Coffee is a word that we borrowed from the Arabic word qahwah, which means power. In my opinion, that’s one of the best ways to describe coffee’s nature. Coffee has become one of the most widely-consumed drinks around the world and is a part of popular culture and social life. It’s the ideal drink to start the day with when you need pure energy. It’s also the perfect drink to keep you company when you are working, or to join the party when chatting with friends and family. Coffee is also the best “friend” of a cigarette. Every smoker I know could verify that there’s no better company for their smokes than a good cup of coffee.
Its country of origin is considered to be Ethiopia, but nowadays coffee has an “embassy” in every corner of the world. Some readers might not be that happy seeing their favorite coffee beverage not making the cut, but unfortunately only ten could make it into the list. Let’s hope you enjoy the “coffee journey” around the world.
10. Coffee milk
Coffee milk is a drink consisting of coffee-flavored milk, similar to chocolate milk. The main difference is that instead of chocolate syrup, coffee syrup is used. Coffee milk was introduced to Rhode Island, USA, sometime back in the early 30’s of the 20th century. When I first ordered it, the waitress seemed confused: “Do you mean that thick liquid coffee- flavored syrup that you mix with milk, sir? Just like we do when we make chocolate milk with NestleQuick, right?” My answer was “I guess” but I don’t regret it though; it was somewhat of a drink experience. Just a little too sweet for my taste.
9. Caffè Marocchino
Don’t let the name of this coffee to deceive you. Caffè Marocchino is a coffee drink created in Italy, not Morocco as many people might think by the sound of its name. It is served in a small glass and consists of a shot of espresso, cocoa powder and milk froth. It’s sweeter and softer in taste than a plain espresso, no doubt about that. In some regions of Italy, thick hot cocoa is added, which makes it even sweeter and thicker. The name Marocchino is derived from its color, as Marocchino was a type of light brown leather, used to make hair bands. If you never get a chance to find a place that serves the specific coffee drink, then just try an Espressino. It’s pretty much the same thing.
8. Vietnamese Iced Coffee
This coffee beverage is kind of similar with the Greek Frappe. In some countries it’s more popular and known as Ca phe da, and the name simply suggests its traditional Vietnamese roots. Ca phe da is made with finely ground Vietnamese-grown dark roast coffee, separately brewed with a small metal French drip filter into a cup containing about a half as much sweetened condensed milk, stirred and poured over ice. Coffee was introduced into Vietnam by the French colonists and the French influence is pretty obvious. The usage of sweetened condensed milk, just like the original recipe requested, started only because there were limitations to the availability of fresh milk in Vietnam back in the 19th century, when this specific coffee beverage was introduced from the French to the Vietnamese. If you are looking for new coffee experiences, you should definitely go for it.
7. Irish Coffee
There are a few different recipes of making an Irish coffee, but I can only talk from my own experience and how I usually enjoy it when I visit my favorite local Irish Pub. It is so good that I had to ask the owner for the exact recipe, and for my good luck, he didn’t bother to give it to me.
In a coffee mug, you add a tablespoon of brown sugar in the bottom. Add a shot of preferably a nice Scots or Irish whiskey. Then you must fill the mug with hot coffee. Now for the end you can float a dollop of whipped cream on top of the coffee and you won’t regret it. Simply delicious!
6. Frappé
Greek frappé is a foam-covered iced coffee drink, made from spray-dried instant coffee. It is very popular in Greece and Cyprus, but has now spread to other countries as well. It has been a big hit in New York and Melbourne for a couple of years now, thanks to the Greek Diaspora in those cities. It’s a favorite summer drink and a very cool refresher on a hot day for coffee lovers. Millions of tourists who visit the Greek islands every summer fall in love with this coffee. It’s easy to make, using instant coffee and while it can be whipped, the traditional version is shaken, never stirred. All you need is a shaker, add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of cold water, 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, and 2 or 3 of sugar. Be sure you close tightly and shake until you see only foam, which is usually about 25-30 seconds. Then add about a cup of water, a few ice cubes (3-4), a little milk and stir it all up. Serve always with a straw and you are ready to go.
5. Cappuccino
The cappuccino is probably the most popular coffee in Italy and the true symbol of Italian beverages. Every self-respecting Italian will drink at least one per week (not to say per day). Drinking a nice cup of cappuccino in one of those beautiful cafés you can find in any corner of Italy is like a sacred litany to the hardcore lovers of cappuccinos.
