There is a lot of talk around coffee, but there are still little- known facts about it. Here we share a few.
International Coffee Day.
The 1st October is International Coffee Day, a global celebration of coffee in all its varieties. Worldwide we consume over 170 million bags of coffee a year, making it the most consumed beverage in the world after water. Half of the production of coffee is concentrated in the hands of two countries: Brazil, the world’s leading producer and exporter of coffee, growing over one-third of the world’s coffee and Vietnam, the world’s leading Robusta producer with about 30 million bags.
Countries of consumption.
Coffee is consumed all over the world. The largest consumer is currently the European Union, specifically Germany, followed by the United States of America and Brazil. However, the Scandinavian countries come out on top when it comes to drinking coffee. They grind their way through 12 kilos of coffee per person, per year, according to statistics from the International Coffee Organization (ICO). Italy and the countries of the Mediterranean basin consume around 5kg per year per capita. Coffee is an integral part of Italian culture, with around 8 million bags of green coffee beans imported annually. Mocha and espresso, the most common preparation methods in the Mediterranean countries, require smaller quantities of coffee per cup. However if the classification was based on the number of drinks consumed, these countries would certainly rise in the ranking.
The different ways people drink coffee around the world.
Nearly every country has its own coffee culture, with traditional recipes made from different brewing techniques, bean blends, and spice preferences. Here’s a list of some of the more interesting ways coffee is prepared and enjoyed across the globe.
Frappé, Greece
Frappé coffee, or Greek frappé, is a foam-covered iced coffee drink made from instant coffee (generally spray-dried), sugar, ice cubes and water. Invented by a Nescafé
Spiced coffee - Morocco
This fragrant blend of dark coffee is not for the faint of heart, melding together warm spices like cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Spiced coffee tastes completely different than a traditional cup of coffee (testo troncato)
Türk Kahvesi, Turkey
When properly made, a delicious foam forms at the top, which is essential to any Turkish coffee. 100% Arabica beans that have been roasted to perfection and ground to a very fine powder are simmered in a special copper or (testo troncato)
Flat White, Australia
Similar to a latte though smaller in volume, the flat white has just a little bit less microfoam than a latte, and often less volume, but is still creamy milk over the same amount of espresso. A favourite in the Ozzy (testo troncato)
Wiener Mélange, Austria
This specialty coffee, which means Viennese Blend in German, is very similar to a cappuccino. It is customarily served as a double espresso shot in a large coffee cup that is topped with steamed milk and milk foam, and (testo troncato)
Cafezinho, Brazil
While many consider caipirinha to be Brazil's national drink, cafezinho - literally ‘little coffee’ - is by far the most popular drink for locals. Similar to an espresso, cafezinho is a small, strong cup of coffee. It is (testo troncato)
Café de Olla, Mexico
The name Café de Olla literally means Pot Coffee in English, and is traditionally prepared in earthen clay pots, hence the name. Café de la Olla is a traditional Mexican coffee drink made with whole cinnamon and (testo troncato)
Irish Coffee, Ireland
This coffee-cocktail hybrid was first created in the winter of 1943 by Joe Sheridan, chef at Foynes Port near Limerick, Ireland, to warm up passengers staying over before they made their transatlantic flights. The (testo troncato)
Loading
True or false? Some quick truths about coffee.
Tap to start
Replay
Coffee is bad for your health: false.A moderate amount of caffeine stimulates the central nervous system by helping concentration, increasing alertness, facilitating the storage of short-term information, plus it stimulates diuresis and accelerates metabolism.
Decaf is bad for you: false.There are no solvent residues in a cup of decaffeinated coffee: drinking it is just as good as drinking normal coffee, without the caffeine.
Roasted beans should be oily: false.Too much oil on the surface of a roasted bean means the roasting process was too strong, causing the bean to become darker with a bitter taste in the cup and burnt aromatic hints.
Never adjust the coffee grinder: false.Here’s how it’s wise to adjust the grinder. Wet/rainy climates: coarser grind; dry/windy climates: thinner grind; short degassing period: coarser grinding; long degassing period: finer grinding.