Do you drink coffee with milk?

[gingersmom]

I started drinking coffee as a child (my mother always drank it and I was always cold so I would hold her cup to warm my hands and then started drinking it much to her dismay). I always drink it with milk and either sugar substitute or sugar.

I grew up on the East Coast and always ordered my coffee with milk (not cream, not 1/2 and 1/2, not powdered stuff) and nobody blinked an eye.

 

Since I moved 2000 miles away people look at me like I have two heads and horns when I ask for coffee with milk. In Iowa I had such a long discussion about it (they were beyond confused), that I just gave up and drank it black.

 

At one restaurant they told me I could have milk for my coffee but they were going to charge me for a glass of milk.

 

At McDonalds I am the only  person who pays $3 for a $1cup of coffee  because I have to buy a separate carton of milk.

 

Even the Starbucks don't have milk out (although the person behind the counter will find milk for me free of charge :)

 

Today at 7-11 I didn't realize till after I poured the coffee that they didn't have milk. So I had to go buy a tiny carton of milk to pour into my coffee.

 

Is coffee with milk just an East Coast phenomenon?

[sunflowerlady]

I will use milk if I happen to be out of half and half or heavy cream. Otherwise, no.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I grew up on the East Coast and I don't drink coffee with milk.  I think it tastes watered down.  I like half and half or heavy cream.  That said, it isn't that I've never heard of that.  I worked in a factor for awhile and they provided coffee and they only bought milk (skim milk at that).  I brought my own cream because I thought it was so gross with milk.  But aside from that place I've never been offered milk for my coffee anywhere else.

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

What I have encountered a lot is people drinking milk in their tea.  I don't like tea anyway, but ewww.  My grandparents always put milk in their tea. 

[MyThreeSons]

I've never known anyone who insisted that it had to be milk rather than cream or creamer or half and half or whatever. Can you really taste the difference? My mother--in-law usually uses condensed milk, poured straight from the can that she keeps in her fridge, but will use milk without quibbling if that's what is available. 

 

Personally, I say that I like a little coffee with my cream and sugar, but I don't care what the white stuff is particularly. That's the way my Dad drank his. My grandmother liked her coffee with "cream" but no sugar. I had to remember to stir hers first before I fixed my Dad's cup. She could taste the sugar from the shared stirring spoon. 

[I talk to the trees]

I drink lowfat milk in my coffee, but I prefer half & half, or better still, those little packets of deliciously sweet and flavored hydrogenated oils. But usually I am good, and have milk. *sigh*

[marbel]

I like it with half and half or cream, not milk.  Well, I'll use milk if there is nothing else to lighten the coffee with.   I live in Pennsylvania and I have never been offered coffee with milk.   ETA: I've also never asked for coffee with milk, so for all I know it would be given to me if I asked.

 

Milk is more often used in tea. I do put milk in my tea sometimes.

[Library Momma]

I drink my coffee with milk  -Skim if it's available. Usually that's not a problem at a coffee shop or even McDonalds. I am on the East coast though.

[Stacia]

When I fix my own coffee, I drink coffee with whole milk. (This is at home or if I'm in a Starbucks or coffee shop where they have whole milk.) I do not like skim milk in my coffee. I will drink 2% milk in coffee, but it's not my favorite.

 

Most other places, I just use the plain creamer cups or pitcher of creamer that they provide. I'm so used to milk, though, that creamer or half & half almost adds a greasiness to the coffee, imo.

 

I've generally grown up & live along the East Coast.

 

(I say this all as I'm sipping my big cup of coffee with lots of whole milk in it.)

[redsquirrel]

I live on the east coast and I use milk, but if I go out and all I see is half and half or whatever I use that. I can't really tell the difference.

 

And people say milk around here when they just mean whatever is a sort of a milk type substitute, lol. For example, when I order a coffee they will ask 'room for milk?" and then toss down some of those little cups of whatever that is.

 

So, maybe using the word milk as stand in for cream or half and half or unsweetened almond milk is an east coast thing? But I have never insisted it be actual milk and not half and half or whatever for my coffee.

 

I do prefer actual milk for my tea because half and half or cream etc is too heavy, but if that is what is available I don't bother complaining.

