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International Coffee Day.

The 1st of 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 coffee production concentrates 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 Mediterannean countries consume around 5kg per year per capita. Coffee is an integral part of Italian culture, with approximately 8 million bags of green coffee beans imported annually. Mocha and espresso, the most common preparation methods in the Mediterranean countries, require smaller coffee per cup quantities. However, if the classification lays on the number of drinks consumed, these countries would undoubtedly 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 spices. Here are some of the more interesting ways to prepare coffee.

Frappé, Greece

Frappé coffee, or Greek frappé, is a foam-covered iced coffee drink made from instant coffee, sugar, ice cubes and water. Invented by a Nescafé salesman in 1957, it is popular in Greece and Cyprus.

Spiced coffee - Morocco

This fragrant dark coffee blend melds together spices like cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in an unusually spicy yet still familiar beverage with a pleasant and comforting aroma.

Türk Kahvesi, Turkey

100% Arabica beans roasted to perfection and ground to a very fine powder are prepared unfiltered and simmered in a special copper or brass pot called a cezve for this delicious Turkish recipe.

Flat White, Australia

Similar to a latte, this Aussie and Kiwi specialty coffee favourite is made by pouring just a little bit less microfoam than a latte, over the same amount of espresso.

Wiener Mélange, Austria

Similar to a cappuccino, this specialty coffee is usually served as a double espresso shot in a large coffee cup topped with steamed milk and milk foam, and sometimes whipped cream and cocoa powder.

Cafezinho, Brazil

Similar to an espresso, cafezinho is a small, strong cup of coffee. It is sometimes served with sugar or sweetener on the side, but the preference is for the black coffee to be sweetened already.

Café de Olla, Mexico

Café de Olla is a traditional Mexican coffee drink made with whole cinnamon and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), served in a clay mug, which locals believe brings out all the flavours of the coffee.

Irish Coffee, Ireland

First created in 1943 to warm up transatlantic passengers, the original Irish coffee recipe has just four ingredients: hot coffee, sugar, cream, and “a good measure of Irish whiskey” in a warm glass.

True or false? Some quick truths about coffee.

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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.