flat white noun /Austral. flaat whyette/ /NZ flet wyte/
1. An antipodean style coffee which is served as a strong shot of espresso served in a small cup with textured milk; a damn good strong coffee.
2. 51.51 (51°30') -0.13 (0°8').
flattie noun. colloq. flat white; I'm gonna smash back a couple of flatties bro /NZ/mate /Austral./
Now the above may not need explaining to the bros and mates among us, but stepping beyond out antipodean shores, a lesson is in session.
In the UK where I now reside, there are precious few reasons to order a coffee. This is because one, most believe Starbucks is the venue of choice. Oh behold a white choc mint skim frappacino or whatever the flavour of the month is (mince pie latte anyone? I kid you not). Two, a latte is not a latte - it is a heavily frothed, burnt tasting beverage made roughly of equal parts tar and water. Three, they have such pretty tea pots here, why risk a crap cappuccino when you can have a elegant Earl Grey?
When I first arrived in the UK in 2005, I was stunned by the lack of knowledge the Brits have regarding coffee. I remember entering a cafe whilst waiting for Harrods to open (my mum and I arrived at 8am, only to note the 10am opening time) and ordering a Flat White. Thinking that it was a base term, I sat comfortable with my choice, perusing the busy Knightsbridge streets below. That day, I realised that the FW was not a base term. It wasn't even a term. That day, I had received an 'Americano', a black coffee with some cold milk in a sad little pot. This was to be the first of many bad coffee experiences in the UK, so suffice to say I had few expectations when I returned a few weeks ago.
Luckily, in my absence a lovely little (read: awkward though charming) cafe has opened in Soho, to which I am thoroughly a fan. Flat White opened in Sept 2006 to bemused Londoners, though apparently became an almost overnight success with their eponoymous drinks. The beauty behind their drinks, is their knowledge- they claim the 'science'- of which is decidely spot on. I could be in Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, anywhere really in inner city Sydney where I used to grab my FWs. The coffee is delicious, the food is simple cafe goodness and the staff are antipodeon cool- it comes with my stamp of approval and removes my coffee homesickness.
Now when I'm in Central London I don't have to order a 'wet' latte anymore from a horrible chain store. Thank F for FW.
Flat White, 17 Berwick St, Soho W1F 0PT.
2 comments:
I totally understand. In Japan they are also fans of the Americano (shitty peculated coffee with milk on the side). I deliberately booked my flight home so I would arrive in the morning in time for a bloody soy latte. (Not really, but I am looking forward to my first in a year).
Haha! I remember the Japanese 'coffee'- it was awful! Britain is slightly ahead on that front, but not by a great deal. You just don't realise how important coffee is, until you don't have it!
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