Last week I caught an Episode of Joan Cussack's Local Flavor on Travel And Living Network. In this episode she was in France, she visited a pastry shop, a nice hotel in a converted nunnery, and an old bread shop.
The bread shop was now run by the great-great-great-granddaughter (might have missed a 'great' somewhere) and in one scene it showed a ritual/tradition where the bakers and owners get together for breakfast. They served coffee in a large bowl (soup bowl) and bread and butter. Butter got spread on the bread and... gets dipped in coffee.
Years ago I observed a breakfast habit wherein bread (Pandesal) was dunked in thin coffee. Did that, liked it and still do it but with Coke Light instead of coffee. I have often been jested that I shouldn't 'wash' my food too much...
The Americans dunk doughnuts in coffee (I suppose that's how Dunkin' Donuts got their name) and who knows who else is dipping what else in coffee.
