Examining Coffee Traditions Throughout the World
12th January 2018
We all love coffee, from a hastily-made cup of instant coffee to wake us up in the morning, to a gourmet cup of coffee made from freshly-ground beans brewed in a French press. But how do the people around the world enjoy their coffee? This article aims to find out several coffee traditions that are practised around the globe.
Added: 18th November 2015
Unusual Coffees
You may be familiar with espressos, mochas and cappuccinos, but what about some of the more unusual ways of preparing coffee that are enjoyed throughout the world? In Italy, there is the “Espresso Romano”, which is served with a thin slice of lemon, supposedly to enhance the taste of the beverage.
In Mexico, a popular method of preparing the coffee is “Cafe De Olla”, which has the addition of cinnamon sticks and raw Mexican sugar. Accompanied with churros, a fried-dough pastry, this type of coffee makes a delicious breakfast.
Coffee across Asia
In Japan, you will find vending machines full to the brim with “Kan Kohi”, canned coffee, where it is dispensed either hot or cold to fit the needs of busy working people who want their coffee on the go. Coffee is increasing in popularity across Japan and there are a large number of coffee shops there to meet demand.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, a sweet type of coffee named “Kopi susu” is popular, and is made by mixing black coffee with sweetened condensed milk, and then wait until it cools.
For those who can’t decide between a cup of coffee or one of tea, “Yuanyang” may be more suited to your taste. Served in Hong Kong, it is a mixture of milk-tea and coffee and is an unusual but popular drink.
Preparing Turkish Coffee
While in Turkey, the coffee ceremony is more special, and is even taken part in Turkish wedding customs, where the bride prepares and serves coffee to the guests, including the groom’s family.
The preparation of Turkish coffee includes grinding the beans to a fine powder, then immersing the grounds in hot water and waiting until the flavoursome compounds are brought out. After this, the water is brought almost to the boil several times, giving a thick and strong coffee with a signature covering of foam.
Other Uses of Coffee
Sometimes coffee isn’t drunk by itself at all, but instead appears as a flavouring in desserts and alcohols. Everyone has heard of an Irish or Gaelic coffee, which is brewed with a shot of liqueur. Tiramisu is a well-known Italian dessert that gains its rich flavour from black coffee.
Coffee has even been used in savoury dishes – in Latin America, a pot of chilli is improved with a teaspoon of coffee. In United States cuisine, coffee sauce can be poured over both steak and fish dishes.
Conclusion
The uses and traditions of coffee throughout the world are too many to be explained, indeed we have just scratched the surface in this article. With both old traditions and new innovations being combined (such as bullet proof coffee!), who is to say what the coffee culture of tomorrow will bring? You can enjoy some of our Café Bonté espresso beans to experience some wonderful flavours, with fairtrade coffee beans available also.