I have a question for all of you who frequent the restaurants in Paris/Italy: I've been traveling to Paris/Italy since 1988. It was almost my understanding that a cafe creme was an espresso with steamed milk (NOT foamy like a cappucino, just hot with barely a foam). If my memory serves me correctly, that is what I've always been served until the past few years. The last few visits to Paris I've been served a variety of coffee beverages, while I always order a cafe creme. It seems sometimes when they figure you are an American, they go ahead and assume you want regular drip coffee with milk or an "Americano." So, I've resorted to saying specifically that I would like a double shot of espresso in a large cup with steamed milk on the side. This has produced the right result and I get what I think of as a cafe creme. I think this mostly happens while ordering cafe in restaurants (as opposed to cafes which usually give you the right drink), hotel restaurants being the most frequent "Assumers" (assuming my theory is correct). Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this happening...... I think maybe they are trying to cater more to what American tourists "Want" or what they think Americans want. Any thoughts?

Well, that's one of the problems with the French. They always think they know everything, including reading your mind to determine what you are thinking when you order coffee. Your solution of specifically defining what you want, element by element, is the only way to make sure you get what you want. My personal experience with cafe' creme is not the same as yours, strangely. I have always been given a normal size cup of coffee (not the espresso size) along with a cup or container of regular milk, not hot. So I suppose it depends on where you are, how many tourists preceded you with their own preferences, and how clairvoyant your waiter is. Interesting topic.

I have never ever had that happen to me, but I don't frequent hotel restaurants in Paris, so that could be the reason. A cafe creme would not be a normal thing to order with a meal, anyway, so maybe that's why if you are ordering that in a restaurant with a meal. I've never had a place that even had regular drop coffee or served anything called a cafe Americano (? that is Spanish, isn't it, in France it would be cafe americain). So maybe it's the places you frequent, also, if they are in the more touristy areas or something.

I would like to get real plain black drip coffee instead of cafe creme at times, but haven't been able to (except in hotel breakfast rooms).

What you describe as a cafe creme (at the top) is what I get when I order that, always, except I don't think the coffee is really as thick as espresso (I might be wrong as it usually comes mixed already).

Actually, Italian type of speciality coffees are better than the french roast. By the way, asking specifically for what you want is a very french thing to do. I do not understand the concept of trying to change people in other countries into what we want. Is that why you go there? In addition, the people that use this forum to insult the french-obviously do not enjoy going to france, so find a forum that discusses political aspects of the country if that is what you want. The rest of us want travel info.

I have travelled around France several times, and always look for real cream. Even in Normandy, I could not find it in any store of any type. The french use cream to create many delicacies. Where does one obtain real cream, not creme fraiche, but REAL CREAM?

So what do I ask for if I just want a plain black coffee?

that's not easily answered.
As said above, unless the restaurant is used to catering to Americans, my experience has been that it?s hard to get American-style coffee. ?Cafe creme? is, as Christina hinted, considered a breakfast item by the French as is cappuccino. This doesn?t mean that you absolutely can?t get milky coffee after dinner, it?s just not French and it?s not guaranteed. In the afternoon, if you ask for just ?un café?, nine times out of ten unless they are used to American tourists they won't ask any more questions and just bring you an espresso. Sometimes they ask you if you want "un cafe noir" (a black coffee). If you say yes, you'll still get an espresso. In the afternoon or evening, if you hopefully inquire if they have cafe americain, this is what you sometimes get: a regular-size coffee cup with a shot of espresso at the bottom, plus a small pitcher filled with hot water, to dilute the stuff. Then there was a separate little pitcher of milk. Every once in a while, you ask for cafe americain and get a drip process mild flavored coffee.

If you want to be sure of getting an American-style coffee try a McDonalds. Seriously.

This thread got me thinking about coffee in Paris, so I have to plug Cafe Francais on the Place de la Bastille (near Rue Saint Antoine). When I order a cafe creme there, they bring a pot of very strong coffee and a pot of steamed milk. You can mix whatever combination you like, and it comes out to about two and a half cups. Perfect!

It was my understanding that a cafe americain was simply un cafe (espress) with hot water to dilute it (as stated by elaine). If they have drip, that definitly must be catering to the americans as French will always have espress or presse. To clarify: we usually only order a cafe creme for breakfast (and not after dinner as some have suggested), and usually NOT in "Touristy" places....although maybe Americans have been there enough so that would explain why the assumption is now made that we don't want espress (we do want it!). Anyway, we only noticed this "Problem" in recent years. We really want what was known to the French people as cafe creme a while back. Since the mistake has been made more than a few times, we have now resorted to the specific ordering method and it has been working and we're sticking to it. I was just curious if anyone else had noticed this "Phenomenon." The nice thing I noticed if you keep going back to the same cafe, or if you stay at the same hotel long enough they just know what you want. Thanks for the comments!

I always order what I drink at home, "cafe au lait." A pot of hot coffee and a pitcher of hot milk is what it is.

I forgot to add, that is only served in the mornings for breakfast.

I've noticed in several places when you ask for cafe creme they give you a large cup of coffee with those awful cups of creamer, and cafe au lait is coffee with hot milk (much better). What I like most is a 'noisette'; an espresso with some milk added. Although they don't call this a noisette everywhere.