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Notebook

Sunday, 30th November 2008

Consider a mug of American coffee. It is found everywhere. It can be made by anyone. It is cheap – and refllls are free. Being largely without flavour, it can be diluted to taste. What it lacks in allure it makes up in size. It is the most democratic method ever devised for introducing caffeine into human beings. Now take a cup of Italian espresso. It requires expensive equipment. Price-to-volume ratio is outrageous, suggesting indifference to the consumer and ignorance of the market. The aesthetic satisfaction accessory to the beverage far outweighs its metabolic impact. It is not a drink; it is an artifact.
Tony Judt, “The Good Society: Europe vs America”.

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