When an americano with cream isn’t.

Summary

A mother's routine coffee order is challenged by a barista who insists on the "proper" terminology for an Americano with cream, leading to a moment of embarrassment but ultimately a delicious outcome.

Abstract

The author, a mother to a toddler, shares her recent experience at a local coffee shop where her usual order of an "Americano with a dash of cream" is questioned by the barista. The barista suggests that the correct term for her order is a "con panna," implying that this is the "real" way to request the drink. Despite feeling embarrassed and initially wanting to dislike the coffee, the author admits that it was the best she'd had all week. The encounter leaves her both caffeinated and annoyed, but she remains open to using the term "con panna" in future visits to the coffee shop, provided the coffee maintains its high quality.

Opinions

The author initially feels judged and embarrassed by the barista's reaction to her coffee order.
She is skeptical about the barista's insistence on the "real" way to order an Americano with cream.
Despite the barista's smugness, the author acknowledges that the coffee made to the barista's specifications is exceptionally good.
The author's opinion of the barista seems to soften by the end of the experience, as she is willing to order a "con panna" again, albeit with a hint of sarcasm.
The author values the quality of her coffee and the experience of visiting a coffee shop, as evidenced by her regular coffee trips and the importance of the hour-long walk in her routine.

When an Americano with cream isn’t.

As the mum to a toddler, the universe says I must get at least one coffee in me every day. It helps me function and feel like an adult.

We are lucky to live in an area with plenty of choices in terms of coffee shops, and the best ones are all a convenient, flat, 25-minute walk away. The round trip of about an hour is perfect for someone to nap in her stroller.

But let me tell you… I had a lame coffee shop experience today!

I’ve recently changed my coffee order as spring settles here in New Zealand. Plus, I’m carrying some spare baby weight that I need to get off (another reason for an hour’s walk!). I’ve gone from a mochaccino (with marshmallows, of course!) to an “americano with a dash of cream”. Usually iced.

So, I wandered into one of my favourite coffee shops and went ahead and ordered my Americano with cream.

The barista, a dude in a band teeshirt and with a septum piercing, looked at me like I was crazy. Then gave me a smug smile…

“You want cream in your Americano?” he asked. “That’s not what an Americano is.”

“I know,” I said. “But I like it with cream. And I only want a dash.”

“Right. Well, around here,” he said. “If you want cream, you should order a con panna. We only use the proper terminology.”

“A con panna?” I asked. “Sure, I’ll have that.”

“It’s basically an Americano with cream,” he said. “It’s the real way to order one.”

I felt a bit embarrassed. I didn’t know there was a “real” way to order an Americano with cream. Up until this point, I had always managed to get the coffee I was after by asking for exactly that at every coffee shop I visited.

Suddenly, I wasn’t sure I wanted a coffee anymore, and I really didn’t want to enjoy this one. The barista made me feel like a dick, after all!

He made my coffee, and I took a sip. It was good. It was delicious. I was so annoyed! I wanted to hate it. I wanted a reason to complain. But it was the best coffee I’ve had all week. Now, I was caffeinated and annoyed. I nailed the 25-minute walk home in 20 minutes flat.

I’m not convinced the barista was right about the con panna being the “real” way to order an Americano with cream. But I don’t care. If he needs me to call it that when I see him, well then con panna me up, my frienemy! But you better make it delicious.