3 International Coffees To Perk You Up

Over the years, coffee has become a more complex industry, especially here in the United States. With the emergence of Starbucks and other large coffee companies in the '90s, Americans started to take interest in latte art and espresso drinks as a welcomed change from the bitterness of instant coffee. Nowadays, with the local and sustainable movement growing at full force, individuals and companies are examining how, where, and who is making the coffee in our cups. This new wave of coffee connoisseurs has reverted back to good old drip, investigating where the coffee is grown (different soil types, altitudes, etc.) and analyzing the different notes and tannins of the blends, just as sommeliers do for wine. To read more about all things coffee and my piece in Seattle magazine, click here.

A few days ago, The New York Times posted an article about Japanese manufactured coffee equipment, and it got me thinking—we all know about different types of South American drip blends (Guatemalan, Costa Rican) and the endless list of espresso drinks (latte, macchiato, etc) but what about the international coffees that were around long before America's wave of coffee obsession?

Japan may not be at the forefront of the coffee world just yet, but it's good to remember that each city, country and region has it's own unique flavors that seep into every aspect of life, including how they prepare their coffee. Below are 3 international coffees to expand your caffeinated palate and add some new depth to your daily dose of espresso.

1. Turkish

Frequently I’ll go out for Turkish food and order a nice red wine to go with my chicken kebab, but I often forget to order Turkish coffee. It is prepared by first grinding roasted coffee beans to a powder. Then, the coffee is boiled in a pot, possibly with sugar or cardamom, and served very hot in a small cup (demitasse) where the dregs settle. It is not the blend or roast that makes it Turkish, but rather this style of preparation. Turks use special equipment to serve their coffee and it is generally suited for those who like thick, strong flavors.

2. Vietnamese

Vietnamese coffee, or ca phe sua da, unlike Turkish, is typically served cold and is much sweeter. At its simplest, Vietnamese coffee is made with finely ground Vietnamese-grown dark roast coffee individually brewed with a small metal French drip filter (cà phê phin) into a cup containing sweetened condensed milk. The drink is then stirred and poured over ice.

3. Ethiopian

Discovering Ethiopian coffee means going back to the birthplace of coffee itself. In fact, the discovery of caffeine is thought to have taken place in the northeast region of Ethiopia. From there, the popularity of coffee spread to Europe, and then to Indonesia, and finally to the Americas. So, although we think of Europe as the birthplace of the latte, Africa is where it truly all began. Traditionally, Ethiopian coffee is freshly ground at the location it is made using a mukecha (a heavy wooden bowl) and a pestle. The ground coffee is then put into a clay pot with water, boiled, and served in small ceramic cups. Ethiopian coffee is considered the best of the best, like a fine cigar or vintage red wine.

Here's a recipe to make Turkish coffee at home:
Turkish Coffee

Photo from Wikipedia

Sources: wikipedia