If you love coffee, you’ll know at least some of the fun is in rolling those delicious-sounding terms around on your vocal cords. (We’re assuming you love drinking it too, obviously!) And new coffee terms are constantly being coined, like “frappuccino”.
Terms like “café au lait”, “Americano” and even “flat white” are now part of everyday speech, but that wasn’t always the case. It’s not so long ago that the word “cappuccino” was relatively exotic outside Italy. Just as we were all getting a little blasé about cappuccino, which was once the pinnacle of fancy milky coffee drinks, along came the frappuccino. (By the way, did you know café au lait has a day of its own?)
Many of the lovely words we use to describe coffee-based drinks come from Italian, with some from French. Not only do they roll off the tongue, they almost sound like music. (It’s no coincidence that so many operas are written with an Italian libretto.) The Frappuccino trademark has been registered by Starbucks with the US Patents office – more about the Starbucks range a little later.
Frappe or Frappuccino?
While hot black coffee is often a beverage of choice in colder climates and the autumn and winter months, frappes allow us to indulge our taste for coffee in warmer climes and seasons. Frappes have become a very common choice on summer menus, but just what is the difference between a frappe and a coffee frappuccino?
Although, as the story goes, it was invented in Greece, the word “frappe” comes from the French verb to hit. Since frappes are created when the liquid ingredients and ice hit the walls of a cocktail shaker, and a cocktail shaker or blender is used to whip up a frappuccino, you can see where the description came from.
What Is A Frappe?
Frappes are often made with instant coffee (although not always). The delicious concoction known as a frappuccino has a much higher sugar and cream content than a frappé and is topped with lashings of whipped cream. Most frappucino drinks use brewed coffee as the base, often cold-brewed. Crème varieties don’t include coffee.
The Starbucks Frappuccino range uses a special syrup as the base, and variations have included flavors such as strawberries and cream, mango crème and mocha mint. That’s before we investigate the cornerstones of the range like ordinary mocha, caramel, and regular seasonal favorites like pumpkin.
How To Make A Frappe
You’re going to need your favorite coffee (instant or brewed), sweeteners to taste, and ice: plenty of ice. We’d recommend using crushed ice to speed up the process. Use equal quantities of coffee and ice: so if you’re using 1.5 cups of coffee, say, make sure you’ve got the same amount of ice to hand.
When you’re adding milk, add about a third as much as the coffee. In this example, half a cup of milk should be fine. Add a couple of tablespoons of sugar or another sweetener to taste. (We’ve tried honey and Stevie.) If you’re wondering about the coffee proportions, use a ratio of around 4 tablespoons of coffee to 1.5 cups of water.
Keeping It Cold
You need cold coffee for a frappe, so if you’re in a hurry, you can put it in a suitable container and place it in the freezer for a while. A metal or freezer-proof glass container, the shallower the better, will help the liquid cool more quickly. You can always “pre-cool” it in the freezer before you add your coffee mixture. Around twenty minutes should be long enough to reach the right temperature.
Add your chilled coffee to a blender and add milk of choice – dairy, soya, almond, oat, rice. (We haven’t tried this with goat’s milk though. We’re not quite sure how that would taste.) Add the ice. Blend the mixture until it’s smooth. (We like to use the pulse option on our blender for this process but every device is different!)
Frappe Tips
For maximum enjoyment, we’d recommend using a tall glass to serve your frappe, and if you’re feeling extra indulgent, a little whipped cream on top won’t go amiss. Or chocolate sprinkles or a few chopped nuts. We’re huge fans of walnuts and hazelnuts – or you could add a dash of flavored syrup at the “add sweetener” stage. If you’re feeling really indulgent add a scoop or two of your favorite ice cream along with the milk.
Add your sweetener while the coffee is still hot; or if you’re using cold brew coffee, leave it overnight to get that lovely, intense flavor. You could also add other flavors to your frappe recipe – vanilla extract, or cinnamon, or nutmeg, or mixed spice, or even, if you’re feeling really adventurous, a dash of pumpkin and a pinch of chili powder. (We’d definitely recommend going easy on that last one though.)
Of course, you can always whip up a caramel latte, or even better, a salted caramel frappe, with the help of a delicious syrup or two. If you’re going to add flavors and other ingredients, add them when you put the mix into the blender.
What Is A Frappuccino And How To Make It?
Starbucks has made the drink very much its own, and the company is constantly devising seasonal and themed variations. One of the most unusual was the Unicorn Frappuccino, which literally went viral on social media in spring 2017. Other widely available variations include the caramel frappuccino, the mocha frappuccino, the java chip frappuccino, and the vanilla bean frappuccino.
