We all know that coffee can be pretty goddamn magical.
But it seems Melbourne has been keeping a secret from the rest of the country.
Along with lattes, long blacks and cup-of-chinos, there is a coffee simply known as ‘Magic’.
It’s apparently popular enough that a stack of Victorian cafes know what you’re talking about when you ask for one. But try ordering a ‘Magic’ in Perth or Sydney, the barista will probs give you nothing but a cocked brow.
MasterChef alumi Adam Liaw threw it out to Twitter on Friday which, TBH, was how I first heard of it and, well, here we are.
Question for Melburnians. Do actual people walk into actual cafés and order the coffee known as a “Magic”?
— Adam Liaw (@adamliaw) June 13, 2019
Despite it officially being a flat white with ¾ milk and a double ristretto base (or less milk, more coffee), Liaw later remarked that there were ‘wildly different understandings of what it is’.
Two things have become clear from the responses to this:
1. Yes, people do order it. Lots of them.
2. Even people who order it have wildly different understandings of what it is.— Adam Liaw (@adamliaw) June 13, 2019
Yes, many. But it’s not a double shot late as some think. The first 15 seconds of a coffee shot have the strongest flavour. So, if you let two single shots of coffee run for just the first 15 seconds, you get the equivalent of 1 shot of caffeine, but double the flavour. 🤙
— Selby Stewart (@Selby_Cameron) June 13, 2019
Umm… yes. The drink is great, but the name is horrendous. If we had a proper name for it, we could all just move on and pretend this never happened.
— Sista Mary Margarita (@Susie702) June 14, 2019
A lot. As far as I know, it was created by the proprietor of seven seeds when he owned rays in Brunswick. Its about the perfect blend of coffee and milk, hence the name. Double restretto, equal measure of steamed and frothed milk. Magic!
— The Sensory City (@TheSensoryCity) June 14, 2019
Mate, I don’t even know what that is?
— Rachel Jones (@ms_rach_j) June 13, 2019
shhhh, we don’t speak of it
— Stuart Moulds (@elastikos) June 13, 2019
I’ve heard people do this and it always makes it clear to me that I am well down the path to becoming old and curmudgeonly.
— Soon-Tzu Speechley 孫子 (@speechleyish) June 14, 2019
It’s a trick to expose out of towners.
— JK (@j2dk) June 13, 2019
yes. I have one regular who asks for it on Ice. we now call it the Disney 😂
— Scotia ❌ 🍾🌈👬 (@Scotjayel) June 14, 2019
?
— Ronny Tidy – Mrs. Happily married (@RonnyBlair) June 14, 2019
Started doing it with a friend as a piss-take in Sydney. And then became a regular at the coffee shop that complied.
— Dylan Mendes (@DylanMendes) June 13, 2019
Its easier than saying ‘double shot flat white, 3/4 full’ but I’d still say that before I ordered a ‘magic’ 😉
— matthewjh (@mattjh76) June 13, 2019
I was just in Nanjing and a cafe I stumbled upon had a “Melbourne style” coffee menu that featured a magic. It was the first time I have ordered one despite living in Melbourne for the last 14 years. 🤷🏼♀️
— Amy Lehpamer (@AmyLehpamer) June 14, 2019
I know someone that orders it as “Magic Johnson”, I asked his regular place if they knew who that was and they had no idea. Thought it was a dick joke.
— The Old Man (@Mr_Odin) June 13, 2019
