’t) drink that much high octane coffee in one sitting. 8^)
Daeder about 5 years ago
Ah, coffee! The chewing tobacco of beverages.
It’s as disgusting as it is addictive, and there’s always the goopy, brown mess it leaves behind.