How do you like your coffee? I like my coffee black with no sugar. How about you? I like mine with cream and sugar. Next time someone asks you how you like your coffee; your answer should be I like my coffee international!
Yes. International! It may be out there, but actually, you will be on to something.
To begin with, most of our favorite coffees are fine exports from various parts of the world. And with globalization, you do need a visa to enjoy your daily caffeine dose.
In alphabetical order here is your visa to various coffee destinations; Friedcoffee will tell you more about the various destinations.
Americano
The land of the free and the home of the brave like their coffee strong. Legend has it that Americans enjoyed the taste of traditional Italian espresso; however, found it too strong for their tastes.
Consequently, they added hot water to the Italian classic and gave birth to the Americano.
To prepare it, brew one or two shots of espresso: depending on your preference. Then add a little hot water and an Americano is born. A sweetener can be added however it is frowned upon.
Cappuccino
What is your draw to coffee shops? For some people, it is the peace and quiet? While for others, it is to watch the barista in their element. Especially, see them pouring a perfect pattern on a cappuccino.
So where did this beautiful art beverage come from?
To begin with, it traces its roots in Italy. It got its name from the Capuchin friars: an order of monks who were founded in the 16th century in Italy.
The Capuchins wore a simple brown robe that had a long, pointed hood that hangs down the back. The Italians called the hood, cappuccino.
So when the cappuccino drink came along, the Italians named it after the Capuchin friars. This is because the color of the espresso mixed with frothed milk was similar to the color of the Capuchin robe.
Now you know.
To prepare a good cappuccino, you need to mix espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. The bottom 1/3rd of a cup is filled with an espresso shot followed by a 1/3rd of hot milk, and the last portion is steamed milk foam.
When ready dig into your cappuccino while it is warm and fresh and get your foam-mustache.
Espresso
This drink was born out of the need for speed. First off, in the late 1800s, the coffee craze had hit Europe. On top of that, the café culture was spreading like bush fire across the continent. At the time baristas wanted a faster way to brew individual cups for customers.
And as they say, necessity is the mother of invention. Inventors came up with the idea of using steam to speed up the process, and that is how the espresso machine was born.
An Italian named Angelo Moriondo started of the invention; however, his fellow countrymen Luigi Bezzera and Desiderio Pavoni built onto his idea and made the first machine that brewed a single cup of coffee in seconds.
To make espresso, steam is forced through the coarse ground coffee, and within seconds, it yields a drink which has 3-5 times much more caffeine. Cheers to our Italians relatives for our daily dose of caffeine.
Yirgacheffes
If you did not know, Ethiopia is regarded as the birthplace of coffee. The story goes that a young Abyssinia goat herder named Kaldi was herding his flock in the highlands. He noticed his flock become energetic after eating some mysterious red berries.
Being curious he tried out the berries himself. He suddenly felt an energizing effect from the berries, and there it was; Kaldi had just discovered coffee beans. Though the story may be more myth than truth, the truth is that coffee has been grown and enjoyed for centuries in Ethiopia.
Among the many coffee varieties grown and harvested in Ethiopia, the one from the Yirgacheffe region is some of the best in the world. And just like its other high-end beans, Yirgacheffe heirloom Arabica coffee grows at a high altitude of 1700 – 2 200 meters above sea level.
The resulting coffee is premium coffee. It has a spicy and fragrant aroma as well as a complex, fruity, tea, floral and lemon flavor
To enjoy Yirgacheffe coffee, it is ground and brewed slowly using a French press. Alternatively, it is poured over a coffee maker without a paper filter so that a full spectrum of flavor can be experienced.
With regards to this coffee, did you know its farmers of have been able to enjoy premium prices for their produce? Firstly, they are exempted from selling their coffee through the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange. Secondly, companies like Starbucks have partnered with farmers and are providing a good market for their produce. Hence more reason to support this coffee.
Take home
Grab your visa and tour the world of coffee.
