A World of Coffee

A World of Coffee

A large portion of our daily lives is fuelled by caffeine, that much is obvious; most of us likely drink it black, or with cream and sugar. Turns out that a lot more can be done with coffee than just grabbing a cup on our morning commute.

Vietnamese Egg Coffee

Vietnam’s fanciest cup of coffee originated from a need to cope with wartime dairy shortages. First created in 1946 in responses to shortages caused by the First Indochina War, the recipe now consists of Robusta coffee topped with hot, whisked egg, sugar, and dairy ingredients ranging from condensed milk to cheese and butter.

Kumbakonam Degree Coffee

This piping-hot beverage is a blend of milk combined with a local chicory/fragrant ground coffee powder mix. The meaning of “degree” has been debated almost as long as the existence of the beverage; true degree coffee requires pure milk. This means that some of the establishments that have served this drink in the past have gotten their milk directly from a cow tied up behind the coffee shop.

Kopi Joss

Drinking this Indonesian beverage can be a risky endeavour; vendors in its home city say that its acidity can be negated by plunking a piece of charcoal straight into a cup of the brew. The result is charcoal coffee; some say it tastes like regular coffee, while others say it tastes like caramel and burnt sugar.

Asiatico Coffee

The recipe for this drink dates back to the 1940s; the earliest version was being consumed by Southeast Spanish fishermen, who drank it to keep warm during long fishing trips. The recipe consists of coffee, condensed milk, and a splash of Liquor 43, a Spanish liqueur with 43 ingredients including citrus, herbs, and spices.

Kaffeost

This northern Scandinavian beverage is perfect for relaxing in a hot tub on a cold night. A traditional cup starts with a cube of dried cheese at the bottom of the mug; the cheese absorbs the steaming brew, softening while not fully melting. Drinkers can spoon out cheese chunks as they ship, or enjoy the dregs left at the bottom of the cup.