Coffee plays a significant role in people’s lives, whether enjoyed recreationally as part of your daily routine. While the West is commonly known for sipping this beverage, it’s enjoyed worldwide with various customs and features surrounding coffee. From the enriching goodness of Vietnamese coffee to the fortune-telling abilities of Turkish coffee, understanding how different people enjoy this beverage will make your next coffee sip memorable.
This article will guide you through coffee cultures worldwide, showcasing different rituals, traditions, and unique features. Read on!
Coffee in Italy: Home of the Espresso
Due to the popularity of pizza, pasta, and their hot sauce (salsa), Italy is rarely mentioned for its unique coffee culture. Coffee and culture enthusiasts adore Italy for its espresso culture, where every cup is served in concentrated shots at dedicated Italian coffee shops called Espresso Bars.
How Italian Coffee Is Made
While Espresso is a standard coffee order worldwide, Italians have a different method than the popular American option. This style involves brewing with a fine grind of coffee beans at around 200-300 microns.
The brewing water is kept at around 90-94 degrees Celsius (194-201 degrees Fahrenheit), while the espresso machine applies 9 bars of pressure during the extraction process that takes less than 30 seconds altogether.
It’s also worth noting that there’s a more traditional profession for Espresso Bars that don’t use a coffee maker. This traditional espresso method involves a moka pot, in which the coffee maker pours hot water through the grounds under hot pressure. It then eventually collects the brewed coffee at the top chamber.
Cultural Significance
For many Italians, espresso is a core part of their day, functioning as the beginning of a busy morning, with each sip helping to mentally structure the hectic day ahead. This meditative state is further enhanced by the arousing smell and taste of Espresso, serving as fuel for the impending journey.
If you’re a night owl who loves to stay up late online, reading news, scrolling through social media, or visiting gambling websites like Slotozilla Canada, a cup of coffee and its aroma gives you the energy boost you need.
Besides being a delicious and energizing beverage, espresso is also the medium for engaging in lively conversations, as each sip works as a punctuation in the dialogue while adding an extra air of satisfaction to the interaction.
Coffee in Turkey: Timeless Tradition and Coffee Reading
The coffee culture in Turkey started in the Ottoman Empire, where it was served and consumed by high-profile men. It’s also currently known as “The milk of chess players and thinkers”, showing the positive mindset surrounding this wonderful beverage.
How Turkish Coffee Is Made
Turkish coffee is prepared by boiling very finely ground coffee beans with water, usually sugar, in a unique copper or brass pot called a cezve. This Turkish method is unique because brewing involves mixing the coffee twice.
About one-third of the coffee is poured into small porcelain cups called “kahve finсanı” after the first boil. Afterward, the remaining coffee is returned to the pot to be boiled and poured into serving cups.
It’s worth mentioning that the sweetness depends on the drinkers, and Turkish coffee lovers have different ways to flavour this beverage:
- Unsweetened (sade kahve);
- Slightly sweet (orta şekerli);
- Very sweet (tatlı).
Cultural Significance
It goes beyond a fun drink since Coffee Reading is integral to Turkey’s culture. Coffee reading, also known as “tasseography” or “tasseomancy,” involves interpreting unique patterns created by coffee sediments at the bottom of the coffee cup. This practice allows people to predict their fortunes and have deep interactions.
However, making the proper coffee for tasseography involves a different process, starting with acceptable coffee grounds being booked with water and sugar to make a thick brew. Afterward, the coffee is consumed while the grounds settle at the bottom of the cup, creating a unique pattern that’s inverted into a saucer and then interpreted.
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Coffee in Ethiopia: Fellowship Through Buna
Ethiopia has over 1200 years of coffee culture as it’s currently one of Africa’s top producers, producing over 260,000 metric tons in 2006. The coffee tradition here is kept by the Ethiopian ceremony called “Jebena Buna,” it’s an excellent avenue for everyone to engage and deepen their connections.
How Ethiopian Coffee Is Made
Ethiopians first wash the green Coffee beans before roasting the beans until almost burned black in a pan over hot coals. Afterward, they are crushed and ground in a mortar and pestle to begin brewing.
The brewing process of traditional Ethiopian coffee involves mixing the ground coffee and water in a Jebena, a clay coffee pot. This pot is placed over hot coals until it boils, resulting in a dark and bitter coffee that can be sweetened based on preference.
The final brew is served in small cups and often served with popcorn, combining to give a delicious and distinctive taste.
Cultural Significance
Coffee enjoyed during the Buna tradition emphasizes Ethiopia’s community spirit as everyone comes together to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee. During this period, women wear traditional costumes as they prepare the coffee, contributing to the festive spirit.
This traditional process is also a sensory journey for Ethiopians as the roasted coffee beans stimulate the nose with an enticing aroma. Next, the taste and feel of the Buna coffee stimulates the brain’s pleasure areas, sprinkling more excitement to conversations and the community.
Coffee in Vietnam: Sweet Egg Coffee
Having coffee with eggs and bread makes a great breakfast, but eggs in coffee are most likely an unusual experience for many. However, people in Vietnam enjoy this coffee recipe, as mixing egg yolks with a strong coffee flavour creates a unique drinking experience.
How Vietnamese Coffee Is Made
Vietnamese egg coffee blends rich coffee flavours with creamy egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk, creating a must-try specialty known for its delightful contrast of textures and flavours:
- Whisk egg yolks with sweetened condensed milk until thick and creamy.
- Spoon the egg mixture over strong Vietnamese coffee brewed with a metal drip filter called a Phin.
- Use dark-roasted Robusta beans for their high caffeine content and bitter taste.
- Enjoy the stunning contrast of layers, with the golden egg mixture floating on top of the black coffee.
- Serve Vietnamese egg coffee hot in a small glass or cold with ice.
Cultural Significance
Vietnamese egg coffee is more than just a drink; it symbolizes the cultural creativity and adaptability of the Vietnamese people. The drink was invented in the 1940s by a bartender named Nguyen Van Giang, who decided to use egg yolks as a substitute for milk, which was scarce due to the war. His invention soon became popular and spread throughout the country, and today, it’s a cherished tradition that showcases the skill and artistry of Vietnamese coffee makers.
Conclusion
Exploring these traditions and rituals reveals that coffee transcends borders, flavours, and histories. It’s a global expression that brings people together, enriching lives and creating memorable moments.
Whether you prefer Italy’s bustling espresso bars, where each shot is a punctuation in the daily rhythm of life, or Turkey’s ancient art of coffee reading, know that every sip you take is shared globally in united satisfaction.
