Add-a-lane on the Road Less Traveled: 8. Coffee & Treats

As most of you might know, I am not an avid coffee drinker like the rest of the human world. Not only does it stain your teeth, but it also stunts your growth…or so I’ve been told. However, my resistance to the caffeine fix has probably had zero affect on my height as I’m barely 5 foot tall ;p Again my travels to this wondrous country of Australia, particularly Melbourne, has changed my views on the daily routine of grabbing a cuppa (aka cup of coffee). Aussies have the most unbelievable culture around it. It’s astonishing to me why someone would pay approximately $4 for such a fix, much less take time out of their busy work schedules to get up early and grab one on the way to work in the numerous cafes. Yes they do have Starbucks, but why would anyone go there if so many other options exist. But it’s not just any black drip coffee (aka long black) you would find in a 7 Eleven that’s been sitting or one you’d fix up at home. The barista (coffee expert extraordinaire) will take approximately 4 minutes to grind freshly roasted coffee beans, hook it up to some $35,000+ machine, take only a shot of it and finally heat and pour your preferred milk to perfect drinking temperature with a desired amount of froth to make a splendid cup of a flat white, cappuccino or my new favorite a latte. Perhaps what drew me in the most is the art that is made with the pouring of the milk into the cup. In the beginning, I started drinking a cappuccino with 3-4 teaspoons of our delicious Columbian sugar cane called Panella. But sooner or later I found myself putting less and less sugar. Now I enjoy a latte with zero sugar and zero cocoa. It’s a good thing I work in a café that serves some of the best coffee I’ve had, otherwise I’d still be a non-coffee drinker. And dare I say that Starbucks has nothing on the cafes in Melbourne.

Now with coffee also comes treats or pudding as they call it. I try to stay away from sweets, but once in awhile I can’t resist. Some bloke told me about these cookies (aka biscuits) while I was at Whitsunday called Tim Tams. I almost wish he didn’t because they are irresistible! A few of them are a bit too sweet for my taste, but the dark chocolate ones are the best. Thick crispy wafer like pieces layered and covered in chocolate. Mmmm. Among the pudding category also lie the unbelievable tiramisus, scones, mini pecan pies (only from the Pie Face though), gelati, and the numerous treats you can choose from the plentiful bakeries surrounding every small suburb and the city. Aussies even make Tim Tam Gelati ;D How bout them apples, eh?

In contrast if you’re not a coffee drinker they have these things called Iced Chocolates. Forget a milkshake and grab one of these bad boys. My favorite version is a scoop of vanilla gelati, a scoop of Tim Tam gelati ;p, the mixture of cocoa powder and milk, and finally topped off with a sprinkle of cocoa = heaven! Talk about a dentist’s worst nightmare. These I seldom drink because lets face it, this aging body can’t handle the calories.

But now I find myself in a bit of a problem...finding something back home that’s just as good as this coffee ;p So coffee fanatics let me know of some of your favorite spots…besides Starbucks.