Our most recent favorite is probably the Ultra Caramel Frappuccino but there is a range of truly gorgeous concoctions to try. They allow you to enjoy what is essentially a dessert in a glass, masquerading as a coffee.
How Do You Make A Homemade Frappuccino?
Well, technically, as we’ve stated above, the actual word is a Starbucks trademark, although it wasn’t actually a Starbucks that came up with the drink. The inventor was George Howell, an employee of the Coffee Connection, a company that Starbucks later purchased. So our Frappuccino recipe instructions you through how to make a frappuccino-style beverage instead.
The exact recipe for the Frappuccino syrup is a carefully guarded secret, but if you’d like to make a frappuccino-style 16 fluid ounce drink at home, start with a shot of espresso. Alternatively, start with between two to four tablespoons of brewed coffee, double-strength. Add three-quarters of a cup of the milk of your choice, or a scoop of ice cream, or a mix of milk and cream.
You’ll also need around 16 fluid ounces of ice and any other ingredients you’d like to add. You’re only limited by your imagination. Unless you’re making one of the crème variations, brew your coffee, and make it strong. We’ve suggested one shot of espresso, but if you like your coffee strong, use two shots.
Add all the ingredients to your blender. Add between half a cup and a full cup of milk to the mixture, then add thickener: ice cream, vanilla smoothie powder, chocolate or even green tea powder are just a few options. Add ice, press the “start” button, and blend to the consistency you want. Then simply enjoy it!
Final Words: Frappuccino Or Frappé?
What is the difference between a frappe and a frappuccino? Both drinks make a refreshing summer cool-me-down or an anytime-pick-me-up, and it’s really up to you which one you choose to enjoy. Opt for a frappé if you’re not keen on adding milk, and you don’t want too much sugar; or if confectionery is one of your pleasures in life, choose a frappuccino. With or without unicorns!
Hi my name is Larry, a coffee aficionado and passionate traveler from the US. I have already visited Colombia, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Jamaica in my pursuit of finding the best-tasting coffee beans that make you feel like you are in heaven. I currently write from Bali and enjoy the relaxed life that you can find only in Indonesia. Welcome to my coffee world!
Walk into any coffee ship worldwide, and you’ll see people of all ages sipping on the milky beverage that is a Cappuccino. It’s grown massively in popularity over recent years and is one of the most popular types of caffeinated beverages today.
Although you’ve come across and probably tried a Cappuccino, you may not know where it comes from and how it differs from other similar beverages such as Lattes. In this article, we’ll take a look at where cappuccinos originate and how they differ from other types of coffee-based drinks.
We’ll also take a look at an easy to follow Cappuccino recipe so you can get started on your journey to making the perfect Cappuccino. Once you’ve mastered the perfect Cappuccino, you can wave the expensive coffee shops goodbye and enjoy making coffee from the comfort of your own home.
What Are The Origins Of The Cappuccino?
As the name suggests, Cappuccino’s originated in Italy. The term Cappuccino first appeared in the 1930s in Northern Italy. At first, it was made in ‘’Viennese’’ style with whipped cream which is then sprinkled with chocolate or cinnamon. The steamed milk variant of the Cappucino would come later. After it’s original inception Cappucino’s spread across much of Italy and became a staple of Italian cafe culture throughout the twentieth century.
The way we enjoy Cappuccino’s today began to develop after World War Two, with the spread of modern coffee machines Italian coffee makers welcomed in the ‘age of crema’, with the new machines allowing coffee to be made at a higher pressure which would leave a small layer of crema on top of each Espresso.
The Espresso machines in the 1950s could heat and froth milk, and the Cappuccino as we know it today was born. As the now-famous Cappucino became more popular, it spread beyond Italy, and it’s popularity in other parts of Europe and North American began to grow, turning it into the coffee powerhouse it is today.
Latte Vs. Cappuccino – What Is The Difference?
You may well have wandered into your favorite coffee shop and wondered if there are any actual differences between Cappuccinos and Lattes? In practice, they are very similar drinks, but there are subtle differences between the two. The main differences lie in the proportions of espresso, milk, and milk foam in the beverages. Traditionally a Cappuccino has more foam and less milk than the Latte.
Ideally, a Cappuccino should be one-third Espresso one-third milk and one third foamed milk, they are usually served in a 6-ounce cup. Latte’s, on the other hand, are served in a slightly larger 8-ounce cup. The achieve the classic velvety Latte you’ll need one-two shots of Espresso mixed with 5-6 oz of steamed milk. The steamed milk will take up around three quarters, and a thin layer of foam sits on top.
