Awhile ago I commented on the use of liscio (=smooth), wondering why I never used to be able to use it to order a regular espresso the way our friend M did. Well, yesterday M gave a nice answer.
What M explained is that when he says “liscio” it is in response to the barista asking if he wants a coffee, he wouldn’t just go in and ask for “un liscio”. The idea is that liscio in the context of beverages means unadulterated, so that asking for “un liscio” isn’t specific enough — it doesn’t say which unadulterated beverage you want. You could want a plain tea or a neat whiskey (though probably not at 9am). Of course, if the barista says, “What can I get you?” you can reply “un caffè liscio”, saying the caffè / coffee part explicitly.
I think this makes sense, and the same thing works in English. You wouldn’t go into a cafe and ask for “a regular”. You have to say “a regular espresso”. And if the barista says, “Espresso?” you can say, “Yes, regular.” Though these days, I think it’s more common to indicate the number of espresso shots, like “Yes, a double.” At least that’s what we say at VCR.
Thanks for the neat (and yes, the pun is absolutely intended) explanation, M!
And your reward for suffering through that pun, here’s a photo of our usual “espresso liscio”, an apricot filled brioche, and a glass of water (still, room temperature) at Cafe Martel.
