I usually order 'Kaffee Rahm' in CH cafes and quite like it but wonder if there is something more like the 'flat white' I am used to in Oz. What do you other Aussies order if that's your cuppa? I don't want cappuccino and can't quite take espresso or long blacks. And tea is not an option.
Hello.
I think its called Schale or something like that, at least thats what the machine at work says !
I too have had a similar experience throughout Europe, trying to find a decent long black without getting very weird looks is very hard. While I know this order won't help in your instance, I now have to ask for a Black Americano.
Schale seems to work. Sometimes I have been asked if I wanted milchkaffee. Occasionally, I have ended up with frothy milk, but that is close to want I wanted, rather than espresso.
"Flat" white? do you mean without milk mousse? Sorry, I've never heard that expression before. Are you talking about a cafe au lait? a latte? coffee and hot milk mixed?
By the way, are you in OZ or CH? do you need the German word or French or Itl?
Mrs T
If you are somewhere they speak French, ask for "cafe creme".
Also, I have had much success just asking for "cafe" which is usually a long/tall/double espresso served with a creamer on the side. If you need more cream, just hold up your creamer to the waiter with a pitying look on your face and say "encore, sil vous plait?". They will then, most likely, bring you a whole little pitcher of cream because they know you are not local and are trying to be nice.
In the French-speaking areas, I would go for Café au Lait rather than Café creme. (Milk rather than cream)
Yes, me too, I think the OP is talking about white coffee, which implies with milk. A cafe creme is a coffee with cream, A cafe au lait or Renverse is coffee with hot milk.
Also, a cafe is not a double espresso, it's the same amount of coffee as an espresso with more water added.
Outside of Starbucks, I don't know anywhere in CH where you'll get a "mug" of coffee.
Mrs. T.
Schale or Milch Kaffee would be the equivilant of a flat white, although you can't compare an aussie coffee with a swiss one, miss the good cafe's in Melbourne.
This has confused me so far, as from what I remember:
- In France, a cafe creme has milk in it.
- In the German-speaking part of Switzerland, it doesn't.
Is that really right? And what happens in French-speaking part of CH?
I'm also usually confused by this...
I'm in Basel - and I don't like milk or cream in the coffee, just want it black - usually that means a cafe creme...although I've more than once then confirmed that it is "ohne creme/without cream/milk"...
A flat white is an Aussie/Kiwi speciality -- an espresso coffee with steamed milk and a tiny bit of foam.
I've switched from flat whites to latte macchiatos (funny that here in CH, "macchiato" usually means a latte macchiato (lots of steamed milk "stained" with coffee), rather than the cafe macchiato (an espresso "stained" with a tiny amount of steamedmilk) we're used to in Australia. They are almost the same, but you get more foam in a latte macchiato than in a flat white. You can always ask for one "ohne schaum" (without foam).
Failing that, a cafe latte sometimes produces the desired result but also sometimes results in a coffee with milk on the side.
And finally, surprisingly, there are a couple of coffee bars here in Basel that serve ... flat whites!
I'm not sure how my preference compares to "flat white" coffee but I tend to like my coffee very creamy (and sweet) and tend to order Latte Macchiato as well.
At Tibits here in Basel, one of the guys at the cashier / drinks "bar" downstairs makes a fantastic Vanilla Hazelnut Latte Macchiato for me.
I've discovered that many of the folks there speak English as do most I've encountered at Starbucks so if you can explain how you like it, they can probably do it for you.
Thanks for all the info and tips folks! I knew it was an Australian thing as I usually have to figure out what will suit in other places as the names are different. Don't like coffee with milk splashed in on top, don't particularly need cream (though that's nice!) and don't want it too milky which a latte is here. The flat white is less milky, I think 2/3 coffee, 1/3 steamed milk (?) and the crema on top is nice and foamy, not all hot air and fluff like a cappuccino is!! Think I need to write down some of the suggestions and go the trial and error way. Cafe au lait is OK too. Or I might try Schale.....at least my limited German and French will get me a coffee of some sort! And I'm quite happy with a cup, a mug's a bit much for me, so can avoid Starbucks.
I know what TheSpouse means about those little creamer things, I've had to get extras of those in the past as one just doesn't cut it!
But yaaay, sounds like I can get more or less what I'm talking about in some of the Basel cafes.
The problem with ordering a café au lait or renversé here is that they invariably adulterate it with UHT milk which gives the coffee a weird taste if you're used to drinking fresh milk.
They were just clarifying that you didn't want a chalet..
Schale is a coffee with milk in it, you can ask for hell which is light (more milk) or dunkel which is dark (less milk)
Kaffee creme is regular coffee, cream in a pot or jug separatly, ask for kaffee doppel creme for extra cream.
Kaffee natur is a black coffee, sometimes cheaper because you dont use any cream.
In my experience, a latte macchiato can be anything between an espresso with lots of milk or a coffee with a splash of milk, depending on who is working on (behind) the buffet. Unless you get it from a machine that has a separat position for this product (usually found in canteens). Not everyone working on (behind) the buffet (counter) has the talent to make a good macchiato, or cappuccino.
With my pronunciation that could well be true
Pretty much everything you always wanted to know about espresso-based beverages but were afraid to ask: Espresso
I miss a good ol' aussie Flat White, however the coffees here are different and also nice. I order a cafe au lait these days, but I might try the latte now. At least it's not horrid coffee that you get in England or Ireland where they have no idea how to make a decent coffee- it's heartbreaking as it's twice the price as a good aussie coffee!