Due to Latte’s having more steamed milk than Cappuccino’s, they are usually stronger. So if you’re looking to kick start your morning, then a Cappuccino may be a better way to go than a Latte. A top barista should be able to finish off the Cappuccino or Latte with some creative artwork, to give both drinks a creative aesthetic.
Both drinks are relatively easy to make, and most Espresso machines allow you to be able to create both Cappuccinos and Lattes relatively easily. If you’ve been looking to get started in your coffee making journey, then a Cappuccino or a Latte is an excellent place to start.
How To Make A Cappuccino – Our Simple Recipe
If you’ve been looking for a Cappuccino recipe that’s easy to follow then you’ve come to the right place. Here we’ll take a look at what you’ll need to make your very own Cappuccino at home.
The first thing you’ll need is, of course, an Espresso machine, you’ll have to make up your own mind about which machine you go for. You’ll want a machine that is easy to use and has a good steam wand that allows you to froth milk easily and to a nice hot temperature.
You’ll also have to decide what kind of coffee you’ll want to use. If you prefer stronger coffee then consider a dark or medium roast, if you’re new to coffee, then you may want to go for a lighter roast. When your machine is ready to use, you’ll want to brew one or two shots of Espresso and pour yourself 4 ounces of milk that is ready to froth.
Once your milk has been frothed then you’ll want to pour your shots of Espresso into a Cappuccino mug, you can then top the Espresso with the frothed milk after it’s been frothed. When initially Cappuccino’s are only Espresso and Foam, you’ll quickly see the liquid milk out of the foam to give the Capuccino three equal parts of Espresso, Milk, and Foam.
It might take a few tries to get your Cappuccino making skills up to scratch. The good thing about having a high-quality Espresso machine is that you can keep practicing until you get it right. Once you’ve made your Cappuccino, you can decorate it with a sprinkling of chocolate or Cinnamon or add sugar if you prefer a sweeter brew.
Get Making Those Cappuccino’s
One of the reasons why Cappuccinos have become so popular in the coffee world is because they are pretty straightforward to make and taste great. If you purchase an Espresso machine that’s easy to use, then you can begin to create many different types of drinks. Cappuccinos are a great way to get started and once you’ve got them mastered you may well want to experiment with Latte’s, Mochas and Macchiatos.
Learning to make a new type of coffee is always exciting. This article should have given you a good starting point to get started expanding your coffee palette. There’s a tonne of different combinations you can try once you master the basics of some of the easier coffee-based drinks and learning is half the fun. If you’re looking into which Espresso machine to go for then, there are a few different factors you’ll want to consider.
You need to decide on your budget and what kind of machine you can afford. If you’re new to the coffee world, then a cheaper machine is an excellent place to get started. Once you’ve got the basics down, you can then look at upgrading the machine, but a more affordable machine is a great way to practice your coffee making chops.
You’ll also want to consider how many coffee drinkers will be using your machine. Once you’ve got these factors figured out you’re well on your way to getting started in your Cappuccino journey!
Hi my name is Larry, a coffee aficionado and passionate traveler from the US. I have already visited Colombia, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Jamaica in my pursuit of finding the best-tasting coffee beans that make you feel like you are in heaven. I currently write from Bali and enjoy the relaxed life that you can find only in Indonesia. Welcome to my coffee world!
Anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight or been on a diet of any kind knows how important a part coffee can play. And let’s face it, who hasn’t been on a diet of some kind at some point, or simply counted how many calories they’re taking in?
While the recommended daily calorie intake is in the region of 1,800 to 2,000 calories for a moderately active woman, and around 2,500 calories on average for a moderately active man, the great thing is that coffee has very few calories indeed.
In fact, most brewed coffee has precisely zero calories. None. Zilch. Nada. Although there is a caveat – this only applies to black coffee with nothing added. Once you start adding ingredients, the picture changes rather a lot.
This is why, throughout my entire life, whenever I’ve seen comments about coffee and dieting, they’ve usually included the phrase “can help weight loss only as part of a carefully calorie-controlled diet”.
Coffee Is Almost Zero Calories
If you’re interested in coffee nutrition facts, well, even if you’re drinking a small serving of black coffee, the drink does contain some nutrients. The calories in coffee mainly come from the small amount of fat and protein in the beans themselves. And there are quite a lot of sugars in the beans initially, but during roasting, they mainly decompose in a process known as the Maillard reaction. It’s vital to many cooking processes, not just roasting coffee.
If, however, you drink coffee as a beverage, as most of us do, then you’re looking at somewhere between zero and five calories at most. If you do decide to eat coffee beans, a small serving of around a tablespoon has about 18 calories. Arabica beans usually have around twice as much sugar content as Robusta.