[Lizzie in Ma]

East Coast born and bred, I drink it black. ;)

[AnnE-girl]

Midwestern girl here, and I drank coffee with half and half when I lived at home as a teenager and my mom bought it, then switched to milk in college because I couldn't justify buying separate milk and 1/2&1/2 on my student budget. I managed to switch to black coffee after doing a whole 30 a few years ago. Since cutting back on my coffee with this pregnancy, I've gone back to whole milk, which is what my kids drink, to make my smaller portion last just a bit longer. I'll have heavy cream if we have it around or anything but the fake stuff when we're out. I'm not picky. Actually, I take that back. I'd rather drink black coffee than anything lower fat than 2% milk. The fat is what makes it good :-)

[Arcadia]

I prefer coffee black preferably espresso but put whole milk for my first cup in the morning because I am lazy to wait for my coffee to cool down.

I have no problem ordering caffè latte when out at Starbucks, Peets, McDonalds. 7Eleven is where I can't find milk for coffee and I just drink coffee black. I'm in California.

I can taste the difference. My picky oldest can taste the difference between brands of whole milk and even different batch of the same brand :lol:

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Huh! I've never heard of this! I grew up (and still live) on the East Coast, and I've never had anyone question milk for coffee. I grew up drinking milk in my coffee, though now I prefer half and half or cream (but will use milk if that's what we have). DH prefers milk but will use the others if they're there. How funny that it's THAT unusual in other places!

[Orthodox6]

Cafe au lait = Coffee with milk = listed on many menus

 

I drink it often.  Bovine milk, soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk -- whatever I'm in the mood to include.

 

Since developing rosacea some years ago, and learning that hot drinks are one of the triggers, I developed a liking for iced coffee.  If I am too busy/lazy to brew my own coffee, I enjoy a blend made with this:  http://www.chameleoncoldbrew.com/

[Laura Corin]

I grew up on the East Coast and I don't drink coffee with milk.  I think it tastes watered down.  I like half and half or heavy cream.  That said, it isn't that I've never heard of that.  I worked in a factor for awhile and they provided coffee and they only bought milk (skim milk at that).  I brought my own cream because I thought it was so gross with milk.  But aside from that place I've never been offered milk for my coffee anywhere else.

 

I only like really strong coffee (espresso for preference) and I put a lot of hot milk in it.  Not watered down so long as the initial coffee is proper.

[MercyA]

At McDonalds I am the only  person who pays $3 for a $1cup of coffee  because I have to buy a separate carton of milk.

 

Even the Starbucks don't have milk out (although the person behind the counter will find milk for me free of charge :)

 

Today at 7-11 I didn't realize till after I poured the coffee that they didn't have milk. So I had to go buy a tiny carton of milk to pour into my coffee.

 

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who does this!  I don't like to use the little creamers most places provide because they're full of junk.  I would rather buy milk if necessary.  I've never been offered milk in a restaurant and I don't think it's a common request.  I'm in the Midwest.  

 

Half and half is an occasional luxury for me, but I usually just use whole milk.  I  :001_wub: coffee.

[Southern Ivy]

Can you really taste the difference? 

I think you can. 

Cream or 1/2 and 1/2 is more rich. Plus, it's a texture issue. It makes the coffee more creamy and the milk is more watery (if you can have "watery" when coffee is made from water. haha) 

I personally can not stand milk in my coffee. I have to have either the cream, 1/2&1/2, or the horrible-for-you-chemically-laden flavored creamers. 

[SpicyPeanut]

I was born and raised in the Northeast and I will sometimes take milk in my coffee.  I do prefer it black.  I will say, that I'm Hispanic and in general, coffee is taken black or with milk (not 1/2 and 1/2, not creamer).  I have never liked the taste of creamer or half and half (and I can taste the difference).  When I do take milk it's usually a shot or 2 of espresso and then fill the cup with whole milk.  But I don't know if it's a northern thing, or a Puerto Rican thing :-)

[SKL]

I drink my coffee with [skim] milk, but I use instant coffee so I can add enough milk without watering it down too much.  To me it tastes much better than anything I can buy out there.

[SKL]

But yeah, when I order coffee I don't bother asking for "milk" in it.  It isn't worth the hassle.  :P

[Mnemosyne]

If I drink 'normal' coffee it's with half n half and sugar.

 

I usually drink Bulletproof (coffee, unsalted grassfed butter, MCT oil) however.

 

Have never heard of milk with coffee as a 'thing', but I've used whole milk on occasion when I don't have half n half or butter.

[Laura Corin]

I drink my coffee with [skim] milk, but I use instant coffee so I can add enough milk without watering it down too much.  To me it tastes much better than anything I can buy out there.

