I drink my coffee black. In Paris this seems to be an espresso which is ok but not really what I want. What do I ask for if I want a normal sized cup of coffee with no cream?

I'm not sure if they put milk in a &quot;cafe americain&quot;, but you might try asking for that. You can always go to McDonalds -- I believe they have the kind of coffee you're looking for.<BR><BR>

You will have no problem getting black coffee in Paris -- DH drinks only black coffee. Can ask for &quot;Black American coffee&quot; or &quot;Black Coffee American size&quot; or &quot;Black Coffee Large Size&quot; or &quot;black cafe american&quot;.<BR>However, it will be served in a cup -- no mugs like USA dinners or super-sized Starbuck cups.<BR><BR>Sometimes when he wanted expresso he asked for a double size.

Order Cafe Americain or Cafe long (longzh) or cafe grande.

A cafe allonge (ah-lon-zhay) is an espresso with hot water added.

OK what do I order that is close to coffee with cream Amerocan style??<BR><BR>In my several trips I've never succeeded in getting it. <BR>Hard to get going in the morning

I maybe wrong, but if I recall, normally coffee was served in small carafes with a second carafe of hot milk to be added. So...if you want black, just don't add the milk...voila.

For Ed: Cafe Creme, or Grand Creme. It's between cappuccino and coffee with cream. Beware, you'll get hooked - as it sure gets (and keeps) you going.

in response to the first question (Kay), it's not really that easy so don't count on it. YOu can get it as some places that are American-oriented, such as Tex-Mex diners, there are a couple chains of those (Indiana Cafe is one, and the Mustang Cafe up near La Coupole has decent food with regular black coffee). I don't know if these Tex-Mex chains are American or just trying to be trendy, but they have that style food. <BR><BR>I only asked for &quot;American black coffee&quot; once when it was on a cafe's menu (near the Musee d'Orsay) and it was real swill, simply awful. I have had good somewhat strong, flavorful black brewed coffee for breakfast (but NOT espresso) at hotels in their breakfast room. Other than that, even though I do not drink coffee with cream or milk at home, I have learned to go with the flow in Paris and drink cafe creme. McDonald's is a good bet in a pinch because their coffee is not bad and is cheap--their espresso is more like strong black coffee, not real espresso.<BR>

This post makes me laugh because my husband struggles to find an American-size cup of black coffee in France. Before our last trip, I read in a guidebook a tongue-in-cheek French term for American coffee: jus du chausette, or sock juice. I think the term refers to American coffee tasting like the water in which one washes socks. I taught my non-French speaking (says his Bavarian bone structure won't permit speaking French) husband the little phrase, which he used one morning in a bar where we were having breakfast. The server looked at him with that &quot;how'd he know that?&quot; expression, grinned and served him a large cup of black coffee. A fun travel memory.