If you grew up in the 90s, or any time before for that matter, you will have witnessed the coffee spree that has sneaked up on Egypt in the past 10 or so years. We've shifted from a culture that indulges in afternoon tea with milk and gebna rumy to one that sips coffee like it's a heavenly juice. Some attribute that to Cilantro, Cairo's first local coffee house chain, kicking off as the first to serve flavored frappuccinos and homemade cottage cheese. However, it's no coincidence that 2001, marking Cilantro's launch-pad, is the same year "Friends, the famous sitcom, was airing its seventh season and Central Perk was everyone's dream hangout: a cool living-room not confined in a home and that happens to serve coffee. While international media is key to all 'foreign' phenomena, good and bad, drinking coffee is no different. Little by little, a dozen chains took on similar steps and gradually the idea of combining coffee with cool, hip interiors has led to an entire society that 'goes out for coffee'. Be it a business meeting, a casual first date, lunch with the girls or quality time with parents, coffee has become the main ingredient. This article is not meant to explore the reasons behind the birth of coffee houses in Egypt; instead, I intend to share an observation I've made over the past few years as I've become a regular at L'aroma, a cozy coffee shop situated on a quiet square in Mohandiseen, and happens to be walking distance from where I live. Along the past few years, I have witnessed the emergence of two groups of people: those who frequent L'aroma for a daily, much-needed caffeine fix and have gradually fallen in love with the place, and those who come to L'aroma to "be seen and heard, and remain a part of the social scene. This could be a generalization, but let's admit it; we're a generation that bows to mainstream. We love to talk about people and be talked about. Drinking coffee has became equivalent to being spotted carrying the latest Louis Vuitton bag, or better, being seen shopping at Beymen. With coffee comes status, and with status comes popularity. Don t we just love people talk? We ve become suckers to the happening social scene. Putting aside that some don t even care for coffee, I ve seen crowds of people strolling down the casual coffee house in exaggerated outfits at midday while all it really takes is a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. On top of that, ordering a full cream caramel latte, adding a few sachets of sugar and a little whipped cream on top sounds slightly insulting to a coffee lover like me. Arguably the best coffee in town, L'aroma is constantly full; eight people gathered around a table designed for three is a common sight, and your hair will not fail to catch up on some of that smoke that fills the room. That being said, it somewhat baffles me to find it attractive for huge chatty crowds that are not interested in the coffee but still make it a point to be there three or four times a week. On the other hand, I look around L aroma and I can spot those who are serious about their coffee, who often show up with just a couple of friends and sometimes even with just their laptops. For those people, L aroma will remain their favorite source of caffeine, with or without the crowd that comes along. Like skirts on top of pants and sushi girls' nights out, the coffee phenomenon is deemed to fade. But when the next trend comes around, let s not bow to peer pressure and march like a herd of sheep, just food for thought.
