Coffee Culture
Serving and language
How coffee is served and how it is talked about: the long-spouted Arabian dallah, the small demitasse cup an espresso comes in, the slang heard across a coffee counter, and the coffee Dolly Parton named after a line in her song 9 to 5.
The Dallah: The Coffee Pot on the CoinageA long curved spout, a hinged lid and a shape recognisable across the Arab world. It is a brewing vessel and a symbol of hospitality, in that order of importance to nobody.
Demitasse Cups: Size, Shape and What to BuyThe small cup espresso is served in. Why it is that size, why the walls are so thick, and what to check before you buy a set.
Coffee Slang: A Glossary of Cafe and Barista TermsThe words on a cafe menu and the words baristas use behind it are two different vocabularies. Here is what both of them mean.
Dolly Parton's Cup of Ambition Coffee: The Three Roasts, Price and Where to BuyDolly Parton's own coffee, made with Louisiana's Community Coffee, went on sale online on National Coffee Day 2026. Three roasts, $12.99 a bag, and a children's reading charity behind every cup.