At first glance, an English speaker would think kaffetime means coffee time.  In a way, this is what Norwegians mean when they say kaffetime. However, literally translated, it means ‘coffee hour.’  You can say kaffetime or just kaffe and Norwegians will know what you mean.  Growing up, I always had the impression that Americans were obsessed with coffee.  It seemed like grown-ups were always talking about going out for coffee or having coffee after dinner when relatives or friends were over.  Coffee on break at work, coffee after church, always coffee!  And of course most kids gag when they take their first sip of coffee.

Now that I am a coffee drinker myself (although I’m proud to say that I don’t need it to get through the day) and I’ve actually sat around and chatted after dinner when relatives come over, I know that “coffee” in American terms means something a little bit different than in Norwegian terms.  I would be willing to bet that on average, Norwegians as a people drink significantly more coffee than Americans.  Coffee in the morning with breakfast, coffee mid-morning, coffee with lunch or after lunch, and coffee after dinner.  Drinking coffee and eating dessert after dinner is not just for special occasions for a lot of people.

The same kind of cozy, conversational, atmosphere accompanies both the Norwegian idea of kaffetime and the American idea of coffee, but the truth is, a lot of people in the U.S. say they are going to meet someone for coffee and they really just get a pop or a piece of chocolate cake.  I don’t think I met one adult in Norway that doesn’t drink coffee.  There are plenty of adults in the U.S. who don’t drink coffee.

Not only do more Norwegians drink coffee than Americans, the strength of the coffee in the U.S. hardly compares to that of Norway.  There is a coffee shop in my town called Goodbye Blue Monday that brews very strong coffee.  It’s extremely popular, but many people will not drink it because it is too strong for their liking.  I think all of the coffee that I drank in Norway was stronger than Goodbye Blue Monday’s.

Another difference between the kaffe in Norway and coffee in the U.S. is the volume you receive when you purchase a cup.  In the U.S. a small coffee is the equivalent of 2 or 3 cups in Norway.  They drink less volume because the coffee is so much stronger.  Same goes for a latte.  In Norway, any coffee drink you order is going to be no more than 10 ounces.  In the U.S. at Starbucks you can order a grande or tall (forget which is bigger) and it could be 3 times that size.  So like most food and beverage items, Americans are still on track with supersizing.

If you haven’t had kaffe in Norway, order a cup and I guarantee if you really like coffee, you will love it and be more than satisfied with a small cup.  Don’t get me wrong though, if you are sitting around with friends or family, plenty of refilling goes on.

Cheers to kaffetime!