A Chic French Way to Drink Your Coffee (2024)

FAQs

How do French people drink their coffee? ›

The French love their coffee, especially after a large meal. Rather than indulging in milky lattés and cappuccinos, enjoy short pulls of espresso (referred to in France simply as café) all day long. For a longer pull of espresso—or something more similar to an American-style coffee—order a café allongé.

café noisette (countable and uncountable, plural cafés noisette) An espresso with a dash of hot milk. It is a hazelnut color. The hot milk is either poured in by the barista before serving, or served in a small pot for the drinker to pour.

The French do drink differently. – They consume most of their alcohol as wine and mainly at meal times. Friends rarely meet for drink in France, they drink with food, so they'll meet you for dinner or lunch. Yes, they are the champions of the “aperitif” but very much as a pre-meal experience—no pre-loading here.

☕️ TOP COFFEE TIP!

Here in France coffee is served black so if you want milk and sugar you need to ask for it. What is this? Also, your coffee will be served in a small espresso sized cup, unless you say otherwise. Remember to use the phrase “avec lait et sucre” if you want milk and sugar added.

A Café au Lait is typically a breakfast drink. Very similar to a Cappuccino, a Café Crème is an Espresso-based drink topped with a substantial amount of milky foam. This is again considered a breakfast drink and would not be typically drunk after 11am.

Drink in Moderation. Gentlemanliness requires moderation during alcohol consumption. It's advised to keep the amount consumed under control and remember that you're drinking to enjoy. Drinking in moderation, savoring the drink, is a sign of elegance.

Why eat cheese after dinner, rather than beforehand? There are a bunch of good reasons. For example, the savoriness seems to go better with after-dinner drinks and help bring out their sweetness without overloading on sugar. Also if you've already had dinner, you're less likely to stuff yourself with cheeses.

While French roast goes beyond the traditional dark coffee, it is not the darkest. French roast yields a cup of coffee that is not too bitter and does not taste overdone. Italian roast, on the other hand, undergoes a longer roasting duration than French roast, which brings out a more bitter and burnt flavour.

Do French people drink coffee from bowls? ›

Typically, the French have their café au lait at home, with breakfast, in a bowl.

Almost all French people have bread for breakfast. Toasted or not, it is eaten with butter and/or jam, honey or chocolate spread, and dipped into their mug of coffee. Although this can be a bit messy with crumbles of bread falling into the coffee and drops of coffee falling on the table, the French love it.

Order Like the French: “Un Café”

A café is ordered by simply asking for “un café.” A standard café is either served with two pieces of sugar on the side, or sugar is available behind the counter.

The French take coffee drinking seriously, And, how they “take” their coffee depends largely on the time of day. In the morning, they usually have café crème or café au lait – coffee with warm cream or milk. In the afternoon, or after a meal, they usually have un café – a small, but strong black…