How Coffee is Consumed Around the World
Versatility and diversity are two of the best traits of coffee, other than its taste of course. It's drank all over the world in many different ways. Ever since it was discovered in the Middle East in the 15th century, coffee found its way to other countries and cultures. It wasn't until the 17th century when it made its way to European countries, but today the beverage is consumed on every continent (although it has to be imported to Antarctica)! While Melbourne, Australia is considered the coffee capitol of the world today for their stellar coffee shops and the countless viral coffee trends that stem from them, countries all over the world have their own tradition and coffee culture. Here are a few of the best ones.
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Kahwa/Qahwa – Saudi Arabia
Qahwa, sometimes spelled Kahwa, is a coffee originally from Saudi Arabia. Made from 100% Arabic coffee beans (just like J.L. Hufford's coffee!), the beans are brewed with spices, prepared on a stove top in a traditional Saudi Arabian pot, and served in small cups with no handles. Since the Arabic beans eliminate toxins from the body, the coffee is a good anti-inflammatory, as it is known for being great for cramps, which makes this brew have tremendous health benefits. The earliest credible evidence of coffee-drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the 15th century. It was in the Arabian peninsula that coffee seeds were first roasted and brewed, in a similar way to how it is prepared now. So it's no surprise that this country has one of the best coffees around.
Yirgacheffe – Ethiopia
Yirgacheffe is ranked as one of the best coffees in the world. While coffee the drink was first found in the Arabian peninsula, it was Ethiopians who first discovered the energizing effect of the coffee plant. The Yirgacheffe has a fruity flavour, a floral aroma, and a tea-like finish. It can be brewed to be enjoyed as hot or cold beverage. Yirgacheffe coffee is a wet processing coffee grown at elevations from 1,700 to 2,200 meters above sea level. These elevations qualify Yirgacheffes as Strictly High Grown (SHG) / Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) coffees, where coffees grow slowly due to the altitude, allowing additional time for the tree to deliver nutrients to the coffee. This is why Yirgacheffe has the best flavor! Luckily for you, J.L. Hufford has bags of Yirgacheffe Coffee for sale too!
Ipoh White Coffee- Malaysia
Ipoh white coffee is a traditional Malaysian coffee. The white coffee originates from a town called Ipoh Old Town, which is considered one of the best coffee towns in the world. Many people believe the name comes from the color of the coffee, but the name refers to the roasting process. The coffee beans are roasted with palm oil margarine and served with condensed milk, giving it a lighter shade. The creamy taste is unique, and while some overseas visitors consider the coffee "unorthodox," the Ipoh White Coffee is considered one of the best in the world.
Café Touba – Senegal
Cafe Touba is a Senegalese coffee prepared with Arabica coffee. The drink is flavored with grains of Selim or Guinea pepper - locally known as djar. The addition of djar, which is imported to Senegal, is the important factor differentiating Café Touba from plain coffee. The spices are mixed and roasted with coffee beans, then ground into a powder. The drink is prepared using a filter, similar to drip coffee. In the Senegalese culture, Touba is a healing beverage. Touba is great for stomach relief, acts as a natural anti-depressant and fights asthma and respiratory problems.
Cà Phê Sữa đá – Vietnam
Coffee in Vietnam was introduced in 1857 by a French Catholic priest who arrived with a coffea arabica tree. At its simplest, cà phê đá is made using medium to coarse ground dark roast Vietnamese-grown coffee with a small metal Vietnamese drip filter (phin cà phê). After the hot water is added, the drip filter releases drops of hot coffee slowly into a cup. This finished cup of hot coffee is then quickly poured into a glass full of ice, making the finished Vietnamese iced coffee. One popular way to drink Vietnamese iced coffee is by adding condensed milk. This is done by putting two to three tablespoons or more of sweetened condensed milk into the cup prior to the drip filter process
Kan Kohi – Japan
If you say it repeatedly, you will figure out what Kan Kohi means. Canned coffee is a Japanese innovation, the official government web site of Shimane, Japan claims that the world's first canned coffee, Mira Coffee, appeared in Shimane in 1965. Kan Kohi can be purchased all over Japan, in stores or in vending machines. It is for sure one of the more unique coffee drinks on this list.
Türk kahvesi – Turkey
Turkish coffee or Türk Kahvesi refers to a method of preparing unfiltered coffee with finely ground coffee beans. Turkish coffee is made by bringing the powdered coffee with water and usually sugar to the boil in a special pot called cezve in Turkey. As soon as the mixture begins to froth, and before it boils over, it is taken off the heat; it may be briefly reheated twice more to increase the desired froth. Sometimes about one-third of the coffee is distributed to individual cups; the remaining amount is returned to the fire and distributed to the cups as soon as it comes to the boil. The coffee is traditionally served in a special type of small porcelain cup called a kahve finjanı. Superstition says the grounds left after drinking Turkish coffee can be used for fortune-telling. The cup is commonly turned over into the saucer to cool, and it is believed by some that the patterns of the coffee grounds can be used for a method of fortune telling known as tasseography.
Café de Olla – Mexico
Café de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee beverage. To prepare café de olla, it is essential to use a traditional earthen clay pot, as this gives a special flavor to the coffee. This type of coffee is principally consumed in cold climates and in rural areas. It's made with ground coffee, cinnamon, and piloncillo. This is a popular drink all throughout Mexico, and the traditional way of making it has been passed through many generations.
Nous Nous – Morocco
Morocco was not always a big coffee country. If someone wanted a coffee, they would have to go to a cafe and order one. It was rare to see someone walking with coffee to go, but then Starbucks opened and coffee has become more popular. Nous nous literally translates to half and half, and is half milk and half espresso. If someone isn't ordering nous nous, then they're probably ordering cafe noir, which is just espresso. The real tradition in Moroccan coffee is how it's consumed. Again, coffee is meant to be enjoyed among friends at a cafe. Savor the flavor, and don't guzzle it down.
Café Lagrima – Argentina
Coffee is an art in Argentinian cafes. The Lagrima is perfect for anyone who is not a fan of strong coffee but enjoys a cup every once in a while. Lagrima translates to tear, as in teardrops. This is because a Café Lagrima is steamed milk and froth with just a tear drop of coffee, kind of like an inverted cortado.
Kaffeost – Finland
The Fins have a great love for coffee, and it is considered a part of hospitality for people in Finland. A northern Scandinavian tradition, kaffeost is a drink/meal in which cubes of cheese are released into a cup of coffee. They absorb it like rich, moist cheese sponges, and ideally it’s all served in a beautiful mug. The flavor resembles tiramisu, so it is really like a dessert on top of a beverage. The cheese part of kaffeost is called leipäjuusto, which translates to bread cheese, only because the reindeer-made cheese soaks things up in a similar way as bread. It's a very unique method of drinking coffee, and eating dessert!
Kaisermelange – Austria
Austria has a variety of coffees, but it's most famous one is the Kaisermelange, which means the emperor's medley. The Kaisermelange consists of strong black coffee, an egg yolk, and honey in a cup. The egg yolk is mixed with honey, then the strong black coffee is added in slowly while stirring. Honey and eggs have many healthy benefits, and we recommend organic eggs since you are ingesting raw egg yolks. This unique beverage is known throughout all of Europe, and we can see why!
What ones have you tried? Which ones do you want to try most! Let us know by tagging us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook!
