[Acct2000]

When did Latte become elitist?? It's one of my few luxuries. (Mine has to be sugar free and made with skim milk, but I still like them. They will probably be a casualty of my newfound frugality, now that I'm borrowing from my 401K to pay off my credit cards and do not want to run up new credit card debts.)

Apparently, "Latte-Sipping" is a new epithet for elitist liberals. I don't think I'm one of them (although, unless Mr. Lottery comes through, there will be a lot fewer lattes, at least in my near future.)

Huh???

 

[banjo1071]

Hi Forsy
I also like milk very much and drink it nearly every day! Just kidding, but beware the use of the word "Latte" in a multligual forum... It also translates to "erected penis" in german......

Greets Banjo

 

[eagle2250]

^LOL! Now if that post isn't a thread killer, I don't know what is.

Y'all have a great day, while I finish off this AM's pot of coffee, laced with milk (2%, a concession to my weight control effort) and stirred...vigorously!

 

[Acct2000]

I have a whole new awful picture of the "Latte Sipping Liberal."

I hope someone will answer even after the Thread Derailer. (I speak a fair amount of German; I know about four other slang words for the male organ, but had not heard this, however, I will obviously defer to the native speaker!)

 

[banjo1071]

sorry i did not meant to!

 

[TMMKC]

Hi Forsy
I also like milk very much and drink it nearly every day! Just kidding, but beware the use of the word "Latte" in a multligual forum... It also translates to "erected penis" in german......

Greets Banjo

:biggrin2:!!!! Hilarious. I will need to tell my wife that the next time she orders one. Being the good German girl she is, she'll either get embarassed or find it incredibly funny.

Forsberg, to answer your question...it dumbfounds me a little too. The only explanation I can think of is that the entire coffeehouse culture is considered somewhat elitist...intellectually elitist. Lattes (chuckle, chuckle) are just a good representation of it.

 

[Acct2000]

I have no problem with your post, Banjo. Actually, as a person who speaks a fair amount of German (but will stop short of calling myself fluent, although I was close when I was 17.), it's always good to know this.

I still remember seeing a something signed by someone named "Schwanz" once and being the only one in the office that saw a reason to chuckle.

 

[agnash]

cafe au lait

Just call it cafe au lait instead. You can even make it inexpensively at home. Equal parts strong coffee (Community with chicoree is my preference) and hot milk. The choice of sweetener is a personal preference.

 

[PedanticTurkey]

New? This has been around for a long time, probably before fancy pancy coffees were so ubiquitous.

 

[Kav]

The earliest refernce I have was a Sonoma State College Earth Mother ( braided armpit hair flashed from tie dyed Sundresses and Patchouli Oil used in more recklass abandon than a soccer mom with a gasline credit card.) Majoring in third world feminist sudies with a minor in biology.

She called me a 'late sucking asphalt pounder' when I arrived at Redwood Summer in a ghilly green tweed jacket and black wool knit tie.

My friend willowtree ( everyone takes on a 'forest' name for anonymity during actions.) Had to explain I was just off of SEA SHEPHERD and had the only licnesed and insured station wagon AND all the basmati rice and green tea was in it, so don't tick him off!

I also had a huge, blue speckleware camp coffeepot and a big old can of french roast. At the evening 'candlelight dinners with riparian entertainments' It became a inside joke to watch me make loud slurping noises drinking my coffee.

the term 'latte Sucking Asphalt Pounders' entered the lexicon of EARTH FIRST! journal shortly after.

 

[Scoundrel]

Assuming the term has gained some recent popularity, perhaps it is somehow hinting at the downfall of the big coffee businesses, a.k.a. Starbucks and perhaps local coffee shops. McDonald's has sounded the death knell for these businesses when it recently started selling cold, flavored coffees for a dollar something each.

 

[Cruiser]

I think much of the image was formed by various television shows in which yuppies and elitist snobs would sit around in coffee shops. For example, think of Niles Crane ordering his fancy coffee drinks. Places like Starbucks only enhanced this image, especially with the comedians making jokes about taking out a mortgage to buy a cup of Starbucks coffee.

Cruiser

 

[TMMKC]

McDonald's has sounded the death knell for these businesses when it recently started selling cold, flavored coffees for a dollar something each.

I disagree. The average coffee-only customer for a McDonald's is, and will likely always be, very different that the average Starbucks enthusiast. I don't think McDonalds entry into the premium coffee category will really harm the market share of most coffee houses. People go to Starbucks, Caribou, Scooter's (Midwest chain)...even local shops...for the experience. It's hard to sell a coffee shop experience when all you smell is a deep fryer.

In many respects, tossing down $3-4 for a coffee drink is no different than buying a piece of Ralph Lauren clothing, for example. You get momentary satisfaction that you've bought entry into something bigger, better and more refined than what your everyday life offers.

It's crazy. Coffee is no longer coffee. It represents so much more. It's all about the experience.

BTW...I may frequent coffee houses, but I steadfastly still order just plain coffee. Prefer it, actually.

 

[Acct2000]

Actually, there is nothing elitist at all about the Biggby's Coffee place I go most often. The ladies behind the counter are nice. I always tip $1 which adds to the cost, too. I will have to cut way back on this luxury shortly, but I have to stop using my credit cards and get my debt back under control. (I own my house 100%, but I need to clean up my other debt long before it really becomes a problem.)

I don't see liberal elitists in line, I just see people who enjoy coffee drinks. (I don't like coffee unless it is sweetened quite a bit; until a year ago, I rarely drank coffee of any kind.)

 

[Howard]

I'm more of a coffee drinker,I'm not too crazy about lattes just because they're very strong in flavor.

I think Dunkin Donuts sell lattes but they're not as expensive as Starbucks.