The number of calories in coffee beans can vary between different types. If you do eat coffee beans as a snack, we wouldn’t recommend the green raw ones; they’re quite bitter and woody-tasting. The roasted ones are milder in flavor, and some coffee shops do sell chocolate-coated beans which can be a good way to keep you awake on a long monotonous journey where the scenery doesn’t change much. (Ask us how we know. Ahem.)
It’s The Milk And Sugar
The danger comes when you start adding in all that lovely milk or cream, and sugar, and syrups to your cup of Joe. Add just one teaspoon of sugar and your calorie count increases by 16 calories for every spoonful. An ounce of half-and-half adds about 37 calories; an ounce of heavy whipping cream adds a whopping 101 calories, and even an ounce of fat-free milk adds 10 calories.
You might think plant-based milk would be lower in calories. It doesn’t always follow, however. Unsweetened soy milk is 10 calories per ounce, the same as fat-free cow’s milk. Unsweetened almond milk is around 5 calories per ounce.
An ounce of oat milk has about 16 calories and an ounce of unsweetened rice milk has around 15 calories per ounce, while coconut milk has just under 6 calories. We’re not going to talk about butter coffee in any detail here, but we just thought we’d mention that a 10 ounce serving of butter coffee has over 500 calories.
Then there are the syrups. Now, we’re very partial to a dash of caramel syrup, just as a “for instance”, but we know they add around 90 calories per ounce (or tablespoon). Some low sugar or sugar-free options may seem to be a better choice, at closer to 5 to 20 calories, but that does depend on how well you tolerate saccharine or other artificial sweeteners. We can also hear you wondering if coffee has carbs – fear not; the drink itself contains no carbs.
Black Coffee Has Virtually No Calories
Calories in black coffee are typically somewhere between zero and a negligible five calories per serving. In case you’re wondering, we’re assuming the serving size is about 10 ounces for regular coffee and an ounce for espresso. An unsweetened espresso is also devoid of calories.
So now you know that it’s not the coffee that has the calories but the cream, sugar, syrups and the like, help to lower your calorie count by swapping to plant-based milk or even sweetener. If you’d like the sweetness without the calories, you could give stevia a try – it too has zero calories. Or add a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon or even chili for a little extra flavor.
The Reasons For No Calories in Coffee
Given that coffee beans themselves, however, do have a calorie count, how come coffee, as a drink, has no calories? Well, it’s all in how you make it, as is so often the case with coffee. So where does that handful of coffee calories come from?
The calories in coffee come from the beans themselves. When we drink coffee as a beverage, what we’re ingesting is the liquid that’s been poured over the beans, or percolated through them, or in which the beans have been soaked. We’re not usually ingesting the beans themselves. As a result, the calories in the drink itself are negligible.
Should I Give Up Coffee?
As with so many of life’s questions, the only person who can really answer that is you. But seriously, why would you give up coffee unless you had to? Coffee has been shown to be beneficial for all kinds of health conditions, especially in moderation. In addition, it tastes great, once you get the right blend for you. It’s also pretty easy to obtain, wherever you live, and it’s still an affordable luxury in most places.
If, on the other hand, you’re asking if you should give up the cream, sugar, and syrup you love to add to your coffee, well, that’s another question, and the answer might change depending on your health priorities.
You might want to try swapping that cream you love for a rice-based milk or soy variety once a week to lower the calorie count. You could also think about choosing to add stevia instead of syrup, to help you cut down on the negative impacts of sugar.
Equally, you might want to give coffee beans a try as a snack, although they’re not all that low in calories. One bean typically has around 8 calories, so a one-ounce serving is likely to be around the 151 calories mark. Most of the calories come from the fat and protein content, and this is assuming that the beans are covered in milk chocolate.
Coffee: Minimum Calories, Maximum Taste
There’s not much out there that you can eat or drink that is potentially this flavorsome with so few calories. There are a few fruits that are low in calories, for instance, but not many of them feel like an indulgence in the way that coffee does. So, what would we suggest?
Don’t deprive yourself of such a simple, easy-to-locate pleasure, whether you drink coffee steaming hot, iced, or lukewarm. If you do decide to cut back on the calories but you love cream and sugar, don’t be too mean to yourself and go coffee cold turkey. Start with a couple of cups a week, and cut down from there. Or alternatively, accept that adding all those lovely extras means you might need to drink fewer cups of coffee in a day.
Hi my name is Larry, a coffee aficionado and passionate traveler from the US. I have already visited Colombia, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Jamaica in my pursuit of finding the best-tasting coffee beans that make you feel like you are in heaven. I currently write from Bali and enjoy the relaxed life that you can find only in Indonesia. Welcome to my coffee world!
