The clock strikes 4pm. And no matter where in the world a German is, he or she heads straight to a café or a mess or a canteen for their daily fix of coffee and cake!
This is something that I, as an ausländer, will always identify with Germans, as long as I live! I often joke that if you want to inflict 3rd degree torture on Germans, you should deny them the pleasure of their nachmittags coffee + cake. And it seems to me that everyone in Germany has similar tastes when it comes to how they prefer this combination. The cake is too sweet, paired with a coffee that is extremely strong- made with just 2 teaspoons of milk and no sugar. In India, most big cities have a “German bakery” that people (especially snobbish, high society ones) swear by. Growing up, I would wonder: “What is so great about German bakeries?” After spending so many months in Germany, I now realize that my question was as stupid as asking “What’s so great about Swiss chocolates?” The German bakeries do end up churning out masterpieces!
I am yet to meet a German who Zucker in der Kaffee. If they do, it is probably an influence from their travels abroad. That, or their parents/ immediate family was greatly influenced from their travels abroad and transferred their preferences to these odd-one-out Germans.
As an Indian, I can’t palate German coffee! It’s too strong for me. I think a lot of other people around the world will agree with me! I once saw a movie where a German woman goes to the US as a refugee cum mail order bride and the head of the village hates the coffee she makes calling it “too dark”! We Indians, especially the ones hailing from the north Indian state of Punjab, drink what Germans would call “coffee flavoured milk”. We beat our (instant) coffee with a big spoonful or more along with a drop or two of water until it gets frothy and changes colour to a light muddy brown. Then we add boiling milk to it and sprinkle coco powder on top! It is essentially a hot milk shake. Coffee is simply an excuse. We are just looking forward to have some warm milk. This recipe is something Indians drink post dinner during winter weddings huddled together in blankets around the holy pyre encircling the bride and groom, yawning and watching the ceremony that continues the entire night, trying to stay warm and awaken themselves at the same time. If I drink the mild Indian coffee, I can’t sleep for the following 14 hours. If I drink German coffee, I imagine I will be awake for 3 days staring the ceiling like a zombie! On the other hand if I serve Indian style coffee to Germans, they will probably spit it out!
In conclusion, I can just say one thing based on my daily observations: “Never ever come between a German and their 4pm coffee and cake!” It’s probably as, if not more, important to them as their cars!
