Espresso Gains Popularity in Greece
BalkanTravellers.com
In a period of just one year, the sale of espresso for home consumption grew by 19.64 per cent, while the overall consumption of coffee in the country has remained the same, the Greek newspaper Ta Nea wrote today.
A growth in the sale of household espresso machines has also been observed. Only in 2008, Greeks spent 10.1 million euro on espresso machines for home use, which is 20 per cent more than the amount they spent in 2007.
Drinking coffee is a daily ritual for the Greeks, who – despite their relatively low population size, consume 0.64 per cent (or 23,000 tonnes) of the world’s annual coffee production, the publication added. This puts them in 13th position in the world ranking for per capita coffee consumption, with their 1.6 daily cups of coffee.
As BalkanTravellers.com wrote, the kafeneion – the café, is traditionally a kind of a second home for the Greeks, serving as a sanctuary for relaxation, a spot for good conversation with friends, a cherished location for philosophizers and daydreamers, a vantage point for people-watching and contemplating the sea.
However, as Greeks challenge the high café prices, the kafeneion may start to give way to the home as the place to drink coffee. And with that, the kafe elliniko – the traditional Greek coffee, may start being replaced by the espresso.
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