Have you ever noticed how people come together over a cup of coffee? Not just in a social sense, all over the world there’s a real sense of unity that comes with sharing a cuppa joe with someone.
To celebrate International Coffee Day, we’re sharing with you some of our favourite coffee recipes and memories from around the world – enjoy!
Ireland – Irish Coffee
Legend has it that Irish coffee came to fruition in 1943 at the port of Foynes, in Ireland’s West. After stormy conditions forced a flying boat flight headed to New York City to return to Ireland, chef Joe Sheridan was asked to return to work in Foynes to prepare hot food and drinks for the returning passengers. He added a shot of whiskey to each coffee he was preparing and topped each with cream, thus creating the popular drink that is still enjoyed today!
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh coffee
1 tbs brown sugar
1 shot Irish whiskey
Whipped Cream to top
Pour fresh coffee into a warmed mug and stir in brown sugar. Blend in Irish whiskey and top with whipped cream.
Turkey – Turkish Coffee
Coffee was first introduced to Turkey during the Ottoman Empire. While originally its consumption was forbidden, its rise in popularity eventually led to this prohibition being lifted by the Sultan.
What separates Turkish Coffee from the crowd is the method in which it is prepared. Traditionally, green coffee beans are roasted at home and then ground to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle before being brewed in coffee pots called cezve. However, if you don’t have a cezve at home, you can use a small saucepan.
Ingredients:
1½ cups water
1 tbs Turkish coffee (or finely ground coffee)
Sugar as desired
Place combined sugar, water and coffee in a cezve (or small saucepan) and bring to a boil over medium heat. Just before boil, a dark foam will build up – using a teaspoon, transfer the foam to your Turkish coffee cup and return the saucepan coffee to heat. Bring coffee to a boil and pour into Turkish coffee cups over the foam.
Italy – Affogato
The word ‘affogato’ literally translates to ‘drowned’ in Italian, which in this case refers to the gelato being drowned in coffee. While the history of the affogato is unknown, one thing we do know is that this simple Italian dessert is bellissimo! Marrying two simple flavours (gelato and espresso), affogato is the perfect post-meal treat.
Ingredients:
1 scoop vanilla gelato
1 shot espresso
Place gelato in a frosted glass and simply pour espresso over.
