coffee in the UK.........

Coffee in England always tastes like a chemistry experiment.  (nice quote from Agatha Christie)

As a kid i used to drink Camp Coffee (a glutinous brown substance which consists of water, sugar, 4% coffee essence, and 26% chicory essence of coffee-beans, chicory and sugar poured from a distinctive bottle) Legend has it that it was originally developed as a method of brewing coffee quickly for military purposes. There was an issue about the political correctness of the label

It's still possible to order it on line at Tesco :~)

My mother used the essence to make walnut and coffee cake = YUMMY :~))

Back in those after the war years, British coffee was indistinguishable in colour from tea. The taste was much of a muchness as well.
Roast coffee beans were seen as exotic and only for the well to do. There was a shop in the village that roasted it's own and the smell was glorious, but we had no idea what to do with the beans. Most people used (and still do) instant coffee.

 

But there is hope - Starbucks and Costa Coffee have come to our shores to save our taste buds :~))))

There's even on in Woolwich High Street nowadays :~))

 If you are very persnickety about the colour of your coffee, or you have a big staff turn-over in the junior office staff, you might want to invest in one of these Cuppa-Mugs