If you’re looking for a new twist on your morning brew, then you may want to give Egg Coffee a try. Now, before you bulk at the idea, you may be intrigued to know that Egg Coffee is very popular in Vietnam and is growing in popularity across the globe.
Vietnam is the second-largest exporter of coffee in the world, behind Brazil. If you’re intrigued, then read on and discover the secrets of what makes Egg Coffee so unique. One of the drawbacks of the wide variety of different types of coffee on the market today is that many of them require along ingredient list to make them. Egg Coffee doesn’t, and it only requires a few different ingredients to make.
Before jumping into the different recipes of Egg Coffee, let’s take a look at how Vietnam became such a significant player in the world of coffee and the story that brought Egg Coffee to life, it’s fair to say that Egg Coffee has come along way since it’s humble beginnings in Vietnam.
The Origins Of The Vietnamese Coffee Industry
Coffee was first introduced to Vietnam in the 19th Century by the French. The French were successful in creating a booming coffee in the Annam Region of Vietnam. By 1950 a commercial processing plant was established, and Vietnam was on its way to becoming a serious coffee producer.
Unfortunately, the development of the Vietnamese Coffee Industry took a hit during the Vietnam war, but since the 1980’s it’s recovered and has been growing year by year, still though the Vietnamese Coffee industry has been through a few rough patches in the past few years, a bumper harvest in 2013/14 lead to an oversupply of coffee beans which lead to a drop in the prices of coffee due to its abundance and a number of local coffee firms were forced to go out of business as a result of the low coffee prices.
How Did Egg Coffee Come About?
During the French War, there was a severe shortage of milk and a man named Nguyen Van Giang who was working at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel when there was no milk to use began to whisk in an egg as a substitute for the milk. Due to the success of his new concoction, Nguyen Van Giang opened Cafe Giang, where his son still works today.
Egg Coffee grew and grew in popularity, becoming a staple on the menu of many coffee shops across the Vietnamese city of Hanoi. Egg Coffee is slowly rising in popularity throughout North America, but the options at this time are still relatively limited for the North American coffee drinker.
For example, in New York, there is only one destination in the whole city where coffee fans can get their hands on Egg Coffee. As word get’s out about Egg Coffee don’t be surprised if you see it cropping up in more neighborhoods as it’s popularity grows.
Despite the shortage of availability of Egg Coffee in a lot of places, the good news is that it’s straightforward to make from the comfort of your own home and you only need a few ingredients. You can also the mix up the recipe depending on if you have more of a savory or sweet tooth. There are a few different recipes you can follow, but let’s start by taking a look at the main ingredients you’ll need.
How To Make Egg Coffee And What Ingredients Do I Need?
Egg Coffee is easy to make; you’ll need one egg, three teaspoons of your chosen coffee and two teaspoons of condensed milk and some boiling water. You’ll want to brew a small cup of coffee, after the coffee has been brewed then crack the egg into a small bowl making sure that the egg whites are removed when you put the egg in coffee.
You can then add in the condensed milk into the bowl. Once you’ve done this whisk the mixture until you have a light, fluffy texture, pour your coffee into a coffee cup and add the mixture on top.
Egg Coffee isn’t just considered a drink in Vietnam, it’s also considered a desert, and you can add a variety of ingredients to it to liven up the flavor, and some cafes add vanilla extract or butter and some even add cheese. Egg Coffee can be enjoyed hot or cold, so it’s a perfect treat on a warm or cold day.
Another plus of Vietnam Egg Coffee is that you can add a variety of different ingredients to enhance its flavor. If you prefer trying out as a desert then there are a tonne of different recipes to try out. One such recipe advises adding a sprinkling of chocolate on top of your egg coffee when you’ve made it. A sprinkling of dark chocolate gives makes the Egg Coffee similar to tiramisu so it’s bound to be a tasty dessert.
Another popular ingredient that many add to their Egg Coffee is Cinamon, this will give your Egg Coffee a bit of a different flavor if you’re not a fan of chocolate. Egg Coffee is a versatile drink, so there a few different ways to enjoy it. The first step though should be mastering the basics and then you can start experimenting with different flavors to see what you like.
Swedish Egg Coffee Recipe
Now we’ve explored the traditional way of making Vietnamese Egg Coffee we can take a look at a couple of different ways to make it. Another country where Egg Coffee has grown in popularity in Sweden, and Scandinavian Egg Coffee is a slight twist on the traditional recipe. You’ll want to have one egg with a broken up shell, a cup of water and two tablespoons of ground coffee.
Bring the water to the boil, and crack the egg wit the broken eggshell into a glass, add the ground coffee and beat the mixture lightly. Lower the geat of the water and then add the mixture to a pot, when you’ve allowed the mixture to simmer for a couple of minutes remove it from the heat and let it rest for 8 minutes.
