New York’s Puritan Chefs Want It Their Way – NYTimes ⇥
No to pouring takeout espressos, or grinding more than a pound of coffee at a time. No to taming the intensity of a magma-spicy dish. And most of all, no to the 21st-century conviction that everything can be accessorized to the customer’s taste.
If I ever opened a café, I would only have one size: 8 oz. Everything would be a double shot. It would be made with milk, and it would not be made hot, because that scalds the milk.
When I worked at a coffee shop, I cringed every time someone wanted a single shot, extra hot large soy latte. It ruins everything that’s great about the drink. Most people don’t know what good coffee tastes like, so they try to mask it. A well-made latte doesn’t need anything added to it, because the espresso is smooth and savoury, and the milk is light, airy and sweet. It just works. Don’t mess with it.