FFF – Coffee

Coffee.  Joe.  Java.  Liquid Energy.

Here in France we simply call it café.

Now, before you get ahead of yourself and order yourself a cup of coffee, you first need to know what you’re ordering.  You seriously didn’t think you were going to jump off that transatlantic flight, jet-lagged and weary, and walk into the nearest café order a coffee and all would be good?  Oh, you did.  This is France and you have to know that the French pride themselves on doing things their own way.  (The fact that “their own way” differs from region to region is a different post altogether.)

So, here are some tips for you my North American friends.

If you order a coffee «un café s’il vous plaît» you’ll get something similar to an espresso: a lovely little bit of unadulterated sunshine in a cup.

Just a simple café

  Ask for a un noisette and you’ll get something similar to the café but with a little cream in it.  You could go retro and ask for a café au lait and, you guessed it, you’ll be rewarded with a cup of coffee with steamed milk.  If that doesn’t grab you order up a café crème and this time your coffee is mixed with hot cream.  If you don’t need the caffeine, un café décafféiné is the one for you but if you want milk or cream you’ll have to let your server know.

If the choice is too much or if you just have a hankering for home you can get un café americain.

It doesn’t end there however.  If you’re like me you can always order a cappuccino as your pousse-café!  Enjoy!