Add some cold water to the mix; this will cause the solids to clump and sink to the bottom of the pot. Once you’ve done this, then you can strain the mixture through a french press, and the mixture is ready to serve.
Should You Try Egg Coffee?
If you’re looking for a new exciting recipe for coffee then you may want to give Egg Coffee a try, it’s been described as like drinking a mixture of coffee and custard, it’s a very unique concoction.
By now you’ve probably got the impression that Egg Coffee can be enjoyed in many different settings, so if you really like it feel free to have it as part of your morning routine or as treat later at night.
If you’re looking for a new and exciting type of coffee then give Egg Coffee a try. The great thing about Egg Coffee is that you can add a variety of ingredients to it, you could add shaved chocolate or marshmallows to sweeten up the Egg Coffee. Or if you prefer a more savory taste then consider enjoying your Egg Coffee with a small slice of cheese.
Variety is the spice of life so if you’ve been looking for a new way to enjoy coffee then Egg Coffee could be the drink for you! This guide should have given you a good idea of how to get started in your Egg Coffee adventure!
Hi my name is Larry, a coffee aficionado and passionate traveler from the US. I have already visited Colombia, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Jamaica in my pursuit of finding the best-tasting coffee beans that make you feel like you are in heaven. I currently write from Bali and enjoy the relaxed life that you can find only in Indonesia. Welcome to my coffee world!
Anyone who has listened to stories from relatives who were around during World War Two and who lived through rationing will probably have heard about making coffee from acorns. Did you know, however, that in some countries, mushrooms were also used? Four Sigmatics founder Tero Isokauppila has mentioned, for instance, that mushrooms were used to make coffee during World War Two in his native Finland.
So, did you know that mushroom coffee is now a “thing”? There’s been quite a buzz about it in the last few months, with it hitting mainstream stockists like Amazon and Whole Foods in a big way. You don’t make coffee from ground mushrooms in quite the same way that you would with acorns, however.
What Is Mushroom Coffee?
Well, first of all, you can’t really make mushroom coffee with any old common-or-garden mushroom. They need to be medicinal. And we’re not really suggesting that you go off and pick your own. (And don’t worry, when we say “medicinal”, we’re not talking about “magic mushrooms” or anything even resembling Fly Agaric here.)
You probably already know that there are hundreds of different species of mushrooms, some of which are perfectly safe to ingest and some of which, well, aren’t. Many of the course leaders for the foraging days which have sprung up pretty much everywhere will go into this in great depth and there are some great illustrated guide books around.
Why put yourself out, though, when you can find mushroom coffee Amazon mixes and blends ready-made? Be on the lookout for reishi mushroom coffee, Chaga mushroom coffee, lion’s mane mushroom coffee, and simply mushroom coffee. And if you’re wondering which brands or manufacturers to search out, then in the USA, you could do worse than start with Tim Ferris mushroom coffee.
Mushroom Coffee Variety
Back to the plot. Or rather, the coffee pot. The variety of mushroom that is used in mushroom coffee is specialized but pretty broad. Rather than the generally familiar terms like button mushrooms, morel, oyster and shitake, you’re more likely to see reishi, Chaga, cordyceps and lion’s mane listed on the packaging of your mushroom coffee.
So far, there have been frequent sightings of mushroom coffee in Finland (for obvious reasons) and, in America, places like Venice Beach, but mushroom coffee is starting to emerge in many other locations too. Four Sigmatic is one of the market leaders, with its specially formulated mushroom coffee mix. They use Chaga mushrooms extensively, and a variety that has been shown to even have an effect on cancerous cells.
Why Mushroom Coffee?
For mushroom coffee, the powdered medicinal mushrooms are an addition to the coffee bean base. Yes; in its most basic form, mushroom coffee is black coffee, with mushroom extracts added. When you think about it, coffee actually makes a great base for so many recipes, so it’s not really all that surprising to find the two ingredients teaming up.
We’re all very accustomed to adding cream, sugar, syrups, and other ingredients, after all. In recent years ingredients like butter have taken the coffee world by storm, so why not add mushrooms? It makes sense, when you think about it. And besides, mushrooms are typically a great source of protein as well as antioxidants and they’re packed with essential B vitamins.
If you’re still not convinced that mushrooms and coffee are a good pairing, then you might be reassured to know that the Finns drink more coffee per capita than anyone else in the world. That’s right: on average, every Finn drinks around 12kg of coffee every year. In case you’re wondering how that relates to the USA, it’s around three times the average per capita consumption of coffee in the United States.
What Does Mushroom Coffee Taste Like?
