Sean and I have enjoyed the last two days off together and they were awesome. We slept in, went out for breakfast, went for a bike ride, ran some errands, made dinner together, watched a movie and got some ice cream. It's been awhile since I've worked 40+ hours in a week before and am realizing that days off are quite holy and should be treasured and valued accordingly.
Something Sean and I like to do when we have some free time is go out for a real cup of coffee. In the morning we drink powdered instant coffee since we don't have a coffee maker and coffee beans are pretty expensive anyway. New Zealand has great coffee (supposedly the best coffee is in Wellington, on the North Island) but some of the names of common drinks are a little different here such as: short black, long black and flat white.
short black - single shot of espresso
long black - single shot with hot water added (an Americano)
short/long macchiato - short/ long black with a proportional splash of foam or milk (macchiato means stained)
flat white - single shot with textured milk
Yesterday we got coffee and I had a 'flat white' which tasted like it was supposed to: coffee and milk, and Sean had a 'long black'. The flat white seems to be the drink of choice around here and everyone will argue that it's quite different than a cappuccino or a latte. Here's what Wikipedia says it is:
"A flat white is a coffee beverage originating from Australia. It is prepared by pouring microfoam (steamed milk from the bottom of a pitcher) over a single or double shot of espresso. It is similar to the latte and the cafe au lait. Like other espresso-based beverages, it can be interpreted various ways. The beverage is typically served in a small, 150–160 millilitre, ceramic cup. Microfoam is used, resulting in a smooth and velvety texture."
Who knew that there existed such specific differences between coffee drinks and styles around the world? In any case, we intend to keep sampling in order to get a well-rounded (and caffeinated) education on coffee.
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