Cafecito in Miami

I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker but I occasionally partake in a cultural ritual known as cafecito in Miami. The basic concept is to whip sugar into a froth with a little espresso and then mix it in with the remainder of the espresso shot. It is officially known in the Cuban circuit as a colada, in case you’d like to order it at a walk up cafeteria window. This drink, akin to a caffeine version of nitro glycerine, is then shared in miniature coffee cups with surrounding friends and strangers alike.
I woke up this morning and let the dogs out in the backyard. They’re usually pretty quiet but I heard some excitement coming from the side yard so I peaked through the window to find my neighbor with his toddler leaning on the fence playing with the dogs. I smiled and waved through the glass between us, then returned to the kitchen and proceeded to brew the sweet concoction. I gathered the delivery and walked around to the side yard with cups and brew in hand. I smiled and said, “cafecito?”. He smiled and responded, “Si, gracias.” We leaned on the fence and greeted the morning, miniature cups in hand.
Truth be told, I don’t think we even know each others names. A little less than strangers, we are two hispanic men from different countries that would not normally drink this flavor of nectar in our native culture but Miami has changed this. We have both adopted this ritual and welcome the cafecito smile. I often see people arguing in heated discussions and then, someone walks up with “cafecito?” and everyone smiles with friendship and joy. Like a magic potion, that is Cafecito in Miami.