# UK coffee **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 2, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631 "2003-03-02T20:22:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sir\_Doris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Sir\_Doris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Doris)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631/41 "2003-03-04T10:46:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by G. Cornelius \* > \*\* > A major source of irritation: people who will insist on pronouncing espresso as “expresso” \*\* :o I had no idea I was doing it. I think my pronunciation is somewhere between the two, but will have to wait for the chance to find out. I’m not keen to start talking to myself in a full office. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631/42 "2003-03-04T11:57:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\* > Roasting to dark reduces caffeine. > I have beans, which I roast myself, which I would consider sinful to make espresso from. What a waste! > \*\* What!! You would use good coffee beans for drip rather than espresso. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![hammerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hammerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammerbach)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631/43 "2003-03-04T15:29:32Z")
French press, vacuum percolator, dark roasted, hot, strong, espresso, Bodum… A veritable litany of desire. I’m going out for coffee now. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631/44 "2003-03-05T00:19:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by antechinus \* > \*\*What!! You would use good coffee beans for drip rather than espresso. :rolleyes: \*\* I will _not_ subject my Sumatra Lake Tawar (Triple Pick) beans to the espresso method. Neither roast, nor brew. What a waste that would be. You don’t _need_ prime beans for espresso. The extra dark roast removes the elements you pay extra for. And the brew time is too short. And don’t :rolleyes: me untill you get some education on the subject. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631/45 "2003-03-05T00:29:11Z")
Ok, for those of you who are interested, I’m going to do you a favor. [http://www.sweetmarias.com/](http://www.sweetmarias.com/) If you’re curious, or interested in roasting as a hobby, this is a good place to start. ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631/46 "2003-03-05T01:34:46Z")
Thanks for that link, **mangeorge**. I had no idea that roasting at home was even an option. I do believe I’ll give that a try! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631/47 "2003-03-05T03:45:24Z")
Not a problem. **Morkfromork**. Someone here, on the SDMB, gave it to me a couple years ago. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631/48 "2003-03-05T12:24:45Z")
The only coffe I really like (apart from iced coffee, which is more in the milkshakes vein of drink than the “hot beverages” genre) is Arabic/Turkish coffee - specifically, that which also contains cardamom. It is really worth trying this drink, especially if you aren’t keen on “strong”, bitter coffee. The cardamom “lifts” the coffee, gives it a fresh, (minty? but not quite) nuance, even very thick strong coffee with sludgy grinds in the bottom becomes bearable with cardamom. The amount added varies from a small hint of flavour, to a strong, scented tone. Perhaps the only parallel might be bergamot oil in Earl Grey tea. Also here they have the local Gulf coffee, or qahwa(sp?), which is more like a herb tea kind of thing. Very little coffee, nearly all cardamom, quite weak, served in tiny little cups unsweetened, no milk, you are supposed to consume it with dates on the side for sweetness. But seriously, all coffee lovers and coffee agnostics should try the cardamom variety. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-coffee/158631.md?page=2)