Coffee is a global beverage and many adults everywhere start their days with a hot (mostly) cup. How it is prepared is another matter entirely! Let’s take a round-the-world trip in a hot fresh cup of coffee!
I’ve listed these alphabetically, by country and added my grade to those that I have had. I hope you enjoy this list and would love hear from you on your favorite coffee drink.
Argentina – Cafe Lagrima
There is a sophisticated coffee culture in Argentina and a lot of ways to order coffee. Cafe Lagrima is considered by some to be the drink to order if you can’t handle a cortado. It is milk and foam with a bit of coffee. A drink to be enjoyed as you while away an evening watching tango dancers. My grade: C
Australia – Long Black and Flat White
Long black and flat white are the Antipodean way to order coffee. A long black is strong, made with a double-shot of espresso over hot water, and called an Americano in many places. A flat white is a shot of espresso with steamed milk and a bit more mild. Both are perfect for an afternoon pick me up as you watch the ships come into port. My grade (for both): C+
Brazil – Cafezinho
This is a popular drink among the locals and is sort of like an espresso in that it is strong and served in small cups. The difference is that the recipe for cafezinho involves heating water, adding sugar and when it dissolves and is boiling, the coffee grounds are added and it is stirred and served. That is right up my alley! Haven’t had, but would love to try!
Italy – Espresso Romano
Italians do a lot of things well – fashion, art, architecture, food, and life in general. When it comes to coffee, this truism remains. Espresso, true espresso, is a little bit of art in a cup and usually enjoyed over lively conversation with a side of people watching. Served with a slice of lemon, espresso coffee is made with a shot of pressure-brewed coffee (very finely ground) and when brewed properly, it has a layer of dark foam/cream on the surface. Even more fun? Add a shot of spirit and it’s called a corretto! Yum! My grade: A
Malaysia – Kopi Cham
If sweet, hot coffee wasn’t delicious enough, kopi cham ups the ante by being made with three parts black coffee and seven (SEVEN!!) parts Hong Kong-style milk tea which is a mixture of milk and black tea. It can be served hot or cold and gives you a great reason to experience the culture of the kopi tiams (coffee shops) in Singapore as you stroll around a local market. My grade: B
Mexico – Cafe de Olla
Cafe de olla translates to coffee of the cooking pot. and may be my favorite on the list. Made with panela (aka piloncillo) brown sugar and cinnamon, this is a sweet treat. I usually make a version of this around the holidays, when I want a festive cup of java in my Santa mug. My grade: A+
Morocco – Cafe de espices MOROCCO
Raising the stakes on the addition of spices, Moroccan coffee is a dark roast made with black pepper, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Can you imagine enjoying this as you watch the sunrise over the desert between Marrakech and Quarzazate? Sign me up!
Sengal – Cafe Touba
Keeping with the themes of spices and the African continent, Sengalese coffee uses pepper, but they use Guinea pepper. Sometimes cloves are added and the magic comes from the spices being roasted WITH the beans, then ground and brewed for a magical aroma and taste. Would love to try this!
Spain – Cafe Bombon
Hitting me right in the sweet tooth, is Cafe Bombon from Spain. This brew is thick and really sweet made with one part black coffee and one part condensed milk. A wonderful way to overdose on sugar after some of the best flan in Madrid! Sounds wonderful to me!
Sweden – Egg Coffee
This unique drink is made by stirring an egg into coffee grounds, then adding boling water and strained. Apparently, some people even add the egg shell. According to my research, this reduces/removes that acid and bitterness from the coffee. I am skeptical, but I’m game to try it, as long as it comes with cake!
Viet Nam –
Known to be both very sweet and very strong, this Vietnamese iced coffee is made with coarsely ground dark roast coffee, which is brewed straight into a cup of condensed milk and ice through a French drip filter. A great way to take a midday break at a local coffee institution and cool off. My grade: B
Not described, but still delicious:
- Cafe au lait – France
- Cafe Cubano – Cuba
- Irish Coffee – Ireland
Coffee makes me happy. Not just the caffeine rush it gives me, I love the ceremony that surrounds it, the facilitation of conversation and fellowship it creates, and most of all that I can go around the world and have at least one thing in common with most everyone I meet.
What about you? Would you/have you tried any of these coffee concoctions? Let me know in the comments!
Chronicles of Happy Living 