As you’d expect, the taste of your mushroom coffee depends, to some extent, on what mushroom extracts are used, as well as on the type of beans used to brew your coffee in the first place. If Chaga mushrooms are used, then your coffee will have quite a tree-bark like flavor, and the texture of your drink will be relatively woody too. Chaga mushrooms typically grow on birch trees, in case you were wondering.
Essentially, the key factor is that mushroom coffee doesn’t taste like mushrooms. And if you’re not a fan of coffee or you just want a change of beverage, there are even tea or hot chocolate options. For these kinds of relaxing beverages, it’s usually a type of reishi mushroom that’s used.
Is Mushroom Coffee Good For You?
Well, the jury’s still out overall on this one. The FDA has, however, cautiously allowed some US companies to state that mushroom coffee supports general health, has antioxidant properties, and can help to support the immune system. So on balance, yes, mushroom coffee is good for you. We need to stress, though, that the research is in its infancy at present and as yet, few human studies have been carried out.
Coffee, in general, is also good for you in other ways that might not be immediately obvious. It can also be used as a hair or facial rinse, helping restore radiance to your skin (though we’re sure it has a healthy glow in any case). It’s especially good for dark hair: wait until it’s cool, and use it just before your final rinse with cold water, it should really make your hair shine.
Mushroom Coffee Benefits
Well, apart from adding a great range of quirky flavors and textures to our favorite beverage, mushroom coffee benefits appear to be numerous. Some scientists and clinicians are starting to cautiously suggest that there’s quite a range of health conditions that can potentially be alleviated or even improved.
We’ve already mentioned cancer. There is, however, also some research that indicates these types of medicinal mushroom extracts may be beneficial for Alzheimers’ Disease amongst others. Researchers have quietly been investigating these aspects of these substances for at least ten years.
One of the other benefits of mushroom coffee is the lower caffeine level. Coffee made with the Four Sigmatic coffee mix, for instance, has around half the caffeine content of many coffee blends, so you get all the stimulating benefits of coffee with a lower risk of “jitters”. So for everyday coffee drinkers, two of the major benefits are all the great effects of increased alertness that you get from caffeine, together with improved immune system response.
If you’re wondering how to describe these great new types of potential additions to your diet, you’ll sometimes hear them described as nutraceuticals. These are items with the benefits of pharmaceuticals, but delivered in a food or drink form, and frequently derived from natural ingredients. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of terminology, if you see “myco” anywhere in a list of ingredients or jargon, it’s fairly likely to mean mushroom.
Growing Mushrooms In Coffee Grounds
There’s another way in which coffee and mushrooms are linked (or can be). You probably already know that coffee grounds are a great fertilizer if you’re lucky enough to have a yard area where you can grow your own fruit, veggies or flowering plants.
In a world where we’re all having to think pretty seriously about the principles of reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle, coffee grounds are a great way to encourage plants to grow. They can drastically improve the substrate and the subsequent yield – although growing mushrooms yourself is far more difficult than it looks.
Who Should Avoid Mushroom Coffee?
Well, anyone with a mushroom intolerance probably needs to tread a little carefully with this one. There are other contraindications too: Chaga is a blood thinner, so if you’re taking blood-thinning drugs already, you’d be best to check with your healthcare professionals on whether mushroom coffee is safe for you. The same applies if you’re on diabetes medication.
When you’re buying mushroom coffee mixes, also check out the other ingredients just in case there are any that might potentially cause a reaction. The Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee mix, for instance, also contains a small amount of the herb Rhodiola. Like Chaga mushrooms, Rhodiola has been used in folk medicine in many countries for centuries, but modern scientific research into its effects is, as yet, somewhat lacking.
Should I Really Be Drinking Mushroom Coffee?
On balance, assuming you don’t have an intolerance or allergy to any of the ingredients, mushroom coffee is a great addition to your coffee repertoire. Of course, as with everything we eat, drink and otherwise consume, further research is being carried out all the time, so it’s likely we’ll see further developments, and hopefully, more proof of the benefits of mushroom coffee in the near future.
So, assuming we’ve brewed up a pot or a cup of Joe made just how we like it, let’s clink our mugs of mushroom coffee together and be very thankful to those who’ve revived some of the incredibly resourceful attitudes from the past. So let’s raise our mugs and say a hearty “Cheers!” to mycologists, coffee scientists and coffee drinkers everywhere.
Hi my name is Larry, a coffee aficionado and passionate traveler from the US. I have already visited Colombia, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Jamaica in my pursuit of finding the best-tasting coffee beans that make you feel like you are in heaven. I currently write from Bali and enjoy the relaxed life that you can find only in Indonesia. Welcome to my coffee world!
