ABSTRACT
In a 2005 essay for the New York Review of Books, the late historian Tony Judt o ered a telling comparison between American co ee and Italian espresso. He asked his readers:
Consider a mug of American co ee. It is found everywhere. It can be made by anyone. It is cheap – and re lls are free. Being largely without avor it can be diluted to taste. What it lacks in allure it makes up in size. It is the most democratic method ever devised for introducing ca eine into human beings. Now take a cup of Italian espresso. It requires expensive equipment. Price-to-volume ratio is outrageous, suggesting indi erence to the consumer and ignorance of the market. e aesthetic satisfaction accessory to the beverage far outweighs its metabolic impact. It is not a drink; it is an artifact.1
