What is this golden drink about?

This golden drink, one of the most popular drinks in the world. I think we can all agree on why. It’s a drink people love to have a conversation over while with a group of friends. By doing this, we tend to refer to ourselves as “coffee lovers” or maybe “coffee fanatics”, because we love the idea of going to coffee shops and have coffee or just because we all appreciate a good old cup of coffee.

But do we really have what it takes to refer to ourselves as “coffee lovers”? Do we really know what this intriguing cup of coffee is all about? The process it went through from bean to cup covered with exquisite foam art?

What is the story behind coffee?

Coffee is a hot drink brewed from roasted and ground bean-like seeds of a tropical plant. The beans come from the seeds produced by the berries or known as the cherry of the “coffea” plant. The plant was originally exported from Africa to various other countries back in the day, but is now being cultivated in over 70 different countries. The plant primarily grows in equatorial regions.

The two most commonly grown plants would be the highly regarded arabica and the less sophisticated robusta which is much stronger and more hardy.

Once the berries of the plant is ripened, they are picked, processed and dried. The drying of coffee beans goes through the process of being roasted to the preferred darkness which plays a large role in the desired flavor of the coffee. The roasted beans will be grounded and brewed with near boiling water to produce the desiring beverage.

The caffeine content causes the coffee to be slightly acidic and have a stimulating effect. More than enough reason to take an extra cup when your day is just chaotic and need to be on top of your game. I, myself is definitely guilty of doing this regularly.

What are the different types of coffee?

Coffee can be prepared and served in many ways such as:

Espresso also known as a short black, forms the base and most important part of an espresso based drink. It is served as one shot of espresso in an espresso cup.

Double espresso also known as a doppio, which consists of 2 shots of espresso in an espresso cup.

Macchiato is very similar to that of an espresso but with a dollop of foamed milk placed on top. The foamed milk mellows the harsh espresso taste. A double macchiato consists of 2 shots of espresso.

Ristretto is an espresso shot that is prepared with the same amount of coffee but with half the amount of water. This causes the espresso shot to be more concentrated. It’s definitely something for the hardcore coffee drinkers or those in desperate need of a caffeine rush.

Long black also more commonly known as an Americano, is hot water with a shot of espresso. It is prepared with one shot of espresso and 2/3 of hot water.

Cafe Latte is an espresso based drink with steamed milk and micro-foam added to the coffee which provides a sweeter taste compared to an espresso. It is prepared with 1 shot of espresso in a tumbler glass, added steamed milk and 1cm of micro-foam on top of steamed milk.

Cappuccino is much alike to a latte. The key difference between a cappuccino and a latte is that a cappuccino has more foam than a latte and that chocolate is placed on top of the drink. It is prepared with one shot of espresso into a cup, added steamed milk and sprinkled chocolate on top.

Flat White is made the same as a cappuccino except that it doesn’t have any foam or chocolate on top. It is prepared with 1 shot of espresso in a cup and added steamed milk with no micro-foam.

Did you know?

Coffee is considered a fruit. I know what you are thinking, like what?? Like I mentioned, coffee beans are the pits of the cherry-like berries that grows on the “coffea” plant. It’s called beans, although it’s actually a seed, but has the resemblance of actual beans. Now I don’t know about you; but I’d say get your coffee on, because I refer to fruit as a healthy option.

Coffee stays warmer when adding cream. This is a perfect method for those, who prefer to drink their coffee slower but hates the pure idea of cold coffee. By adding cream to your coffee directly after it being brewed, it slows down the cooling process by at least 20% than plain black coffee. So, go on and add some cream and enjoy a good brewed coffee.

DECAF does not necessarily mean caffeine-free. One cup of brewed decaf coffee will still contain round about 2 to 12 milligrams of caffeine. A regular cup of brewed coffee contains between 96 to 200 milligrams of caffeine. Not so caffeine-free hey? Maybe just less caffeine for the not so caffeine-brave.

Coffee’s original definition means “wine”. Qahweh, which is coffee’s original name, came from the Yemen term for wine. In Turkey it was called kahveh, and the Dutch referred to it as koffie. This is where the English name originated from for what we call it today, coffee. Quite interesting I would say.

Majority of the coffee is produced in Brazil. Brazil produces 40% of the World’s coffee. That is quite a lot. This is twice as much as the 2nd and 3rd place holders which is Colombia and Vietnam. Brazil would definitely be the place to go and explore if you are an extreme coffee enthusiast and love the idea of travelling.

It’s definitely something to chat about over your next coffee date and share with friends. Stay tuned for more Coffee 101’s coming up.

Till the next cup of coffee.