Expresso or Espresso? It's Time to Stop the Bullying Now...

Special Issue : International Coffee Day - Earth 616

International Coffee Day is live now, and with that comes the great debate…

A British buddy of mine once told me a nasty joke:

Why do baristas always correct you when you say "expresso"?

Because they can’t let you get away with brewing bad grammar!

So let's clear this S/X debate now! But why now, you would ask...

September 29th is celebrated as National Coffee Day in the United States, India, and many South Asian and (some) European countries. It is a special day for coffee lovers as top US food chains offer generous freebies and exciting deals in honor of National Coffee Day.

However, many coffee-loving nations may not have it on the same day. The Member States of the International Coffee Organization regard International Coffee Day on October 1st to create a single day of celebration for coffee enthusiasts worldwide. On this day countries like the United Kingdom and Japan join in the spirit of coffee celebrations!

Now we have TWO days to celebrate coffee at a one-day interval. Such types of conflicts are the best! ☕️

But how does it contribute to the Expresso vs. Espresso quandary?

Well, a similar set of conventions described above is at play here.

Traditionally, espresso should be correct. E-X-presso has been regarded as a misspelling by usage experts, who sneer at the deviation from the original Italian. But the latter's use is more than abundant among the dense coffee-loving nations—trust me on this. And it is not just a misspelling. Expresso's meaning is deeply ingrained in etymology and the coffee-making process.

Merriam-Webster has tactfully explained why both words are more closely related than we think.

The espresso in caffè espresso, it was believed, pertained not to the "express" nature of brewing but to the fact that the coffee was "pressed out," espresso being cited as a past participle of esprimere, from Latin exprimere, meaning "to press or squeeze out." But, as it turns out, there's a problem with that reasoning.

Exprimere does indeed mean, among other things, "to press or squeeze out" in Latin. It's also an ancestor of our word express, which has among its meanings "to force out (something, such as the juice of a fruit) by pressure"—which accurately describes what takes place when espresso is made: hot water is forced through the grounds by way of steam pressure (approximately nine atmospheres' worth).

Coffee Day is one of those Autumn Festivals that doesn't require a location validation. It connects people across the globe with a single thread of love and appreciation for coffee.

To celebrate Earth Coffee Day 2024, I published a heartwarming short story, a few days ago. It's a new perspective on how caffeine can affect brains in ways untold.

If you have made it this far, chances are you’re gonna have a drink after this, irrespective of your take on the Pressos. Let’s keep the spirit high by expressing the heart below…