The Brexit spirit

[Philos]

Hi,

We are in an English seaside town. We go into a posh hotel and ask for Martinis in the bar. The Brit barman says “What’s a Martini?” before going off to find out what we are talking about and how to make them. We leave.

Later we go into a seafront cafe and I ask for a black Americano with milk on the side. The Brit waitress gives me a white Americano with extra milk on the side. This drink contains precious little coffee but much milk.

In desperation, we go to a coffee chain, Costa. I ask for the same and the Brit ‘Barrister’ shouts ‘White Americano’ to his colleague. It tastes like sludge.

I have been abroad in Europe. I know that this would not happen in any other EU country, or even here if the employee was an immigrant from anywhere. But in Brexit Britain it is a short step back to the 1950s, a time of poor food, worldly ignorance and terminally bad service. What’s not to like?

A.

 

[iolo]

I should stick to the worldly delights of America then - they speak American there, the yanks, and don't kick you in the balls if you rant about 'brits'.

 

[Philos]

I should stick to the worldly delights of America then - they speak American there, the yanks, and don't kick you in the balls if you rant about 'brits'.

iolo,

There is a marked improvement if we pop over the bridge into Wales, so the term "Brits" is a bit lazy; but then, I am a Brit.

A.

PS - It happened again today, this time in a baker's shop. The girl behind the counter (Brit) was chatting with a friend over the counter. My wife and I waited to be served, and waited, and waited........... Why didn't we complain? Because we're Brits!

 

[iolo]

I should stick to the worldly delights of America then - they speak American there, the yanks, and don't kick you in the balls if you rant about 'brits'.

iolo,

There is a marked improvement if we pop over the bridge into Wales, so the term "Brits" is a bit lazy; but then, I am a Brit.

A.

PS - It happened again today, this time in a baker's shop. The girl behind the counter (Brit) was chatting with a friend over the counter. My wife and I waited to be served, and waited, and waited........... Why didn't we complain? Because we're Brits!

'Wales' is, as it happens, the only British bit - the name was stolen to describe the union of England and Scotland. I doubt, however, whether people know the American terms for coffee - but, then, I stick to Espresso myself - can't stand these buckets of the stuff people go in for nowadays.

 

[Deepak]

'Wales' is, as it happens, the only British bit - the name was stolen to describe the union of England and Scotland. I doubt, however, whether people know the American terms for coffee - but, then, I stick to Espresso myself - can't stand these buckets of the stuff people go in for nowadays.

I'm pretty certain an American didn't come up with that particular name. Most people stateside just drink 'coffee'.

 

[bilby]

'Wales' is, as it happens, the only British bit - the name was stolen to describe the union of England and Scotland. I doubt, however, whether people know the American terms for coffee - but, then, I stick to Espresso myself - can't stand these buckets of the stuff people go in for nowadays.

I'm pretty certain an American didn't come up with that particular name. Most people stateside just drink 'coffee'.

'Americano' appears to originate in Italy; It was the derisive term the locals gave to the watered down coffee consumed by Americans (particularly soldiers stationed in Italy during and after WWII).

Most of the different styles of coffee have Italian names in the English speaking world, but these took a long time to be adopted in England itself, where certainly until the middle 1990s when I left for Australia, there were only two types of coffee you could order - 'Coffee', which was weak white coffee; and 'Black coffee' which was the same thing, but without the milk.

On arriving in Australia for my first time in 1994, I arranged to meet some people at a cafe in Brisbane; I got there a little early, so I went to the counter and said "Hello, could I have a cup of coffee please?". "No problem" said the lady behind the counter.

Then we both waited.

It took a surprisingly long time for me to realize that she was waiting for me to place an order; While I was waiting for her to fill the order I believed that I had already made

The reverse occurred to me a few years later, when I returned to the UK for a visit with my family; I had to change planes several times on the trip, and after some 40 hours in transit in various cheap airline seats, my last change was at London Heathrow. Half asleep and in desperate need of refreshment, I slouched up to the counter at the Terminal 1 cafe (Terminal 1 was for domestic UK flights only at that time), and said to the large Afro-Caribbean lady behind the counter "Could I please get a flat white?". This was interpreted as a racial slur, and did not make me popular AT ALL.

