October 1, 2008

  • Automatic cappuccino

    Recently, the University's cafe/canteen offers a free upgrade of regular coffee to "instantly ground coffee" (即磨咖啡).  With purchases of any combos that come with hot drinks, patrons can ask for the free upgrade to the.  While they call it "instantly ground coffee" in Chinese (即磨咖啡), I guess it is automatic cappuccino.

    When people call it "即磨咖啡", I don't think people know what kind of coffee it is; people don't even care about it.  All it cares is the differentiation between the coffee made by (1) an auto coffee machine and (2) coffee made by dripping (e.g. Mr Coffee).  People can surely and competently differentiate between (1) and (2).  However, the type of coffee is not very much a concern!

    I am not a professional coffee person.  But a lot of people in Hong Kong would categorizes coffee in the following layman ways:

    1. 3-in-1 Instant coffee (i.e. the sachet of instant coffee is to be mixed with hot water; stir it; done.  The most inexpensive way)
    2. Home made or local tea restaurant (茶餐廳) coffee (i.e.  Made by dripping or french press)
    3. "instantly ground coffee (即磨咖啡)" (i.e. coffee made by an electronic-operated machine.  Usually it's automatic cappuccino)
    4. Starbucks coffee (i.e. costly and professional coffee.  Trying to be cool holding the Starbucks in hand.)

    hahahahaaha!