Coffee drinkers across the world are divided over the best way to get a shot of the morning goodness; black, with milk, without sugar, hot or cold. But we believe that more the options, the merrier it can get. Did you know that each country has its own unique style of consuming coffee; in the preparation of the brew, the ingredients added in as well as the manner it is served. Now whether you sip your brew black and strong or quickly gulp down a milky bowl of café au lait, the joy of life is in experimenting. So read on for a global tour of coffee habits around the world that will perhaps have you trying something new as well.
There is no better place to kick-off this journey than in the café bars of Italy. Coffee in Italy instantly brings demitasse cups of single shot espresso to mind. Usually drunk through the day while standing up, an espresso is the pure, unadulterated essence of coffee. If like the Italians, you too imbibe
caffeine in little shots, you should experiment with blends until you find the
one that you enjoy most. For instance, you can pick between Arabica and Robusta varieties from brands like Devi, Illy and TCC. An interesting riff on this type of brew is the Italian espresso romano where a slice of lemon in rubbed on the rim of the mug so that the citrus notes of the fruit highlight the sweeter flavours of the coffee. The latest trend in brewing a perfect cup is single serve coffee capsules. Bonhomia has curated two options in mild ‘Free Love’ and stronger ‘Dark Deeds’.
Immediately after Italy, the elaborate coffee ceremonies of Turkey take pride of place. Their Kahve is a very fine grind roast that is boiled with plenty of water and sugar in a long-handled pot called a cezve. The strong, black brew is served accompanied by the chewy Turkish candy to the men in the family during post-meal discussions. A coffee ceremony would be a great idea with friends where you can make coffee using grounds from Sussegado or Riverine single origin beans.
The nation of Ethiopia too has ancient coffee rituals where a brew called buna is made with the beans and flavoured with salt or butter and not sugar. You can claim inspiration from their methods and prepare a coffee butter or coffee-infused salt to serve with grilled meats.
The next stop on the coffee trail would be Mexico where the drink is called café de olla; the drink is brewed and served with cinnamon sticks in earthen ware pots which Mexicans swear bring out the flavour of the bean. It is another striking beverage you can think of serving up at a Mexican themed party. The Germans too have a lovely celebratory drink called the Pharisäer; a blend of dark coffee, rum and sugar that is topped with whipped cream.
If you prefer your brews icy then the Greek frappe is truly an inspired choice. Simply shake cold water, instant coffee powder from Grandos, Hintz or Lavazza with sugar and evaporated milk for a frothy drink that is best enjoyed outdoors on a hot day.
We end this tour on a sweet note with the Vietnamese classic of egg coffee; it is decadent coffee. To make it beat two egg yolks with a half teaspoon each of condensed milk, honey and vanilla extract until fluffy. Pour into a cup and top with hot black Vietnamese coffee and serve immediately. For a boozier end to the trip, try serving black coffee topped with Bailey’s Irish whisky and whipped cream for a classic Irish coffee.
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