There is a tonne of different varieties of Coffee out there today; you could spend weeks and months trying out different types. One of those you may not have heard of is Vietnamese Coffee. Vietnamese Coffee can be enjoyed hot or cold. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the different ways of how to make Vietnamese Coffee.
In it’s simplest form Vietnamese Coffee (Ca Phe Sua Da) is made using medium to coarse ground dark roast Vietnamese-grown coffee with a small metal Vietnamese drip filter. After the hot water is added, the drip filter releases hot drops of Coffee slowly into a cup.
If you want to make Vietnamese Iced Coffee then simply pour the hot coffee into a glass full of ice, so, Vietnamese Coffee can be enjoyed on a hot or cold day.
When Did Coffee Come To Vietnam?
Coffee was first introduced to Vietnam in 1857 by a French Catholic Priest in the form of a single Arabica tree. Upon coffee’s arrival in Vietnam, the land was quickly cultivated into plantations to develop cash steady crops, which would be ready for export.
The Vietnam War disrupted the Coffee trade in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s, and it wasn’t until 1986 that privately-owned enterprises were permitted again into the Vietnamese Coffee industry. Since then the industry has grown in strength, and today around 1 million tonnes of coffee are exported from Vietnam each year
Vietnamese Coffee Recipe – What You Need To Make It
As described above, you’ll need medium to dark roast coffee, a small drip filter, and water. But you may want to jazz it up a bit more than that. A key element of to sweeten your Vietnamese Coffee is adding condensed milk.
The first step to making Vietnamese Coffee with condensed milk is to add condensed milk to a glass. You don’t need much as condensed milk is much sweeter than regular milk, so start by adding around ⅓ of an inch to the glass. If it’s not sweet enough, you can always add more condensed milk.
You’ll then want to add your ground coffee to your filter making sure it’s properly secured. You can then decide if you wish to brew your coffee into a mug or a glass. A glass can be a good choice as you can then see the coffee brewing. Then add the hot water and wait for your brew to complete. The water should take around 4-5 minutes to pass through the filter.
Once your coffee is brewed, you can add the condensed milk. To get the best flavor, stir the condensed milk into the brewed coffee. You can then sample if the brew is sweet enough for your tastebuds.
What’s The Best Type Of Coffee To Use?
Vietnamese Coffee is traditionally made using dark roast coffee. So if you like a stronger cup of Coffee then Vietnamese Cafe may be perfect for you. You can also use a medium roast to make Vietnamese Coffee, so it’s up to you which type of Coffee you use to match your own preference on the strength of Coffee you prefer.
If you’re new to making coffee or experimenting with different styles, then you may want to try a dark roast, and if it’s too strong, then you can switch it up to a medium roast. You may also want to consider how sensitive you are to caffeine before deciding on what type of coffee you go for.
Variations Of Vietnamese Iced Coffee – Egg Coffee
One of the most interesting types of Vietnamese Coffee is called Egg Coffee. Now you may be thinking that eggs and Coffee is a bit of a strange mix, but those who have traveled or lived in Vietnam may well be familiar with the concept of Egg Coffee. Egg Coffee is made by beating an egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk for about 10 minutes until it makes an airy, creamy, meringue-life fluff.
What you’ll need to make Egg Coffee is pretty straightforward, you need one egg, three teaspoons of whatever coffee powder you decide to go with and two teaspoons of sweetened condensed milk and some boiling water.
The first step is to brew a small cup of “Vietnam Cafe“, then crack an egg yolk making sure the egg whites are discarded. Put the yolk and condensed milk in a small deep bowl and whisk them until you have a mixture with a fluffy texture.
For the best looking Coffee you’ll want to pour the brewed Coffee into a clear coffee cup and then add the egg mixture on top, and presto you’ll have created your very own Egg Coffee!
Why We Love Cafe Sua Da
Creating different types of Coffee is a great way to mix things up if you’re looking for something new. It can be easy to get a bit sick of the classics such as a Cappuccino or a Latte, and it’s always fun to try out new varieties of Coffee.
Hopefully, this article has given you a good intro into the world of Vietnamese Coffee, and you can always experiment with a few other ingredients to make your Coffee even more flavorsome!
If you’re unsure what type of coffee you prefer, then it’s worth considering visiting a Vietnamese supermarket in your local city to see what kind of beans are available there, or if you’re looking for a new vacation destination, then Vietnam could be an option to consider.
Hi my name is Larry, a coffee aficionado and passionate traveler from the US. I have already visited Colombia, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Jamaica in my pursuit of finding the best-tasting coffee beans that make you feel like you are in heaven. I currently write from Bali and enjoy the relaxed life that you can find only in Indonesia. Welcome to my coffee world!