A cappuccino basically is a coffee-based drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed milk foam. It is traditionally served in a porcelain cup, which has far better heat retention than glass or paper. The foam on top of the cappuccino acts as an insulator and helps retain the heat of the liquid, allowing it to stay hotter longer.
4. Greek-Turkish Coffee
What’s the most interesting fact about this one is the dispute and constant fighting of the two countries, Greece and Turkey, about the origin of the specific coffee beverage.
Greek, or Turkish coffee as they call it in Turkey, is made of well, but not over, roasted beans. It is still OK, even if you use coffee powder available for espresso. Although the coffee powder is thinner, it would be good to find it if you are looking for the authentic taste. The trick is in the grounding of the beans. It has to be grounded a little coarsely from roasted beans in a coffee mill. An important note would be that in Greek/Turkish coffee, the thick coffee ground stays at the bottom of the cup and you don’t actually consume all that caffeine as in instant coffee.
The blend for Greek coffee is different from the Turkish coffee blend; it is usually a blend of Brazilian coffee and chicory, smoother, easy to drink and not that strong. Turkish is usually a blend of Colombian coffee and that is why it’s usually stronger.
3. Frappuccino
The USA is a country known for being a melting pot of different cultures, nationalities, races, and religions. Of course, food and drinks aren’t an exception to this rule. In this case, the mixture of two great coffee beverages- Italian cappuccino and Greek Frappe- gave birth to frappuccino. Frappuccino is a trademarked line of blended coffee beverages sold by Starbucks, so in a few words, it’s a coffee-celebrity. You can find a bottled beverage as well, called Frappuccino, which is sold in retail stores and vending machines. We must agree that some investors are really creative and they know how to impress young people. The experiment named Frappuccino is a total success and it has taken over (through Starbucks) the world. And hey, it tastes and looks good too.
2. Café au lait
A café au lait is traditionally the French way of preparing coffee with milk. The secret of a good French coffee is the coffee beans. You can brew anything in a French press, but you won’t get great coffee out of it without great beans. If you put nasty coffee in, you’ll get nasty coffee out, simple as that. What you need is coffee ground pretty coarsely. Once you have your coarsely ground coffee, use the scoop to put coffee in the press. If you really care about quality, then pre-heat the press by pouring hot water in it. Then pour in water just off the boil, add the cover, and wait for about five minutes. Then press the plunger down and pour the coffee out. Let it cool a little, add some good quality rich milk, some sugar, and enjoy!
1. Espresso
Espresso is exactly the opposite of cappuccino; it’s for the “sprinters”, the people who are rushing and all they want is to have a big dose of caffeine in their system, so they can fully wake up and start their day strong and full of energy.
You will usually drink your espresso quickly as you are standing, since you generally don’t have time for a good conversation with a friend if this is what you’re drinking. Espresso has risen in popularity worldwide since the 80’s, while it has been quite popular in Italy and Europe from way back and there are many variations of it. The main variables in a shot of espresso are the size and length. The size can be a single, double, or triple, while the length of the shot can be ristretto (restricted), normale (normal), or lungo (long). These correspond to a smaller or larger drink with the same amount of ground coffee and same level of extraction. Whoever is a big fan of the strong and bitter version of pure coffee will definitely enjoy and appreciate a good espresso.
Theodoros II is a multilingual law graduate from Europe. When he’s not writing or working, he’s usually traveling, reading or diving. He’s a newbie on Twitter, and would really appreciate it if you followed him.
6 Comments
Nic list this list help my inerview…..thanx
I am craving coffee now!!!!!
Awesome list bro.
I LOVE coffee, and have tried almost all of these–but not 9 or 10. Marocchino sounds fantastic. The Vietnamese one is very good, but the condensed milk makes it too rich!
I enjoy your lists, what’s the next one about?
Nice list, i really enjoy drinking coffee. The only one that i haven’t dried yet, is the vietnamese iced coffee, maybe some day i’ll have the chance. Keep the good work!
WOW!!!! That made my morning Theo, #3 is my fav :-D!!!!
Good. I am happy this list came out as delicious as it looks 🙂