Coffee help for an Australian!

[Dark Annie]

Like quite a few older Australians, my mum is a  massive tea drinker (3-4 cups daily) and pretty much never drinks coffee at all. When she does tend to consume the addictive bean, it is generally only when out at a cafe or a restaurant and there are only two styles that she likes. These are the coffees you get from places like McDonald's, which mum orders as a 'white coffee', or a coffee drink that is known as a Caffè Americano in Italy.  The problem is that whenever mum tries to order a drink like this in Australia, or asks for a white coffee, the barista gets confused and doesn't know what she's talking about.

We've tried ordering long blacks for mum and requesting some milk on the top, but invariably this ends up being too strong for my mum's taste. Conversely, flat whites and lattés are no good either- they're too milky and mum hates the taste. So this is where I consult the help of Ehell's coffee aficionados and baristas- what on earth should my mum be asking for at a cafe when she just wants an Americano or filter coffee, especially if the cafe does not do drip coffee? FWIW, I'm no help at all- I despise coffee and have never drunk a cuppa joe in my life!

[cicero]

i laughed when i read this because i had a similar problem in israel - coffee shops are *very* popular here (dating back to the time of the Ottoman empire and then to the wave of european immigrants who came here in the early 1900s). almost everyone here (so it seems) drinks latte, or espresso of differing strengths. I've had to teach baristas how to do the americano (after being told either "i've never heard of that" or "there is no such thing"). I simply tell them "make a latte but use boiling water instead of milk and leave room for cold milk on top". I know people who gave up and ask for espresso, cold milk, and a mug of boiling water.

if she likes it less strong, then tell them to make it "weak". (I usually have the opposite problem so my blanket order is "strong" and if i order latte then "strong with no foam")

and if your mom wants something different from tea, how about - hot chocolate, chai latte, hot cider etc?

[Bijou]

Like quite a few older Australians, my mum is a  massive tea drinker (3-4 cups daily) and pretty much never drinks coffee at all. When she does tend to consume the addictive bean, it is generally only when out at a cafe or a restaurant and there are only two styles that she likes. These are the coffees you get from places like McDonald's, which mum orders as a 'white coffee', or a coffee drink that is known as a Caffè Americano in Italy.  The problem is that whenever mum tries to order a drink like this in Australia, or asks for a white coffee, the barista gets confused and doesn't know what she's talking about.

We've tried ordering long blacks for mum and requesting some milk on the top, but invariably this ends up being too strong for my mum's taste. Conversely, flat whites and lattés are no good either- they're too milky and mum hates the taste. So this is where I consult the help of Ehell's coffee aficionados and baristas- what on earth should my mum be asking for at a cafe when she just wants an Americano or filter coffee, especially if the cafe does not do drip coffee? FWIW, I'm no help at all- I despise coffee and have never drunk a cuppa joe in my life!

Can she ask for a flat white with half the milk?

[Hmmmmm]

I'm not Australian but I did have to learn how to figure out how to order coffee while there for a period. 

This helped me intepret an Australian coffee menu and it also made me realize there wasn't an equivalent to an American brewed coffee.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2287438_interpret-australian-coffee-menu.html

 At McDs she is probably getting brewed coffe with a small milk or cream added.

The Italian Cafe Americano is espresso with extra boiling water added which I learned is called a long black in Australia.  So if I were her, I'd ask for a long black then ask for milk or cream so she can add as much as she likes.  Or if they add the milk, add for just a splash or two.

[NutMeg]

If long blacks with milk are still too strong for her, she can order a long black in a larger cup than it usually comes in, with the same amount of espresso, but more water. Then add milk once the coffee has been diluted with water to her taste. The problem sounds like she can't get the water to espresso ratio right.

So for example, if the long black is usually one shot of espresso in a medium cup filled up with boiling water, she should ask for one shot of espresso in a large cup topped off with boiling water, with room for milk.

[Seraphim]

Most places will make a weak long black, and then she can add her own milk.

When I first started drinking coffee, I found espresso was too strong, so I started asking for a weak black instant coffee instead. If she likes Macca's coffee, then instant might do the job. Most restaurants etc have instant as well.

(I am Aussie to btw)