Coffee time!

When in France, double-check the coffee lexicon before ordering!

Did you know that in my early adult years, I was a barista? Oh yes! I was good at it, too. I worked at a little chain in Winchester, Virginia called The Daily Grind. I learned about how to steam the milk to the right temperature and pour a cappuccino or latte or whatever was requested.

Those days are long gone, but I never abandoned my love for coffee.

---

In France, it’s important to know the different coffee names on the menu, because you can easily be served something you didn’t ask for.

So here’s my guide to the different coffee names in France:

Café - yes, this means coffee. But you’re not going to get a brewed cup unless you’re at a hotel (and even then, maybe not). When I first arrived in Paris in 2022, I grabbed a book and walked to a restaurant on Boulevard Arago in the 13th arrondisement. Once inside, I ordered a ‘café’, hoping for a cup of coffee. No, sir. I got a shot of expresso in a cute tiny little cup. I had to walk back up to the coffee bar and ask for a little carafe of milk. Awkward! So a ‘café’ is actually a shot of espresso.

In France, it’s important to know what the different coffee names are on a menu, because you can easily be served something you didn’t ask for.

The noisette: a shot of espresso with a little milk foam

Noisette - this word actually means ‘hazelnut’ in French. When I first came across this on the coffee menu I thought, “great, a hazelnut coffee!” Wrong. A noisette is an espresso with a dollop of milk/foam on top. I did a little research and found that it is likely called noisette becaus it’s a light brown color, like that of a hazelnut.

Allongé - in Italy this is known as the lungo. If you’re an Americano drinker, this is the one for you. It’s basically a shot or two (or three) of espresso with hot water. True story: I once met an American visiting Paris and she told me the morning she arrived that she went to a restaurant to order an ‘Americano’. They served her an espresso martini. Oops.

Allongé - the French Americano

Café crème - this is usually what I order. Depending on how it’s made, it’s either a strong espresso with milk or a strong americano with less milk. I’ve had mixed experiences and have had to ask for extra carafes of milk just to cut the acidic taste of a strong coffee with not enough milk.

Café au lait - If you order this - technically it’s half brewed/pressed coffee and half milk - you may end up with a cafe crème. Sometimes it’s ‘all the same’ depending on the cafe or restaurant, probably because brewed coffee seems to be a thing of the past (to my great sadness).

Café crème (left), café au lait (center), latte macchiato (right)

Café latte or latte macchiato - Sometimes I ask for a cafe crème and they say ‘cafe latte?’ and I am served a tall glass where I can see the separation of the brown espresso and the white milk. Sometimes - even for me - it’s too much milk. (Funny story: my mom ordered a ‘latte’ in Italy and they gave her milk - because latte means ‘milk’ in Italy. Cafe latte was what she wanted. Sorry, mom, I had to share.)

Cappuccino - this can also be like a strong café crème or a latte in a cup, but the main difference here is that it has a dash of cocoa on top of the foam.

Chicory - yes, you’re reading this right. French people also drink chicory as an alternative to regular coffee. It’s gentler on the stomach and still has a similar taste to coffee.

Coffee is such a big ‘thing’ in France that there is an annual coffee festival in Paris. It’s located in a terrific glass building called Le Carreau du Temple that’s used for different expos and forums like this one. I went to the Paris Café Festival last year and unfortunately because of a delicate stomach and my non-negotiable requirement of milk in my coffee, I wasn’t able to do the rounds at all the vendors and try different roasters. Ho hum. But it was fun.

---

But wait a minute- am I being coffeeist and ignoring our beloved tea drinkers? Of course not!

There are a lot of terrific teas in France, too. In fact, you can visit a proper tea shop where they can mix specialty blends depending on what you’re looking for.

The key word here is tisane. (pron: tee-ZAHN)

These herbal tea blends cures whatever ails you: insomnia, ‘female problems’, stomach upset, energy boost, relaxation — anything. It’s like going to the pharmacist for advice.

I hope this was helpful to all of you. You can learn from my mistakes and those of others before us, and order yourself the coffee or tea you actually want to drink!