A guide to save you from ordering a triple espresso decaf
Anne walks into a coffee joint for the first time. The coffee aroma is stimulating, accentuated by the dim lighting that sets the mood. She is excited, until she gets to the huge menu on the wall ahead. It reads like Greek to her -- Espresso Macchiato, Cafe Americano and Cafe Latte. What on earth happened to the trarditional Kopi? She waits for her friend to place an order and decides to have the same. Standing behind the counter, lost, she says, "One small double Mo-cha Grand-ay," and lets out a huge sigh. The cashier looks at her puzzled and says, "What size, ma'am?" "Umm, the smallest," responds Anne. "Tall -- that will cost you four eighty," says the cashier. After giving the cashier her day's allowance, she settles down and slurps her coffee. She has no clue as to what she's consuming and doesn't like it!
I started drinking coffee because it was cool. When 3-in-1 coffee was in, I went out and experimented all the brands possible. When "branded coffee" came into being, again I sprung into action. Initially, I never enjoyed coffee -- it was too bitter. I guess it's a taste that grows on you. Soon enough, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the signature music of Nescafe and the huge mugs aggressively advertised in Central Park made it hard to not have a soft spot for coffee.
Those who are coffee-holics or need their dose of caffeine to survive -- be it injected into their systems -- are exceptions. As for the rest -- you have to experiment, understand and discover the taste that gives you the "feel" you're comfortable with. My personal favourite is a vanilla latte. It blends about two teapsoons of vanilla syrup, coffee and milk. On a hot Singapore afternoon (which is every afternoon!)v I get lots of ice added to it -- ultimate bliss! What's your favourite?
It's hard to escape the fact that coffee culture has invaded Singapore. Coffee cups have announced their presence island-wide. You can't even escape them at the library! So welcome to today's world where the choice isn't just between a Kopi-O and a Teh-O. There's much to know about coffee and its various blends. Here's your guide to getting the right coffee at the right time and enjoying every bit of it.
Introducing Coffee
Coffee, first discovered in the Middle East, has been a popular drink for more than a thousand years. Its aroma has travelled from richly embellished with social customs and rituals coffee (in the homes of Royal families) to instant coffee. Coffee is the world's most valuable agricultural commodity, of more importance financially than wheat or corn.
The whole subject of coffee is as stimulating as the taste -- the more you discover, the more you will want to find out, to taste and to savour.
Types of Coffee Plants
The higher the latitude, the better the coffee grown.
Coffea Liberica (Latin botanical name for liberica beans)
Not the best in quality, requires sympathetic roasting, is grown in places like Malaysia and West Africa, low in demand and poor in flavour.
Coffea Arabica (Latin botanical name for arabica beans)
Best quality, first grown in Ethiopia, lowest caffeine content and is 70% of the world's production. This is used in most coffee outlets. This is probably the coffee you drink.
Coffea Canephora (Latin botanical name for robusta beans)
Higher in caffeine content, has a neutral flavour and was originally found in Congo.
Coffee Blends
"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teah a man how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." -- Confucius
Espresso
In the coffee-making world, learning to fish is equivalent to learning how to make an espresso. An espresso is the first step to coffee-making. It's a short drink, served in tiny coffee cups. Its quantity is a little more than a mouthful, so people tend to order a double espresso. Ideally, the amount of coffee used is 7g, with 45ml of water. It's more of a morning drink.
Ristretto
It's a standard espresso with double its strength and denser coffee. It may not be stated on the menu, but you can ask for it. The only difference is that a ristretto takes a shorter time to be prepared as compared to an espresso.
Macchiato
I found this interesting quote on the net -- "A pretentious git orders a macchiato and has no clue what it actually is. An ultra-pretentious git orders a macchiato and knows what it is!"
There are two types of macchiatos -- an espresso macchiato and a latte macchiato. An espresso macchiato is an espresso with a dollop of mailk foam, while a latte macchiato is steamed milk with a spot of espresso. So do not just ask for a macchiato, state which one! This is more of an after dinner drink, because added whipped cream or caramel makes it an ideal dessert.
Capuccino
This blend gets its name from the "cap" of foam on top, which resembles the creamy coloured robes worn by Capuchin monks. A cappuccino should contain 1/3 espresso, 1/3 hot steamed milk and 1/3 foamed milk. One may add nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa or chocolate to taste. Some adapt froth milk. You can drink this any time of the day.
Mocha
This drink is known as "The hot fudge sundae of espresso drinks". It's an espresso, with chocolate syrup and steamed milk, with a dollop of whipped cream on top. As sinful as it gets, it should be decorated with grated or flaked chocolate. Like the cappuccino, it can be drunk around the clock.
Latte
This is a long, milky espresso. It contains equal parts of espresso, milk and foam. If taken hot, a thin layer of froth is added. Lattes are recommended for thiose who feel coffee blends are too strong. This is considered a breakfast drink because Italians never liked milk in their coffee after noon.
Americano
This is an espresso diluted with hot water. Germans are said to love this drink. It can be taken at any time of the day.
Drink Options
You may ask for a:
Solo: single shot of espresso.
Doppio: double shot of espresso.
Decaf: lesser coffee content, light coffee.
Chiro: clear, by adding more milk.
Scuro: dar, by adding a little less milk.
According to The World Encyclopedia of Coffee: An average cup of coffee has about 60-90mg of caffeine. Caffeine is a white, slightly bitter alkaloid that stimulates our central nervous system. Coffee increases mental alertness and concentration by boosting our energy!
Too much caffeine, however, may result in palpitations, anxiety, inability to sleep and shaky hands. The amount of caffeine one can consume varies depending on an individual. For some, a single cup of coffee causes ill effects, while others thrive on 10 cups a day.
In a Nutshell
Knowing about coffee and its different blends is a great advantage. You can ask for a doppio while ordering your mocha, if you want to stay up late. Or you could ask for a decaf, if you are not fond of the strong coffee taste. Understanding coffee allows you to create a blend that caters to your needs and satisfies your taste buds.
Gone are the days when you had to wait for your friend to order and then say "Make that two". No longer do you have to stick to that one coffee blend that didn't taste all that bad. You know about coffee and you know the contradiction when you say, "I'd like a triple espresso decaf."
"Give a man an espresso
And he will buzz for an hour.
Give a man an espresso machine
And he will be buzzed for a lifetime."
