Same Coffee Every Day? Expand Your Daily Routine With These Coffee Varieties
- Piece of Cake Staff
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Written by Brendan Gieseke
It was around two winters ago that a new acquisition came into my family’s home. Our first espresso machine. What started as a normal family relationship with coffee quickly evolved. Now that our Nespresso replaced the Keurig, straight black coffee wasn’t even an option. We eventually learned how to make a cappuccino, a mocha, or an espresso shot and were delighted with the machine’s ROI, which came with happiness and that bitter taste of coffee you can’t help but crave. In learning how to make coffee, though, came a discovery: coffee can actually be prepared in so many different ways. Just based on the order you add your ingredients, a coffee’s components and taste can apparently change! And as a food reporter, I felt an insatiable desire to learn more about how coffee actually works.
To start with, let’s go through some basic drinks you’ve definitely heard of, regardless of your ability to enjoy the beverage.
Espressos are the typical base of a coffee or a simple concentrated shot.
Cappuccinos are made from equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam.
Lattes are made with a higher milk-to-coffee ratio, with little foam to provide a smooth, milky texture.
Flat whites are made similarly to lattes, but with stronger coffee and microfoamed milk.
Macchiatos are originally espresso shots ‘stained’ with a very small amount of milk. Companies like Starbucks have changed the perception by increasing milk concentration and "staining" the espresso with other white substances, such as cold foam. See here for a visual representation of the layers.
Now, as you can tell, even with the same ingredients, many different types of coffee drinks can be made. But the list doesn’t end here and can keep continuing to levels that may even be unfamiliar to professional baristas. While I may not be able to provide a comprehensive explanation of the many types of coffee that can be made, I’d like to continue showing how coffee is not restrictive and remains imaginative and international through different cultures, recipes, and styles.
Turkish coffee is made through an unfiltered preparation where strong coffee is simmered directly in water, creating a sediment-rich drink.
Vietnamese iced coffee is a strong, drip-brewed coffee poured over sweetened condensed milk and ice, and provides an enjoyable harmony between bitterness and sweetness.
Italian affogato is created by pouring a shot of hot espresso over ice cream, using coffee as a form of dessert ingredient.
Greek frappé is made by shaking instant coffee with water and sugar into a thick foam to create a light and airy taste of coffee.
French press coffee is brewed by pressing coffee down with a metal filter to create a dark and heavy gustatory sensation.
Coffee jelly is made by setting brewed coffee into gelatin and later cooling the drink into a flan-like jelly. It’s often accompanied by cream to become a tasty dessert. The treat was first created in New England and eventually popularized in Japan.
Mazagran is a cold coffee beverage made with lemon and sugar over ice. The drink originated in Algeria in the mid-19th century.
With over 120 species of coffee beans, it’s no wonder that some people find passion in learning about coffee and why there is nearly an unlimited amount of pairings. But with so many people around the world drinking coffee, the drink has become a staple of culture and universal mutuality. And, through its globalization, it remains unique, appreciated, and an amusing beverage to understand.
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