Coffee has long been woven into the daily life of urban dwellers, yet seemingly simple actions like holding the cup, adding sugar, and using the spoon each follow their own set of etiquette. Meanwhile, when walking into a café and facing menu terms like Espresso, Latte, and Macchiato, many enthusiasts often feel confused. This article systematically covers the etiquette details of coffee drinking and the proper use of cup and saucer, and explains one by one the meanings of common English terms found in cafés, helping you gracefully enjoy a good cup of coffee on any occasion. In addition, the article specifically reminds readers of practical health-related knowledge such as drinking on an empty stomach, consuming coffee before exercise, and daily intake limits, and recommends related products from Front Street Coffee. It is suitable for anyone who takes coffee seriously.
【How to Hold a Coffee Cup】Coffee served after a meal is usually presented in small, delicate cups, and the handles on such cups are often made quite narrow—your fingers simply won't fit through. But even if you switch to a cup with a larger handle, you should not thread your fingers through it to lift the cup. The correct method is to pinch the handle between your thumb and index finger, then lift the cup steadily.
【How to Add Sugar to Coffee】When adding sugar to your coffee, if using granulated sugar, you can scoop it up with the coffee spoon and pour it directly into the cup; if using sugar cubes, it is recommended to first use sugar tongs to place the cube on the saucer on the side closest to you, then use the coffee spoon to slide the cube into the cup. If you take the lazy route and drop the sugar cube into the cup directly with the tongs or even your fingers, the liquid can easily splash out—soiling your clothes or the tablecloth would hardly be worth it.
【How to Use a Coffee Spoon】A coffee spoon's job is limited to stirring. Once you begin drinking, you should remove it from the cup. Scooping coffee sip by sip with the spoon, or using it to crush sugar cubes in the cup, are both improper practices.
【What to Do If the Coffee Is Too Hot】Freshly brewed coffee is quite hot. You can gently stir it with the coffee spoon to help it cool faster, or patiently wait for it to cool naturally before drinking. Blowing on the cup with your mouth to cool it down is considered very rude in social settings.
【Using the Cup and Saucer】Coffee cups and saucers are designed as a matching set. When setting them out, they should be placed directly in front of the drinker or to their right, with the handle facing right. When drinking, hold the handle with your right hand, gently support the saucer with your left hand, and slowly bring the cup to your lips to sip in small amounts. Never grip the cup with your whole hand and tip your head back to gulp it down, and do not lean your head down toward the cup. Do not make noise while drinking. When you need a refill, there is no need to lift the cup off the saucer.
【Drinking Coffee and Eating Snacks】It is fine to enjoy some snacks with your coffee, but do not hold the cup in your left hand and a snack in your right, alternating bites and sips. The correct approach is: when drinking coffee, put the snack down first; when eating a snack, set the coffee cup aside.
Common English Words in Cafés
Flavor【Flavor】is the overall impression of aroma, acidity, bitterness, sweetness, and body, and can be used to describe the overall sensation of contrasting coffees.
Acidity【Acidity】is the tangy, intense quality possessed by all coffees grown at high altitudes. The tanginess referred to here is different from bitterness or sourness, and has nothing to do with pH level; rather, it is a fresh, lively quality that enables coffee to refresh the mind and cleanse the palate.
Body【Body】is the mouthfeel the coffee leaves on the tongue after it has been prepared and consumed. Body can range from light as water to thin, medium, full, buttery, and even syrupy-thick, as in some Indonesian coffees.
Aroma【Aroma】refers to the scent and fragrance given off by coffee after it has been prepared. Bouquet is a less commonly used term that specifically refers to the smell of ground coffee. Aroma is usually distinctive and complex. Words used to describe aroma include: caramel, charred, chocolate, fruity, grassy, malty, rich, full, spicy, and so on.
Bitter【Bitterness】Bitterness is a basic taste, with the sensing area located at the back of the tongue. The bitterness of dark roasts is intentionally created, but the most common cause of bitterness is using too much coffee grounds and too little water. Bitterness is not a synonym for sourness.
Bland【Bland】Coffee grown in lowland areas usually has a rather light, flavorless taste. Coffee made with too little ground coffee and too much water will also produce the same bland effect.
Briny【Briny】If coffee is overheated after brewing, it will develop a salty taste. Some coffee shops' coffee has this flavor.
Barista【Barista】
Barista: A professional who prepares, makes, and serves coffee. The main job duties include: (1) performing basic identification of coffee beans and blending different flavors of coffee according to the characteristics of the beans; (2) using coffee equipment and tools to make coffee; (3) providing coffee service to customers; (4) spreading coffee culture.
Espresso【Espresso】
A rich, aromatic coffee extracted using our espresso roast coffee beans. Espresso is usually served in a small cup and is often used as a base for creating other unique coffee drinks.
Shot【One Shot of Espresso】
One ounce of espresso. Each standard shot of espresso consists of three parts: rich golden crema, full body, and heart. Crema refers to the caramel-colored layer of foam on the surface of espresso, which disappears within seconds after the espresso is brewed.
