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May 01, 2012 Issue 218SUMMERCHILLERSWords | Suzy Fontes Photography | Jerzy WierzbickiCertain foods, rather drinks, demand learning. Like black coffee, for example. It isn’t easy on thepalate of those who are apprehensive about trying strong drinks, sans sweeteners like milk orsugar – à la Omani kahwa. One needs to acquire a taste for it, provided the urge to try and jointhe coffee drinkers bandwagon is pretty strong.In many a culture, coffee making is a ritual that is almost religious. It infuses a sense of meaningto the day and even establishes the importance of relations between coffee drinkers. But for allthose on the go, and even those who like to brew their own stuff, there is always Second Cup,which has, over the years, become a temple of sorts. Be it for the early morning cuppa or aleisurely brunch that extends to lunch or even a siesta-breaking drink, it is a hub for everyonewith time and inclination to enjoy simple things in life.The inviting earthy tones of Second Cup add to the homey décor, beckoning even non-coffeedrinkers to try out their range of beverages, which, interestingly, has several non-coffeeconcoctions on offer. This is one café that has wowed the imagination of coffee drinkers aroundthe world with their signature drinks and novel mixtures, which are sought by every kind ofcoffee lover. And with the new summer presentation ‘Irresistible’, Second Cup fans have fourcool options to savour at all their outlets - Qurum, Shatti Al Qurum, Bareeq Al Shatti and at theOmantel’s Headquarters in Mawaleh.That also explains our detour from the regular lunch/dinner fare to a purely coffee trip.But before we go into the coffee tasting, a quick look at coffee culture, nay, coffee personality.‘The You Code’, a 2010 book written by Judi James and James Moore states that espressodrinkers are prone to frequent mood swings, are hard workers and have a thick skin; blackcoffee drinkers are very direct; latte drinkers want to be appreciated and need to be loved;cappuccino drinkers are extroverted and optimistic people; ice coffee are light and frivolous…Non-coffee drinkers, they say, are scared and conservative, afraid to get out of their comfortzones.That is, possibly, a hard-core coffee lovers’ take on the subject, but if you are a Second Cup22