Cafedo – The Vietnamese Art of Making a Small Cup of Coffee Last an Entire Morning

The Japanese have a highly ritualized way of drinking tea that has been elevated into an art form known as Sadō or Chadō — the Way of Tea.

To be honest, watching the whole performance of whisking tea, turning the bowl, raising the cup, bowing, and following a long list of rituals can feel exhausting. Mr. Old Man suspects that many modern Japanese probably no longer have the time or patience to spend hours practicing it exactly as prescribed.

Vietnamese people probably drink as much tea as, if not more than, the Japanese. In tea-growing regions, people drink tea brewed from fresh tea leaves. In cities and places where fresh leaves are unavailable, dried tea is consumed daily almost like water. When guests visit, tea is served. At weddings, family gatherings, funerals, and meetings, tea is always there.

Perhaps because tea is so ordinary and so deeply woven into daily life, it never became “The Way of Tea” in Vietnam. There are no elaborate rituals. People simply pour tea, offer it to guests, and chat while drinking. As a result, Vietnamese tea missed its chance to become a refined art form practiced by people wearing solemn expressions and looking as though they belong to some higher spiritual league.

What makes Mr. Old Man smile is that Bill Gates is hardly known as a tea enthusiast. Yet during his visit to Vietnam, he made time to meet a tea master atop Bàn Cờ Peak to observe the tea-making process and enjoy a cup together.

Mr. Old Man suspects Bill politely said it was excellent.

Whether he actually enjoyed it that much is a secret known only to Bill.

Well then, let the Japanese take pride in their Tea Ceremony.

As for Vietnam, perhaps we have our own “way” as well.

Mr. Old Man calls it:

Cafedo

The Vietnamese Art of Making a Small Cup of Coffee Last an Entire Morning.

Brazilians, citizens of the world’s coffee powerhouse, often drink coffee as fuel. A quick cup, a few minutes, and they’re back to work.

Vietnamese people are different.

A tiny cup of coffee can easily take fifteen minutes to finish.

If time allows, one or two hours is not unusual.

During that time, almost every topic under the sun may be discussed: football, stocks, politics, cycling, children’s education, and even the neighbour’s newly purchased car.

The coffee is still there.

The conversation has already moved on to chapter three.

In fact, the coffee often plays only a supporting role.

The real stars are time, friendship, and the simple pleasure of sitting still without feeling rushed.

Thinking about it, the true value of Vietnamese coffee culture may not lie in the coffee itself.

It lies in the time people intentionally set aside to slow down.

So even if it is not yet grand enough to be called Cafedo, it certainly deserves recognition as a uniquely Vietnamese cultural tradition. ☕‍♂️

No rituals required.

No special robes.

No formal bows.

Just a small cup of coffee, a few good friends, and a morning with nowhere urgent to be.

That, Mr. Old Man believes, is enough to qualify as a “way” of its own.

_________

— Mr. Old Man, founding disciple of Cafedo. ☕‍♂️