 

A lot of people in Britain drink instant coffee - it came over with the GIs in WWII and stayed.  Some people make the coffee granules with hot milk rather than water.

[rebbyribs]

I'm from the East Coast and drink coffee with milk, although not quite as much milk as my mom likes in hers.  I often see milk available for adding to coffee here in California, although I certainly don't mind half-and-half if that's what is offered.  (I tend to use milk because I buy it anyhow for the kids and cereal etc., and I'd rather not buy another thing specifically for coffee.)

[Guest]

I will drink it black, with heavy cream, or hemp milk. Nothing else. Milk and coffee are fairly unusual in these parts, as most people want creamer or half n half. My heavy cream is rare outside of Starbucks - most places don't keep it on hand because they don't make their own whipped cream.

[KrissiK]

No, I drink it with half and half. Though when I was in Brasil, we could order "cafe com leite" which I think was half coffee and half hot milk. It was good.

[SKL]

I should note that when I go to conferences and such, where they have coffee laid out, there is often a pitcher of skim milk as well as half & half or cream.  I assume this is to cater to the people who are dieting.  I use the cream because I'd have to add a ton of skim milk to make it light enough, and then it would be cold and wouldn't really taste like coffee any more.

[Laura Corin]

Those of you who don't like milk in coffee, how do you feel about cappuccinos and lattes?

[ikslo]

Born and bred in MA.  I used to drink it black (also started drinking from my mom's and she drank it black), but after I got pregnant with DS my stomach couldn't take it without milk.  No sugar though.  Usually whole milk.  I don't do 1/2 and 1/2.  Occasionally I use heavy cream if I want it richer.  But that's a treat, not an every day thing.   I've only ever lived on the East coast, so I never realized you couldn't get milk everywhere!

 

When I go to Starbucks I ask for a triple espresso with cold whole milk added to the top, no ice, no heat.  Yeah, I get looks.  And yeah, they get it wrong.

[AnnE-girl]

Those of you who don't like milk in coffee, how do you feel about cappuccinos and lattes?

Those I do enjoy, but the steamed milk makes it better than plain milk. I used to even get skim milk when I thought that was what I was supposed to be drinking. I've learned not to fear fat since then :-)

[KungFuPanda]

I think it's weird that anyone would think it's weird. I don't drink coffee, but I do put milk in my Irish breakfast tea. Cream or half n half is just overkill for me.

[Spryte]

I drink it black, but I always see milk available at Starbucks and places serving coffee.

[Matryoshka]

Yes, yes I do. And I have no trouble getting it when I'm out, but then I'm on the east coast. ..

[Pawz4me]

At home I use half and half in my coffee.  When I'm getting coffee in a restaurant I use whatever is available, which is usually those little cups of creamer.  I'm not too picky about what's used to lighten it as long as the end result is good.

[Plink]

New England girl - I ltake my coffee with "2% and no sugar," and I've never had anyone bat an eye at my order locally. I honestly prefer milk to cream or half and half.

 

I do notice that when I travel south I'm more likely to have my coffee made wrong, but the baristas never say they don't carry it, they just switch it silently hoping I won't notice. In the west they ask if cream is okay.

 

I've never thought this deeply about my coffee choices before. Interesting!

[SparklyUnicorn]

I think you can. 

Cream or 1/2 and 1/2 is more rich. Plus, it's a texture issue. It makes the coffee more creamy and the milk is more watery (if you can have "watery" when coffee is made from water. haha) 

I personally can not stand milk in my coffee. I have to have either the cream, 1/2&1/2, or the horrible-for-you-chemically-laden flavored creamers. 

 

because that is what milk is...especially skim...mostly water

 

I can't stand skim milk any which way.  I only buy whole.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Those of you who don't like milk in coffee, how do you feel about cappuccinos and lattes?

 

I don't prefer them.  I like regular coffee most.

[Orthodox6]

I use skim milk, but not because I am "dieting."  Rather, I dislike the feel of fats/oils in my mouth.  I can sense it in coffee with "heavier" milk.  (I also intensely dislike the flavour of butter/margarine, and have not put any on breads, pancakes, or so forth, in over fifty years.) 

[Spy Car]

I'm in California. I regularly drink my coffee with milk. I also like it black. Or with cream or half/half. No fake suff.

 

Coffee with milk is not slightly unusual here.

