Espresso Stories - The Secret Life of Coffee

Latte or long black, frappuccino or Faggs, coffee is interwoven with the fabric of our everyday lives. Whether gulped down at home or sipped in our favourite cafe with friends, that morning jolt or mid-afternoon caffeine pick-me-up is an essential part of many of our daily routines.

Coffee is indeed so commonplace that few of us are likely to have considered the origins of the product and the experiences of those who produce and serve it. This exhibition recovers some of these diverse stories. It covers the sweep of coffee drinking and cafes in the modern word, but focusses particularly on the origins and emergence of a coffee and casual eating scene in Hamilton.

So enjoy … and remember, the next latte you order is steeped in history.

Image: Detail: Figures in a Tavern or Coffeehouse, Joseph Highmore. Courtesy of the British Art Centre, Yale University.