On
the Town With Brian Perotin
by
Brian Perotin
It
seems like it doesn't matter what city you live in; you can take
a little trip to Europe in your car. Exotic new cafés like Starbuck's
are serving up coffee and refreshments that were once only popular
in places like Italy. Recent films such as Beverly Hills Cop and
Hudson Hawk have helped fuel a trend of unusual morning and breaktime
habits.
Expresso
is a dark, strong coffee made from powdered beans. Don't expect
a full mug, though - this stuff comes in toy-sized doses intended
to be sipped after the Roman or Viennese fashion. For a little
more, you can add whipped milk (called latté) to make a "cappuccino."
If
all this is a little confusing, you're not alone. These restaurants
frequently print explanations of their items right on the menu.
And it's paying off: thousands are abandoning the same-old status
quo coffee shops and trying out the new flavors. Considering how
inexpensive these elaborate drinks are to produce, there is good
money to be made in the industry. Gloria Jean's, another specialty-drinks
shoppe, reports climbing popularity and sales every quarter.
It
turns out that even some bookstores, shrewdly noticing that the
people who frequent these cafés tend to be well-educated, are
actually setting them up inside the walls of their store! You
can peruse a literary journal like People or George while you
taste and smell the aroma of finely-brewed imported coffee, and
classical music plays in the background.
So,
for an evening of talk and fun with friends or family, the nightclub
or bar is no longer your only choice; try relaxing at your local
Italian coffee bar, in the yellow pages under "café."
