Having just returned from another sojourn to the UK & Europe, i thought it worthwhile to relate my coffee experiences whilst there.
Despite an ever increasing growth in the number of Cafe /coffee shops in the UK..( every other building in central London seems to be a cafe now !) ... they have managed to maintain an amazing consistency of coffee quality...unfortunately that standard is appallingly bad !
Happily, Starbucks are now well outnumbered by coffee chains such as "Cafe Nero", Costas", and "Pauls" who all seem to have reasonable commercial equipment ( manual / auto espresso machines, pro grinders etc ), ..but few seemed to have a Barista /operator who knew how to use it properly.
Often a request for a "piccolo" or a "long black" were met with confused stares, or a .. "sorry, we dont do that" ,..comments. Even simple lattes or flat whites were rendered barely drinkable by over extracted shots and thin , untextured milk ( sometimes even "long life" sterilised milk !)
After 2 weeks of trying , we never found a satisfactory brew in London or any of the other towns visited . I guess they just have not developed a taste for a better coffee ?
Europe ( Belgium) was little better, with most cafes seeming to focus on speed rather than quality, which seems odd in a society with a tradition of well established independent cafes and quality restaurants.
Strangely, the best coffee experience came from a small "hole in the wall" ..AMT vending booth in a rail station where the barista produces a memorable "strong latte" in a take away paper cup !
To cap off a dismal coffee travel experience, whilst grimacing over a glass of warm sterilized milk masquerading as a latte,.... i was relieved of a backpack full of valuables , cameras laptop, etc etc, by a talented group of thieves who managed the hoiste in seconds without me noticing, despite my being on high alert for just such an event !.
.. So, in summary if you are planning a trip to these areas, dont expect a satisfying cup very often, and DO expect to be robbed,..no matter how careful you think you are being
Despite an ever increasing growth in the number of Cafe /coffee shops in the UK..( every other building in central London seems to be a cafe now !) ... they have managed to maintain an amazing consistency of coffee quality...unfortunately that standard is appallingly bad !
Happily, Starbucks are now well outnumbered by coffee chains such as "Cafe Nero", Costas", and "Pauls" who all seem to have reasonable commercial equipment ( manual / auto espresso machines, pro grinders etc ), ..but few seemed to have a Barista /operator who knew how to use it properly.
Often a request for a "piccolo" or a "long black" were met with confused stares, or a .. "sorry, we dont do that" ,..comments. Even simple lattes or flat whites were rendered barely drinkable by over extracted shots and thin , untextured milk ( sometimes even "long life" sterilised milk !)
After 2 weeks of trying , we never found a satisfactory brew in London or any of the other towns visited . I guess they just have not developed a taste for a better coffee ?
Europe ( Belgium) was little better, with most cafes seeming to focus on speed rather than quality, which seems odd in a society with a tradition of well established independent cafes and quality restaurants.
Strangely, the best coffee experience came from a small "hole in the wall" ..AMT vending booth in a rail station where the barista produces a memorable "strong latte" in a take away paper cup !
To cap off a dismal coffee travel experience, whilst grimacing over a glass of warm sterilized milk masquerading as a latte,.... i was relieved of a backpack full of valuables , cameras laptop, etc etc, by a talented group of thieves who managed the hoiste in seconds without me noticing, despite my being on high alert for just such an event !.
.. So, in summary if you are planning a trip to these areas, dont expect a satisfying cup very often, and DO expect to be robbed,..no matter how careful you think you are being
Comment