Simulating Starbucks

Say Starbucks stands for the precise form of coffee you like. When you travel, how can you reproduce that? Starbucks is not found everywhere.

My Starbucks is 8--10 ounces of drip coffee in the morning, not very strong, nearly black. During travels, this is difficult to get and I have to improvise. In Italy, I have to order "due cafe americano, lungo". Each americano is espresso and a separate glass of hot water, lungo makes it more espresso, "due" makes it two, and when mixed in a large cup (if you can find one of those), this will be a reasonable substitute. In India, I am mixing coffees to simulate this. Two Nescafe cappucinos, one with sugar, one without sugar, ... The experiment is still on.

Anecdote: I remember a while ago I was walking back from lunch with Dan Spielman and Ravi Kannan. I was engrossed in my discussion with Dan, and noticed after a while that Ravi was missing. Dan guessed that Ravi must have gone to his favorite coffee shop. We headed there, and indeed there was Ravi, having discovered the substitute for *his* Starbucks: a strong, South Indian, filter coffee!