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From Abroad

Ask any Viennese person how they feel about coffee, and they will tell you, coffee is more than just a drink! It is a part of everyday life. Since I arrived in Vienna, I have had the pleasure of sipping coffee from all over town as well as sample the best sweets I could find. My usual preference is for a “Kaffee Melange”, a mild roast with steamed milk. As lovely as it is to drink coffee at the cafes everyday, and as a student with limited time and a budget, I was forced to source out another way to satisfy my daily fix! If you are one of those people who can relax, enjoy a nice cup and savor a “dainty” little treat like me, please do read on…

These days, as it seems money goes out like the laundry to dry (the worsening ER (can’t say exchange rate- those are naughty words!) doesn’t help matters!), I feel strained to act a bit more frugal. So, for the past week or so, I have been trying to duplicate my cafe experience in the comfort of my residence. This includes acquiring all the necessary items for proper coffee, Viennese style, but at a more consistent, affordable rate.

Drawing on the aforementioned, I was able to reach a level of justification for outfitting myself with the coolest and most affordable coffee gadgets I could find. In the end, I had essentially conducted a sort of cost-benefit analysis. Since I am a firm believer in “buy once, buy for life”, I knew my purchases had to be well researched. I settled on a neat company called Bodum, you can check them out here (http://www.bodum.com/). I will not elaborate on the products I bought, but you can check out the possibilities for yourself. The photo was taken a few minutes before publishing this blog, the partial product of the fruits of my labor:

Note the Manner wafers, an absolute staple to have on hand whilst living in Vienna! Also, a quick local secret: boxes of 12 Manner packets can be obtained at the Manner factory store for 5 EUR in the 17th district, if you can’t find the store, just follow your nose!

I hope I do not strike you as someone who cannot survive a day without coffee, there are many days when I don’t drink any all day. I simply believe that while living in a city engulfed by coffee culture, why not bathe in it too!

Also, I know I have mentioned coffee and cafes in previous blogs, I am merely trying to help you understand my thought process as best as I can describe it! Stay tuned in for the status of my motivated mission for self-made, Viennese coffee experiences as well as the continuing of my European adventures! This weekend, Prague!

Now that the coffee situation is mostly under control, how to bake pastries without an oven… (-:

Bye!