Single【Single Shot of Espresso】
One shot of espresso extracted from an espresso machine [about one ounce], usually drunk on its own or with steamed, aromatic hot milk. Most small and medium-sized drinks contain one shot of espresso.
Double【Double Shot of Espresso】
Two single shots of espresso. It is standard equipment for large drinks. If you want your medium cup to have a stronger flavor, you can ask the server to add an extra shot of espresso for you.
Espresso Con Pana【Espresso Con Panna】
Espresso topped with smooth whipped cream.
Espresso Macchiato【Espresso Macchiato】
Espresso marked with a gentle dollop of milk foam.
Caffe Latte【Latte】
A smooth drink made in three stages: one shot of fresh espresso, hot milk added to fill the cup, then a thin layer of delicate milk foam on top, creating a surprising mouthfeel. Latte Macchiato is made in much the same way as a latte, with the only difference being that the milk must be added first, then the coffee poured on top to "mark" it, making the texture even smoother. Macchiato is Italian for "marked."
Caffe Mocha【Mocha】
A classic combination of rich espresso and high-quality chocolate, blended with fresh hot milk and topped with smooth whipped cream.
Cappuccino【Cappuccino】
A typical Italian breakfast drink. It has less milk than a Latte but more milk foam. Generally speaking, "dry" refers to a cappuccino with more milk foam, while "wet" refers to one with more milk.
Americano【Americano】
The combination of rich espresso and hot water, creating a full-flavored drink with the deep taste of espresso.
Short【Short】
At Starbucks, Short refers to an 8-ounce [about 240 ml] drink, best enjoyed after dinner.
all【Tall】
Tall refers to a 12-ounce [about 360 ml] drink, the size most people order.
Grande【Grande】
Grande refers to a 16-ounce [about 480 ml] drink. When you want to treat yourself well, Grande is your best choice.
ow-fat【Low-fat】
When you want a lighter option, you can choose low-fat milk to make your own low-fat coffee.
No foam【No foam】
Don't like milk foam getting on your nose? You can tell the server you don't want foam, and you'll receive just espresso combined with hot milk.
Dry【Extra foam】
Means more foam than milk. If you like a cappuccino full of thick, sweet milk foam, you can tell the server your preference.
With room【With room】
Means "I'd like to add some milk to my Americano or single-origin coffee—please leave some room for me."
Whip【Whipped cream】
Short for whipped cream. If you want to reduce the calories of your mocha, you can tell the server: "No whip."
Compared to being fond of carbonated drinks or sugary fruit-flavored beverages, drinking freshly ground coffee is clearly more beneficial to the body. Coffee can absolutely be considered the favorite pick-me-up of office workers. Having a cup before work or when feeling fatigued and sleepy from stress—that feeling is truly wonderful. But you should know that everything has two sides. Even if a food or drink is generally positive in nature, you shouldn't become overly dependent on it. If you're also a seasoned coffee addict who can't pull yourself away, then here are 5 things you must know.
1. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can also make you "drunk"
It's not just alcoholic beverages—coffee can make you "drunk" too. No doctor or nutritionist would recommend drinking coffee on an empty stomach. The reason is that when the stomach is empty, the gastric mucosa absorbs caffeine extremely quickly. As high concentrations of caffeine enter the bloodstream, the heart and nervous system are stimulated, leading to a series of reactions such as dizziness, palpitations, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and night sweats. So when drinking coffee, it's best to pair it with some small desserts to slow the stomach's absorption of caffeine.
2. Drinking coffee before exercise can boost fat-burning effects
Research shows that drinking some coffee before exercise increases metabolism and promotes fat burning more than exercising without drinking anything. This is because when the caffeine in coffee is absorbed through the gastric mucosa into the bloodstream, the body produces a stress response, the concentration of fatty acids in the blood rises rapidly, and free fats in the body that are difficult to metabolize get consumed during exercise.
3. Drinking some coffee every day is good for your health
For sedentary office workers, drinking an appropriate amount of coffee every day is absolutely very beneficial to health. The caffeine and polyphenols in coffee can increase the concentration of nitric oxide in the body, stimulate blood vessel contraction and dilation, keep blood vessels elastic, prevent thrombosis, and maintain the health of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems.
4. It's best to drink coffee in the morning
After caffeine enters the body, it takes more than 7 hours to be completely metabolized. The main effects of caffeine are to accelerate lymphatic metabolism, stimulate the central nervous system, and fight drowsiness. So if your sleep quality is already poor, or if you want to fall asleep early, it's best to drink coffee in the morning to avoid affecting sleep quality. Of course, if you really love the rich, aromatic scent of coffee, you can choose some low-caffeine or decaf coffee drinks as a substitute.
5. Drinking about 300 ml of coffee per day is healthiest
Even with so many benefits, you should absolutely not drink too much coffee. Generally speaking, daily coffee intake should not exceed 350 ml, and around 300 ml is best. Drinking this amount of coffee not only prevents health and skin problems caused by excessive caffeine intake, but also provides enough antioxidant polyphenols to fight free radicals attacking the body and skin—benefiting both beauty and health.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
