13 Comments
User's avatar
Chloe Hope's avatar

This was fascinating! And dangerous. Because it’s almost 10pm and now I want coffee. Quite often, as I’m falling asleep, I’ll smile to myself thinking, ‘Just a few hours until coffee’. You will, however, have to tear my bialetti from my cold dead hands.

Expand full comment
Jo Candiano's avatar

Drink the 10pm coffee! My dad is a night owl, which he passed on to me (thanks, dad). He would regularly wake up in the middle of the night with insomnia, get up, make an espresso on his bialetti, watch some European sport on the tele, then go back to bed. I haven't resorted to the middle-of-the-night espresso yet...

Expand full comment
Kathleen Clare Waller's avatar

I went to Melbourne for my friend's wedding about ten years ago and had THE BEST coffee of my life, not just once but every day on that trip. So I will believe what a Melbourne gal has to say about beans!

(also, I have a Nespresso machine...a little easy one that my kid could use as a toddler. I aim to have the real thing one day but my life is just too unfixed at the moment :) )

Expand full comment
Jo Candiano's avatar

I'm sure we have great coffee but it just hits the back and sides of my tongue in the wrong way! Where did you go for coffee in Melbourne?

Expand full comment
Kathleen Clare Waller's avatar

I cannot remember!! :)

Is it called 'in the lanes'? Those alleys with all the spots to get coffee and avocado toast? Divine.

Expand full comment
Jo Candiano's avatar

The city's a lot of fun in terms of food and drink.

Expand full comment
Jules's avatar

Coffee is one of the things I can't give up. A day without it is unthinkable, unless one is bedridden and nauseous, as I was after vaccinations. I drink 2 large cups a day, usually a strong latte made in my bialetti with milk boiled in a pan. Italian blend. If drinking out I might vary it with a cap or lately a flat white. Your espresso with sugar would send me into orbit so best avoided. No sugar, no fancy flavouring. My husband once tried a flavoured one in a coffee shop. I just watched as his face contract with horror. He never made that mistake again.

Expand full comment
Karl Straub's avatar

I find many of the coffee drinks on offer at Starbucks to be quite horrifying.

Expand full comment
Jo Candiano's avatar

The trick is to not think of them as coffee. They are cooling/warming sweet drinks.

Expand full comment
Jules's avatar

I'll second that.

Expand full comment
Jo Candiano's avatar

Ha! I used to drink soy lattes, lattes with hazelnut syrup, vanilla syrup. That's what a year in the US will do to you! I have turned off milk coffees though as they make me too full. But I used to love a good soy latte!

Expand full comment
Karl Straub's avatar

I’m with you on this.

Expand full comment
Jo Candiano's avatar

That pleases me. Obviously I only want people around who agree with me.

Expand full comment