I keep reading reports of Canadian coffee shops defiantly changing "Americano" to "Canadiano" on their menu boards in protest of the way US President Donald Trump has suggested that Canada become the United States' cherished 51st state.
As a former Starbucks partner and a Canadian of Italian descent, I find this extremely amusing.
You see, an Americano is espresso with hot water.
But the Americano was reportedly created during World War II when Americans serving in Italy found espresso too strong; it had to be watered down to be palatable.
Naming the beverage an "Americano" wasn't intended as a compliment.
And Canadians changing the name of a watered-down espresso drink to own it for themselves is not the flex they intend it to be.
If Canadians want a Canadiano, we shouldn't change the name of an existing beverage.
We should create a new and better beverage that represents Canadians.
To that effect, I hereby propose the following simple recipe:
The Canadiano
Six shots of espresso
Two tablespoons of Canadian maple syrup
Poured over ice
It's uncomplicated, sweet, refreshing...
... and packs one helluva punch when needed.
Just like the people for which it's named. 🍁
P.S. The beautiful image above was created using AI, but I made myself a Canadiano for real shortly after I finished my post. It was delicious, but the quantity of espresso in the drink required something much larger than a traditional espresso cup.
P.P.S. If you think six shots is a lot of espresso, you're not wrong. However, the Mayo Clinic suggests up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per day appears to be safe for most healthy adults. Per fluid ounce, a shot of espresso has 64mg of caffeine, so six shots x 64 mg per shot (i.e. 384mg) would still be under the daily recommended limit.
P.P.S. "David, why not create something with fewer espresso shots to make it more accessible to people who don't want that much caffeine?" Because I wanted a number that would tie in to the Maple Leaf... and 12 would be too many. If you think six shots is too much espresso or two tablespoons of maple syrup is too much sugar... try a Half Canadiano!
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