Coffee Story (2/6)-Fun Facts About Drinking Coffee
Delve into the transformative journey of coffee in Shanghai. From a luxury of the few to an everyday staple, understand how coffee culture evolved in China.
The history of coffee culture in Shanghai is one that’s rich and storied, albeit one that’s been less popular and slow to develop. The predilection for coffee amongst Shanghai residents didn’t become widespread until later in the twentieth century. Prior to the 1980s, the beverage was consumed predominantly by industrialists and intellectuals who had encountered Western culture; it was largely alien to the working-class and agricultural communities.
Delving back into the annals of the 1960s, the scarcity of food supplies provoked a novel response. Luxurious candies and high-quality pastries were introduced to a select few urban dwellers who were economically well-off. Alongside these exclusive treats, several food establishments began offering premium beverages. These beverages, deemed ‘luxurious’ back then, were simply hot coffee and hot cocoa.
At the cost of 3.5 cents per cup, coffee was the equivalent of an entire day’s standard food expense. Hot cocoa was slightly more affordable at 25 cents per cup. My family was somewhat financially comfortable during this period. On the occasions when we felt particularly famished, my father would treat me to a cup of hot cocoa. I never tasted coffee during this time, primarily because it was pricier, but also due to a pervasive belief that coffee consumption would deplete the body’s energy or ‘oil’ as it was referred to. Given that we were living in a time when our bodies were devoid of much ‘oil’ to begin with, it felt imprudent to consume something that might further reduce it.
However, towards the late 1960s, my circumstances changed. I started working and was fortunate to have a wonderful mentor. Hailing from Dongyang, Zhejiang, he had left his family back in the countryside. His wife was in poor health, with the doctor recommending a higher sugar intake. Sugar, a commodity under strict rationing, was hard to come by.
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One day, my mentor happened upon a food store offering ten catties of sugar for every catty of coffee powder purchased. Although it was a stretch financially, his monthly income of nearly 100 yuan as a seventh-level worker allowed him to purchase the coffee powder and thus obtain the much-needed sugar for his wife. Unable to part with the coffee powder and unable to find a willing recipient, he was forced to consume it himself. Drinking coffee in those days meant boiling the coffee powder, an activity that would permeate the entire house with the aroma. Yet, unsweetened, clear coffee proved to be a bitter beverage, earning complaints from my mentor who likened it to burnt rice soup.
With the onset of the Cultural Revolution, the few existing coffee shops had to adapt or perish. Notably, one establishment defied the trend. The Jinzhong Canteen, a dim sum shop situated at the corner of Liulin Road and Jinling Middle Road, boasted a small pot of freshly brewed coffee amidst its menu of flatbread, fried dough sticks, soybean milk and Yangchun noodles. Despite the upheaval, a few loyal coffee enthusiasts continued to frequent the Jinzhong Canteen to savor its authentic small pot of coffee. It was a sight to behold — individuals in faded or patched blue khaki clothes, sitting alongside workers and peasants, savoring their coffee amidst an atmosphere of thoughtfulness and nostalgia.
The 1980s heralded the dawn of the reading craze. We found ourselves sandwiched between the senior and junior generations. With the advent of exams, we would borrow hours from the dark night, attempting to keep our sleep at bay. Coffee was reputed to rejuvenate the weary, and thus I found myself gravitating towards it. At the time, instant coffee wasn’t available. Instead, we bought sugary coffee and tea from grocery stores. Though it carried the scent of coffee, it failed to provide the anticipated energy boost. A few years later, instant coffee made its debut in China, with brands like Nescafé and Maxwell coffee leading the way.
The ease of preparing instant coffee, coupled with improving living standards, ushered coffee into the daily lives of ordinary people. It became customary to gift a box of coffee and partaking a cup of instant coffee daily gradually evolved into a typical facet of life in Shanghai. This is a testament to how coffee, once a novelty reserved for a privileged few, seeped its way into mainstream culture, becoming an integral part of Shanghai’s urban fabric.
