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If you want more clarification in French, you can ask for un café crème, un café allongé, une noisette, or any number of other variations.

FrenchMystiqueTours

Sometimes when I'm in a bar/café and ask for "un café" the barman will ask, in a question tone, if what I want is an expresso. So then there's that to confuse you.

kerouac

That's because of your accent. If you had a French accent, the server would not ask. ;-)

Whathello

Try to find a barman with a sense of service and an IQ above 3,5. Ok, it is difficult, as I know none who fits the bill ;-)

Loacker

Whathello, that's arrogant and demeaning. Some of the brightest minds have worked as waiters or barmen in order to fund their studies.

Whathello

Loaker
You're being stupid. But if you feel good to intervene in some chatting to prove your rectitude of mind and your puritanism, be my guest and get on youre high horses.
Ever heard of emoticon, by the way ?
None needed in this post.

bilboburgler

ah, the hidden sexism of it all ;-)

calm down guys, it's only coffee

Whathello

You're right Bilbo.
But I rere

Whathello

But I reread Loacker's post with his/her mindset.
This post implies that the barmen/barwomen are only bright if they fund their studies.

So Loacker's post is extremely demeaning towards the professional barmen. The one who don't do this job to finance their studies.
Am I wrong here?

For all Loacker knows, I could very well be a barman. (And it did remind me that I have been used as a barman on several occasions - I was a very lousy one actually).

Venere... and too soon to have a drink at a bar ;-)

fuzzbucket

Whatever you do, do not ever order a "cappuccino" in Paris.
What you'll get is an over-priced glass or china cup with watered-down coffee, topped with as much souffle-like foam as possible, and possibly some ground chocolate to beef up the price - usually 7 - 10 EU. Since it takes a long time to mound up all that foam, the drink will be stone-cold when it finally gets to you.

If you want milk in your large cup of coffee, order "un grand creme".

FrenchMystiqueTours

I guess I'll never be able to blend in and live like a local.

annhig

I guess I'll never be able to blend in and live like a local.>>

lol, FrenchMystique, the friend with whom I'm going to France next week is an american who has lived in the UK for over 40 years but she is still "American", and that's with speaking the same language [well, sort of].

IMO it is very, very hard to pass as a local if you've not been born and brought up in the country.

Whathello

Not in the country.
Not enough to blend in. People from the south or north don't blend either. I don't. They hear my Belgian accent. I can not fool them.

annhig

Come to that, no-one would ever mistake me for a born and bred Cornish woman.

kerouac

Whatever you do, do not ever order a "cappuccino" in Paris.

I have noticed that the spectacular coin-operated coffee machines (all made in Italy) at the autoroute service stations now propose both 'Italian cappuccino' and 'French cappuccino' which confirms that they are two different products.

I do disagree a bit fuzzbucket's description of cappuccino in cafés. I've always seen it to be a café crème topped with whipped cream and chocolate powder sprinkles. Totally overpriced but not as disgusting as fuzzy's description makes it sound.

kerouac

A real Parigot will order a kawa.

PatrickLondon

Personally, I always ask for "un allongé" in France. And do slow batistas in England or anywhere it's usually because I'm stuck behind some committee meeting debating whether Sharon wanted a frothafrappelattemochaccino with or without sprinkles. Just get me a sodding black coffee already!

(I think I might secretly be a New Yorker).

fuzzbucket

kerouac - this is what I have seen when people order "cappuccino" in cafes in the Marais (not the hipster joints), on and near the Champs-Elysees, around the Opera Garnier. The look on their faces is pure disappointment - followed by pure disbelief when they ask for the bill.

I do agree with you that the various coffees which come from those automated machines are much more interesting, tastier - and a lot cheaper - than what is available in cafes. The problem is that I can never make up my mind about which to choose...

Whathello

Thanks Kerouac, I was wondering when kawa would come.
I've got some colleagues who don't know how to spell 'café'.

kawh

For the machines I do 2espresso shots and 1 call.....a perfect drink. But that's at a hotel, when it's free....