NEXT TIME ORDER YOUR COFFEE LIKE A LOCAL….

Have you ever got those stares while ordering your favorite cup of coffee? An espresso please!” or “a latte please” isn’t always the ideal way to order coffee at an unfamiliar place. What you might end up getting is nothing more than a cup of steamed milk! Coffee is prepared and drunk differently across the world, and orderly your morning cuppa without knowing the lingo can be tricky.

FUN FACT….:)

Coffee was introduced to India in the 16th century by a holyman named Baba Budan. He discovered the joy of the drink while on a pilgrimage to Mecca and smuggled around seven beans back home.

TURK KAHVESI

A famous Turkish proverb says, “Coffee should be as black as hell, as strong as death and as sweet as love”. And that’s how they like it, with grounds settling at the bottom of the cup. Their brew is thick and usually served after meals from a long-handled copper pot called a cezve, alongside chewy Turkish candy. Locals prefer their cup of Turk Kahvesi sugar free, but if you are a first timer, even if you are a perpetual coffee lover, have it with sugar to make its powerful flavor palatable.

Better to enjoy it rather than to abide to the taste of real coffee…. 🙂

CAFEZINHO

Why won’t Brazilians love their brews? After all, they are the largest producers of coffee in the world; Brazil produces around 40 percent of the world’s coffee. In fact, even nursery kids are offered milky coffee, along with caffeinated iced tea on a daily basis.

The Brazilian favorite is cafezinho- a strong, dark and sweet filtered coffee served in a small cup of china or plastic, normally pre-sugared. If you wish to sample a shot of cafezinho, look out for petrol pumps and small restaurants (places where you eat a pre-fixed meal) that offer the brew free of charge. It’s their way of showing hospitality.

CAFÉ AU LAIT

If you think ordering coffee in a French café or bar will be same as ordering one back home, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. The French look at their cup as a palate as a cleanser rather than an energizer. They begin their with café-au-lait- a simple coffee with steamed milk, often served in a mug or pot, wide enough to allow the dunking of baguettes, croissants and other light, sweet bites.

French coffee is not meant to be consumed on the street, so there is no takeaway. But if you are in a hurry, drink you café-au-lait standing at the bar, instead of sitting at the table. You will not only have a chance to strike a fun conversation with the locals, but also end up saving some money. French cafes have different pricing: Bar, indoor table and outdoor table.

ESPRESSO

Italy would grind to a halt without coffee. Espresso is Italy’s classic brew. This strong drink is served tiny cups and commonly sipped while standing at cafes (often known as bars). Do not sit unless you have a real strong reason to do so; Italian cafes charge around 20-25% more to sit at a table with waiter service. A few no-nos when ordering coffee in Italy:

Never use the word “espresso” when ordering one- this is a technical term in Italy, not an everyday one. Just ask for an un caffe.
Never ask for a cappuccino or latte post 11 am; Italians will think you are weird, they believe too much milk unsettles your stomach after food.
Never ask for Latte, you will just get a glass of milk, ask for “Latte macchiato” (milk “marked” with espresso)

IRISH COFFEE

Coffee meets cocktail with this after-drink. Irish coffee includes hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar and crowd-pleasing whipped cream topping. Irish coffee was invented in 1942 to cheer up passengers after they were disembarked from a Pam Am flying boat due to bad weather. Head chef Joe Sheridan thought of adding whiskey to the coffee to warm up the American tourists on a cold winter’s night, and his drink remains popular even today.

JAMAICAN BLUE MOUNTAIN

Considered by many connoisseurs to be one of the world’s finest, rarest and most expensive of all coffees, it is grown in the fog shrouded Blue Mountains of Jamaica. It is admired for its delicate balance of floral aroma, acidity and full body. However, it is the sweet, mellow, lingering finish that elevates this coffee above all others.

Know the coffee culture around the world to make sure you get your much needed caffeine fix, no matter where you are.

Cheers!!!

Enjoy my earlier post: https://steemit.com/blog/@weavingwords/a-good-book-is-like-a-lifetime-romance