With the word Blümchenkaffee ("flower coffee"), you might come to creative conclusions, like coffee made from beans mixed with flower petals, or flower designs in the milk foam on top of the latte. However, the word comes from the postwar period in Germany, when money was tight and staples -- like coffee -- were scarce. Those who wanted to enjoy the beverage often had to make it so weak that the flower pattern at the bottom of the china coffee cup could be seen through the thin liquid.