【明報專訊】Thank heavens for diversity. Take the drinking of coffee. The Italians like theirs served thick and black in tiny cups. They call it caffè espresso, from esprimere, referring to the process of pressing steam through finely ground coffee beans. On the other hand, the Malaysians like theirs (called kopi C) with lots of sugar and lots of condensed milk. In France, the very word café means coffee, and sitting in an outdoor café sipping a cup of coffee is one of the greatest entertainments in all of Paris. In Hong Kong, a mixed drink of coffee with tea (yuanyang, 鴛鴦) is a common favourite. No matter what we call it or how we drink it, though, coffee has been a favourite beverage for more than fourteen centuries.