Coffee Break

I have to say that my intake of coffee has substantially increased since moving to Brazil. Coffee is so ingrained in the culture that the word for breakfast in Portuguese is café de manha which literally translates to “morning coffee.” Yes there is food at breakfast too but, as the language demonstrates, coffee has an instrumental role.

Though coffee is made in a variety of ways here (including a coffeemaker, a version of the K-cup machine, and, of course, instant coffee) the most common way I have encountered to brew coffee is with a thermos and a funnel. Basically you take a large thermos and place the funnel on top equipped with a filter and coffee grounds. You boil water and when it’s ready slowly pour the hot water in the filter so the mixture drips down until your thermos is filled. Then you simply remove the filter and screw the lid back on the thermos and you have easily dispensable coffee. Plus you have coffee that stays warm through the morning, until you are ready to make another batch.

Because in addition to morning coffee, Brazilians in the Northeast often have afternoon coffee as well. This is like the British equivalent to tea time. Though someone may ask you if you want coffee around 6pm they are not only asking about café. If you decline the offer, you may be off to bed without dinner. Afternoon coffee implies food and in many homes it takes the place of dinner. Most commonly crackers, bread, cheese, butter, deli meat, cakes, fruit, are served for this light supper.

While I have trouble drinking coffee past 4pm and still having a decent night’s sleep, Brazilians seem to be able to drink coffee at any hour. In fact, I’ve had several Brazilians tell me that they drink coffee at night before they go to bed to help them sleep. Of course, they drink café com leite or coffee with milk because black coffee is the only potential drink that could truly keep them up at night.

Should you ever find yourself at a Brazilian conference or seminar you may be lucky enough to experience a “coffee break.” The English phrase is used in lieu of any Portuguese phrasing. And rather than the several short breaks I am accustomed to, there is usually just one longer coffee break which again includes food. It is similar to afternoon coffee you would find at someone’s home but on a much larger scale. Though it is advisable to not dillydally on your way to the line for refreshments as sometimes they run out of snacks or only have the mysterious-looking deli meats by the time it’s your turn to stock your plate.