 

Bill

[Halcyon]

I think it's a NORTHeast thing. In NYC, coffee with milk was the norm. Since I moved to Florida, I always have to ask for milk, as the choices seem to be either creamer (flavored! blech) or 1/2 and 1/2. 

 

So yes, I like my coffee with whole milk. Once in a while, I will use half and half as a treat, but it's very rich.

[Halcyon]

And I like my coffee LIGHT, so those little plastic creamer thingies drive me batty--not only do i use 6 of them, but I am then acutely aware of how many calories I must be consuming....... :mellow:

[catz]

Well, I'm in the midwest and drink my coffee with milk each and every day.  But when I'm out, it does seem like cream is the prevalent choice.  That's like a latte right? 

[Lanny]

In Colombia that is "normal". "Cafe con Leche" (coffee with milk) is the norm here. I drink it Black with Sugar.The first time I flew to Colombia on Avianca (the largest and oldest Colombian flag carrier) I asked for coffee, assuming it would be Black and that I would add Sugar. No joy. The Flight Attendant brought me Coffee with Milk...  Usually, we can get Black Coffee with Sugar, by asking for "tinto".  But last October when we stayed in the hotel of the Colombian Police Officers club in Bogota, we ran into problems getting "tinto" one morning with our Breakfast. The first morning, a nice person in the kitchen made Black Coffee for us and we had no problem.  The 2nd or 3rd morning, we were told we could not get Black Coffee. We did, because we insisted and told then they'd made it for us a day or 2 earlier. This dining room had approximately 80 or 100 tables, so we are not talking about a tiny restaurant with only a few people eating.  Each table had fresh cut flowers put on it, every morning.  :hurray:

[marbel]

When I go to a "coffeehouse" (think Starbucks), there are lots of choices of coffee-whitening substances - various % cow milks, cream, half&half, nondairy options.

 

When I go to a "coffee shop" (think old-style diner) I am likely to be given those cute little containers of half&half.

 

I wonder if that is the difference?    Not regional, but type of place? 

 

Lattes and cappucinos are made with steamed milk, not cream or h&h, right?

[Southern Ivy]

I think you can. 

Cream or 1/2 and 1/2 is more rich. Plus, it's a texture issue. It makes the coffee more creamy and the milk is more watery (if you can have "watery" when coffee is made from water. haha) 

I personally can not stand milk in my coffee. I have to have either the cream, 1/2&1/2, or the horrible-for-you-chemically-laden flavored creamers. 

 

 

because that is what milk is...especially skim...mostly water

 

I can't stand skim milk any which way.  I only buy whole.

 

Ha - true. I guess it really does water it down. :) 

[ScoutTN]

Nope. Real cream from cows that eat grass, from a farm less than 20 miles from my house. :)

I will go with half and half if necessary.

If neither cream nor half and half is available, I will drink it black or skip it altogether.

 

No sugar for me either. Esp since I usually have a little something sweet to eat with my coffee. ;)

[EKS]

I drink it with milk at home but am happy to have it with cream or half and half if it is available.

[Cinder]

I prefer my coffee black and unsweetened. Dh takes his with half-and-half. The last time I was in our local Starbucks and Panera  both had half-and-half and 2% milk.

[Ausmumof3]

I started drinking coffee as a child (my mother always drank it and I was always cold so I would hold her cup to warm my hands and then started drinking it much to her dismay). I always drink it with milk and either sugar substitute or sugar.

I grew up on the East Coast and always ordered my coffee with milk (not cream, not 1/2 and 1/2, not powdered stuff) and nobody blinked an eye.

 

Since I moved 2000 miles away people look at me like I have two heads and horns when I ask for coffee with milk. In Iowa I had such a long discussion about it (they were beyond confused), that I just gave up and drank it black.

 

At one restaurant they told me I could have milk for my coffee but they were going to charge me for a glass of milk.

 

At McDonalds I am the only person who pays $3 for a $1cup of coffee because I have to buy a separate carton of milk.

 

Even the Starbucks don't have milk out (although the person behind the counter will find milk for me free of charge :)

 

Today at 7-11 I didn't realize till after I poured the coffee that they didn't have milk. So I had to go buy a tiny carton of milk to pour into my coffee.

 

Is coffee with milk just an East Coast phenomenon?

Everyone in Aus drinks coffee with milk or black. My dh nearly died of horror once when we were out of milk and I used cream.

[alisoncooks]

I think milk = watered-down coffee.  I like mine with half & half or heavy cream.  (I prefer heavy cream but my waistline does not.)