No. 220: Coffee Breaks
“Coffee is a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to your older self.”–Terry Pratchett, Thud!
I was not a coffee drinker until I moved to France.
That said, getting addicted to Java has absolutely nothing to do with the superior quality of coffee in France. Au contraire, en fait, it is pretty widely accepted that French coffee is well below standard when compared to coffee in other countries.
My newfound love of coffee does however have a lot to do with my Nespresso machine (which I have already waxed poetically about), the “break” part of the word “coffee break”, and the centuries old café/coffee culture of France.
The idea of taking a 20-30 minute break in the afternoon either chez toi or at your corner café is quite civilized, and something I never allowed myself to do in my multitasking life in America. I also love the French tradition of always having a small coffee to finish off your meal with or without one of the many delectable French desserts you may have on hand.
Vocabulaire
Au contraire: on the contrary
chez toi: at your house
365+ Things I Love About France 
J’adore vos photos ! And the idea of a coffee “break” 🙂 And there’s nothing so great as a nice espresso at the end of a satisfying meal.
Why thanks a lot. Je suis d’accord un café after the meal makes it complete. Thanks for the comment and for reading.
Nancy, your post reminded me that we should get together soon for one of these delicious breaks!
Absolutely. Je t’appellerai. x
The Photos are a dream coffee break, this blog had inspirited me to go some coffee now! ☺
Coffee is ALWAYS a good idea! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
J’adore le cafe!!
Moi aussi. 🙂
Pretty!
Merci beaucoup. I always find if I put a little bit of effort into my coffee breaks it makes it even more enjoyable.
well said!
The most delicious coffee photos I have ever seen.
Why, thanks. My family used to think I was nuts when I photographed my coffee breaks, now they’re used to it. A little extra effort makes it more enjoyable. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Love these fotos! 🙂 … I reckon the coffee ritual in Paris is so enjoyable because of the diiiviiiine little eats that are part of it (or should be!) plus the presentation, environment, little tables, gorgeous chairs, people to watch etc etc etc! And by the way, the best coffee in Paris is made by Aussie baristas!!! (I’m not being stupidly patriotic, it’s actually true – check it out!!)
Yes, the whole ritual makes the coffee break better, and presentation is key. I will definitely check out Aussie Baristas. Thanks for the tip!
La Religieuse au Café !!!!! it is one of my favorite dessert !!!!!!
Ah, yes. Maybe I need to do a whole post on them? 🙂 They are divine.
Gosh what gorgeous well presented pictures too! Stunning
Thank you. I love finding the beauty in small things. They make life worth living. Thanks for stopping by!
Ah, oui – un petit coffee break satisfies one’s senses and is especially delightful when people watching from a cafe terrace!
Absolutely! One could spend the entire day on a coffee break in Paris with hardly anyone batting an eye.