The Swedes drink rather light (thin) coffee, most of it brewed, in the North cooked as well. It is rather hard to get a cup of strong espresso-type coffee anywhere, exept in pizza-stores. Coffee came to Sweden at the very end of the 17th century and became eventually - due to the restriction on alcoholic drinks - the national beverage. So, if you are on visit somewhere, you will be offered a cup of coffee, no matter if it is at home or concerning a business matter. The use is so widespread that working-people are entitled to a "coffee-break" twice a day, not just a small pause - and that is rather "sacred". If you try to reach someone on the phone at 10 a.m. or 14.30 p.m. it might be difficult....
So, it is not surprising that Lucia comes with coffee early in the morning - but then it is the Swedish pharmacist-company Astra, who have invented Losec, the famous medicine against ulcers. ;-)
Thanks to Bernhard Kauntz of Werbeka for the above comments.
Visit his beautiful page in (German, Swedish and English) about the history of Coffee in Vienna:
Werbeka NETSHOP - for Culture and Fun
Svenska - English - Deutsch
http://www.werbeka.com/
Axel Oxenstiernas Gata 14
724 78 Västerås (Vaesteraas), Sweden
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