People around the world enjoy coffee in different ways, and although globalization is altering the notion that there's only one way to drink coffee, it is still breaking down barriers concerning what is considered good or bad approaches. The experience remains unique, with significant differences between sipping a Dunkin' Donuts americano, having a buffalo milk coffee in India, or savoring a super strong Turkish coffee.
We'll explore some of these diverse coffee-drinking traditions:
USA
Many Americans prefer coffee with milk and often take it to go. In diners and traditional coffee shops, you can find a "bottomless cup of coffee." With a single payment, the server refills your mug. This coffee is often low quality, made from less expensive beans, and the pot is kept warm for hours. This contributes to America's less-than-stellar coffee reputation.
Italy
In Italy, people enjoy strong espresso quickly while standing at the counter. Around 11 a.m., during a short break between breakfast and lunch, they often have espresso with a small pastry. At home, they prefer moka coffee. Italians don't drink filter coffee.
Scandinavia
Scandinavians drink the most coffee worldwide, mainly as filter coffee. In the 19th century, Norwegians often made spirits at home. To reduce alcohol consumption, the Church promoted coffee as a safer drink. After home distillation was banned, coffee became the standard drink and has continued to be popular ever since.
The famous Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee, or "Greek coffee" in Greece, dates back to the 16th century and the Ottoman Empire. To make it, fine coffee grounds are simmered with water in a cezve, a traditional copper or brass pot. In the past, coffee was poured into a coffeepot called an ibrik, leaving the grounds behind. Nowadays, cezve and ibrik are used interchangeably, and coffee is served directly from the pot. It can be very sweet, medium sweet, barely sweetened, or unsweetened. People used to flip their cup upside down on a saucer to read their fortune from coffee ground patterns. This coffee represents a relaxed lifestyle with chatting and hookah smoking. It's enjoyed in Turkey, the Balkans, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Japan
Japan is known for tea production and consumption, but they have also enjoyed coffee since the 18th century. They often buy some of the world's most expensive coffee. Japanese coffee culture features slow brewing methods, like using a V60 or a vacuum (or "siphon") coffee maker.
Ethiopia
Usually, the woman in the home prepares coffee. She first roasts green coffee beans in a pan. Next, she grinds the beans with a mortar and pestle and puts the ground coffee in a clay pot called a jebena. The coffee is poured into small cups without handles, and popcorn is served alongside it. This is called the coffee ceremony.
Each region's unique brewing techniques and traditions showcase the diverse ways people appreciate coffee worldwide. How do you drink it?