A favourite morning drink, coffee can be tweaked to suit culture and even personal taste. Increasing variety has given coffee-drinkers the conundrum of choosing their daily brew. From condensed milk to whiskey and even ice cream, different countries add different ingredients to their coffee. Here are five types of coffee from around the world:
Irish coffee
Unlike most coffees, Irish coffee isn’t really the ideal early morning drink. That’s because it uses a generous splash of whiskey. It is made by dissolving brown sugar in a shot of espresso, stirring in a shot of Irish whiskey, and topping with whipped cream (the sugar helps the cream to separate and float on top). Irish coffee is a warming drink meant for cold evenings.
Vietnamese coffee
Vietnamese coffee contains brewed coffee served either hot or over ice, with a generous helping of condensed milk. A creamy coffee is the result. Sweet and strong, it’s more like a dessert than a coffee. Vietnamese coffee is made by boiling ground coffee in water, pouring it through a filter and stirring in some condensed milk.
French coffee
The French gorge on many types of coffee, including Café Noisette (espresso and a dash of hot milk), Café Viennois (made with espresso, whipped cream and chocolate powder), Café Serré (an extra bitter espresso), Café Gourmand (coffee served with miniature desserts), Café au Lait (very milky coffee) and Café Crème (similar to a cappuccino).
Turkish coffee
Prepared in a copper or brass pot called ‘ibrik’ or ‘cezve’, Turkish coffee doesn’t use any milk or cream. It’s basically black coffee, to which sugar is added during the brewing process. A top layer of foam forms when the coffee is boiled. Cardamom is added for a hint of spice. Turkish coffee is on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
Italian coffee
Italian coffee or affogato is served as a dessert at most restaurants and coffee parlours. A traditional affogato takes Italian gelato and converts it to coffee by adding a shot of espresso. Sometimes, affogato is spiked with liqueur like amaretto. Vanilla ice cream is usually preferred when preparing affogato.