I don't know when the English finally decided to adopt the international convention that one should at least attempt to serve decent coffee, and a variety of styles at that; But it was certainly a recent event. At my most recent visit, last year, I noticed a significant improvement in both the quality of food and drink available, and in the attitude of those selling it. I suspect this improvement has largely been driven by the free movement provisions of EU law; And it would be a dreadful shame if Britain were to slip back to the 20th Century 'The customer is always wrong' style of "service" that I recall from my youth.

 

[blastula]

What would James Bond do?

 

[jonatha]

What would James Bond do?

Seduce the barista.

 

[Opoponax]

Isn't "black coffee" a thing everywhere?

Well, except at some snooty little place in Seattle where I ordered black coffee and the barista girl said, "You mean an Americaaaano?" I just said, "yeah, whatever." She looked at me like I'd just peed on the floor.

 

[Lion IRC]

"...And being herded into endless Hotel Miramars and Bellvueses and Bontinentals with their international luxury modern roomettes and their Watney's Red Barrel and their swimming pools full of fat German businessmen pretending they're acrobats and forming pyramids and frightening the children and barging in to the queues and if you're not at your table spot on seven you miss your bowl of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup, the first item on the menu of International Cuisine, and every Thursday night there's a bloody cabaret in the bar featuring some tiny emaciated dago with nine-inch hips and some big fat bloated tart with her hair brylcreemed down and a big arse presenting Flamenco for Foreigners."

[YOUTUBE]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn0UPXd7zlA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Hickdive]

If there's one thing that can be guaranteed in a British seaside town, it is disappointment.

 

[TV and credit cards]

At least y'all can maintain a sense of humor. Oh but I do love that British spirit. I tried to Google "British spirit" but all I got were multiple hits about alcohol.

 

[gmbteach]

At least y'all can maintain a sense of humor. Oh but I do love that British spirit. I tried to Google "British spirit" but all I got were multiple hits about alcohol.

Why do you think we have a sense of humour? We are always pickled.

 

[iolo]

I see that the Americans have the same problems as I do with this name-shifting drink. Unlike my culture, I am a bit baffled by tea, but even more baffled as to why coffee should be served in buckets. I turn to the barmaids' folk-wisdom of my youth: stick to beer. It was good enough for the Ancestors, and it's good enough for me!

 

[Philos]

I don't know when the English finally decided to adopt the international convention that one should at least attempt to serve decent coffee, and a variety of styles at that; But it was certainly a recent event. At my most recent visit, last year, I noticed a significant improvement in both the quality of food and drink available, and in the attitude of those selling it. I suspect this improvement has largely been driven by the free movement provisions of EU law; And it would be a dreadful shame if Britain were to slip back to the 20th Century 'The customer is always wrong' style of "service" that I recall from my youth.

bil,

As always, you said it better than me.

A.

 

[Philos]

If there's one thing that can be guaranteed in a British seaside town, it is disappointment.

http://www.ilivehere.co.uk/weston-super-mare.html

A.

 

[gmbteach]

As long as Britain is still there next year when we will be visiting again, I am happy!

Seriously, the last time two times we visited, we ended up with extremely good exchange rates due to political activity, so hopefully, it happens again next year.

 

[bilby]

As long as Britain is still there next year when we will be visiting again, I am happy!

Seriously, the last time two times we visited, we ended up with extremely good exchange rates due to political activity, so hopefully, it happens again next year.

Well, nice though it is to get cheap accommodation, food and drink, I am not sure that the suffering of millions is completely outweighed by it

 

[gmbteach]

As long as Britain is still there next year when we will be visiting again, I am happy!

Seriously, the last time two times we visited, we ended up with extremely good exchange rates due to political activity, so hopefully, it happens again next year.

Well, nice though it is to get cheap accommodation, food and drink, I am not sure that the suffering of millions is completely outweighed by it

True. But then again, a good exchange rate means we can afford to spoil family and friends.

 

[Philos]

Folks,

Haha! Dog and cat in gentle disagreement. All is right with the world.

BTW - I've been finding independent coffee spots and suppliers, more than 20 in Bristol alone. All is not lost. It is surprising how close the backwoods are to a city though, in our crowded country.

A good Martini may be more of a challenge, but have found a French couple who run a small liquor specialist shop. I have glasses, ingredients and recipe in hand.

Alex.