BWV 211, also known as the “Coffee Cantata”, is a light-hearted musical comedy centred on coffee, a fashionable commodity of the time. The fine mocha was first brought to Europe by the warlike Turks, adopted by civil society as a luxury food to lift the spirits, yet viewed with hostility by theologians and doctors. Bach’s trusted librettist Picander transformed this conflict into a charming drama between Father Schlendrian and his daughter Lieschen. The Thomaskantor set this to music with a characterisation that is musically extremely memorable. It reveals both his life experience as a seasoned family man, who nevertheless cannot hide his affection for Lieschen, who is cunningly plotting to find a husband.