In sorting through the 980 (!) photos I took in Australia and New Zealand last month, I thought this particular image was worthy of posting here separately from all the others. The Kiwis I met at the conference in Sydney told me Wellington had some of the best coffee in the world. After noticing something in my last “flat white” at the Wellington Airport, I think I understand why that might be true…
Unfortunately, I had already taken several sips before I thought to pull out my camera and snap a photo. But you get the idea. If you’re curious about the blotchy patches toward the top-left, they’re from granules of sugar that didn’t get stirred down past the foam.
*looks closely*
*squints*
Oh, yeah…
Funny. I wonder what their tea is like.
Is that not normal? Don’t you have sugar overseas? Is our coffee that good?
Hmm…..divining in the coffee foam.
Next thing I know, The girl at the local coffeehouse is going to be putting love notes in the foam instead of just spelling out “SIP” in chocolate. Oh god. I can only hope…
(yay apple)
Yet another reason to switch from tea to coffee. Take heed, you tea-drinkers, we’re coming to get you.
…oooohhh… d’oh…
I drink Coke, but would drink coffee if I could afford it.
I’m with Joseph (comment #2) on this one. I don’t understand what the deal is. I’m in Australia, but our flat whites come like that too. I also had the same experience in Italy – the home of coffee.
I’m confused…
Nah… I drink Powerade. The blue one. But coffe with cream is delicious aswell. Especiallu cappucino.
i heard that Microsoft coffee needs repouring every few sips, then turns blue when you leave the room.
Duh? What’s wrong with it?
I’m with Joseph and Andrew. Do you americans really think coffee is the poor imitation you get up there? :)
Joseph, are you serious? You can’t afford coffee?
If you squint a bit you’ll see the apple logo in the foam.
I guess all of my friends who tried it said “it is not a coffee” talking about American kind.
OMG, that white blotchy patch looks just like a . . . Clound!
I guess us New Zealanders don’t know how spoilt we are. My friend the barista draws my initials into the coffee.
“I guess us New Zealanders don’t know how spoilt we are. My friend the barista draws my initials into the coffee.”
Well, I’m convinced. When’s the next flight out?
The Kiwis are very creative in how they serve coffee. The baristas there take a lot of pride in what they do, and it’s actually quite respectable and cool (they tell me) to work in a cafe as one. They must spend a considerable portion of their barista training learning the artistry of creating patterns in the foam as they mix the coffee and milk. Or perhaps they just take pride in refining their talent over time.
I remember getting coffee several times in New Zealand, and being quite impressed with the foam artistry each time. Here in the States, I’ve seen generic-looking hearts in the foam, but never to the detail of what I saw in NZ.
Regardless, this wasn’t what it looked like when the coffee was given to me. If I remember correctly, the foam originally had some type of vine pattern in it with five or six leaves stemming out each side from the center, of which only the top leaf is now visible. What’s in the photo above is an accident. It’s just the result of stirring in some sugar and taking a few sips.
For being mine a coffee-producing country and myself a regular drinker (system breakdowns have forced me to cut down to a cup a day), it’s amazing how I haven’t noticed how interesting could coffee patterns be. I have read some people specialize on making predictions and life forecasts by “reading” such coffee stains.
And if that holds true for you Doug, I’d say you have quite an, um, fruitful future. :D
Tea, Oolong, hot….
I see ELVIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Damn
Wow. Apple’s reach of influence is incredible. It’s now conquered the great flat white.
Drink Different!
I stared at it for so long before I saw it… but atleast I saw it first before I scrolled down and made a clueless post :D
But see, it’s really just “mood coffee”, in that you have MAC on the brain, so that’s what appeared in the foam. The same thing happened to me, except the “sad MAC” icon popped up when I looked. :(
Coffee hell!
Just as long as I get my shamrock etched into my Guiness I am a happy camper. Have you ever tried that!
P.S. Sitting in a mom and pop cafe taking careful notice of my coffee now.
Java and MAC’s – I know there is a connection there.
Your description of their coffee makes me want to fly right over there to get some for myself.
/me salivates
Hi Doug, hi everyone,
in Austria they serve a big range of coffe, we have many variations how we drink and make our coffee. We have a long tradition of making the black gold and sitting arround in the coffeehouses.
You should visit vienna or salzburg to get a really good coffee. :-)
$0.02
Rene
Thanks to Dan Ryan. Your post just saved me from making a stupid post, as your post indicated I should look at the pic again… Cheers :D
I thought it was a bird head, but I see the apple now you mention it.
Only 980 (!) shots? My average production is about 2k/week – in EU. In AU, it would dramatically increase…
Here’s another photo of some clever coffee art.
With a bit of imagination, you can also see the Firefox logo mirrored in the cup. The cup would be the globe.. oh well.. you probably get the idea: Tail to the left, head to the right.
Reminds me of Rorschach this. ;)
Holy crap, a cock in your coffee!
Arthur, it’s more of a Thunderbird.
The best coffee is at CAFE GRECO in Rome, Italy.
Our local guy draws the Sydney Opera House on the latte.
The crema for the white sails, outlined in fine choc syrup, and dusts the bottom for the ocean.
A little time consuming tho. And it’s just the local Michel’s.
ok, Doug – it’s not a “vine pattern” that Emporio (which is where you got the coffee) make in the foam! It’s a silver fern, which is sort of like the national emblem of New Zealand.
You’re not allowed back in the country until you get this right :)
Doug
I leave tomorrow for New Zealand, so I’m glad to have discovered your take on the Kiwi coffee culture and artistry. I will make sure and try a few iCoffees!!
Cheers
We all hope to see thea!
I’m a kiwi myself, now currently living in Amsterdam where “Coffe shop” takes on a whole other meaning, but I sure do miss a good old cup of, designer, NZ coffee.
Doug I don’t suppose you got your hands around a decent steak and cheese pie while you were over there did you?
Damn I miss those pies!!!
I never knew a cup of coffee could get so much attention.
Just shows that we are living in a coffee culture, even if sometimes your standard coffee is unbearable to drink!
I saw the Apple logo, then I looked a little further and saw a Firefox!
http://tunnicliphotos.com/tunnie/firefoxjava.jpg
Well comment 40 just proofed the theory that good things never come online. Now we allready have Mac and Firefox, I need to look more at my coffee-foam. Well like above said Drink different.
omg, it does look like the apple logo. *laughs*
You should have sold that one on ebay….
I am also a kiwi that loves her coffee, having been to many ‘coffee shops’ in Amsterdam. The coffee in the pic looks dam fine to me, and a lot creamer then the ‘coffee’ I got in Amsterdam.
Apple is very obvious once it is pointed out, would not have seen otherwise….
Did you finish drinking it?
Impressive, what are the chances eh!
Strange looking thing, I really should have one of those, during my stay back in NZ.Darn..!!! :)
You know, Doug, there must be something about the coffee down in that southern hemisphere. I had a spooky message in my coffee in Sydney just before going up the AMP Tower
No photoshopping, I promise.
Looks good enough to sell on ebay for thousands of dollars!
(if you dont know what I am talking about … google virgin mary grilled cheese)
Yeah, coffee cups can be cool slash scary sometimes.
I’ve recently moved to London from Australia and I’ve had to stop drinking coffee it’s that bad.. Australians and Kiwi’s, enjoy your coffee!!!