Canada's National Drink

I've been in Toronto for almost 2 months now (coming up this weekend), and one thing that's welcomed me is the chain known as Tim Hortons  (founded by the eponymous hockey star).  It's the Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts of Canada; there's one on every corner, tucked away into subway stops, in malls, everywhere.  And, as I quickly learned, at Tim Hortons, there is a unique way of ordering coffee.

Size: Small, Medium, Large

Sugar/Cream:  Since they do this part for you, you must specify what quantities to add.  The default is "regular", which I usually go for.  Not too sweet and not too creamy.  If you want double the sugar and cream, that's called a "Double Double."  I suppose if you want 3x that, you would go for a "Triple Triple."  Otherwise you specify in exact amounts "Two sugar one cream," etc.

Photo courtesy of psychopoedia.

This being said, the most popular combination (determined by my statistically rigorous methodology) is a Medium Double Double.  Sitting in a given Food Court you will see Torontonians left and right clutching their medium creamy sugary caffeinated hot beverages.  I've tried a regular double double before- it was quite tasty.  One of these days I will attempt a Medium Double Double.  Then I will proceed to set my desk on fire.

In L.A. and other parts of the western US there is a chain called In-N-Out burger.  Like Tim Hortons, it's pretty popular and well known.  Also like Tim Hortons, there is an ordering code (which I won't go into too much detail here, except to say that my Dad enjoys his burgers "Protein Style" and I am a fan of the Neopolitan milkshake).  At In-N-Out, however, the phrase "Double-Double" refers to a burger with two meat patties and two slices of cheese.  If you wanted 3 meat patties and cheese, you would call it a "Triple Triple" and anything above that, a 4x4, 5x5, etc.  A delicious bovine matrix, if you will, and fodder for all manner of fratty food competitions.

I'm thinking a Double Double sounds about right for the first thing I'll eat the next time I'm in LA.