While coffee beans originated in Africa thousands of years ago, the caffeinated beverage has since spread to all corners of the globe, being enjoyed by a wide variety of cultures. Vietnam, for instance, has a deeply ingrained coffee culture centered around Robusta beans, with favorite beverages including cà phê đá, the traditional Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk, Cà Phê Trứng, Vietnamese egg coffee, and Cà Phê Sữa Chua, Vietnamese yogurt coffee.
In other parts of the world, communities have developed their own distinctive takes on the simple caffeinated beverage, making use of local ingredients, long-standing traditions, and shared value of community. Below are three coffee drinks from around the world that you can make at home.
When making any coffee recipe, it's important to ensure that your beans are the highest quality possible. Omni Bev’s Vietnamese Coffee Beans Trio gives you a sampling of their freshly roasted coffee beans sourced from the highlands of Da Lat, Vietnam, all perfect to brew a new recipe. The trio features a bag each of Omni’s Signature Blend Vietnamese Roasted Coffee, Highland Premium Arabica Vietnamese Roasted Coffee, and Highland Robusta Vietnamese Coffee beans.
Affogato - Italy
Two glasses of affogato. jng104, CC BY 2.0.
While common now in cafes around the United States, affogato originated in Italy as a deliciously simple dessert. The coffee sundae balances the bold, nutty flavors of the espresso with the sweet, creaminess of the gelato to make a refreshing dessert best enjoyed on a hot summer’s night.
Total time: 5 min.
Ingredients:
- 1 scoop of vanilla gelato
- Double shot of espresso
- Chilled bowl
Steps:
- Place your gelato in a chilled bowl that is big enough to hold your gelato and your espresso.
- Pour your espresso on top of your gelato.
- Serve on its own, or add favorite toppings like crushed nuts, fresh fruit, or whipped cream.
Yuanyang - Hong Kong
A hot mug of yuanyang next to a glass of water. CC0 Public Domain.
One of the most popular drinks in Hong Kong, yuanyang is a delightful, caffeinated beverage which combines the city’s famed milk tea with the bold flavors of fresh coffee. Commonly sold by street vendors, yuanyang has taken on a number of variations, including those that are blended with ice or feature different milks. That said, this variation is the classic, and is best served hot or over ice.
Prep time: 5 min.Cook time: 6 min.
Total time: 11 min.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brewed coffee
- 1 cup of water
- 2 tbsp. black tea leaves
- 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
- Small saucepan
- Strainer
Steps:
- Pour your water and place your tea leaves into the saucepan. Bring to a light boil, then lower the heat and allow the tea to simmer for three minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, pour in your sweetened condensed milk, and return to the heat, allowing the mixture to simmer for three minutes.
- Strain out the tea leaves so you are left with the milk tea.
- Combine one cup of your milk tea with your cup of coffee and stir until combined thoroughly.
- Serve hot, or chilled and poured over ice.
Cafézinho - Brazil
A small mug of cafézinho. Simplus Menegati, CC BY-SA 4.0
In Brazil, the term “cafézinho” technically refers to coffee, but is more often synonymous with hospitality. The sweet coffee beverage, which is thicker than a traditional espresso, is commonly shared with folks at home and in the workplace as a conversation starter. Naturally sweet and creamy, cafézinho is a highly caffeinated coffee best enjoyed with friends and family.
Prep time: 2 min.Cook time: 10 min.
Total time: 12 min.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cups of cold water
- 1 heaping tbsp. finely ground coffee beans
- 1 tsp. sugar
- Small saucepan
- Paper coffee filter
- Espresso cup
Steps:
- Pour your water and sugar into the small saucepan, and heat until it is just below the boiling point.
- Add in your coffee grounds, remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir well.
- Place your coffee filter on your espresso cup, then pour the mixture slowly over the filter, allowing the coffee to drip through the filter into the cup completely.
- Serve immediately.
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